I didn't see this one until this week because the Seattle Times carries the puzzle five weeks after the NY Times (which means I see Christmas themes at the end of January). I was stumped until I "cheated" and googled (actually Binged) the clue to 1 Across. Of course I immediately saw that "Trio" was an anagram for "Tori" and off I went. I was cursing Will and Ian LIvengood the whole way.
I finally finished it, and this was by far the hardest but most satisfying puzzle I've ever done. But: why is this not a Saturday puzzle? Too hard for a Thursday.
Too clever by a mile. I will discard any puzzle by this person that you run. I do puzzles for enjoyment, not headaches. If I liked anagrams I would do anagrams. Everything else is just fine, thanks.
3
I have been doing NYT crosswords for over fifty years. This may well be the best puzzle I have ever solved. It took quite a while but it was right there at the top once solved. Kudos to Ian Livengood.. I'm still in awe..
This is the first time I have ever been stumped by a NY Times puzzle. I realized early on that they were anagrams but even the ones I unscrambled didn't lead me to solve the clues.
1
I loved this but didn't finish it until Sunday evening. I did know the Tori Amos album and even carried the conceit for a while that it must be a typo but finally worked out what was going on. Even then, I reached several brick walls and had to return later with a fresh brain. Congratulations! Very well done.
1
Nasty. I respect that.
It was with "Manila alternative" that I first tumbled onto the theme. I like anagrams. Even so, there were a few anagrams I never decoded, but I was able to fill enough of the grid to solve completely without it.
I don't like rushing through puzzles. I like ones that unfold gradually, like a flower. I doff my cap, sir.
It was with "Manila alternative" that I first tumbled onto the theme. I like anagrams. Even so, there were a few anagrams I never decoded, but I was able to fill enough of the grid to solve completely without it.
I don't like rushing through puzzles. I like ones that unfold gradually, like a flower. I doff my cap, sir.
2
I hated, hated, hated this puzzle. If I wanted to spend time with anagrams, I'd do anagrams. I did pretty well with this puzzle, but I did NOT enjoy a single minute of it. I do crosswords for the particular kind of challenge they offer, which is stimulating yet relaxing. The anagrams were frustrating and aggravating roadblocks. What's next? Sudoku?
4
One of the hardest Ina long time. Thursday's are always a challenge.
3
It took a second try to get started, than two or three sittings to complete the puzzle, though I did not get 20 anagrams. Motivated by fear of failure, I tried the anagrams a few more times, reducing the unsolved clues to 10, to 5, and to three. I cheated with Google for two of the last three and gave up on "abhors." Only then did I notice the note under Friday's answers: "Hasbro." Fair? Okay, brand names have been used as cluesi for many years. Thanks for this most unusual Thursday puzzle.
2
BEST PUZZLE OF ALL TIME. (I've been doing them for 35 yrs.) Please construct another one. Perhaps this puzzle could be a specific type, so it occur repeatedly. MANY THANKS.
3
I'm only getting here on Saturday because it took me this long (working on and off, of course) to complete the puzzle.
I carried it with me to bus stops, worked on it over meals, finally finished it just now.
I'm on the LOVED IT side!
Alas, I had to Google 1A to get started. By that time I'd read through the whole thing and knew I was in trouble. Since I'd never heard of "Under the Pink" and therefore had no hope of figuring out what trio released it, I chose that to look up. When Tori popped up, I knew what the deal was.
Now all I had to do was anagram 70+ words and figure out the answer to each new clue. Great!
I'm pretty good at anagrams, but some of these were posers. Here's a tip for people who have trouble with anagrams, which seems to be a large portion of the population: write the letters down in a random array. Take "reigns" at 44D:
e g
r s i
n
It's easier to try different combinations this way. Often when I do this the word jumps right out. If you do this often enough, you need to do it less and less: your mind can make the leap without the extra help.
I admit it was a big of a slog at times, but such is the life of the solver! It was s-o-o-o satisfying to finish! I took a break to solve yesterday's puzzle and now am off to read Deb's column on that. Then it's off to Central Park for a birding walk...
I carried it with me to bus stops, worked on it over meals, finally finished it just now.
I'm on the LOVED IT side!
Alas, I had to Google 1A to get started. By that time I'd read through the whole thing and knew I was in trouble. Since I'd never heard of "Under the Pink" and therefore had no hope of figuring out what trio released it, I chose that to look up. When Tori popped up, I knew what the deal was.
Now all I had to do was anagram 70+ words and figure out the answer to each new clue. Great!
I'm pretty good at anagrams, but some of these were posers. Here's a tip for people who have trouble with anagrams, which seems to be a large portion of the population: write the letters down in a random array. Take "reigns" at 44D:
e g
r s i
n
It's easier to try different combinations this way. Often when I do this the word jumps right out. If you do this often enough, you need to do it less and less: your mind can make the leap without the extra help.
I admit it was a big of a slog at times, but such is the life of the solver! It was s-o-o-o satisfying to finish! I took a break to solve yesterday's puzzle and now am off to read Deb's column on that. Then it's off to Central Park for a birding walk...
6
I meant "bit of a slog": I've had bigger!
One of the funnest crosswords I've done in a long time. The feeling of triumph when the theme dawned on me -- that was great!
4
Thanks for the challenging puzzle! Since I never solve for "speed" it didn't bother me to take a long time to finish - even with a few mistakes. (I've heard of Tori Amos, but don't know her songs.) This is Wordplay, after all, which can involve some mental gymnastics. I have been doing these for nearly 50 years also, and enjoy something original. It's fun to break the routine occasionally, and to reason in a new way. Lots of gold stars for creativity!
2
That was brilliant.
1
Livengood and Shortz should be sainted.
1
It's surprising to me that so many of the Readers' Picks comments are negative, but it's truly shocking how vitriolic they are. If you don't like a puzzle, fine. But that doesn't mean you have to be insulting. "Absurd", "Ridiculous", "Trash", "Garbage", "Idiotic", "Pathetic(ally)"? I hate to see this kind of mean-spiritedness anywhere, much less regarding something that's meant to be entertainment.
As someone who has been doing NY Times crosswords for nearly 50 years, I personally found it refreshingly challenging and highly satisfying to crack.
As someone who has been doing NY Times crosswords for nearly 50 years, I personally found it refreshingly challenging and highly satisfying to crack.
9
No more Thursday crosswords for me! This was ridiculous. I love words and definitions. Silly letter displacements? Not so much.
2
I'm with "Nit Picker" from Jersey City. I don't usually do the Sunday "Puns and Anagrams" puzzles. I'm good at crosswords because I've always been a voracious reader, so I have a good recall vocabulary, plus the visual thing - once I fill in a few letters the word sort of pops out at me because I've seen it so many times on a page. Doesn't work with anagrams, which are like rearranging a Scrabble tray - mentally. After filling in exactly nothing on the first pass of this puzzle, I Googled the first clue because I didn't remember the album. What? Tori doesn't work as a trio. Then the light bulb went on. It took way too long, but I got all but one: though "Utah" worked out in the grid, I didn't know what it used to be called (Sedtree? Deerset?) I've probably heard of Deseret once or twice, but didn't recall it.
Loved it! Similar experience to others who liked it. Very cryptic-like since both forms of the anagramed words had to make some sort of sense. Masterfully done - Thanks!!
3
First post for me. I’ve enjoyed NYT puzzles for 40 years, plus many cryptics and am usually good with anagrams, but this was probably the least fun ever.
I should have set it aside and gone to bed, but after several passes finally cheated by going to Deb’s post, getting the news on the anagram conceit, and slogging from there. An official time of 1:31:14, compared to a Thursday best of 7:17 and average of 15:40 (100+ puzzles). I redid it this morning assuming I would have tumbled to the trap relatively early and it still took almost 28 minutes to do.
It’s fine to stretch the difficulty occasionally (I’m thinking of a puzzle not long ago with half of the answers entered backwards, and others that play with the black spaces or going over the edge), but this one was really out of bounds relative to NYT norms. Even if it had been labelled “Anagrams” up front, it was pretty difficult and not much fun.
Best clue/answer for me was 56D. Too many to pick a worst, but how about 6D, 12D (VIP?), 51A, 59A, 68A, 30D, 38D (“points”, ugh), the combination of 13D and 29D, and, of course, 44D (music hall?).
Good thing the blog is moderated, since the impulse to yell and throw things at the constructor was pretty strong. Too clever by half, but also Will should have killed this idea before it got so far. I added my vote to recommend several negative posts, but my bottom line is to repeat Jeremy Jacobs: ON, JUTS ON.
I should have set it aside and gone to bed, but after several passes finally cheated by going to Deb’s post, getting the news on the anagram conceit, and slogging from there. An official time of 1:31:14, compared to a Thursday best of 7:17 and average of 15:40 (100+ puzzles). I redid it this morning assuming I would have tumbled to the trap relatively early and it still took almost 28 minutes to do.
It’s fine to stretch the difficulty occasionally (I’m thinking of a puzzle not long ago with half of the answers entered backwards, and others that play with the black spaces or going over the edge), but this one was really out of bounds relative to NYT norms. Even if it had been labelled “Anagrams” up front, it was pretty difficult and not much fun.
Best clue/answer for me was 56D. Too many to pick a worst, but how about 6D, 12D (VIP?), 51A, 59A, 68A, 30D, 38D (“points”, ugh), the combination of 13D and 29D, and, of course, 44D (music hall?).
Good thing the blog is moderated, since the impulse to yell and throw things at the constructor was pretty strong. Too clever by half, but also Will should have killed this idea before it got so far. I added my vote to recommend several negative posts, but my bottom line is to repeat Jeremy Jacobs: ON, JUTS ON.
6
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You're entitled to your opinions and you do a mostly good job at expressing them.
I'm just curious how your prior Thursday solve times are relevant to the whole rest of your Comment? Would you have less right to complain if, say, your Thursday average were 45 mins. (including a couple of Googles)? Or if your fastest Thursday time were 6 mins.?
My Thursday record is 6:57, attained with no assistance. Does that make me a better evaluator of Thursday puzzles than you are? Does it shield me from ever having to spend more than a half hour on a themed daily crossword?
You're entitled to your opinions and you do a mostly good job at expressing them.
I'm just curious how your prior Thursday solve times are relevant to the whole rest of your Comment? Would you have less right to complain if, say, your Thursday average were 45 mins. (including a couple of Googles)? Or if your fastest Thursday time were 6 mins.?
My Thursday record is 6:57, attained with no assistance. Does that make me a better evaluator of Thursday puzzles than you are? Does it shield me from ever having to spend more than a half hour on a themed daily crossword?
Wow! So sorry to have intruded in your blog. Last post for me.
I got that anagrams were involved pretty early on, but you're right, it was still hard. For one thing I wasn't sure it was always the first word, or that ALL the "trap" clues were anagrams--I was pretty sure 17A had to start with the word ANAGRAM itself, but I don't know that I've ever seen it used as a verb and that threw me off as to what the whole reveal was going to indicate. Even then, some of the anagrams themselves were fairly brutal. CLAN for NACL (salt!!!) was maybe the worst. I usually finish the Thursday in 10-15 minutes; this one took me 30--far longer than the usual Saturday. But you know what? IT WAS FUN!
2
And I TOTALLY missed that of course "TRAP" was "PART," which would have saved me from thinking "there are 3 different 'traps' not just one?" Funny how overanalyzing can be just as bad as underanalyzing these things.
2
Diabolical! There may have been some yelling (along with a whole lot of respect) when I finally cracked it. I, too, doubted my sense of time because it has been 20 years since it took me so long to get my first clue in a Thursday puzzle! Well done!
4
I cusk at anagrams.
12
I went through practically the whole puzzle, totally confused, filled in a few and then went right to Rex Parker's blog and cheated!
1
According to this puzzle, the "Croat" who won an Oscar in 1999 was Spacey. The two actors who won in 1999 were Begnini and Coburn. What gives? Btw, I LOVED this fiendishly clever puzzle, even though it took 1:32 to solve. More, please!
1
The film was in 1999 for the Oscar in 2000.
2
But it was an error -- shocking Mr. Shortz! -- nonetheless.
Just as it sat unglued for a while, once I was able to get to the puzzle this morning (I have been waylaid by a reaction to the flu vaccine), I could fill in 10-15% of the puzzle because it is a crossword puzzle, not because it was clued. But then to figure out why was that word that word? What the heck is a YESLET, let alone its plural, YESLETS? ooooh, Yes, Let's! That was my favorite.
What a cluing feat to anagram every clue. Well done.
What a cluing feat to anagram every clue. Well done.
1
I had a similar reaction to OCANADA. What the heck is an Ocanada and how do you strain one? Finally, O Canada jumped off the page at me.
I loathed, loathed, loathed this puzzle. Tori Amos must be a generational thing; I've maybe heard a song of hers on the radio but I wouldn't be able to identify any song that she sings or album or CD she made. So there was no way into the puzzle for me at all; I ended up looking at Rex Parker's blog for the key. I don't mind a couple anagrams or other cryptic-type clues in my NYT puzzles, but a puzzle full of anagrams is just a joyless slog - and much more difficult than in a cryptic context, where the non-anagram part of the clue is a definition. I do the NYT puzzle every day and haven't left one incomplete in years - until now. Because once I realized that I had to anagram the first word of each clue and THEN solve a puzzle, I just stopped. If I wanted to solve a Jumble I'd buy the Daily News. If I never see another puzzle from this constructor it will be too soon.
6
This was too far of a departure from what I have come to expect (and enjoy) about the NYT puzzle. It was like "New Coke", a bad idea poorly executed and not worth my time.
6
Evil is right!!
I sat for the longest time without answering a single clue. I was pretty angry and thought "I love a challenging puzzle but this is ridiculous". I put it away and did some reading. But I could barely focus because I was stewing. So I picked it up again and had a few small "aha" moments.
I finished it!!! I ended up cutting it out and will save it for posterity!
What a great puzzle!!!
I sat for the longest time without answering a single clue. I was pretty angry and thought "I love a challenging puzzle but this is ridiculous". I put it away and did some reading. But I could barely focus because I was stewing. So I picked it up again and had a few small "aha" moments.
I finished it!!! I ended up cutting it out and will save it for posterity!
What a great puzzle!!!
6
I have to admit to a lack of three skills/qualities that would have helped with this puzzle:
1. Anagram/spatial recognition skills. I am a good crossword puzzle solver with excellent spelling skills, but ask me to come up with a word from the letters TAC and I'm stumped.
2. Patience. My colleagues and I do the puzzles as we sit and eat lunch together. Even after we 'revealed' the trick to the puzzle, we still couldn't wade through the majority of clues. Some of them just seemed a little shoe-horned in. And frankly, we used up 3 lunch breaks, collectively, just to get heartburn.
3. Not familiar with TORI AMOS or her music. My bad. I don't like to google answers, sort of defeats the puzzle. And I frankly only vaguely remember her. So, I like others, could not find an IN.
I think anger over a puzzle is silly - but I do understand that most people do have pride in their crossword abilities and this hit HARD because it was anagram and crossword solving - 2 very very different skills. And not necessarily complementary skills.
I really wasn't expecting this on Thursday. And it definitely cooled the fun 'let's do the puzzle over pizza' thing. We will not be working on the Friday puzzle but I suspect we will be back next week.
Perhaps, put this in your PUNS and ANAGRAMS puzzles section? At least people would have a vague inkling of what they were about to be hit with? I would have stayed away and just done the POTATO puzzle!
1. Anagram/spatial recognition skills. I am a good crossword puzzle solver with excellent spelling skills, but ask me to come up with a word from the letters TAC and I'm stumped.
2. Patience. My colleagues and I do the puzzles as we sit and eat lunch together. Even after we 'revealed' the trick to the puzzle, we still couldn't wade through the majority of clues. Some of them just seemed a little shoe-horned in. And frankly, we used up 3 lunch breaks, collectively, just to get heartburn.
3. Not familiar with TORI AMOS or her music. My bad. I don't like to google answers, sort of defeats the puzzle. And I frankly only vaguely remember her. So, I like others, could not find an IN.
I think anger over a puzzle is silly - but I do understand that most people do have pride in their crossword abilities and this hit HARD because it was anagram and crossword solving - 2 very very different skills. And not necessarily complementary skills.
I really wasn't expecting this on Thursday. And it definitely cooled the fun 'let's do the puzzle over pizza' thing. We will not be working on the Friday puzzle but I suspect we will be back next week.
Perhaps, put this in your PUNS and ANAGRAMS puzzles section? At least people would have a vague inkling of what they were about to be hit with? I would have stayed away and just done the POTATO puzzle!
2
TAC is already a word, as in TAC squad.
I really loved this puzzle as well, but then again I'm a huge fan of anagrams. It took me a long time to figure it out, but it was the first across clue that finally cracked it for me. Even so, it took me a long time to solve everything. Having to anagram and then solve was a gymnastic mental work out. Kudos. Great puzzle! If I weren't so exhausted, I would have written my comment in anagrams. ;-)
5
Absolutely LOVED this puzzle! My cousin, and fellow NYT puzzle fan, happened to be visiting today. When I got home from work I saw he had barely scratched the surface of the puzzle and I had no idea what could be wrong -- after all, it was only Thursday! I picked it up, saw he had "postage" for the answer to the "Lima" clue and asked him what he was smoking. He explained that after noodling and noodling over the puzzle, he had figured out everything was an anagram, but hadn't gotten much further than that. Took a few minutes for me to buy into that idea, but then we were off to the races!! Made for a wonderful, collaborative and competitive evening. We got the whole thing, though in a few cases we had to back into the anagrams (which are always hard for me). I thought it was masterful and delightful and good for the ole brain cells. i sought out the blog for the first time since the Braille puzzle (which I also was completely blown away by) to see the reaction of others. Was sad to see some people were so thrown off their game that they couldn't appreciate it. For me, a curve ball every once in a while is invigorating. I will now eagerly anticipate future Livengood puzzles!
12
I loved this puzzle. It's why I subscribe because it really requires the brain to shift into overdrive. When I look at a puzzle and it look like it will be impossible to solve, I get a feeling that I'm about to embark on a mental adventure.
Thank you Ian and Will and, please, don't let the negative comments discourage either of you. Just look at the recommended support that the positive puzzles receive compared to the recommended support that the negative ones receive.
Thank you Ian and Will and, please, don't let the negative comments discourage either of you. Just look at the recommended support that the positive puzzles receive compared to the recommended support that the negative ones receive.
5
An outstanding puzzle! Thank you so much!! I loved it.
3
Sorry, but even though I figured out quickly about needing to unscramble the first word, it wasn't a good/fun puzzle. Who has the time to do both the anagram and then the crossword?
3
This was my longest Thursday solve since I started doing the NYT puzzles about eight or nine years ago. It took a while to figure out the trick, but then deciphering the anagrams was a real challenge for me. I finally gave my husband (who's very good at anagrams) a list of the first words I couldn't unscramble. He got almost all of them (except he had retune, not neuter, for tenure), and with that list, was able to complete the puzzle. I really hate to ask for help because it feels like cheating, so I didn't get the same satisfaction I usually get after solving a particularly difficult (say, Saturday) puzzle. After this one, Saturday puzzles are going to be pieces of cake!!
1
Deb, I'm so sorry for your loss.
3
Thanks, Viv.
Woke up this morning and started working the puzzle, as usual. Became convinced I must have slept for 55 hours instead of my usual 5 because surely this was a Saturday puzzle! Worked on it for an hour, gave up until after dinner this evening - took another 2 hours to finish! Never did figure out a few of the anagrams but solved it anyway. Fun, but devilishly hard!
4
This is the first time, ever in 30 years that I couldn't crack a Thursday puzzle and I don't think it was me. The clues just don't make sense - they're not like the usual puns and anagram clues. Just kind of inscrutable. Not my fave
3
I finally figured out the trick. Then I must admit that both I and my solving partner (my husband) quickly said, "not enough fun, too much guessing, pffff". Too bad - I miss my daily crossword. I honestly have a hard time believing as many people as posted positive comments actually solved it, especially without looking at crib list of anagrams. Too hard when you don't know if you have the correct anagram and then have to guess the answer in faith. Please, no more.
6
A number of people solved this puzzle without looking at any lists. This kind of puzzle is why I subscribe to NYT Crossword. If you don't enjoy the challenges that Thursday, Friday and Saturday bring, then you always have the Monday and Tuesday puzzles to give you a feeling of accomplishment.
6
I hope that you do not employ him again. What a waste
5
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@ Cool Papa Bell,
1. Is it true that you can turn off the light and be in bed before the room is dark?
2. Ian Livengood has had 55 or so puzzles published in the NYT. He has also trained other constructors. I suspect Will Shortz has already accepted other puzzles from him (Sunday Crosswords are selected 6 weeks in advance, I once heard, because it takes Deb that long to figure out if it's a rebus puzzle).
@ Cool Papa Bell,
1. Is it true that you can turn off the light and be in bed before the room is dark?
2. Ian Livengood has had 55 or so puzzles published in the NYT. He has also trained other constructors. I suspect Will Shortz has already accepted other puzzles from him (Sunday Crosswords are selected 6 weeks in advance, I once heard, because it takes Deb that long to figure out if it's a rebus puzzle).
3
1. Fudgier out the Tori Amos clue.
2. Medusas Will Shortz wasn't missing simple typos.
3. Fondu several other clues that made more sense if anagrammed (ships, producers, actor, e.g.)
4. FIENDISH!
2. Medusas Will Shortz wasn't missing simple typos.
3. Fondu several other clues that made more sense if anagrammed (ships, producers, actor, e.g.)
4. FIENDISH!
8
Do you remember The Far Side cartoon where the kid in a school class is raising his hand and saying "May I be excused, my brain is tired?"? I can't seem to stop myself from trying to solve your anagrams, but I'm so limp from the puzzle that I just. Can't. Get them. Except fondu. :)
3
Evil and vile!
10
My toughest Thursday ever (1:30, as in hours:minutes, though not 100% attention) and one of my favorites. But then I love the puns & anagrams puzzles. Thursday rebus? We get one for each clue!
2
260 comments. Have we passed the Patrick Blindauer level? I don't know how to do that research...
hee hee
hee hee
1
(It took me a while to find out how to get to a previous puzzle's blog page, but I got there:
Patrick Blindauer's "Change of Heart" puzzle, Sept. 11, 2014, got 365 comments on Wordplay dated Sept. 10, 2014.
Maybe people who were annoyed by today's puzzle might be invited to try that one!)
Patrick Blindauer's "Change of Heart" puzzle, Sept. 11, 2014, got 365 comments on Wordplay dated Sept. 10, 2014.
Maybe people who were annoyed by today's puzzle might be invited to try that one!)
1
Thanks, DC — I was just now wondering what the record might be.
There seems to be a "back to school" element in the timing of these ultra-tough puzzles...
Brilliantly executed puzzle, seemingly impossible at first, and then still very hard after understanding the trick but ultimately doable (a rare feat). I was able to finish eventually with a few checks along the way and a few guesses when unable to get an anagram. This is an impressive puzzle. I am glad it was published without any additional hints. This is what Thusday puzzles should be like. As Mr. Hanks once said, "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great."
12
Took me a bit longer to figure out the secret and solve than most weekdays, a real fun challenge. More, please!
8
Way to go Ian and Will! Took me forever, but it feels great to have solved it! More innovation, say I. Do not heed the haters!
9
totally stumped.
it took divine inspiration to figure this one out.
no more, please!!!
it took divine inspiration to figure this one out.
no more, please!!!
Aren't you suppose to use imagination coupled with knowledge to solve a puzzle like this?
2
I did not enjoy this puzzle and gave up in disgust/frustration.
If it had been published on a Saturday, I perhaps would have time/energy to finish it, but it was not a good choice for a weekday main puzzle.
Various thoughtful commenters have suggested ways it could have been handled better (variety, weekend, etc.) I hope that the editors will take these comments to heart.
I also hope that this is a one-off mistake that won't be repeated, but if it becomes the rule, I won't be renewing my subscription.
If it had been published on a Saturday, I perhaps would have time/energy to finish it, but it was not a good choice for a weekday main puzzle.
Various thoughtful commenters have suggested ways it could have been handled better (variety, weekend, etc.) I hope that the editors will take these comments to heart.
I also hope that this is a one-off mistake that won't be repeated, but if it becomes the rule, I won't be renewing my subscription.
9
And if it does't become "the rule" I won't be renewing mine. This kind of puzzle is why many of us subscribe - it presents a challenge.
2
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Re subscriptions:
For those who don't know, an (online) subscription to the puzzles is purchased independently of a subscription to nytimes.com.
The number of puzzle subscriptions has gotten sufficiently high, and the revenue gleaned has gotten sufficiently large, that the New York Times Company now lists them separately when it releases quarterly revenue data.
I believe the number of online puzzle subscriptions at any given time is roughly equivalent to the the population of New Hampshire, according to my probably-faulty memory. That population is greater than the population of several other states (individually) or some nations.
=================================================
I had no subscription to NYT puzzles from roughly Jan. 4, 2014 - March 31, 2015. I would never disagree with anyone's decision to cancel their subscription. The money can be used elsewhere; and there are plenty of puzzles available on other websites. (Some of those websites even forego the endless pleas for donations.) There are also crossword websites that offer paid subscriptions.
But the NYT Puzzle Desk is not producing some niche product akin to "National Lampoon" in 1970. One person, two people, 100 people cancelling their subscriptions for some declared reason cannot possibly alter decisions on what puzzles to offer.
Think of it this way. If 300 people Comment to say they are unsubscribing, and if each Commenter speaks for 99 others, that = 30,000 cancellations. That's 3% of the total.
Re subscriptions:
For those who don't know, an (online) subscription to the puzzles is purchased independently of a subscription to nytimes.com.
The number of puzzle subscriptions has gotten sufficiently high, and the revenue gleaned has gotten sufficiently large, that the New York Times Company now lists them separately when it releases quarterly revenue data.
I believe the number of online puzzle subscriptions at any given time is roughly equivalent to the the population of New Hampshire, according to my probably-faulty memory. That population is greater than the population of several other states (individually) or some nations.
=================================================
I had no subscription to NYT puzzles from roughly Jan. 4, 2014 - March 31, 2015. I would never disagree with anyone's decision to cancel their subscription. The money can be used elsewhere; and there are plenty of puzzles available on other websites. (Some of those websites even forego the endless pleas for donations.) There are also crossword websites that offer paid subscriptions.
But the NYT Puzzle Desk is not producing some niche product akin to "National Lampoon" in 1970. One person, two people, 100 people cancelling their subscriptions for some declared reason cannot possibly alter decisions on what puzzles to offer.
Think of it this way. If 300 people Comment to say they are unsubscribing, and if each Commenter speaks for 99 others, that = 30,000 cancellations. That's 3% of the total.
1
I'm asking this in earnest...is there a reason you can't wait until Saturday to finish the puzzle, when you'll have more time/energy? Why does the quality (or lack of) change based on when it was published?
1
I'll say something similar to what I said amidst the barrage of vitriol over at Rexword:
I liked it.
It was really hard. It was strange and wacky and different. Sure, I don't want every puzzle to be like this, but I don't need every day's or every week's crossword puzzle to be exactly the same either, and I don't care about it messing up my stats/solving times.
Good job NYT!
I liked it.
It was really hard. It was strange and wacky and different. Sure, I don't want every puzzle to be like this, but I don't need every day's or every week's crossword puzzle to be exactly the same either, and I don't care about it messing up my stats/solving times.
Good job NYT!
25
No thanks! If I want an anagram puzzle, I'll do an anagram puzzle.
8
VOLE this puzzle, Mr Livengood. Crime, in Cannes!!
5
It is obvious that the NYT Crossword editorial bunch regards the readers who have complained so loudly and frequently today as their own personal basket of deplorables.
There is a clear lack of respect or concern for your readership.
Ms. Amlen's remarks (in this comments section) were both embarrassing for the NYT and cringe-inducing for your readership.
An adult editorial group would apologize for this affair .
There is a clear lack of respect or concern for your readership.
Ms. Amlen's remarks (in this comments section) were both embarrassing for the NYT and cringe-inducing for your readership.
An adult editorial group would apologize for this affair .
3
Some of us really, really enjoyed this challenging solve. You seem to be assuming that most solvers did not, largely based on the comments here.
Even if this sample is representative of all solvers, why does the putative majority have some sort of right to find every day's puzzle to their liking?
I'm sure that the NYT Crossword editorial bunch (Will Shortz) knew that some solvers would find the theme frustrating; the constructor admitted as much. But they both also must have known that other solvers, ever appreciative of a Thursday challenge, would find this solve memorable.
Personally, I'd love if the Times replaced all Monday puzzles with crosswords as challenging and interesting as this one. But I don't feel that I'm owed that for my $40.
Even if this sample is representative of all solvers, why does the putative majority have some sort of right to find every day's puzzle to their liking?
I'm sure that the NYT Crossword editorial bunch (Will Shortz) knew that some solvers would find the theme frustrating; the constructor admitted as much. But they both also must have known that other solvers, ever appreciative of a Thursday challenge, would find this solve memorable.
Personally, I'd love if the Times replaced all Monday puzzles with crosswords as challenging and interesting as this one. But I don't feel that I'm owed that for my $40.
17
I read Deb Amlen's remarks in comments *not* as a commentary on published comments on the subject of the puzzle but, rather, as a reminder of why some submitted comments had *not* been published. No cringing here.
4
I read Deb's comments the same way Barry did. And, as I said in a reply to Deb's post, I am glad that the emus (or other members of the editorial bunch) took down posts that contained personal attacks. Indeed, the civility of this forum is what I characterize as "adult."
No apology needed or wanted.
No apology needed or wanted.
3
I like getting through all of the clues and not having one solved. All the better when you conquer it. I am horrible at anagrams so it took me three hours! I enjoyed it, though.
13
Spacy won the academy award n 2000, not 1999. The film was made in 1999. Get your clues right!
3
Normally I ignore typos, but I can't resist pointing out that you misspelled "Spacey."
3
Funny, Martin, but ad hominem.
Let's try to keep cool today.
Let's try to keep cool today.
2
No, add homonym was Monday's theme. And DB misspelled "in," too.
3
Didn't get to the puzzle until lunchtime (seeing guests off, trying to put the house together, doing laundry, and hunting for the cash the DHubby brought home from the bank. (It was outside the garage, in the recycling bin. Go figure.) I knew something was up because the clues were nonsense, so I finally Googled the 1A song. There was no TRIO.
Should I say here, I wouldn't know TORI AMOS if she bit me on the, well, NO, I could care less about who she is, her music, and all the rest, but then I figured out that ANAGRAMs, alas, were going to be the order of the day. Eager (to) was the hardest one for me--I only got it by back-tracking. Or maybe Stingray was the hardest--I never got it at all!
Why wasn't this in 'Puns and Anagrams,' where I never go FOR A REASON!!!?
You ask me, John DEEREs are over-rated; give me a Kubota every time.
And I'd like to thank Will and Joel for showing some restraint in the cluing for 23 DOWN.
I'm worn out now.
Should I say here, I wouldn't know TORI AMOS if she bit me on the, well, NO, I could care less about who she is, her music, and all the rest, but then I figured out that ANAGRAMs, alas, were going to be the order of the day. Eager (to) was the hardest one for me--I only got it by back-tracking. Or maybe Stingray was the hardest--I never got it at all!
Why wasn't this in 'Puns and Anagrams,' where I never go FOR A REASON!!!?
You ask me, John DEEREs are over-rated; give me a Kubota every time.
And I'd like to thank Will and Joel for showing some restraint in the cluing for 23 DOWN.
I'm worn out now.
1
MOL --
Re: 42A and your preferences, a Tom Swifty for you:
I won't get on your case, he said gravely.
Re: 42A and your preferences, a Tom Swifty for you:
I won't get on your case, he said gravely.
1
MOL - when your Stingray has gone a-wandering, you might say the animal is doing this...
"Puns and Anagrams" is a very specific type of puzzle, a kind of precursor to the more structured cryptic puzzles, and today's crossword does not fit in that category.
Some puzzles are created as an exercise for the puzzle makers satisfaction, others are created as vehicles of challenge and entertainment for others. This falls deeply in the first category, along with some quad stacks and other "accomplishments". Take a bow if you like, but you are in the wrong arena.
8
I maybe breaking the commenting tradition of only posting positive remarks, but this puzzle, to me, is a prime example of what a crossword puzzle should not be. I long for the days of puzzles created by Eugene Maleska (may he rest in peace), who used intelligence and wit rather than trickery and self-indulgence to create crosswords that were challenging but not cryptically idiotic.
20
.
jaded, that would be a nice change of pace, wouldn't it? Perhaps a whole month of puzzles that can be solved more readily by people who know a lot of stuff? Not gonna happen. And BTW, I'm not sure how you'd know if Maleska created a puzzle. When he was constructing, I don't think the puzzles had bylines.
Eugene Maleska trivia: 54 years ago to the day, the New York Times reported that Eugene Maleska had been promoted to a better job in the New York City public school system. That was about a month after Marilyn Monroe died and a few weeks before President Kennedy and the other lunatics took the world to the brink of "atomic" (nuclear) war.
The Times that day -- you can look it up! -- also had full TV listings, baseball boxscores, racing results from many horse-racing venues (flats and harness), and possibly a Bridge and/or Chess column. (But on the downside, there was no Op-Ed page.)
jaded, that would be a nice change of pace, wouldn't it? Perhaps a whole month of puzzles that can be solved more readily by people who know a lot of stuff? Not gonna happen. And BTW, I'm not sure how you'd know if Maleska created a puzzle. When he was constructing, I don't think the puzzles had bylines.
Eugene Maleska trivia: 54 years ago to the day, the New York Times reported that Eugene Maleska had been promoted to a better job in the New York City public school system. That was about a month after Marilyn Monroe died and a few weeks before President Kennedy and the other lunatics took the world to the brink of "atomic" (nuclear) war.
The Times that day -- you can look it up! -- also had full TV listings, baseball boxscores, racing results from many horse-racing venues (flats and harness), and possibly a Bridge and/or Chess column. (But on the downside, there was no Op-Ed page.)
1
It took a heckuva long time to finish, but finally got Mr. Happy Pencil. I still haven't figured out some of the anagrams sincesome entries could be guessed from crossings. Final letter entered: the Y of SPAY / YES, LET'S. I'm still not sure why SPAY is the answer to the clue "Tureen." (Just kidding: I haven't figured out the correct anagram of "Tenure" yet.)
What made this all the more engaging is that many anagrams were ones I hadn't seen before, despite having played extensively with anagrams since college in the mid-sixties. Like gaiter = triage, Folgers = golfers, procured = producer, nestler = relents, et al.
Good show, Ian Livengood!
What made this all the more engaging is that many anagrams were ones I hadn't seen before, despite having played extensively with anagrams since college in the mid-sixties. Like gaiter = triage, Folgers = golfers, procured = producer, nestler = relents, et al.
Good show, Ian Livengood!
4
Meant to also say that the theme dawned very soon, since a lot of the first words in clues suddenly made sense when anagrammed; it was probably "Logs through water" that gave it away (though WADE was by no means immediate). Did not realize that NERF was a "material" for making toys, Hasbro or not. The brand name anagrams were the hardest to unscramble (of those that got unscrambled).
Favorite / most deceptive clue: "Trains for an N.H.L. game."
Favorite / most deceptive clue: "Trains for an N.H.L. game."
Correction: It was actually "Anoint in the western Pacific" that gave it away, since anoint = nation was familiar.
Plus it was delightfully sadistic deviltry to use "Trap" to mean "Part"!!!
Plus it was delightfully sadistic deviltry to use "Trap" to mean "Part"!!!
Although I got SPAY pretty early, I had to stare at 13D for a while even after I had entered all the letters. I thought maybe YESLETS were little tiny assents.
3
After reading most of the comments, I am convinced that this puzzle was misclassified. It belongs in Variety/Puns & Anagrams where it would likely be very much appreciated. I believe those of us who regularly do the P&A and Cryptic puzzles had an overwhelming advantage doing this one.
10
I think you may be right, Kiki, about who had an advantage today.
I live for cryptics.
I live for cryptics.
3
What "advantage." Is this a competition?
3
The advantage is that we who are used to puzzles of this type have most of our hair left and our teeth ungnashed!
1
Great puzzle. Satisfaction on completing it more than compensated for the guilt over how much time I was devoting to it.
5
I loved it! The clues were too weird--almost like a Cryptic puzzle. I knew something was up. Thank you for forcing me to think outside the grid! Cheers Ian and Will!
4
Well, certainly memorable. Also clever and original.
It was both fortunate and unfortunate for me that I had a number of real life distractions this morning. Fortunate in that it gave me time to think about the puzzle in between actually solving (I had kind of focused on 'Isabel' and it was while I was walking the dog that Blaise finally dawned). But unfortunate in that it was pretty late in the day by the time I completely figured it out. I tried to plow on, but I'm not very good at anagrams and so I finally just called it a day.
Certainly didn't hate the puzzle; I think it's fine to have something really different every once in a while. But some thoughts on the construction:
What you have is basically a quote theme - two 10's and a 9. A little thin on theme material. And then you have to fill around it. Not saying that's easy - I certainly couldn't do it - but still probably a little easier than a typical themed puzzle. And then your only restriction is - can you think of a way to clue it that starts with a word that can be anagrammed. Not sure how hard that is or how many answers the constructor had to change because of it, but it certainly did result in some awkward clues. The puzzle is reasonably clean (SOBE probably the worst thing), but I'd be interested to know how much time Ian spent trying to come up with some clue that worked, compared to how much time he spent constructing the puzzle.
I don't hate anagrams. It just wasn't what I had planned for today.
It was both fortunate and unfortunate for me that I had a number of real life distractions this morning. Fortunate in that it gave me time to think about the puzzle in between actually solving (I had kind of focused on 'Isabel' and it was while I was walking the dog that Blaise finally dawned). But unfortunate in that it was pretty late in the day by the time I completely figured it out. I tried to plow on, but I'm not very good at anagrams and so I finally just called it a day.
Certainly didn't hate the puzzle; I think it's fine to have something really different every once in a while. But some thoughts on the construction:
What you have is basically a quote theme - two 10's and a 9. A little thin on theme material. And then you have to fill around it. Not saying that's easy - I certainly couldn't do it - but still probably a little easier than a typical themed puzzle. And then your only restriction is - can you think of a way to clue it that starts with a word that can be anagrammed. Not sure how hard that is or how many answers the constructor had to change because of it, but it certainly did result in some awkward clues. The puzzle is reasonably clean (SOBE probably the worst thing), but I'd be interested to know how much time Ian spent trying to come up with some clue that worked, compared to how much time he spent constructing the puzzle.
I don't hate anagrams. It just wasn't what I had planned for today.
1
I had the same experience as Deb. I was afraid for a while that this would be the first Thursday puzzle that I got absolutely nowhere with. What lead me to solving it was noticing that many of the clues seemed to be worded strangely. When I finally figured it out, it was still a Thursday-level effort to finish it. I am proud that I figured it out and solved it with no errors with no outside help.
5
Had no purchase on this one. Then, after reading what the theme was, it just seemed like a slog. Very clever, and I might have enjoyed it more had I figured out the theme myself. What note might you have offered that would give us solvers a little nudge in the right direction?
5
I really enjoyed this puzzle. Since it was Thursday, I knew there would be a trick, and the odd wording of the clues was a pretty good indicator that that's where the quirk was. Trickiest part was figuring out which anagram was the right one when there were multiple possibilities - and remembering to anagram every clue. thanks for publishing this!
8
CRIKEY!...this was hard work! but it made me really smile when the lights when on. By some miracle I did solve it (honest!), but it took me an hour and I eventually ended up using an Anagram Thingy (but that's classified information, my little secret). I was absolutely fascinated to go and see what kind of times the fastest solvers logged...saywot? under 2 minutes? hm...is that even humanly possible? I thinketh "non." In any case, I SO enjoyed this one - thanks! : )
3
Wow. I need a drink. This one took foreffingever to wrestle to the ground. I simply couldn't believe that every clue contained an anagram, but after a while, (I was certain of this only after I figured out the second leg of the 'trap' when I was about two-thirds done) I became grateful that they all were, so I could stop trying to guess which ones were anagrams and which weren't. Then at some point I could see enough of some of the answers to use them to help me solve the anagram. I had to get out an actual piece of paper and a pen! My first inkling that there might be anagrams were the clues 'logs through water' and 'gilded smoothly' one right after the other. Something about that combo tripped a switch. I stayed up way too late last night and had to put it down half done, and had to listen to my soothing British audio book so I didn't grind my teeth all night in frustration. I feel I deserve a checkered heart for finally "SLOGging" to the end. Curse you, God In Love! Or should I have said "Zeus gazing at Leda?"
7
By the way, in case it's not clear, I truly enjoyed the challenge. I'm sorry others didn't.
P.S. Wondering if Ian used an anagram generator to produce the clues, and then left the heavy lifting to us solvers? If not, that took some doing.
P.P.S. Good to see many fresh faces among the commenters today. Please do drop in often and join the party!
P.P.S. Good to see many fresh faces among the commenters today. Please do drop in often and join the party!
3
Yes!
Welcome to all the new commenters, and please come back and join the discussion. All opinions welcome!
Welcome to all the new commenters, and please come back and join the discussion. All opinions welcome!
As my Yiddish-speaking grandmother might have said, "Feh." (And no, that is not an anagram for the founder of Playboy.)
9
I usually enjoy the odd challenges of Thursday puzzles, but this one was beyond the pale. After an hour, I still hadn't gotten anywhere. I started revealing words, and even then I couldn't figure out the connections. I think you went too far with this puzzle.
4
Over 30 years of NYT Xword puzzles and this is a first that I've been completely stumped. I have a complete blank puzzle after 3 tries.
All I can say is WOW , am I getting old?
All I can say is WOW , am I getting old?
2
LR,
I would say you are getting older.
I would also say that is a good thing.
Enjoy the Friday puzzle.
I would say you are getting older.
I would also say that is a good thing.
Enjoy the Friday puzzle.
1
I find many many puzzles very difficult but I don't hate them. I save hate for more serious things than crossword puzzles.
24
Hear! Hear!
(Here and there)
(Here and there)
2
The perfect comment, suejean.
Well said.
Well said.
1
Absolutely!
It's a game, guys.
It's a game, guys.
1
I can't remember doing a harder puzzle.
When I can't finish a puzzle, it's usually because of a stupid mistake or I just couldn't get one or two words.
I think I got two right on this one before giving up. A total butt-kicking.
When I can't finish a puzzle, it's usually because of a stupid mistake or I just couldn't get one or two words.
I think I got two right on this one before giving up. A total butt-kicking.
I've had a really bad day, and I hate Tori Amos....
7
Ex-Sunnyvale resident here: I laughed outloud at your comment. Pretty much how I was feeling as well!
(Still miss Orchard Hardware!)
(Still miss Orchard Hardware!)
Much better, Scott.
Not doing this one, either. I keep asking myself why I pay to NOT solve puzzles.
Ai yai yai! I've been doing the NYT daily crosswords in pen for a long time (1980) and this is the least satisfying and most frustrating of any ever. It wasn't enjoyable on any level for me, even as it made me think and rethink and re-re think again and again every clue and answer. Yes I finished it but at a serious degradation to my sense of what crosswords have always provided for me: continued faith and optimism that when a crossword works out, all is well in the world. Obviously all is not well in the world today and finishing this was no satisfaction. Here's to its passing and with it the opportunity for more enjoyable puzzles tomorrow and onward into eternity.
19
Bad Day in the Bay Area! You have company.....
Any comparison of this Thursday puzzle to any other day's level of difficulty is fallacious. Adding the anagram element in cluing, albeit clever, changes the rules of the game. The puzzle was not published on the wrong day, it was published in the wrong newspaper.
8
I've been doing the Times puzzles since 1976. If they'd all been like this I'd have stopped by 1977. Worst, least gratifying solve I can remember.
10
Once in 40 years you find a crossword puzzle you don't like? May all your other endeavors go so "poorly."
5
First, my initial reason for leaving a comment: I think the year in 48D is off by one. Unless Google is leading me astray, Kevin SPACEY won an Oscar *in* 2000, even though it was *for* 1999.
But then, after reading through others' comments, I feel compelled to chime in. I loved this puzzle! It took me a while to believe that every single clue followed the theme, but after that, I had fun! It was a nice change of pace, and a good brain-stretcher.
BTW, I think I enjoyed it more than others because I have the timer turned off and don't care about leaderboards, so I wasn't annoyed that it took me longer than a usual Thursday puzzle. (Well...that, and I had an anagram solver open in another tab for the ones I just couldn't crack.)
But then, after reading through others' comments, I feel compelled to chime in. I loved this puzzle! It took me a while to believe that every single clue followed the theme, but after that, I had fun! It was a nice change of pace, and a good brain-stretcher.
BTW, I think I enjoyed it more than others because I have the timer turned off and don't care about leaderboards, so I wasn't annoyed that it took me longer than a usual Thursday puzzle. (Well...that, and I had an anagram solver open in another tab for the ones I just couldn't crack.)
4
I totally agree about the SPACEY clue. I spent a lot of time looking for a six-lettered Croatian who was awarded an Oscar in the 1999 ceremony. He may have earned it in '99 (or even earlier, depending on the filming schedule), but IMHO he "won" it in 2000.
This is a crossword convention that you can talk yourself blue in the face over. However, you are right, Elizabeth, that it is worded especially poorly this time.
Here's an anagram to describe my feelings while struggling through this crossword: Chips Fuze Klutz!
Ha ha! I do appreciate a challenge, but if this is a Thursday I shudder to think of what Friday will be like... maybe it'll have some algebraic equations? Bring it on!
Ha ha! I do appreciate a challenge, but if this is a Thursday I shudder to think of what Friday will be like... maybe it'll have some algebraic equations? Bring it on!
2
That's pretty kinky.
I'm pleased you figured out my anagram, but not surprised, considering todays puzzle/punishment has excercised all of our brains! Cheers :)
I've never felt so torn. On the one hand, it's a glorious conceit for a puzzle. On the other hand, at least for me, one little nuance of that conceit made it self-defeating. Like pretty much everybody else, I figured out very early that there was a trick that had something to do with the clues, and that it wasn't just a typical rebus. But then I looked at the clues "Trap #1 to solving this puzzle", "Trap #2", and "Trap #3", and said to myself "There are _three different traps_ that I have to figure out before I can solve this? Sorry, no, I surrender." And so I came here to vent, and saw the truth; but of course seeing that truth also spoiled it.
7
Lots of infuriating fun! So glad It's a slow day at work today. I haven't had to work that hard for a puzzle in a long time but it was nice work. Very clever construction and clues and only had to check two squares (Couldn't get SPAY or YESLETS (ugh) for the life of me!)
2
This puzzle is what I imagine it's like to conduct a house to house search. It almost felt punitive.
6
Definitely punitive! Why pay to be punished? Aren't there dominatrix sites for that?
6
Brilliant construction. Instant fave for me. But it was too hard for a Thursday.
How about a puzzle that uses the theme that was hinted at in this morning's "mini" - having clue words that are homographs? ("Flower?" and "Tower?") Or homonyms, for that matter? That would be a fun and clever theme.
Flower, tower, shower. A common crossword misdirection. Once I saw both of them in the mini, I knew exactly what was expected. Experience.
This was indeed an evil puzzle. I caught on with the Tori AMOS clue, but never thought that every clue would start with an anagram. Because of a busy day, I had to leave it for a few hours and come back. I did finish with lots of checks and it was well worth the struggle. Favourite clue: Clan of the ocean for SEASALT. Got SPARTAN with the crosses, but had to get the anagram in the clue from the blog.
This may be the wrong forum, but can somebody explain the clues Flower? and Tower? in today's mini? There answers were River and Truck respectively. I still don't get it. Thanks!
Flow-er and Tow-er.
ohhhhh. Thanks
and Elke
a.m. update : three cups of coffee yielded the NE, NW and SE. Am saving the SW for delicious dessert later.
Thanks for keeping me on my toes.
Not RANGY LEEK.
a.m. update : three cups of coffee yielded the NE, NW and SE. Am saving the SW for delicious dessert later.
Thanks for keeping me on my toes.
Not RANGY LEEK.
1
More work than it was worth. I can say that knowing "Under the Pink" was by Tori AMOS was no help in deciphering the trick--assumed some trio recorded an album with the same name (it happens). Like DL, I had NON @61D, but also LSD @54D ("tab material"). At some point I figured out that anagrams were involved, and at some later point that *every* clue started with an anagram. Total slog, but I pressed on just to satisfy myself that I could do it. Needed a break before I got anywhere with the NE corner. OK with me if this idea is put out to pasture.
"King's Lead Hat" by Brian Eno. The title is an ANAGRAM of Talking Heads--Eno produced several of the group's albums. If anybody has a problem with Eno videos two days in a row, take it up with Ian Livengood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp0k_o8gfQI
"King's Lead Hat" by Brian Eno. The title is an ANAGRAM of Talking Heads--Eno produced several of the group's albums. If anybody has a problem with Eno videos two days in a row, take it up with Ian Livengood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp0k_o8gfQI
8
I loved this puzzle when I finally figured out what was going on, which took me about half an hour. Needless to say, there were some unprintable expletives reverberating through the office for that first 30 minutes, but once the puzzle concept opened up in my muddled head, this was a heck of a lot of fun. ;-]
4
Devilish, and clever, but holy smokes did it kill my Thursday statistics! It took me more than twice the time I usually take on a Thursday. I agree with others that once the first word anagrams were deciphered, the clues themselves could have been less vague. The one that resulted in "KIDMAN" in particular was pretty lame. Cool concept, I'd be game to try another like it.
2
I get that some people liked and admired this, but it's decidedly not what I pay $40 a for. And is there some reason this wasn't published on a Saturday?
7
Why we're paying an extra $40 a year (I assume that's what you meant) is a completely different issue altogether.
1
That's what I say! Saturday you expect something extremely challenging, and are willing to put in the time! Not today. I closed it down in disgust!
2
Nonetheless, however anyone feels about this puzzle, I do believe it will be remembered for a very long time. It is a concept that need only be done once, but what a classic concept! It's a coup for the NYT to have published it.
3
Not a huge fan of this one. There were way too many vague and unhelpful clues, even after you figured out the anagrammed first word. I mean "Singer in a Music Hall"???? That could be anyone.
10
Viv wondered how I'd do with this puzzle. Not as badly as I thought I would. I don't actually hate anagrams; I'm just very poor at them. However, somehow this was easier for me than a cryptic puzzle. I have no compunctions about looking up pop music questions if the crosses are no help, did Google 1A after getting nowhere for the first half of the puzzle, noticed Tori was an anagram of trio, and gradually, very gradually began to realize that an awful lot of clues were anagram; the aha moment coming with having enough letters for the reveal, so I knew every single clue started with an anagram. I actually found this good practice for getting anagrams, so did enjoy the solve.
7
Definitely easier than a cryptic puzzle, but no walk in the park.
It took me the better part of two hours of actually working on the puzzle spread over a six hour period. I would have been shocked to see just a few comments when I got here, or a lot of commenters who found this easy. What a challenge!!
I am glad I stuck with it and got rewarded with the happy music.
I am glad I stuck with it and got rewarded with the happy music.
2
Very clever puzzle - thanks! After the first two passes I only had about six clues filled in so I was afraid I would have to give up. Then I got the Tori Amos and Rahm Emanuel clues and started to understand the anagram thing. I then went back and erased my original six answers, figuring they couldn't possible be right. Unfortunately that included "got" for "Rescued" and "non" for "Veto in the French legislature." Still have a bruised forehead from finding out they were right all along! (BTW - I now know how many former transportation secretaries have 4-letter names!)
1
I confess to a couple of black triangles for my transport secretary fill.
Just no way in.
Terrible and unfair build.
Worst experience ever.
Two thumbs down.
Terrible and unfair build.
Worst experience ever.
Two thumbs down.
17
Ian Livengood had better make plans to spend some time hiding out in PALAU!
2
Awful. Once I realized it was anagrams I opened anagram-solver.net and dumped all the clues in, AKA, cheated. I don't have 2 hours to spare to finish a weekday puzzle.
4
I'm one of those that gave up on the puzzle, but for a reason not mentioned so far. Apparently I have a limited amount of attention I'll devote to a crossword puzzle, a limit that is only occasionally reached on Saturdays.
I got the anagram deceit in reasonable time, but I spent a good bit of effort figuring out that the rules of cryptic crosswords didn't apply. By that time I had little interest left.
I got the anagram deceit in reasonable time, but I spent a good bit of effort figuring out that the rules of cryptic crosswords didn't apply. By that time I had little interest left.
4
Put me in the loved-it column.
Went through the whole puzzle once with but a single entry--NON, which works without the anagram. Okay, I knew it was Thursday, and the three "TRAPs" argued against a rebus, but I didn't seem to have anyplace to start to figure out the gimmick.
Then lucky goof: On my second go-through, I misread the clue at 28A and entered SAILED. Catching my reading error actuallly gave me the clue I needed. Okay! Anagrams! Yay! (I love anagrams.) But which clues? Which words? What gets entered?
Looked around that area, saw that there were two clues with only one major word, giving me "agree" and "gardenia." Entering ASSENT and FLOWER gave me the S and the W in [Trap #2], which in turn gave me FIRST WORD, and I was on my way.
So this was a bonus, a double game, with two things to do with each clue. (Cue Doublemint Gum theme song.)
And much as I do love anagrams, not all of these were all that easy. I had to come here to see "Pepsi," "Hasbro," and "Maher." I still don't get 43A and will have to Google later to find out what SOBE is. And 37D is an example of some of the other fun in the puzzle, figuring out the entry *before* figuring out the anagram and sort of reverse-solving. (At 37D, though, while I had heard of a show called "REAL TIME" on some premium channel, I never did get "Maher.") I'm going on trust that there's a [Resort] in UTAH named ALTE.
Favorite all-elements combo: [Clan/NaCL from the ocean]/SEA SALT.
Thank you all!
Went through the whole puzzle once with but a single entry--NON, which works without the anagram. Okay, I knew it was Thursday, and the three "TRAPs" argued against a rebus, but I didn't seem to have anyplace to start to figure out the gimmick.
Then lucky goof: On my second go-through, I misread the clue at 28A and entered SAILED. Catching my reading error actuallly gave me the clue I needed. Okay! Anagrams! Yay! (I love anagrams.) But which clues? Which words? What gets entered?
Looked around that area, saw that there were two clues with only one major word, giving me "agree" and "gardenia." Entering ASSENT and FLOWER gave me the S and the W in [Trap #2], which in turn gave me FIRST WORD, and I was on my way.
So this was a bonus, a double game, with two things to do with each clue. (Cue Doublemint Gum theme song.)
And much as I do love anagrams, not all of these were all that easy. I had to come here to see "Pepsi," "Hasbro," and "Maher." I still don't get 43A and will have to Google later to find out what SOBE is. And 37D is an example of some of the other fun in the puzzle, figuring out the entry *before* figuring out the anagram and sort of reverse-solving. (At 37D, though, while I had heard of a show called "REAL TIME" on some premium channel, I never did get "Maher.") I'm going on trust that there's a [Resort] in UTAH named ALTE.
Favorite all-elements combo: [Clan/NaCL from the ocean]/SEA SALT.
Thank you all!
3
Well, when I got to "gilded smoothly," I'd already gotten the anagram conceit, and merrily entered SOARED.
2
*!@&&#^%$!@!!!!!
Need to up my dose on the BP meds! A Saturday with a trick to make it a Thursday? Not fun. Had to use dreaded reveal and check - ON A THURSDAY! I blanked the whole way A and D. Couldn't figure the trick. Rebus? Noooooo.
Oh well, looking forward to Friday/Saturday. Should be child's play compared to today.
Need to up my dose on the BP meds! A Saturday with a trick to make it a Thursday? Not fun. Had to use dreaded reveal and check - ON A THURSDAY! I blanked the whole way A and D. Couldn't figure the trick. Rebus? Noooooo.
Oh well, looking forward to Friday/Saturday. Should be child's play compared to today.
2
Grate gamein toady. JT
No fun at all. It was nothing more than a mental treadmill. Tedious and boring.
15
That was terrible. I usually look forward to the Times' Crossword, but that was an unpleasant experience. If there are many more like that, I'm going to cancel my subscription. Blah.
6
No surprise that the comments are piling up!
Wow, what a puzzle. Unfortunate that the unraveling depended heavily on knowing Tori Amos; googling the 1A song after several passes through the clues was my entry into the puzzle.
Two things I really appreciated: the little handful of answers that worked (or nearly worked) with or without the anagram, and the "trap" of "trap #1" etc., which kept me looking for a second and third type of altered clue, until I had enough crosses to fill in all three "traps." Very Very Sneaky.
This was the very definition of a Thursday puzzle. Like it or plum it. I liked it - though my Thursday average time suffered quite a setback due to this one alone.
Wow, what a puzzle. Unfortunate that the unraveling depended heavily on knowing Tori Amos; googling the 1A song after several passes through the clues was my entry into the puzzle.
Two things I really appreciated: the little handful of answers that worked (or nearly worked) with or without the anagram, and the "trap" of "trap #1" etc., which kept me looking for a second and third type of altered clue, until I had enough crosses to fill in all three "traps." Very Very Sneaky.
This was the very definition of a Thursday puzzle. Like it or plum it. I liked it - though my Thursday average time suffered quite a setback due to this one alone.
2
David,
I avoided the "trap" of thinking there were three different "traps" by the luck of starting the solve in the SE (cool CAT) and seeing IN EACH CLUE early.
I avoided the "trap" of thinking there were three different "traps" by the luck of starting the solve in the SE (cool CAT) and seeing IN EACH CLUE early.
1
From reading Deb, Jeff, and many commenters, I think people who knew Tori AMOS did have a distinct advantage. I know her only from XWPs, couldn't tell you anything she's recorded, and never heard of the album cited in the clue. 1A was one of my last entries.
But I did love the Rahm EMANUEL all-elements combo, almost as much as the SEA SALT one.
But I did love the Rahm EMANUEL all-elements combo, almost as much as the SEA SALT one.
Some other commenters have written how it would have been kinder to put some more overt hint as to what was going on; my original comment was really saying what I believe, that Ian Livengood and Will assumed that Tori Amos would be a giveaway right off the bat, maybe not to the whole puzzle, but to a good part of it. I think I would still be sitting staring at NON and PAIR (hose and shoes both come in pairs...) if I hadn't googled what was one of the only google-able items today, the Tori Amos title.
Next time it's this hard, there should be an escape valve somewhere, or the negative energy will pile up like it is doing today!
Next time it's this hard, there should be an escape valve somewhere, or the negative energy will pile up like it is doing today!
1
The first time in years where I couldn't find an entry point into a puzzle. Which makes me wonder why I should waste my money on a subscription. Its a poor business model to make your customers feel foolish.
4
This seems far, far, more challenging than other Thursday puzzles; More like a Saturday level difficulty puzzle that was forced onto Thursday because it had a trick to is, and Thursdays are trick days.
4
A puzzle within a puzzle. It doesn't get any better than that. This proves that crosswords can stretch one's mind in a creative way instead of relying on rote memory to fill in the blanks. Admittedly, this one was not for the faint of heart. As for me, more please! Even anagramming the first word was a challenge in some cases. Loved it.
6
I'd have loved a puzzle within a puzzle if I didn't hate anagrams.
4
I love a puzzle within a puzzle as long as it's not grid art.
Or too much pop culture.
Or too much pop culture.
1
About as much fun as a root canal. I don't mind challenging, but this was pure tedium.
7
Good puzzle to yell at a male goat by.
Yell what? "Hey, Billy!"??
Would you doctorsplain, please, for the terminally over-anagrammed?
Would you doctorsplain, please, for the terminally over-anagrammed?
1
I can't even figure out which words to try anagramming.
Chevre.
Chevre.
1
Good morning!
(1) It's great to see so many new posters here.
(2) I'm glad that by happenstance I waited until morning to do the puzzle.
(3) I do not like anagrams, but some people love them. I like rebuses and I don't mind circles or puzzle art; some people hate them. Such is life.
(4) A first pass through the puzzle told me I was not going to solve this puzzle on the first pass. A second look was sufficient,
(5) My favorites were where the still-scrambled clue pointed to a legitimate entry (i.e., 5A: "Hassles in a bowling alley" are SPLITS).
(6) Typographic correction for the column: elite and PICA are type sizes, not fonts. From typewriter days, elite is 12 characters per inch, pica is 10.
(7) Hadn't regular posters been complaining as recently as last week about puzzles being to easy?
(8) PALAU/ALTA is no natick to readers of "Run Silent, Run Deep." (Didn't we just have a puzzle with Q's?).
(9) I do not like anagrams, but I can handle a puzzle of them once a year.
(1) It's great to see so many new posters here.
(2) I'm glad that by happenstance I waited until morning to do the puzzle.
(3) I do not like anagrams, but some people love them. I like rebuses and I don't mind circles or puzzle art; some people hate them. Such is life.
(4) A first pass through the puzzle told me I was not going to solve this puzzle on the first pass. A second look was sufficient,
(5) My favorites were where the still-scrambled clue pointed to a legitimate entry (i.e., 5A: "Hassles in a bowling alley" are SPLITS).
(6) Typographic correction for the column: elite and PICA are type sizes, not fonts. From typewriter days, elite is 12 characters per inch, pica is 10.
(7) Hadn't regular posters been complaining as recently as last week about puzzles being to easy?
(8) PALAU/ALTA is no natick to readers of "Run Silent, Run Deep." (Didn't we just have a puzzle with Q's?).
(9) I do not like anagrams, but I can handle a puzzle of them once a year.
4
Re No. 6:
You beat me to it. And I've always been rather amused by the kind of reverse measurement between PICA and elite: elite is 12 characters per inch and pretty much the equivalent of 10-point type, while PICA is 10 characters per inch and pretty much the equivalent of 12-point type.
Oh, and a related comment (and just to beat my dead horse yet again), a FONT is typeface plus size, not just the typeface itself; 12-point Geo Slab and 16-point Geo Slab are two different fonts.
You beat me to it. And I've always been rather amused by the kind of reverse measurement between PICA and elite: elite is 12 characters per inch and pretty much the equivalent of 10-point type, while PICA is 10 characters per inch and pretty much the equivalent of 12-point type.
Oh, and a related comment (and just to beat my dead horse yet again), a FONT is typeface plus size, not just the typeface itself; 12-point Geo Slab and 16-point Geo Slab are two different fonts.
In computer lingo, font is the same as typeface. When you open Word, you can select the font (that's what they call it) from a drop-down menu. Times change, language changes.
As I said, I know my horse is dead. But I'm sad about that. Some distinctions are worth preserving.
And I may have to use Word's terminology, and even its slant on some things, but I'll never accept it as a standard. (Just for fun, I once ran something I'd written through Word's grammar checker. It turned out not to be fun at all. It was just appalling.)
And I may have to use Word's terminology, and even its slant on some things, but I'll never accept it as a standard. (Just for fun, I once ran something I'd written through Word's grammar checker. It turned out not to be fun at all. It was just appalling.)
98 comments by 10 AM -- oh yes! Me solve? Oh no! I gauge puzzles by how long it might take me to do and gave up after 10 minutes. I have a full schedule of other things to get done, so I'll save it for the weekend.
I really thought I had a start with 33D and put in PIERRE, ,which did fit ... but that's as far as it went. :-(
I really thought I had a start with 33D and put in PIERRE, ,which did fit ... but that's as far as it went. :-(
1
Looks like a second Monday puzzle this week. Pink column way shorter than gold one! Reeling in those (reeling) beginners?
Catch and release?
TRAPPED.
TGIF. (Soon.)
Catch and release?
TRAPPED.
TGIF. (Soon.)
1
As a relatively new solver, I too found that I could make almost no headway here, until reading the beginning of the blog. I google a lot, and I've been doing pretty well with these puzzles for some months now. I look forward to doing them, including the "tricky" ones.
This blog seems to be written for beginners, to help get them interested. I also imagine the NYT wants more subscribers for the puzzle. Maybe they've upped the profile of this blog (to a column?) specifically to attract new people? The "Streak" feature also seems designed to hook people into doing these daily. So what happened today?
This puzzle is just a cork in the whole process and seems self-defeating for the newspaper. Why not just create a "really hard" puzzle category and get these out of the mainstream puzzles. It's fine to vary difficulty day-to-day, but this one just seems a little like an inside joke that many apparently didn't like much. After all, it's no fun going nowhere fast. Or slow. Or not at all.
This blog seems to be written for beginners, to help get them interested. I also imagine the NYT wants more subscribers for the puzzle. Maybe they've upped the profile of this blog (to a column?) specifically to attract new people? The "Streak" feature also seems designed to hook people into doing these daily. So what happened today?
This puzzle is just a cork in the whole process and seems self-defeating for the newspaper. Why not just create a "really hard" puzzle category and get these out of the mainstream puzzles. It's fine to vary difficulty day-to-day, but this one just seems a little like an inside joke that many apparently didn't like much. After all, it's no fun going nowhere fast. Or slow. Or not at all.
4
If you want a different viewpoint, you can go to Rex Parker's blog. He's done so many puzzles that he's tired of them, and it shows. He finds everything wanting because there are only so many things you can do in 225 squares. And if they do something innovative and he doesn't enjoy the experience, he pans the puzzle, too. He doesn't seem to realize that if a concept was done six years ago, it's new to everyone who has started doing puzzles since then.
He didn't care much for this one, and I'd have to agree with him on this one.
He didn't care much for this one, and I'd have to agree with him on this one.
1
It was too much for a Thursday. The anagram-thing to figure out, then many clues had multiple possibilities for rearranged words, then slanty clues like NaCl and Hasbro and so on -- most people have other things to get done each day. Put this in the some "special puzzle" bin, then if solvers have an extra couple hours, they can pull it out and do it. It will be *their* choice to do so at that time. Just keep things *reasonably* consistent!
3
Hated it.
11
I've noticed on Jeopardy! that when there is a set of anagram clues, one of the contestants usually runs the category. Which indicates that there is a skill in figuring them out that not everyone has, or perhaps has not developed through practice. So those of us who aren't good at them likely had a negative opinion of the puzzle today. I'm not very good at them, and never do the puns and anagrams puzzles, but I gave this one a shot and eventually got everything. It's good to do something different occasionally. Spice of life, and all that. (Note that I wrote "occasionally.")
3
I think that anagramming is more of a spatial skill than a linguistic one, and I'm better at language that spatial relationships. Plus, I'm more interested in language than spatial relationships. That might explain why I was put off by this puzzle.
4
Whew! Well, this was a doozy of a Thursday puzzle. By the time I got to the last clue, with still NO blanks filled, I knew something sinister was afoot. I confess, I cheated and looked up 1 across. And immediately understood what was going on. The answers to the unscrambled clues were fairly straightforward. The unscrambling was not! Still, really enjoyed the challenge and the thrill of victory when my "Congtatulations" appeared. Just don't do it again, K?
3
Greetings, fellow sufferer!
I agree with Steve I: this was for people with the strong spatial skill set. My gifts lie in other areas, and that's that. Maybe by this time next year I will have recovered sufficiently to handle another such....
I agree with Steve I: this was for people with the strong spatial skill set. My gifts lie in other areas, and that's that. Maybe by this time next year I will have recovered sufficiently to handle another such....
1
I'd think spatial skills would be important in quilting.
But I can't sew on a button.
But I can't sew on a button.
Definitely took me longer than usual (especially because I'm not great with anagrams), but I loved it. Thanks for a fun solve!
2
OK, I'm finished, except for the Natick at 43A/44D. B works for BOCELLI, and if Pepsi purchased SoBe Jeeps in 2001, that's it. If this hasn't already been answered, is the B right?
As for the puzzle, as I indicated before, I think it was doable on my own if I hadn't been so lazy as to come here for some guidance.
Thumbs way up from this corner. Solving was fun, once we knew the trick. And kudos for the brilliant construction effort. I just can't get my thumbs high enough for the praise this one deserves.
As for the puzzle, as I indicated before, I think it was doable on my own if I hadn't been so lazy as to come here for some guidance.
Thumbs way up from this corner. Solving was fun, once we knew the trick. And kudos for the brilliant construction effort. I just can't get my thumbs high enough for the praise this one deserves.
Twoberry,
The SoBE in the grid is the beverage maker (which I knew), not the Jeep reseller (which I had to google).
https://www.sobe.com/
The SoBE in the grid is the beverage maker (which I knew), not the Jeep reseller (which I had to google).
https://www.sobe.com/
SoBe is also the short version of South Beach (Florida), which the drink, I suppose, is supposed to evoke.
Barry, you reminded me that I had intended to Google SOBE, so I used your link. Steve, I needed your perspective to figure out what the link between the (things that are apparently) drinks and South Beach.
I've never been there, and from what I've heard of it it's not my kind of place. This was more or less confirmed by what I saw of the site--especially the parts that said "Sign Up for Lizard Tales" and "SoBe(r) Just Turned 21 So Let's Get Turnt Up." Why one "turned" and one "turnt"? Probably better not to know.
I've never been there, and from what I've heard of it it's not my kind of place. This was more or less confirmed by what I saw of the site--especially the parts that said "Sign Up for Lizard Tales" and "SoBe(r) Just Turned 21 So Let's Get Turnt Up." Why one "turned" and one "turnt"? Probably better not to know.
Sad day when weeding the garden is a better alternative than a Thursday puzzle. Alas.
8
No. Just no. Or, wait, I'm sorry, I meant to say "On. Juts on."
7
I enjoyed it a lot! It wan't the toughest ever, but I didn't make the top 500. At least I didn't run out the AL clock. (Does anybody keep records of the count of finishers by day of week? Today's count seems low.)
The puzzle was no pushover even knowing the theme. Some words have two (or more) anagrams. My first guess for 20A was OUT, and for 9A, PINT. And 51A needed an extra leap. 30D was hyphenated. And the proper names challenged my mental unscrambler.
We get 365 NYT puzzles a year, and it doesn't bother me a bit that once in a long while we see one that can defeat even the well-above-average solvers. It's hard to call something a challenge if it's limited to the kinds of challenges we're comfortable with. It's perfectly reasonable if lots of people don't like this one, but that's not a defect of the puzzle (or the constructor or editor). There are lots more puzzles to come.
The puzzle was no pushover even knowing the theme. Some words have two (or more) anagrams. My first guess for 20A was OUT, and for 9A, PINT. And 51A needed an extra leap. 30D was hyphenated. And the proper names challenged my mental unscrambler.
We get 365 NYT puzzles a year, and it doesn't bother me a bit that once in a long while we see one that can defeat even the well-above-average solvers. It's hard to call something a challenge if it's limited to the kinds of challenges we're comfortable with. It's perfectly reasonable if lots of people don't like this one, but that's not a defect of the puzzle (or the constructor or editor). There are lots more puzzles to come.
4
"It's hard to call something a challenge if it's limited to the kinds of challenges we're comfortable with."
Mean. That is, amen.
Mean. That is, amen.
1
Hand up for PINT. Since we get 365 puzzles a year, and this is a leap year, couldn't we just have skipped this one?
Where did you guys want PINT? There is no 9A, and I'm pretty sure you don't mean 9D.
Terrific!
2
Count me in with the "Loved it!" vote.
Only answer that survived my fist pass was NON. Caught on to the theme in lower left. Still took time to unravel anagrams and complete the grid. Long and v. satisfying solve.
Only answer that survived my fist pass was NON. Caught on to the theme in lower left. Still took time to unravel anagrams and complete the grid. Long and v. satisfying solve.
7
Just awful. I finally looked up "Under the Pink" and anagrammed Tori for first answer. But when I checked (I use Across Lite), all four letters were marked wrong. Revealing the answer was "Amos." How is Amos an anagram of anything in the clue? Worst. Puzzle. Ever.
6
I agree with you about the last 3 words, but it would have been clear that you couldn't put the anagram of the clue word into the puzzle most of the time, since only occasionally were the lengths of the word to anagram (e.g. TRIO/TORI) the same length as the entry (AMOS).
1
I seem to be one of the few who enjoyed it! Yes it took me about twice as long a typical Thursday, but that made it more engaging. And it's definitely a new twist, and a nice feat of construction.
I'm sorry others didn't like it, but take a breath, and remember...it's a crossword. Maybe you can do better.
I'm sorry others didn't like it, but take a breath, and remember...it's a crossword. Maybe you can do better.
7
Wow, now that's a puzzle. Definitely harder than a typical Thursday (more than double my solve time), but I'm not sure it belongs on a Saturday. Maybe this would have been best on a holiday Thursday. The clues didn't make much sense at first, but I realized something was afoot with "Trap #1". Once I sussed Bill Maher's harem, I knew what to do, but it didn't make it that much easier. There are still a few anagrams I didn't get fully but was able to guess at. Still, 45 minutes to solve a Thursday puzzle?!?!? Good thing my morning schedule was clear.
As I expected, I'm slapping myself in the head. All I had to do was think some more. I got as far as the giveaways for TRAPS (PARTS) 1, 2, and 3, wrote them in, then realized I could have got this on my own.
Oh, well. Now for the fun of solving the rest on my own. (Thanks, Deb. You came through for me. I knew you would.)
Oh, well. Now for the fun of solving the rest on my own. (Thanks, Deb. You came through for me. I knew you would.)
Groan. Hate having to come to the blog to get started, but no choice.
Step 1. Find no way to get into the puzzle.
Step 2. Look up "Under the Pink" and find Tori Amos's name.
Step 3. Trio anagrams to Tori, so does that mean 1A = TORI, or AMOS?
Step 4. Spot the fact that MANILA is an anagram of ANIMAL, so the seven-letter answer to 2D must be MINERAL, which makes 1A AMOS.
Step 5. Write those two answers in.
Step 6. Look around for something else that's solvable.
Step 7. Give up.
Step 8. And here I am. Let's see how many hints I need.
Step 1. Find no way to get into the puzzle.
Step 2. Look up "Under the Pink" and find Tori Amos's name.
Step 3. Trio anagrams to Tori, so does that mean 1A = TORI, or AMOS?
Step 4. Spot the fact that MANILA is an anagram of ANIMAL, so the seven-letter answer to 2D must be MINERAL, which makes 1A AMOS.
Step 5. Write those two answers in.
Step 6. Look around for something else that's solvable.
Step 7. Give up.
Step 8. And here I am. Let's see how many hints I need.
2
A total dead end and emotionally discouraging. Worse than no fun.
6
Hello everyone,
I'm out sitting shiva for a very close relative right now, but I want to let everyone know that there are staff members watching this column to make sure that people adhere to standards.
It's perfectly fine to have negative feelings (or positive or neutral feelings, for that matter; I thought it was terrifically challenging) for a puzzle and to express that here. However, personal attacks on the puzzle maker, the editors, this column or The New York Times are not allowed, and neither is profanity. If you don't like that, move on and comment on another site.
This is a reminder to anyone who might feel that it's O.K. to do otherwise that we use our grownup words and our inside voices here. Also, that emus have very sharp beaks and do not take violations of our standards lightly. It can get you banned from the entire site. So by all means, state your opinion, but do it civilly.
I'm out sitting shiva for a very close relative right now, but I want to let everyone know that there are staff members watching this column to make sure that people adhere to standards.
It's perfectly fine to have negative feelings (or positive or neutral feelings, for that matter; I thought it was terrifically challenging) for a puzzle and to express that here. However, personal attacks on the puzzle maker, the editors, this column or The New York Times are not allowed, and neither is profanity. If you don't like that, move on and comment on another site.
This is a reminder to anyone who might feel that it's O.K. to do otherwise that we use our grownup words and our inside voices here. Also, that emus have very sharp beaks and do not take violations of our standards lightly. It can get you banned from the entire site. So by all means, state your opinion, but do it civilly.
18
Sorry for your loss.
15
Thanks for this extra post, Deb. and my condolences on your loss.
3
My condolences on your loss, Deb.
Also, as a regular contributor, I want to second your sentiments about civility in this forum. There are plenty of alternative places where personal attacks and general trollery are not just allowed but celebrated. From this and other comments, I gather that there have been some posts that were offensive and have since been removed. I'd like to thank the emus for having done so, as it saved me from starting the day with ugliness.
That said, I'm still somewhat confused about the standards used. I submitted a C-i-C late in the day yesterday--sometime between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m.--and it finally posted about 9:00 a.m. I've reread it several times, and can't find the offending word that caused the embargo.
Also, as a regular contributor, I want to second your sentiments about civility in this forum. There are plenty of alternative places where personal attacks and general trollery are not just allowed but celebrated. From this and other comments, I gather that there have been some posts that were offensive and have since been removed. I'd like to thank the emus for having done so, as it saved me from starting the day with ugliness.
That said, I'm still somewhat confused about the standards used. I submitted a C-i-C late in the day yesterday--sometime between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m.--and it finally posted about 9:00 a.m. I've reread it several times, and can't find the offending word that caused the embargo.
3
Why wasn't this a Saturday (++). Incredibly time consuming, unless you are a true whiz at anagrams, which I am not.
5
One of the trickiest puzzles I can ever remember! Thanks, Ian and all for this challenge.
3
Didn't like it at all. Difficulty level is not Thursday. Harder (for me at least) than the week when you asked the constructors to do something that hasn't been done before. Slogged through and finished it but didn't find the challenge enjoyable at all.
5
I detest anagrams!! I have a giant headache already. Wordplay is fun; this is not. Boo, hiss.
5
Had to come here because I had no clue how to even start otherwise.
Tally me as someone who loves the NYT puzzles, but hated this. If the web hadn't been available for me to get the tricks, I would have walked away. And it's been a long time since I was unable to solve a Saturday. A bridge too far....
Tally me as someone who loves the NYT puzzles, but hated this. If the web hadn't been available for me to get the tricks, I would have walked away. And it's been a long time since I was unable to solve a Saturday. A bridge too far....
4
Sorry...a bit too out there for my tastes. And then once you DO get the gimmick (I had to look here), the puzzle is easier than a Monday.
Epic fail, NYT!
Epic fail, NYT!
2
Newish solver. Would never have figured this out without wordplay ( although somehow I got apatow). Although I did know something was up when I saw trio and tori.
2
I loved today's NYT, as I always do when Thursday rolls around, because I love that a mainstream puzzle publisher is willing to risk challenging its solvers. However, maybe as a gesture of fairness - I'm thinking particularly of unsuspecting newbies, or the less-flexible minded - should Will et al. consider tagging the NYT Thursday puzzle with an "Anything Goes" label, much like the Friday WSJ is explicitly labeled "Puzzle Contest"?
4
Hated it
4
Is there a day of difficulty after Saturday? That's where this puzzle belongs.
To make a short story even shorter, after having nothing, I filled in NON, SPAS, PAIR and what I knew was the correct answer to, "Tab material" lSd, right? Everybody knows that lSd is taken in a tab. And that's when my solve never got going and ended.
I really like anagrams but today they didn't like me. This one made my head hurt.
To make a short story even shorter, after having nothing, I filled in NON, SPAS, PAIR and what I knew was the correct answer to, "Tab material" lSd, right? Everybody knows that lSd is taken in a tab. And that's when my solve never got going and ended.
I really like anagrams but today they didn't like me. This one made my head hurt.
2
I should have added that I thought the whole concept was brilliant and wholeheartedly congratulate Ian on this tour de force!
Ian, go to your room and don't come out until the equinox! Your penance will be to listen to this Foreigner song continuously. (-;]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6N66I9mcG0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6N66I9mcG0
7
Yep, I got nowhere for a long time...then it dawned on me. (I'm a big classics fan...got EOS). I successfully finished the puzzle with no cheats, but it look me an hour longer than average.
I thought it was clever, and fun, and a break in the sometimes-routine of repeated clues and answers. Dealing with The unexpected can be challenging but rewarding.
Thanks, mr. Evil crossword guy.
I thought it was clever, and fun, and a break in the sometimes-routine of repeated clues and answers. Dealing with The unexpected can be challenging but rewarding.
Thanks, mr. Evil crossword guy.
3
What a waste -- no fun, no fills (well, NAH and EOS).
3
Super concept and construction, Ian, and props to your courage in publishing this, Will!
I am a crossword lover, but no fan of Jumble. Anagrams don't come easy to me. I grokked the theme early on, and even the three-part reveal, and laughed and smiled an the constructor's and my cleverness. But after solving several answers, my brain started to crinkle at the arduous task of the anagramming. What I settled on was giving each clue a short period of time to reveal itself, and if it didn't, I went to an anagramming site to get the anagram. Doing that, it was a fun and challenging puzzle with no ugh, and I loved it.
If you love anagramming as well as crosswords, this puzzle is your big O.
I am a crossword lover, but no fan of Jumble. Anagrams don't come easy to me. I grokked the theme early on, and even the three-part reveal, and laughed and smiled an the constructor's and my cleverness. But after solving several answers, my brain started to crinkle at the arduous task of the anagramming. What I settled on was giving each clue a short period of time to reveal itself, and if it didn't, I went to an anagramming site to get the anagram. Doing that, it was a fun and challenging puzzle with no ugh, and I loved it.
If you love anagramming as well as crosswords, this puzzle is your big O.
5
Mr Livengood states that he doesn't like to make puzzles too difficult to solve, and yet he expects a lot of D.N.F.s today.
I am not amused.
I am not amused.
9
I was also puzzled by those seemingly inconsistent statements.
And i liked the puzzle.
And i liked the puzzle.
1
This is the first time I've cheated by looking at the column before getting any answers. Maybe I'd have gotten it by concentrating some more, but I don't have enough time for this, and I'm semi-retired. Leaves a sour taste.
6
Been doing Times puzzles for over 50 years. I usually enjoy the ones with a catch. This was one was just awful.
29
Hate hate hated it. Don't remember ever disliking a NYT puzzle this much. Feels like this is the wrong audience for this type of puzzle.
21
Okay, here's my saga. After half an hour of total bewilderment,having entered NON and NAH and a number of other guesses but submitting them to Ms. Check and bombing out, I googled 1A. All the suggestions mentioned Tori Amos but no trio, so I left it. After another session of pure frustration, I decided to try AMOS, Ms. Check approved it so I left it in but still didn't get it. My next try was SPARES for the bowling alley, without understanding why. Only then did the penny drop when I looked at the lonely entry of AMOS and caught on to the anagram of TRIO to TORI. And only then did a few other clues penetrate my understanding, but it was still a while before I realized that ALL the clues had to be anagrammed. Mind you, I kept Ms. Check on the job for quite a while until I was convinced that I had it. After several successive stabs checked out, I was confident enough to proceed solo. As the revealer emerged, that clinched it.
It took me nearly an hour, which is unheard of on a Thursday for me, but of course with a lot of help.
I kept thinking of suejean, who doesn't like anagrams, and wonder if she got anywhere with this puzzle.
One last thing: I didn't pick up on the TRAP-PART thing until I read it in Deb's column (see, I wrote column right away, not blog). Tres clever.
It took me nearly an hour, which is unheard of on a Thursday for me, but of course with a lot of help.
I kept thinking of suejean, who doesn't like anagrams, and wonder if she got anywhere with this puzzle.
One last thing: I didn't pick up on the TRAP-PART thing until I read it in Deb's column (see, I wrote column right away, not blog). Tres clever.
2
No fun. Went to the archive for an old Saturday puzzle instead.
1
When a person who,usually finishes a Dailey puzzle in 20 minutes can't get any clue, there must be at least some fault with the concept. NOT FUNNY OR FUN,
19
This is the first and only time I've been motivated to post about a puzzle in many, many years of solving The NY Times puzzle every single day. This was the worst ever. Author and editor just trying to be tricky and clever, but failing. Just frustrating and ridiculous. Anagram on every clue. Absolutely absurd. I usually do these early to kick-start my brain for the day. This just ticked me off. Kill this concept, bury it, dig it up, kill it again, and bury it where no one can ever find it.
38
I'll second that comment, P Owen, in spades. Utterly ridiculous puzzle.
6
After making his post this morning, and talking it over with my wife this evening, and reading the comments here and on Rexworld, I really hope the editor issues an apology for this abomination. Frustrating, agonizing, not fun, horrific--you pick the descriptor, it's been used in reaction to this waste of time, money, and brain cells.
2
I liked it. Tougher than usual for a Thursday, as many have noted, but ultimately fair and it was fun figuring out what was going on. I liked that the instructional clues said "Trap" not "Part" because it was almost a double meaning. If you didn't figure out the instructions, the clues were traps.
One complaint. I think the 1A/1D crossing wasn't very fair -- two proper names that a fair number of people won't know (I did not know either fact but did recognize the names when I had enough letters) and it was combined with a proper name anagrammed in the 1A clue. Tough way to start an already tough puzzle.
One complaint. I think the 1A/1D crossing wasn't very fair -- two proper names that a fair number of people won't know (I did not know either fact but did recognize the names when I had enough letters) and it was combined with a proper name anagrammed in the 1A clue. Tough way to start an already tough puzzle.
4
Totally agree with you, Roy. I almost started this puzzle in PuzzAzz, but we had to get our guests up, fed, packed/loaded, and away by their target time, and I didn't get around to printing the puzzle until after lunch......and Wow.
(No clue about the song, the singer, or the TRIO....but TORI dawned on my once I gave up and Googled.)
(No clue about the song, the singer, or the TRIO....but TORI dawned on my once I gave up and Googled.)
Kudos to Deb for a fine column which I came to after an hour, one correct answer, NON, and a lot of check marks. I like anagrams, but this was over the top for me. Even knowing to anagram and going back, it's a slog I haven't time for mid-work week. Kudos to those who saw the trick and enjoyed.
The constructor and editors clearly enjoyed making this challenging puzzle that may have been more appropriately placed as a special or variety if more widespread enjoyment was a goal. It may be a bit of a setback for attracting new solvers.
The constructor and editors clearly enjoyed making this challenging puzzle that may have been more appropriately placed as a special or variety if more widespread enjoyment was a goal. It may be a bit of a setback for attracting new solvers.
5
It took me almost three times as long as my Thursday average. Ugh. I felt like I was solving two puzzles at once. Oh, I was. Definitely a huge challenge, since I'm not great at anagrams.
1
Apparently atypical, I'm a lover of anagrams, so this one (after much delay) tickled that trap of my brain. But I've still got one itch: UTAH?
1
Deseret- The State of Deseret was a provisional state of the United States, proposed in 1849 by settlers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS
Thanks. That's a Fri-Sat clue, even un-anagram-ed.
2
Only my second post ever. Very intriguing Thursday puzzle. Off the beaten path. Bravo. It must have taken time and creativity to create this puzzle. Thank you.
18
Wow! Is this what it takes to entice you back?
Please, let's hear from you more often.
Please, let's hear from you more often.
3
I loved the puzzle. Took me over an hour longer than my usual Thursday time but it was worth every minute. Had a little spousal help with a few of the anagrams. What a feeling of accomplishment. I'm a "streak freak" so it was imperative that I finish it.
2
DNF and my dog has his marching orders if he sees Ian Livengood.
It is fun to see all the comments especially from new posters.
It is fun to see all the comments especially from new posters.
5
Reveal, reveal reveal (I could go on). I'm not quite as put out as scottgossage - and even the most horrid (for me) puzzle will have its fans - but hand up for thumbs down.
6
I see scottgossage has been excommunicated. I suppose his comment was a bit too personal - or maybe it was the words he chose to anagram? Anyhow if you missed it... ouy simsed ti.
rosry I prolagise
1
Loved it! Took me 45 minutes longer than my Thursday average, though. Once I figured the first word jumble, it filled pretty quickly. Genius!
2
I'm a big anagram fan and love cryptic crosswords, so I LOVED LOVED this puzzle. But it was more like a Saturday for me. Very nice that Puzzazz let me see all the anagrams as explanations when I finished (I'll admit with a little cheating), because there were a number I didn't get, particularly the proper names like RAHM and MAHER, though BLAISE was easy for me. Did not get DESERET and GARDENIA at all and had to google the former as I didn't remember it. Fortunately, the grid was clean enough that missing some anagrams didn't matter.
6
Just like Deb, when we get zero (zero) answers right we know something really crazy is up. It took us about an hour longer than usual but we cracked it and no cheating. My husband is really a good anagram guy, though ...
6
Sickest. Puzzle. Ever.
Didn't get a single clue. Humiliated.
Didn't get a single clue. Humiliated.
3
and Elke
I don't do Saturday puzzles for various reasons- difficulty being one of them. So now I got trapped into trying one on a Thursday ?
On my first go through- only got PICA (the one type often in XWP), and "logs" I read as "slogs", thus WADE it was. This gave me a C and a D in 3D and only O CANADA goes with " a NHL game". Nothing else in the rest of the grid.
I call this dumb luck on my part.
How can I get angry at a constructor who knows that our anthem starts with "O" not "Oh " ?
Will save the rest of the puzzle to unravel in the morning when coffee can be called upon.
Good Night .
I don't do Saturday puzzles for various reasons- difficulty being one of them. So now I got trapped into trying one on a Thursday ?
On my first go through- only got PICA (the one type often in XWP), and "logs" I read as "slogs", thus WADE it was. This gave me a C and a D in 3D and only O CANADA goes with " a NHL game". Nothing else in the rest of the grid.
I call this dumb luck on my part.
How can I get angry at a constructor who knows that our anthem starts with "O" not "Oh " ?
Will save the rest of the puzzle to unravel in the morning when coffee can be called upon.
Good Night .
2
An encore RegEx tonight. I wrote this one when the theme was CLIMATE change. The RegEx finds all of the anagrams of CLIMATE within entries in the Xword Info database.
http://tinyurl.com/z6ox3bd
http://tinyurl.com/z6ox3bd
I should have mentioned that I also wrote a tested Perl-based RegEx that doesn't work on Xword Info, but is more compact. That I had to repeat the word CLIMATE seven times is a shortcoming of the .NET dialect of RegEx used on the Xword Info site. Perl requires it only once and allows subroutine calls back to it.
I slightly modified the RegEx to exclude CLIMATE as an anagram of itself. In the entry CLIMATECHANGE, the actual ANAGRAM found is LIMATEC!
http://tinyurl.com/hje58ue
http://tinyurl.com/hje58ue
wasn't too bad, once you figured out the anagram theme. enjoyed it after I got going. the more letters you have filled in, as usual, the easier it gets.
4
I don't "see" anagrams like some folks, so once I realized the theme I quit, annoyed, and not entertained, not even a bit.
27
It takes some guts to do an entire crossword where the first word of clue is an anagram. So well done to all involved.
I knew Tori sang Under the Pink, so instantly noticed the anagram in that clue, but didn't realise straight away it flowed through the WHOLE puzzle.
Difficult? - absolutely. Unique? - definitely. Enjoyable? At times.
I knew Tori sang Under the Pink, so instantly noticed the anagram in that clue, but didn't realise straight away it flowed through the WHOLE puzzle.
Difficult? - absolutely. Unique? - definitely. Enjoyable? At times.
13
Count me among those who loved this puzzle -- eventually. But I must admit that I had to cheat. After floundering for quite a while, I decided to look up one easily "googlable" answer, and chose 1A. (I had never heard of the album, but figured there had to be a clear answer.) Once I saw that "trio" meant "Tori," the gimmick was clear and the puzzle went from impossible to merely difficult. I wouldn't want this every day, but it's good for us to have real challenges occasionally.
5
Extremely difficult, no fun at all to work on, zero satisfaction from solving.
33
Martin, how do you expect me to solve this puzzle?
1
.
I believe this is more of a tribute than an AVATAR.
If I'm correct, this guy has an inane connection to EMANUEL-town. Otherwise, I have to say that some brand names in the grid are NERF and SOBE but not Teac.
I believe this is more of a tribute than an AVATAR.
If I'm correct, this guy has an inane connection to EMANUEL-town. Otherwise, I have to say that some brand names in the grid are NERF and SOBE but not Teac.
I hated this puzzle because I hate anagrams. If I wanted to do anagrams, I would choose anagram puzzles. Plus it was way too hard for a Thursday -- well, more annoying than hard. Give us back our real crossword puzzles!
31
Very, very hard, even after figuring out the clue to the clues. But fun!
3
.
.
Deb, I don't want you and I to get into a Negrin (as if I had the wit, or the looks, for that!) so I'm just going to say it as tersely as possible:
I'm going to read other blogs regarding this crossword.
.
Deb, I don't want you and I to get into a Negrin (as if I had the wit, or the looks, for that!) so I'm just going to say it as tersely as possible:
I'm going to read other blogs regarding this crossword.
3
I thought it was difficult but not terribly so once you figured out the trick. Some of the longer anagrams were tough (and there were quite a few I didn't get, but was saved by the crosses) but most of the clues were extremely obvious once you got them, so it balanced out. I wouldn't want to do it again but it was a fun novelty, and some of the anagrams were really clever.
3
My least favorite puzzle ever.
42
I don't usually comment but I have to weigh in given all the negative comments here. This was fantastic. Tough, but a true pleasure. No easy task to create, either: the clue had to make sense, as a phrase, even after the first word was anagrammed.
When I went through all the across clues one time and couldn't fill anything in, I knew we were into something truly devious here. Once it dawned on me that anagrams were involved, it was a matter of working them all out, usually with help from the grid.
This was one for the ages. Thanks so much to Ian and Will.
When I went through all the across clues one time and couldn't fill anything in, I knew we were into something truly devious here. Once it dawned on me that anagrams were involved, it was a matter of working them all out, usually with help from the grid.
This was one for the ages. Thanks so much to Ian and Will.
28
*
Although there were very few clues that made no sense as written, I'd point to 13D. If that made sense, what did it mean (as punctuated)?
Also wondered why you don't Comment usually.
Although there were very few clues that made no sense as written, I'd point to 13D. If that made sense, what did it mean (as punctuated)?
Also wondered why you don't Comment usually.
Re 13D: is this puzzle going to generate passionate reactions across the spectrum? Agreed! Shall we eagerly attack this challenge with a flexible mind? Yes, lets! ;-)
6
Very clever puzzle idea in theory, Ian ... wish I had come up with it. This would have been a good time to invoke the Krozel Principle: If you're going to apply a theme to all the Across clues, keep all the Down clues normal so the solver can opt out long enough to detect the theme via crossers.
36
.
Or maybe just a normal clue for the first of the 3 revealers: "With 36A and 60A, ...".
Very happy to see your name in the Comment section!
Or maybe just a normal clue for the first of the 3 revealers: "With 36A and 60A, ...".
Very happy to see your name in the Comment section!
1
Thanks for the kind welcome MTF Tobin.
I actually kinda like "Trap" subbing for "Part" in the revealers. Changing that back to normal still wouldn't be enough to gain traction, though; The grid needs some sort of letters revealed before that can happen!
I actually kinda like "Trap" subbing for "Part" in the revealers. Changing that back to normal still wouldn't be enough to gain traction, though; The grid needs some sort of letters revealed before that can happen!
1
Very interesting to read what an accomplished constructor thinks of this puzzle.
1
After wandering around the grid online for what felt like ages, looking for something, anything that made sense, I decided to solve in Across Lite where I could check words and if necessary reveal a word here and there to figure out what was going on. Didn't need to, though, as it turns out. After little more meandering, the light bulb finally came on at 27A (LOGS = SLOG, giving WADE). So I finished in Across Lite on my own power, then filled in the online grid for one of those artificially speedy solving times. (This is what you might call a confession.) So if you run across "alan_sings" up near the top of today's Leaderboard, you can simply "Harrumph!" in passing and ignore.
I thought about anagramming my name and city on this comment, but the only obvious anagram for ALAN doesn't pass the emu test, and I couldn't think of a one-word anagram for DURHAM. "RAH, MUD!" or "UM...HARD!" don't quite pass muster somehow. But they do seem to describe today's solving experience, don't they?
I thought about anagramming my name and city on this comment, but the only obvious anagram for ALAN doesn't pass the emu test, and I couldn't think of a one-word anagram for DURHAM. "RAH, MUD!" or "UM...HARD!" don't quite pass muster somehow. But they do seem to describe today's solving experience, don't they?
.
LANA,
I did see your time on the Leaderboard and was very proud for you.
After reading your Comment, I went back and took a look at my grid. I had no idea the Web version lacked "Check" and "Reveal". I felt so sure I'd used one or the other in the past when I wanted my streak to go back to zero. Maybe that was in the APP.
LANA,
I did see your time on the Leaderboard and was very proud for you.
After reading your Comment, I went back and took a look at my grid. I had no idea the Web version lacked "Check" and "Reveal". I felt so sure I'd used one or the other in the past when I wanted my streak to go back to zero. Maybe that was in the APP.
?
!
Martin, Ian Livengood hasn't unleashed anything this hard since he stopped teaching that JASA class.
I got a little hung up because I forgot that the first word Canadians sing at hockey games is spelled the same as the first word Americans sing at hockey games. [That is, I tried fitting "Oh, Canada" in there. Sorry, Canadians.]
I see there are some complaints from solvers, but not the complaint I predicted. Then again, I only read 7 Comments besides my own. My prediction was that I was going to come here to see whining about PALAU crossing ALTA constituting a Natick for non-skiers who don't study islands for fun. OR, just as the original Natick was the N in the 1 square, maybe I'd see people complain that AMOS and APATOW was modern/obscure/whatever and -- therefore -- a Natick.
Brief story about PALAU: I have no idea where their money came from, but they hired Americans for various government jobs when they were in the process of becoming a nation. My closest friend from freshman year of college worked there as sort of a prolonged honeymoon with The Wife. Another guy I knew (but he didn't) also got a job there. That guy didn't merely disagree with me politically; he could barely tolerate my views. Very reactionary and not at all FLUID. Original-intent-of-the-Founders, etc.
Anyway, they worked together and stayed in touch. Turns out the right-wing guy came to favor same-sex marriage.
I ended my streak by restarting the timer during this solve. A streak is a burden.
!
Martin, Ian Livengood hasn't unleashed anything this hard since he stopped teaching that JASA class.
I got a little hung up because I forgot that the first word Canadians sing at hockey games is spelled the same as the first word Americans sing at hockey games. [That is, I tried fitting "Oh, Canada" in there. Sorry, Canadians.]
I see there are some complaints from solvers, but not the complaint I predicted. Then again, I only read 7 Comments besides my own. My prediction was that I was going to come here to see whining about PALAU crossing ALTA constituting a Natick for non-skiers who don't study islands for fun. OR, just as the original Natick was the N in the 1 square, maybe I'd see people complain that AMOS and APATOW was modern/obscure/whatever and -- therefore -- a Natick.
Brief story about PALAU: I have no idea where their money came from, but they hired Americans for various government jobs when they were in the process of becoming a nation. My closest friend from freshman year of college worked there as sort of a prolonged honeymoon with The Wife. Another guy I knew (but he didn't) also got a job there. That guy didn't merely disagree with me politically; he could barely tolerate my views. Very reactionary and not at all FLUID. Original-intent-of-the-Founders, etc.
Anyway, they worked together and stayed in touch. Turns out the right-wing guy came to favor same-sex marriage.
I ended my streak by restarting the timer during this solve. A streak is a burden.
Hardest Thursday I've ever seen. Hardest x-word I've ever seen.
The first clue makes no sense if you know it's Tori Amos, who is a solo artist (not a trio). OK so its an anagram? Every single clue?
If somebody solved this one without any assistance whatsoever, I'd be impressed and probably skeptical.
Even after knowing the "trick" it'd probably take me 15 hrs of frustration to solve. No thanks, I'll stick to the comparatively easy Saturdays.
The first clue makes no sense if you know it's Tori Amos, who is a solo artist (not a trio). OK so its an anagram? Every single clue?
If somebody solved this one without any assistance whatsoever, I'd be impressed and probably skeptical.
Even after knowing the "trick" it'd probably take me 15 hrs of frustration to solve. No thanks, I'll stick to the comparatively easy Saturdays.
6
@
Kyle G.,
Can you define "any assistance whatsoever"? I cleared the grid of all my initial attempts so they wouldn't distract me when I started afresh. Also, I determined what the first word of a clue should be by utilizing the letters in [what appeared to be] the first word of each clue. Plus, sometimes I didn't really understand a clue but I just filled in a letter or 2 after solving the crossing words.
The themeless puzzles are enjoyable, I agree. This sort of was one.
Kyle G.,
Can you define "any assistance whatsoever"? I cleared the grid of all my initial attempts so they wouldn't distract me when I started afresh. Also, I determined what the first word of a clue should be by utilizing the letters in [what appeared to be] the first word of each clue. Plus, sometimes I didn't really understand a clue but I just filled in a letter or 2 after solving the crossing words.
The themeless puzzles are enjoyable, I agree. This sort of was one.
I completed it without any assistance whatsoever. I'm sure several of the regulars of this commentariat did, too. That doesn't mean it wasn't very hard, and by the way, have I mentioned, I hated it (so much so that once I saw the trick, I almost chose to stop and not finish it, but I decided to go on).
As I said in a previous comment, I've been doing these things since about 1980. If you haven't been doing them for that long, you might not be able to envision a time when you could tackle a puzzle like this one, but the time will come.
Which still doesn't mean that I liked this puzzle one little bit.
As I said in a previous comment, I've been doing these things since about 1980. If you haven't been doing them for that long, you might not be able to envision a time when you could tackle a puzzle like this one, but the time will come.
Which still doesn't mean that I liked this puzzle one little bit.
2
Easy to say that this was the hardesr puzzle ever
1
Guaranteed Will Shortz didn't know half these answers himself w/o the answer key... Garbage puzzle... just trash...
27
Thankfully I got the trick right from the start, with Trio AMOS. But I did not enjoy this puzzle at all. I unashamedly had a second window open to an anagram solver website the whole time. And I swore out loud, scaring my wife on the couch next to me, when "clan" turned out to be NACL. Deeply unfair, deeply evil. I'm not sure that even Ian's dog loves him anymore.
13
You're not the only one, but I used my ANAGRAM site only twice.
http://www.oneacross.com/anagrams/
NaCl was one I got right away.
http://www.oneacross.com/anagrams/
NaCl was one I got right away.
2
You'd have to be familiar with Tori Amos's oeuvre, which I am not, to get the gimmick from 1A. Some people would be, but I wasn't one of them. But I did get it at 2D, MINERAL for MANILA/ANIMAL.
Still didn't mean I liked the puzzle.
Still didn't mean I liked the puzzle.
3
I don't know... This solved like the unholy union of a Times puzzle and the Jumble.
6
Sorry, not even interested in solving this one. Too precious. Hope someone enjoys it but it wasn't me.
43
I. Love. Crosswords.
I. Hate. Anagrams.
I try to do the daily Jumble puzzle without doing the anagrams. Sometimes, the riddle is so obvious that I get it as soon as I read it. Sometimes it takes ten seconds. Sometimes, I can't get it without doing the anagrams.
I don't ever do the anagrams. I. Hate. Anagrams.
What do you think I thought of this puzzle?
I. Hate. Anagrams.
I try to do the daily Jumble puzzle without doing the anagrams. Sometimes, the riddle is so obvious that I get it as soon as I read it. Sometimes it takes ten seconds. Sometimes, I can't get it without doing the anagrams.
I don't ever do the anagrams. I. Hate. Anagrams.
What do you think I thought of this puzzle?
20
My husband predicts that most of the comments here will be negative, but I really enjoyed this puzzle. It's the kind of puzzle one would see at ACPT, and while it was my longest Thursday puzzle for this year, I think of it as good training for next year.
9
Pathetically difficult and truly rediculous to hav e a xword like this.
20