A bit late on this. It's not just that ghettoblaster is an offensive word. It may or may not be. It is certainly a word that was used at a certain period of time. It wasn't a bad clue, either. It's just that the NY Times Crossword gurus seem to only have a handful of African-American clues and answers. Mostly about rap and hairstyle. It's as if they can't imagine any other way of referencing an entire group of people. For that matter, why ARE you referencing an entire group of people? You don't do it for Jews (much) or Chinese or Indians. This is the tone-deaf New York Times. It's not just in the puzzle.
4
Well, if the Economist says "ghetto blaster" shouldn't be considered offensive, what more evidence do you need? I mean, there's a publication that's really tuned in to the African-American experience.
5
For 24-across, I had AATS--there are in fact AAT mouse cells (alpha-1-antitripsin). And that would make 15-down BOLT (like thunderbolt, a bolt from the blue). Feel like I should have gotten credit for my solution.
3
Hats off, B.
I don't understand it, but I will, indeed, give you credit.
I don't understand it, but I will, indeed, give you credit.
1
By Jove! I didn't know that either.
My question about the legitimacy of BOLA still stands.
My question about the legitimacy of BOLA still stands.
1
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I ask unanimous consent of the people reading this thread that the Commenter should receive credit?
Objections should be submitted in Replies. If no objection is heard, consent will be deemed unanimous.
Then we can move on to ANTIC LOCK WISE (from a puzzle a while back).
I ask unanimous consent of the people reading this thread that the Commenter should receive credit?
Objections should be submitted in Replies. If no objection is heard, consent will be deemed unanimous.
Then we can move on to ANTIC LOCK WISE (from a puzzle a while back).
1
OT??? (Not about the puzzle, but definitely about words. And other stuff.)
I just received an email from my cable TV provider with the headline "SUN OUTAGES MAY AFFECT YOUR TV SERVICE," followed by "Starting October 4 through October 12, you may experience brief interruptions to your Digital TV
service due to sun outages."
Aside from the questionable punctuation, I was quite intrigued by the term "sun outages." They sound alarming, and not just about TV reception.
But my provider explained: "Twice a year, you may experience some degree of television interference due to 'sun outages.' This happens when the sun moves directly behind a TV satellite and interferes with its signal."
Oh. The sun moves, does it? I thought heliocentricity was pretty much settled, but given climate change denial I could be wrong. Are flat earthers still around?
I just received an email from my cable TV provider with the headline "SUN OUTAGES MAY AFFECT YOUR TV SERVICE," followed by "Starting October 4 through October 12, you may experience brief interruptions to your Digital TV
service due to sun outages."
Aside from the questionable punctuation, I was quite intrigued by the term "sun outages." They sound alarming, and not just about TV reception.
But my provider explained: "Twice a year, you may experience some degree of television interference due to 'sun outages.' This happens when the sun moves directly behind a TV satellite and interferes with its signal."
Oh. The sun moves, does it? I thought heliocentricity was pretty much settled, but given climate change denial I could be wrong. Are flat earthers still around?
3
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Without trying to explain what the cable company meant, I will say this:
Scratch the surface of any article about stars including our sun, and you will find that stars move. Our sun moves. The planets don't all orbit the sun in a manner determined solely by the masses of sun/planet and by the distance between sun and a given planet. Other factors affect the orbit of planets. Some planets have non-smooth orbits. And etc.
Not a word of the above paragraph defies the theory you've described as "heliocentrism". I myself don't think our Helio is the center of anything, but that's perhaps idiosyncratic.
Sometimes when I speak of some issue with the web-based crossword game, DL, you lightheardely wonder aloud why I don't just use AL. In the same spirit, I'll wonder why you don't just do what I do, which is to not receive cable or over-the-air broadcasts except for radio.
And yes, your Comment is OT. So is my Reply. Let's see which of the 2 draws admonition for being OT.
Without trying to explain what the cable company meant, I will say this:
Scratch the surface of any article about stars including our sun, and you will find that stars move. Our sun moves. The planets don't all orbit the sun in a manner determined solely by the masses of sun/planet and by the distance between sun and a given planet. Other factors affect the orbit of planets. Some planets have non-smooth orbits. And etc.
Not a word of the above paragraph defies the theory you've described as "heliocentrism". I myself don't think our Helio is the center of anything, but that's perhaps idiosyncratic.
Sometimes when I speak of some issue with the web-based crossword game, DL, you lightheardely wonder aloud why I don't just use AL. In the same spirit, I'll wonder why you don't just do what I do, which is to not receive cable or over-the-air broadcasts except for radio.
And yes, your Comment is OT. So is my Reply. Let's see which of the 2 draws admonition for being OT.
I got back from France yesterday and was not awake enough to stay up to catch the puzzle at 10pm--also was hesitant about starting in with a Friday puzzle as my first one in 3 weeks. But this one felt surprisingly easy and comfortable (for a Friday!) and I felt gently lulled back into crossword-land.
Had a great time on the trip, although I popped something in one knee the morning we flew to Paris, & ended up curtailing some of the planned travels because I couldn't walk that fast or do too many stairs in a day. It's better now. We rented an apartment in the Marais for a week & did Paris stuff, including seeing a friend from college we hadn't seen in 40-some years. Great food, & the weather was good except for 2 days of rain.
Then we took the TGV to Aix & did a Road Scholar program in Provence. Stayed in Aix & in Arles, with side trips to Luberon villages and St-Rémy & Les Baux and Avignon and Marseille. The mistral blew for 3 days, then subsided. We got to explore Cézanne & Van Gogh country and the Camargue (flamingos, white horses) and ate a wonderful variety of delicious food & wine. Our hotel in Arles overlooked the Roman arena and theater. All in all, it was a lovely 3 weeks and we had a great time. It's a fascinating part of the world.
Had a great time on the trip, although I popped something in one knee the morning we flew to Paris, & ended up curtailing some of the planned travels because I couldn't walk that fast or do too many stairs in a day. It's better now. We rented an apartment in the Marais for a week & did Paris stuff, including seeing a friend from college we hadn't seen in 40-some years. Great food, & the weather was good except for 2 days of rain.
Then we took the TGV to Aix & did a Road Scholar program in Provence. Stayed in Aix & in Arles, with side trips to Luberon villages and St-Rémy & Les Baux and Avignon and Marseille. The mistral blew for 3 days, then subsided. We got to explore Cézanne & Van Gogh country and the Camargue (flamingos, white horses) and ate a wonderful variety of delicious food & wine. Our hotel in Arles overlooked the Roman arena and theater. All in all, it was a lovely 3 weeks and we had a great time. It's a fascinating part of the world.
4
Welcome home. Sounds like a great trip.
1
What Martin said!
I am sooooo envious.
I am sooooo envious.
1
What DL said that Martin said.
Glad you had a good trip glad to have you back.
Glad you had a good trip glad to have you back.
1
I used to believe I knew how to spell VICHYCHOISE.
2
A fine Friday puzzle. Of oddly uneven difficulty for me — raced through the left half only to struggle with the upper and especially the middle right, and not very soon the lower right, where _EN_ON stumped me until a few alphabet runs led to the K and Y. (LF, don't.)
ATTIRE before CLOTHE, LTD. before Y.T.D., LAY before LIE(ABED), GIN MILL before DIVE BAR, TIC before TUG, MCAT before LSAT. Didn't know TONELOC or SAMS or BABY BJORN or that Enid BAGNOLD wrote plays. BOLA, HOSE, and L-DOPA were very hard (must be the long O). Misthought SHORT I would be a spelling thing.
I think GHETTO BLASTER is offensive and shouldn't be used in puzzles.
Loved seeing INK BLOT, VICHYSSOISE, SLAM POETS, and learning the word ESOTERY — had ESOTER_ for way too long. Very much enjoyed watching RHODA ca. 1974. (Humblebrag: I once attended a party at the house of BEBE Neuwirth's father.)
ATTIRE before CLOTHE, LTD. before Y.T.D., LAY before LIE(ABED), GIN MILL before DIVE BAR, TIC before TUG, MCAT before LSAT. Didn't know TONELOC or SAMS or BABY BJORN or that Enid BAGNOLD wrote plays. BOLA, HOSE, and L-DOPA were very hard (must be the long O). Misthought SHORT I would be a spelling thing.
I think GHETTO BLASTER is offensive and shouldn't be used in puzzles.
Loved seeing INK BLOT, VICHYSSOISE, SLAM POETS, and learning the word ESOTERY — had ESOTER_ for way too long. Very much enjoyed watching RHODA ca. 1974. (Humblebrag: I once attended a party at the house of BEBE Neuwirth's father.)
3
Forgot to include HACKATHON among the words I loved seeing.
How nice that a privileged middle-aged white guy gets to decide whether Ghettoblaster is offensive. The word itself is Not Great. Justifying it using The Economist --a magazine whose audience is about as far away as possible from those who could be targets for coded dogwhistle insults like ghettoblaster-- is cringe-inducing. I just paid to subscribe to the NYT crossword puzzle but I am very much considering canceling now.
5
RG — What might be more effective than cancelling is writing a letter to the editor: http://www.nytimes.com/content/help/site/editorial/letters/letters.html.
1
I think when an editor acknowledges that a word might cause offense but reports that after careful thought decided to use it, high dudgeon is not the right tone to object. It was a judgment call with which you disagree, not an insensitive and thoughtless use of an offensive term.
9
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@ Nitpicker: I think an argument such as the one presented by Rhiannon (re sourcing) can be made by people who were not bothered by any of the fill, or by people who were neutral. Sure, ultimately the right call was made but it was made by a middle-aged white guy (Rhiannon's phrase), assisted by a Millennial white guy and the one prominent African-American crossword constructor who could be located. [NB: Puzzle editors such as Will Shortz at NYT or Rich Norris at L.A. TImes have some role to play regarding who BECOMES prominent. Also, a while back, the Wordplay then-blog described a program encouraging participation by constructors who were not white males.]
We also had citation to BBC News and the LA Times. I don't look to those sources myself, regarding what's offensive. (No disrespect intended re BBC News and their coverage of US race relations, or of African news that often goes unreported.)
Choice of sourcing does make a difference. I'd be disinclined to look to Spike Lee or LEBRON or Randy Newman to field the question of whether a Crossword needs to have both Across clues and Down clues. Seems to me the middle aged white guy mentioned by Rhiannon is a better source there.
I wrote more extensively in another thread, if anyone's interested, about a social-media post quoting a poem which uses a phrase that appears in this Crossword. I wonder if Rhiannon would have preferred the poem and its use as better sources.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKwJ3XEhoUP/
@ Nitpicker: I think an argument such as the one presented by Rhiannon (re sourcing) can be made by people who were not bothered by any of the fill, or by people who were neutral. Sure, ultimately the right call was made but it was made by a middle-aged white guy (Rhiannon's phrase), assisted by a Millennial white guy and the one prominent African-American crossword constructor who could be located. [NB: Puzzle editors such as Will Shortz at NYT or Rich Norris at L.A. TImes have some role to play regarding who BECOMES prominent. Also, a while back, the Wordplay then-blog described a program encouraging participation by constructors who were not white males.]
We also had citation to BBC News and the LA Times. I don't look to those sources myself, regarding what's offensive. (No disrespect intended re BBC News and their coverage of US race relations, or of African news that often goes unreported.)
Choice of sourcing does make a difference. I'd be disinclined to look to Spike Lee or LEBRON or Randy Newman to field the question of whether a Crossword needs to have both Across clues and Down clues. Seems to me the middle aged white guy mentioned by Rhiannon is a better source there.
I wrote more extensively in another thread, if anyone's interested, about a social-media post quoting a poem which uses a phrase that appears in this Crossword. I wonder if Rhiannon would have preferred the poem and its use as better sources.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BKwJ3XEhoUP/
1
Nice puzzle overall except BAGNOLD. Here you have an uncommon proper name, and what are some of its crosses? BABYBJORN, LSAT and LDOPA. I had BJORK (never heard of BABYBJORN) PSAT (cuz I didn't "get" the cleverness of the cluing.), and I had no idea what the 2nd letter of LDOPA might be, so I ended up with something like BAGKOPI for the author, and no way of knowing which letters might be incorrect. Seems a bit unsporting to throw in a name like BAGNOLD and then cross it with an abbreviation, a hyphenated drug name, and a non-English proper name.
Enid Bagnold wrote _National Velvet_ as well as -The Chalk Garden_ (a movie with Deborah Kerr and Hayley Mills was a critical success, quite a fascinating story. I didn't know BABY BJORN either, as Snugli was the big carrier when my children (now in mid 30's) came along, but the J was a big hint.
I guess enough test solvers got these that it passed as fair.
LDOPA is pretty well-known as one of the few treatments to make a difference for many patients....
I guess enough test solvers got these that it passed as fair.
LDOPA is pretty well-known as one of the few treatments to make a difference for many patients....
1
BAGNOLD may be an uncommon proper name, but she is very well known to people who follow the theatre.
LEBRON is an uncommon proper name, but he is very well known to people who follow basketball.
Lots of people with uncommon names are known to people interested in their fields, but odd to people who don't share those interest. They show up in XWPs all the time, e.g., that golf guy with all the vowels.
LEBRON is an uncommon proper name, but he is very well known to people who follow basketball.
Lots of people with uncommon names are known to people interested in their fields, but odd to people who don't share those interest. They show up in XWPs all the time, e.g., that golf guy with all the vowels.
1
After the cold soup course and with some confidence I wrote in STEREO BOOM BOX and some of the Down clues seemed to fit. Initially misspelled the cold soup (those double esses). I saw the error of my ways and went on to solve, took me a while though. NE was the last to go.
One mnemonic is from how ...SSOISE is pronounced: SWOZZ. In French an SS always has an S sound, but the ending -OISE always has a Z sound, like Steve Wozniak's nickname. (By the way, someone of that name recently won the monthly crossword contest in Harper's.)
2
polymath, thank you for the mnemonic. It drives me nuts when people ask for "vee-she-swa" thinking they are pronouncing it correctly.
1
Oh-knee swa key mali pronounce.
1
If the clue to GHETTO BLASTER had read differently, perhaps it could have been more acceptable. As it was I was shocked.
1
The clue seems fairly neutral to me. Did you want a tag like "pejorative" tacked on?
3
During an episode of the Dick Cavett Show, Lillian Gish appeared to welcome Dali's aardvark when he tossed his leashed pet onto her lap.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CmM19jBdrI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CmM19jBdrI
4
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Thanks, Bru.
Was stymied when Aardvark didn't seem to go with crosses.
Thanks, Bru.
Was stymied when Aardvark didn't seem to go with crosses.
Mills before TAROS...LET HE without sin cast the first stone...You have no idea how disappointed I was when I had to write over Chief Geronimo @34d...Both playwrights knocked my solve for a loop. Upon discovering the fact that President Hayes didn't address his classmates at Dayton, I sure was surprised. KENYON commiserate?...There are quattour first time arrivals in the NYT XWP today, 7d, 20d, 31d and 33d. I needed some help with one, SLAM POETS...The SE corner was an unmitigated disaster, morphing itself into more of an INK BLOT than a tidy corner of the grid...Covered beautifully by a group of siblings from Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland, The Corrs STAND IN and deliver this REM ballad, "Everybody HURTS." It's an unplugged version and a good one.
Listening to this helped ease the TON of resultant stress brought forth from the confusion and disorder in the SE. When the feeling becomes FUTILE, this cyberspace (WP) sure is utile.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtGZGBvb7ic
Listening to this helped ease the TON of resultant stress brought forth from the confusion and disorder in the SE. When the feeling becomes FUTILE, this cyberspace (WP) sure is utile.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtGZGBvb7ic
3
Some short pop culture gimmes gave me several toeholds today (TONELOC, RHODA, ILOVELA, ABE, TALIA). But I made quite a mess in the middle, confidently entering KOBE BRYANT off the 'D' in DIVEBAR, but suddenly ran out of letters. Didn't know BABYBJORN, so it took quite a while to suss out King JAMES @35A. Thought of SLUGABED, STAYABED and LAYABED before LIABED. Happily, VICHYSSOISE is a word I remember how to spell, just because it's so unusual. And I pulled up a mental image of Dali walking his ANTEATER.
Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow performing her hit "C'MON, C'MON":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjdlOn5sG2o
Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow performing her hit "C'MON, C'MON":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjdlOn5sG2o
1
What are the chances?
I predicted the artist (you'll have to take my word for it), but a different song.
I predicted the artist (you'll have to take my word for it), but a different song.
1
Off the 'B' in DIVEBAR. Must remember to proofread before posting.
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I thought using "D in DIVEBAR" was a clever way to remind us that a B is 2 Ds.
DYEd eggs
I thought using "D in DIVEBAR" was a clever way to remind us that a B is 2 Ds.
DYEd eggs
1
This was a nice, nourishing Friday-level puzzle.
Didn't know TONE LOC (or the "song"), but now know to avoid them.
Didn't know where either Forrest Gump or Rutherford B. Hayes went to college.
I guess BAR NONE and DIVE BAR aren't really dupes??? (I know of watering holes with each name.)
Had HERE WE GO before HERE GOES, but Eve ENSLER was a gimme and corrected my error.
Another gimme was Enid BAGNOLD. Glad to see two women playwrights in one puzzle!
It's a testament to LEBRON JAMES's fame that I was able to get 35A from the pattern of just a few letters, since both basketball and SNL are things I avoid. But I did have a vague impression that SCRATCH meant something or other in golf.
I'd never heard of the product, but Googled "BABY BJORN logo" expecting a cute picture of a baby bear. Alas, 'twas not to be.
Never heard of LIE-ABED. Is it the same as SLUG-ABED?
I remember planning to watch the premiere of "RHODA," but that was the night a friend decided to leave her significant other and came to my house overnight bag in hand. Lots of tears and phone calls. No "RHODA."
Don't think I've ever heard the term HACKATHON, but it's fun. Are participants in a poetry slam really called SLAM POETS?
Best clue/entry combos: [Some mouse cells]/AAAS; [Kind of walk]/PERP.
I don't mind GHETTO BLASTER in a puzzle. As used in real life, it was offensive. Mercifully, earphones have pretty much consigned the boombox to history's dustbin, where it belongs.
Thanks all.
Didn't know TONE LOC (or the "song"), but now know to avoid them.
Didn't know where either Forrest Gump or Rutherford B. Hayes went to college.
I guess BAR NONE and DIVE BAR aren't really dupes??? (I know of watering holes with each name.)
Had HERE WE GO before HERE GOES, but Eve ENSLER was a gimme and corrected my error.
Another gimme was Enid BAGNOLD. Glad to see two women playwrights in one puzzle!
It's a testament to LEBRON JAMES's fame that I was able to get 35A from the pattern of just a few letters, since both basketball and SNL are things I avoid. But I did have a vague impression that SCRATCH meant something or other in golf.
I'd never heard of the product, but Googled "BABY BJORN logo" expecting a cute picture of a baby bear. Alas, 'twas not to be.
Never heard of LIE-ABED. Is it the same as SLUG-ABED?
I remember planning to watch the premiere of "RHODA," but that was the night a friend decided to leave her significant other and came to my house overnight bag in hand. Lots of tears and phone calls. No "RHODA."
Don't think I've ever heard the term HACKATHON, but it's fun. Are participants in a poetry slam really called SLAM POETS?
Best clue/entry combos: [Some mouse cells]/AAAS; [Kind of walk]/PERP.
I don't mind GHETTO BLASTER in a puzzle. As used in real life, it was offensive. Mercifully, earphones have pretty much consigned the boombox to history's dustbin, where it belongs.
Thanks all.
4
DL, good for you putting RHODA on hold (which in those days meant you didn't get to see it until summer reruns). I remember calling a classmate from my graduate program who had taken her comps to see how they were. She basically hung up on me because RHODA was on. She didn't call back, and neither did I.
1
I'll admit that there are lots of colorful entries today; I'm just sad that so many were unfamiliar to me, I've jotted down a few: HACKATHON, BABY BJORN, SLAM POETS. Then there were a few short answers I didn't get, HOSE for Rip off, HURTS for Joneses, PERP for Kind of walk. My one reveal is the last P in PERP, and by some miracle I have no black triangles ( I'm not claiming that I didn't check, just a lot of lucky guesses)
I'd like to work ESOTERY into the conversation at some point, nice new word for me as well; VICHYSSOISE was by far my favorite fill.
Deb, if you think of yourself as knowing us, you now know one person who wasn't dancing up a storm to TONE LOC in 1989 or ever. ( As someone suggested, perhaps more than one) .
I'd like to work ESOTERY into the conversation at some point, nice new word for me as well; VICHYSSOISE was by far my favorite fill.
Deb, if you think of yourself as knowing us, you now know one person who wasn't dancing up a storm to TONE LOC in 1989 or ever. ( As someone suggested, perhaps more than one) .
7
Not so easy for me, who didn't know five proper nouns, know LIEABED only from crosswords, and never say ESOTERY. I did like a nice smattering of answers (BAR_NONE, SLAM_POETS, HACKATHON, HERE_GOES, SCRATCH as clued, and VICHYSSOISE). Clever clues for INKBLOT and CLOTHE. Potential Naticks that I see are VAL/ENSLER and BABYBJORN/BAGNOLD.
In some areas, the answers splashed in easily, and in others it was like running in soft sand. Very enjoyable mix for me with a finish of satisfaction. Nice one James, and oh, I saw how you snuck your name into the puzzle.
In some areas, the answers splashed in easily, and in others it was like running in soft sand. Very enjoyable mix for me with a finish of satisfaction. Nice one James, and oh, I saw how you snuck your name into the puzzle.
3
And who among us will ever forget the river Lethe, unless we become lethargic and allow it to slip into cruciverbal oblivion.
4
Hmmmm, I wonder what LEBRONJAMES thinks about GHETTOBLASTER?
I'm happy to read that Will and Joel took such time and care to research the word before publishing. These guys really take words seriously which is much appreciated by me. As is all the effort they pour into the puzzle everyday. GHETTOBLASTER is a lively answer ... and as it turns out, a discussion starter, too. Nothing wrong with that.
The visual of Dali walking an ANTEATER is priceless.
This was on the easy side of a Friday for me. I did the whole thing last night except for one square, the "Y" in ESOTERY which became clear in the morning light.
Thank you, James Mulhern!
I'm happy to read that Will and Joel took such time and care to research the word before publishing. These guys really take words seriously which is much appreciated by me. As is all the effort they pour into the puzzle everyday. GHETTOBLASTER is a lively answer ... and as it turns out, a discussion starter, too. Nothing wrong with that.
The visual of Dali walking an ANTEATER is priceless.
This was on the easy side of a Friday for me. I did the whole thing last night except for one square, the "Y" in ESOTERY which became clear in the morning light.
Thank you, James Mulhern!
1
Whoo-ee! Went from feeling smart (LeBRON JAMES, Enid BAGNOLD, GHETTO BLASTER) to cudgeling my brains (LETHE, LDOPA GLOBULIN) to having to SCRATCH for every answer (THE D.A. instead of RHODA, where the SS goes in the creamy chilled soup, the unknown rapper, along with other ESOTERY.)
KENYON College, eh? Good old Ohio, The Mother of Presidents.
Definitely a Friday-worthy puzzle, plus I'm still basking in the glow of Thursday's JMKaye puzzle (or is that the bonfire lit by those who wanted to burn the paper it was printed in?)
KENYON College, eh? Good old Ohio, The Mother of Presidents.
Definitely a Friday-worthy puzzle, plus I'm still basking in the glow of Thursday's JMKaye puzzle (or is that the bonfire lit by those who wanted to burn the paper it was printed in?)
2
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There's no question about Ohio's role as the Mother of Presidents, although when you have so many you can't avoid a Harding.
Rutherford B. Hayes has/had a few unique traits:
- Only KENYON alum elected President
- (By some measures) Worst electoral results for any "winner" of a national campaign
- Only Harvard Law School grad elected President (held the distinction for 130 years; joined by Obama; could have been joined by Romney)
- His name contains the name of another President (rutherFORD)
Ohio was the first state represented in the US Senate by a President-elect (Harding). It took 40 years for Massachusetts to join that party and 48 more for Illinois to join in. I suspect that even people who aren't political junkies can name more than 3 Senators who lost a Presidential election (there were 4 who were nominated but not elected just from 1972-2008).
There's no question about Ohio's role as the Mother of Presidents, although when you have so many you can't avoid a Harding.
Rutherford B. Hayes has/had a few unique traits:
- Only KENYON alum elected President
- (By some measures) Worst electoral results for any "winner" of a national campaign
- Only Harvard Law School grad elected President (held the distinction for 130 years; joined by Obama; could have been joined by Romney)
- His name contains the name of another President (rutherFORD)
Ohio was the first state represented in the US Senate by a President-elect (Harding). It took 40 years for Massachusetts to join that party and 48 more for Illinois to join in. I suspect that even people who aren't political junkies can name more than 3 Senators who lost a Presidential election (there were 4 who were nominated but not elected just from 1972-2008).
SHORT-I really? Who ever called lower-case letters short? And "it" could start a sentence and take a capital, so not always short.
Short pronunciation wise, Rochelle, so not rhyming with eye. I'm finally recognizing that kind of clue.
5
Ahhhhh! Thank you for the clarification! Now I feel silly :/
2
That's *pronounced* with a SHORT, rather than a long I.
Think "bit" rather than "bite."
Think "bit" rather than "bite."
Had lots of toeholds in this one. Unfortunately almost all of them were concentrated in the NW. That filled in like an early week puzzle, and then I worked my way down the west side a bit, but still with some gaps and then a lot of staring and thinking ensued.
Lots of unknowns, either completely or as clued - too many to list. A couple of things I should have seen but didn't and a couple of mis-directions missed. But mostly, beyond the west side I just never had enough to get going anywhere and eventually I ran out of gas.
I used to know that factoid about Dali, but I just couldn't remember what the animal was.
Give it another try tomorrow.
Lots of unknowns, either completely or as clued - too many to list. A couple of things I should have seen but didn't and a couple of mis-directions missed. But mostly, beyond the west side I just never had enough to get going anywhere and eventually I ran out of gas.
I used to know that factoid about Dali, but I just couldn't remember what the animal was.
Give it another try tomorrow.
3
Oh, and Deb - are you really longing for 'sunny, warm weather' after this summer?
Over the last two days here, our temperatures finally dropped - about 15 degrees from anything we've seen for months. The low here this morning was 53 degrees and I'm loving it.
Over the last two days here, our temperatures finally dropped - about 15 degrees from anything we've seen for months. The low here this morning was 53 degrees and I'm loving it.
2
I also balked at Deb's weather comment.
We've had almost a week now of bearable weather, for the first time since about March. I'm still nervous that the horrible heat is going to come back, but for now it's good to be able to get out of my apartment and resume my life.
We've had almost a week now of bearable weather, for the first time since about March. I'm still nervous that the horrible heat is going to come back, but for now it's good to be able to get out of my apartment and resume my life.
2
ESOTERY was interesting. After not making esoteric fit, I left for all clues to come back later.
AAAS?
AAAS?
1
Triple-As for computer mouse. Ugly!
Especially with FORAY nearby.
3
Lived in LA when Mr. Newman's song hit the airways. At first everyone thought it was some kind of joke and then it was made the official LA song. Perhaps ironic. Perhaps not.
LETHE was my favorite. I have recently acquired two boats and am trying to come up with a pretentious name for one: LETHE may just be the name I am looking for. A lively bit of ESOTERY, n'cest pas?
My grid is rife with misspelling. I had a y in 1D, forgot an s in 29a, and had LayABED. EGAD!
FYI: The Minneapolis house from the Mary Tyler Moore Show (RHODA source) has been for sale for a few years.
Anyway. Nice Friday puz. Thanks James
LETHE was my favorite. I have recently acquired two boats and am trying to come up with a pretentious name for one: LETHE may just be the name I am looking for. A lively bit of ESOTERY, n'cest pas?
My grid is rife with misspelling. I had a y in 1D, forgot an s in 29a, and had LayABED. EGAD!
FYI: The Minneapolis house from the Mary Tyler Moore Show (RHODA source) has been for sale for a few years.
Anyway. Nice Friday puz. Thanks James
2
There *is* a Y in 1D.
Did you have a second one? Where?
Did you have a second one? Where?
There should be a 'Y' in 1D, shouldn't there? I have one.
.
dk,
I recall you describing one boat when you bought it. Did you tell us about the other one? Maybe I fell overboard into the River LETHE since then.
How does one decide whether "River" is a first or last name? River LETHE, River Seine, River Phoenix, River Wild; but the cresting Cedar River, KENYON River, Sewanee River, Joan Rivers.
Randy Newman is part of the family with the greatest number of Academy Award nominations (76 so far). Besides Randy (2 wins out of 20 noms, for Best Song in Monsters, Inc. and Toy Story 3), the nominated Newmans are Alfred, David, Lionel, Emil, and Thomas.
(The Shearer siblings, Norma and Douglas, had 15 wins combined; their brother-in-law Howard Hawks won a non-competitive Oscar.)
Much of Newman's lyrics for non-film songs have been satiric. He even composed the score for a satiric film, "Pleasantville" (not a Will Shortz biopic). Seems to me there was a big uproar from people who didn't understand the comedic intent/value of that song he sang about "SHORT people".
dk,
I recall you describing one boat when you bought it. Did you tell us about the other one? Maybe I fell overboard into the River LETHE since then.
How does one decide whether "River" is a first or last name? River LETHE, River Seine, River Phoenix, River Wild; but the cresting Cedar River, KENYON River, Sewanee River, Joan Rivers.
Randy Newman is part of the family with the greatest number of Academy Award nominations (76 so far). Besides Randy (2 wins out of 20 noms, for Best Song in Monsters, Inc. and Toy Story 3), the nominated Newmans are Alfred, David, Lionel, Emil, and Thomas.
(The Shearer siblings, Norma and Douglas, had 15 wins combined; their brother-in-law Howard Hawks won a non-competitive Oscar.)
Much of Newman's lyrics for non-film songs have been satiric. He even composed the score for a satiric film, "Pleasantville" (not a Will Shortz biopic). Seems to me there was a big uproar from people who didn't understand the comedic intent/value of that song he sang about "SHORT people".
I wonder how words lose their charge.
I bristled at GHETTOBLASTER, but I remember how it was deployed when I first remember hearing it. It was disparaging and divisive: I had a 'boom box,' but the kid who had been bussed from the projects across town had a GHETTOBLASTER.
To me, GHETTOBLASTER falls in the same uncomfortable category as 'gypped' and 'Washington Redskins' -- though I'm willing to forgive the Washington-based team when they change their mascot to a peanut or a potato.
On the other hand, I think we would all be better off if some of these words lost their darker purpose and retained their utilitarian meanings. Not all of them, mind you, but it would be a great day when 'ghetto' doesn't come charged with an image of crushing poverty, wouldn't it?
I bristled at GHETTOBLASTER, but I remember how it was deployed when I first remember hearing it. It was disparaging and divisive: I had a 'boom box,' but the kid who had been bussed from the projects across town had a GHETTOBLASTER.
To me, GHETTOBLASTER falls in the same uncomfortable category as 'gypped' and 'Washington Redskins' -- though I'm willing to forgive the Washington-based team when they change their mascot to a peanut or a potato.
On the other hand, I think we would all be better off if some of these words lost their darker purpose and retained their utilitarian meanings. Not all of them, mind you, but it would be a great day when 'ghetto' doesn't come charged with an image of crushing poverty, wouldn't it?
5
Originally, 'ghetto' itself was not a pejorative term; it was just a realistic description of areas that resulted from what we know now are various kinds of shameful social discrimination. A ghetto was where people lived who were not considered acceptable by the larger population. The earliest usage that I'm familiar with are the Jewish ghettos of Europe. There were also Irish and Italian and other ethnic ghettos in the United States during waves of immigration from those various countries.
And there were African-American ghettos in many large cities with that term originally being used only descriptively, in the same sense that it had been used in regard to other populations. Of course there was always an implicit attitude toward the inhabitants of such areas, but the word itself was not a pejorative.
But in this country that changed over time, as we all know, and the use of 'ghetto,' as applied by white people, came to have a very negative meaning, fraught with all kinds of perceptions and assumptions. And certainly 'ghetto blaster' is an example of that. As I said below, I don't have a huge problem with it appearing in a crossword puzzle (what does it matter?) but let's not pretend otherwise.
And there were African-American ghettos in many large cities with that term originally being used only descriptively, in the same sense that it had been used in regard to other populations. Of course there was always an implicit attitude toward the inhabitants of such areas, but the word itself was not a pejorative.
But in this country that changed over time, as we all know, and the use of 'ghetto,' as applied by white people, came to have a very negative meaning, fraught with all kinds of perceptions and assumptions. And certainly 'ghetto blaster' is an example of that. As I said below, I don't have a huge problem with it appearing in a crossword puzzle (what does it matter?) but let's not pretend otherwise.
2
Or with an image of the color or ethnicity of the person living there and carrying the blaster.
I agree re: "ghetto." But "ghetto blaster" to me says black teenager. Maybe that's me. Anyone picture something else when they hear this phrase?
1
Last to fall for me was SUITS ME, which sounds like something to do with a tailor. Love a puzzle with two Godfather clues, a reference to RHODA, and a pretty new word like ESOTERY. Plus, The Chalk Garden was a favorite movie of mine as a teen. I always loved Deborah Kerr and (I know I could look this up) I think John Mills was excellent, too. I remember seeing that in the theater in the days when ONE just went to the movies without regard to starting times. If the movie had already started, we just stayed through the next showing until we got to the part when we had arrived.
3
Great puzzle, but LSAT at 46D troubled me. Understood that 'practice' referried to the practice of law. PSAT would've (has!) been a great answer for the same clue, where practice is its true adjective. But the LSAT is not the exam that allows anyone to practice law (or open a law practice), just as the (equally tempting but similarly off) MCAT does not allow test passers to practice medicine. The LSAT is the test taken before applying to law school. The Bar exam enables its passers to practice law. (Likewise, the MCATs gets one into med school - the Boards determine who becomes a doctor/practices medicine). I imagine there were better ways to clue this one, especially in a puzzle so impressive with the clues for its many longer answers Again, great great puzzle.
6
.
I have taught prep classes for LSAT, and also privately tutored students prepping for the test. A friend of mine does the same, and also trains others to teach those prep classes. I agree with everything Calvin wrote about various tests (except to say that failing the Bar Exam will keep a person from getting a law license, but passing the Bar Exam doesn't entitle the test-taker to licensure).
But I don't agree with any of the quibbles with the cluing. This is a Friday puzzle (2d most-inpenetrable of the solving week), and it's in the NYT. The rules for misleading solvers on Friday are just different!
I have taught prep classes for LSAT, and also privately tutored students prepping for the test. A friend of mine does the same, and also trains others to teach those prep classes. I agree with everything Calvin wrote about various tests (except to say that failing the Bar Exam will keep a person from getting a law license, but passing the Bar Exam doesn't entitle the test-taker to licensure).
But I don't agree with any of the quibbles with the cluing. This is a Friday puzzle (2d most-inpenetrable of the solving week), and it's in the NYT. The rules for misleading solvers on Friday are just different!
I'm guessing a few folks here weren't "dancing up a storm" to "Funky Cold Medina"! I honestly don't recall hearing it, and I'm... well, let's forget how old I am. Haven't worked in a DIVE BAR in quite a while but I did start my bartending career in one, back in the days when a martini was assumed to contain gin (or sometimes vodka). So I suppose that's a hint to how old I am.
Spelling the soup was a challenge and I was Naticked at ESOTERY/KENYAN. It didn't help that I spelled MASK with a Q. I have no problem with the loud radio as long as it stays in the puzzle.
Thursday's puzzle caused my computer to crash - my keyboard is still squirrelly! Darn. Randy Newman fans, here's one for you, perfect for the season: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NRbI15ufqM
Spelling the soup was a challenge and I was Naticked at ESOTERY/KENYAN. It didn't help that I spelled MASK with a Q. I have no problem with the loud radio as long as it stays in the puzzle.
Thursday's puzzle caused my computer to crash - my keyboard is still squirrelly! Darn. Randy Newman fans, here's one for you, perfect for the season: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NRbI15ufqM
2
.
I think TONE LOC music entirely circumvented Connecticut and Rhode Island. And would anyone in those states know who "Radio Raheem" was?
Still, find LOC's version of "Wild Thing" and see if that sounds familiar.
I think TONE LOC music entirely circumvented Connecticut and Rhode Island. And would anyone in those states know who "Radio Raheem" was?
Still, find LOC's version of "Wild Thing" and see if that sounds familiar.
I certainly wasn't dancing to the song, or listening to it either.
I tried to play Deb's clip. According to the little slide-timer at the bottom, I lasted 26 seconds.
TONE LOC's version of "Wild Thing" doesn't sound at all like the one I remember.
I tried to play Deb's clip. According to the little slide-timer at the bottom, I lasted 26 seconds.
TONE LOC's version of "Wild Thing" doesn't sound at all like the one I remember.
3
I had the ER at first, so 34d was GERONIMO for a while. ESOTERY was a new one for me. I thought ESOTERIA was a word. It's not. Other than those two speed bumps, it went fairly quickly.
1
I had Geronimo at first. too. I need to look before I plunge.
Exactly the same problem with Geronimo.
501st PIR.
Now you know.
Now you know.
Sure I struggled, who didn't? Not a lot of black squares in this Friday effort. I definitely had to chip away at the tough stuff. Very few folks I know throw a BOLT, but I'm only human, of flesh and blood I'm made. The clue for VICHYSSOISE was pretty straight forward, but how do you spell it? I just asked my wife, who happens to be a Francophone. I like to TAP INTO all the resources available. I'm pretty smart, but ESOTERY is not a word I throw around. Randy Newman is an American treasure and Southern California native. I LOVE LA began as an ironic spoof of other iconic tributes to great cities, now it is embraced by the diverse and vibrant people who populate it. Sure, I'll root for the Dodgers.
2
BOLT?
The answer that I was given was BOLA, crossing AAAS. I wonder about this, because according to Wikipedia, the thrown weapon is BOLAS. (The S is present in both the singular and plural).
The answer that I was given was BOLA, crossing AAAS. I wonder about this, because according to Wikipedia, the thrown weapon is BOLAS. (The S is present in both the singular and plural).
2
I don't know from "mouse cells," but to me AAAS means the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Which may be tough to get but unlike the mouse cells it's not in the realm of ESOTERY.
1
Wow, did I ever not get what "mouse cells" meant! I take it all back.
1
Had STANDddvi at first... so the SE became a bit of a struggle...
Puzzle was a Good Friday-er... interesting words and good clues.
I belong to the "a word is a word" school... good or bad connotations don't make the word unusable... at least in a puzzle. Any how, there seems to be a whole category of electronics on Amazon with that name... so seemingly not such a bad word any more?!
Puzzle was a Good Friday-er... interesting words and good clues.
I belong to the "a word is a word" school... good or bad connotations don't make the word unusable... at least in a puzzle. Any how, there seems to be a whole category of electronics on Amazon with that name... so seemingly not such a bad word any more?!
4
and Elke
Due to time constraints , used "aids" such as reveal to speed up the solving experience.
Was certain of L-DOPA , one of the components of Sinemet, the other is Carbi-dopa. Also had the correct spelling of VICHYSSOISE ( a favorite summer soup, but not with matzoh spheroids).
We have the BABYBJORN right down the middle , but the BEBE is off to the side.....that's not comfortable for carrier or carried ONE.
Will be gone for a few days , to listen to - BLASTs from what could be thought of as an original GHETTOBLASTER ( this is intended as a joke and I hope it is taken as such ) i.e. a shofar.
Want to take this opportunity to wish all to whom this matters, a year of good health, peace, happiness and much cruciverbal success.
L'Shana Tova U'Metuka.
Due to time constraints , used "aids" such as reveal to speed up the solving experience.
Was certain of L-DOPA , one of the components of Sinemet, the other is Carbi-dopa. Also had the correct spelling of VICHYSSOISE ( a favorite summer soup, but not with matzoh spheroids).
We have the BABYBJORN right down the middle , but the BEBE is off to the side.....that's not comfortable for carrier or carried ONE.
Will be gone for a few days , to listen to - BLASTs from what could be thought of as an original GHETTOBLASTER ( this is intended as a joke and I hope it is taken as such ) i.e. a shofar.
Want to take this opportunity to wish all to whom this matters, a year of good health, peace, happiness and much cruciverbal success.
L'Shana Tova U'Metuka.
15
Hah! You just made me love the GHETTOBLASTER clue. G'mar tov!
4
In many families, a sneezing fit might be accompanied by a "Gesundheit" or a "God bless you." We say, "T'kiah!"
6
Love it! I'll have to try that at home :)
1
Fantastic puzzle. Rapid solve for a Friday, which is exactly what I needed after very slow Wednesday and Thursday solves. I had no problem with GHETTO BLASTER, probably because it came along with that elegant triple stack in the middle. Thanks for keeping it in, but thanks more for the length explanation. Communication is the key in a situation like this.
6
I frowned when I wrote "ghetto blaster" but am perhaps overly sensitive. But if it works well in a puzzle, and here it does, and the given sources don't object, then I can accept it. But I generally am uncomfortable with such terms.
5
Here is the acid test. If you can say "ghetto blaster" while you're actually in the ghetto, it's OK.
As a South Bronx teacher, trust me when I say it's OK. But actually fairly passe.
As a South Bronx teacher, trust me when I say it's OK. But actually fairly passe.
2
Steve, there are a lot of other words you can say if you're 'actually in the ghetto.' Doesn't mean that the rest of us should be using them.
7
What Rich said.
(Third time today.)
(Third time today.)
2
good Friday. kept at it. Liked Lie a bed and inkblot. last to fall was vichyssoise. had the first 6 letters and the last four. Sam's club gave the middle second s!
1
Excellent puzzle. Thanks JM, WS and JF. BUT: 99.5% of the people of France cannot spell Vichyswa correctly -- how do you expect me to? Oh, the crosses, right.
2
Or pronounce it correctly, it seems, judging by that phonetic representation.
3
>>Or pronounce it correctly
I call it the excessive silent letter hyperforeignism. "Tête à tête" is a good example. All four Ts are pronounced in French.
I call it the excessive silent letter hyperforeignism. "Tête à tête" is a good example. All four Ts are pronounced in French.
A dear friend used to make us vichyssoise. He would always start to dictate the recipe with, "first, take a leek." That's as far as he went.
7
One would think that sensing that a term might be offensive should have been reason enough not to run it.
The hand-wringing and "soul-searching and research" are needless a posteriori justifications.
Google Ngram Viewer suggests the term peaked 25 years ago. Now is not the time to introduce it into the puzzle. Frankly, there never has been such a time.
The hand-wringing and "soul-searching and research" are needless a posteriori justifications.
Google Ngram Viewer suggests the term peaked 25 years ago. Now is not the time to introduce it into the puzzle. Frankly, there never has been such a time.
5
.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Each is equally valid. Before giving my opinion, I just have a comment and a question.
- If the Google Ngram Viewer were the determinant of what went into the late-week puzzles, I'd have stopped doing those puzzles long ago; and we wouldn't have ESOTERY.
- Do you take a position pro- or con- using the word ASK in a crossword? (That's a serious question; regrettably serious.)
My opinion is, if SHTETL BLASTER had been in the language, that would be fine for a late-week crossword. I can come up with other examples but my Comments are notoriously cut for using bad words. [On a recent major NYT Editorial, I got the routine notification email regarding acceptance of my (reply) Comments. By the time I got around to looking to see if anyone had replied to my Replies, half of my comments had been removed.] Is the word GANG still acceptable? DRUG LORD? Look up my neighborhood and you'll see such words used in NYT articles. This article has a lot of truths and a lot of non-truths; also, a lot has changed since 2008. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B07EED6113BF934A2575BC0A...
We have heavy police presence here, schools with barbed wire, and plenty of boomboxes BLASTing into the night. Words like "slum" and "urban blight" are considered offensive in this part of town. But really, GHETTO BLASTER is not worrisome.
What worries me is that only one prominent African-American crossword constructor could be found for comment.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Each is equally valid. Before giving my opinion, I just have a comment and a question.
- If the Google Ngram Viewer were the determinant of what went into the late-week puzzles, I'd have stopped doing those puzzles long ago; and we wouldn't have ESOTERY.
- Do you take a position pro- or con- using the word ASK in a crossword? (That's a serious question; regrettably serious.)
My opinion is, if SHTETL BLASTER had been in the language, that would be fine for a late-week crossword. I can come up with other examples but my Comments are notoriously cut for using bad words. [On a recent major NYT Editorial, I got the routine notification email regarding acceptance of my (reply) Comments. By the time I got around to looking to see if anyone had replied to my Replies, half of my comments had been removed.] Is the word GANG still acceptable? DRUG LORD? Look up my neighborhood and you'll see such words used in NYT articles. This article has a lot of truths and a lot of non-truths; also, a lot has changed since 2008. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B07EED6113BF934A2575BC0A...
We have heavy police presence here, schools with barbed wire, and plenty of boomboxes BLASTing into the night. Words like "slum" and "urban blight" are considered offensive in this part of town. But really, GHETTO BLASTER is not worrisome.
What worries me is that only one prominent African-American crossword constructor could be found for comment.
6
I kind of shook my head at the extensive rationalization. You want to use it in a puzzle? I don't have a huge issue with that; most of the edge has been dulled over the years.
But it absolutely originated as a pejorative term. Let's not try to pretend otherwise.
But it absolutely originated as a pejorative term. Let's not try to pretend otherwise.
6
What Rich said.
Extra words (shouldn't be needed).
Extra words (shouldn't be needed).
3
I hope Will Shortz is not reading Rex Parker too much, and responding preemptively to imagined attacks.