I've never seen Deb comment on the mini, but I was wondering if she would today, with the Monty Python clue. "It's just a FLESH wound!" https://youtu.be/UijhbHvxWrA
"What are you gonna do?? Bleed on me?"
DRY HEAT beats DRY cold any day.
Reporting with chapped cheeks from 7K feet in sunny New Mexico, where the chance of snow for tonight is double the current humidity, and quadruple the forecast overnight low. ZIN and PEAT are THE BEE'S KNEES for nights like this (even if the quantity of consumed ZIN is usually in direct proportion to puzzle-solving time).
2
40 Down. Help-wanted inits.
Shouldn't this be EOE, not EEO? Equal Opportunity Employer. Common in ads. EEOC is different. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Carl,
Equal Opportunity Employer.
Equal Employment Opportunity.
I've seen in both ways. So has the Crossword, as Rich (from Atlanta) noted this morning:
"Second was for EEO and EOE. EEO wins by a nose, 60 to 51. What was surprising that the earliest appearance for either of those was once for EEO in 1989. Every other time for both of them has been in the Shortz era. How did they manage to make so many puzzles without ever resorting to that useful sequence?"
2
@Barry Ancona
OI, Thanks. Next time, I'll try one, then the other. Like ROVES and ROAMS for 53 across: wanders.
@Carl
As you say, like ROVES/ROAMS...and like Mauna KEA/LOA, ACRID/ACERB, AVER/AVOW, et ALIA/ALII and any number of other wiggle-room specials that you start to remember after falling into the trap a time or two.
;)
3
Is this the place to complain about words not being in the Spelling Bee word list?
Riant? Tappet? Tarn? (Not all today)
1
@byomtov ~ you will find that there are many bee solvers who disagree with with the beekeeper's allowances of words
may i suggest you find @Mari in these comments, and add your voice as a "reply" to the bee thread that seems to cling to her ~
a couple of other words felt missing to me today as well
1
@byomtov
Imagine, if you can, my sate of mind the other day when the Hivemaster rejected my PHTHALATE. (Actually, I've had enough experience with the Bee to not be overly optimistic about its acceptance.)
To save you searching through the comments for the Spelling Bee thread, click on "Reader Picks" at the top of the Comments. Since so many of us give a Recommend to Mari (or whoever else may be supplying the word list count that day), the SB thread is usually the first or close behind. Come join the fun and the grumbling.
Good Yomtov
2
There’s some wonderful irony to the fact that emoji can only appear in the print version but not on the devices that spawned them
3
pmb,
It might be ironic, but people posted here last night (in response to Deb's caveat) that they *were* seeing the emoji in various online formats. Do you not see it?
@Barry Ancona There’s something wonderfully ironic in posting about not seeing emojis without checking if I was actually not seeing them which is to say, yes it was visible on my device. :D
3
OT to David Connell
Just a quick explanation concerning my reference to Letter Boxed yesterday. If you are not familiar with Letter Boxed there are twelve letters arranged in groups of three. You cannot use two letters from the same group consecutively. Yesterday's grid had the words SUPER BOWL arranged virtually consecutively, while the remaining three letters made up three-quarters of a profanity beginning with the letter F. This seemed to me to be intentional on the part of the constructor.
1
@Andrew - ha! now I guess I should have opened that page just to see if I saw it.
@David Connell
Well, maybe I was off base concerning the profanity. As someone pointed out to me those remaining three letters also could be interpreted to represent the two teams playing: KC and SF.
1
@Andrew
Also the initialism for Kentucky Fried ChickenS
Have seen reference to today being Feb 2....on the list of Wordplays and Deb’s column. Am I in a time continuum?
@Golfsan
The column always comes out the night before. Thus the 2/2 dateline. This is always the case. And the first few comments were also written on Sunday night.
@Steve L Thanx...guess I hadn’t noticed
Congratulations, Michael Schlossberg.
It was a treat to solve this newly-minted NYT crossword constructor's puzzle as there wasn't a music reference that required research for people like me who have unironically used phrases like NEATO and THE BEES KNEES. FEH I say to anyone who tries to gainsay my enjoyment.
4
That first theme entry was a little rocky.
(I think I'm Stallone now.)
(And a fun, fresh debut!)
6
Sorry to go off topic but has anyone else lost the ability to access the crossword?
I have a Sunday Home Delivery/ Full Digital subscription, but not crossword subscription. For years, I have accessed the puzzle online and printed* it out. Today access was blocked.
When I finally reached Customer Care. I learned that there was "an issue", but not a screwup, and I should get an email.
* I know, PRINT, but old habits die hard.
1
Nice zoological themes two days in a row, from avian Sunday to mammalian Monday (with ORCA + a little donkey at 27D), and an apian thrown in for good measure.
I'd go for some gill-breathing aquatic creatures tomorrow.
SEEYA.
3
Interesting puzzle for a few observations:
Curious crossings --
16A - 11D
50D - 53A
37A - 27D
Another clue for 13D: O.J. Judge ____
Anyone else do 24A as CAB? :-)
1
Anybody else notice that two of the theme answers (20A and 46A) are also song titles?
Relatedly, HAIR OF THE DOG is an effective treatment for (bad 80s) earworms.
https://youtu.be/smiMQcAbqkA
2
@Roger
Speaking of ear treatments, I received a Rx for eardrops that contained -- acetic acid. Really.
Now I have pickled hearing ....
16
Dr W,
Go to your rheum.
10
@Barry Ancona
How long have you been holding onto that one, Barry, just waiting for an opening?
4
My favorite clues from last week
(in order of appearance):
1. Nightcap go-with, in brief (3)
2. Single's bars? (4)
3. Keep the books? (5)
4. Spear carrier (6)(3)
5. Issue a charge against (4)
PJS
ARIA
RENEW
PICKLE JAR
TASE
12
Huey Lewis and the News! "I Want a New Drug" is now going round in my head. It's going to be a good day.
And with promising new constructors like Mr. Schlossberg, I can always get my fix with a daily dose of the NYT Xword.
6
@archaeoprof
Better that than EYE OF THE TIGER (a song I never need to hear again), right?
3
@Roger: copy that.
1
@archaeoprof
Amen!
A nicely diverse [and diverting] thematic selection, so long as you don't focus on the fact that it's dealing with -- as Deb notes -- animal *parts*. At least not the way WWJacobs did.
Had a special moment when 11D was missing only one letter before I read the clue, thought it would fill in as HEARSE OUT. An interesting challenge to clue that in turn.
My personal bONUS was coming up with the groups I've been to the Greensboro Colosseum for: SHA NA NA for a then teenybopper daughter's group, and HUEY Lewis & the News, as a 40th birthday present a friend was sure I'd enjoy.
I did.
If anybody says they went ape and couldn't bear this cute li'l MonPuzz, I'll just say that's croc.
10
umm
....a croc
2
@Leapfinger
You're croc'ing me up ...
2
@Leapy
Back in the day, I saw the MONKEes at the Greensboro Coliseum. Opening act, Jimi Hendrix Experience.
3
Fine puzzle, but just have to share this... I woke up at 4:30 a.m. having had a dream about creating a Valentine's Day mini. I didn't really want to be awake, so instead of thinking about work I tried to finish making the puzzle in my head. I then fell back asleep and again dreamed about the mini. The thing I couldn't decide in the dream is if VSDAY (V's Day) was an acceptable answer for an abbreviation of the theme of the mini. I wanted it to work because it would give me something to use off the V in LOVE. Does anyone else dream about crosswords?
7
@Scott Yates - yes! about a month ago I woke up with a vivid dream about a chess oriented puzzle. In my dream it made so much sense. When I tried to put the idea down on paper - it didn't really make sense at all! But I was sad for that puzzle that never came to life.
6
@Scott Yates
I’ve got to say that although I’ve had a lot of weird dreams, crosswords have never been a part of any of them.
2
@Steve L
I've dreamed about XWPs and also other games -- mostly of my own invention. I also do movies with some marvelous casting with performers of vastly different eras. Some are musical comedies, with lots of tap dancing.
Sleep can be fun.
2
In 2018, Master Hoezel was too small to be a Bennet. He'll grow into it, but for a while longer he'll have to downsize to just a little Ben.
2
Two years of Latin and Chess Club come to the rescue.
Speedy and smooth solve. Thank you Michael
1
Nice theme and a very smooth solve. Who could ask for anything more?
Two clue/answer history searches today. First was clue history for KRAUT. Wondered if, well... answer is once. In 1945. Understandable, I guess.
Second was for EEO and EOE. EEO wins by a nose, 60 to 51. What was surprising that the earliest appearance for either of those was once for EEO in 1989. Every other time for both of them has been in the Shortz era. How did they manage to make so many puzzles without ever resorting to that useful sequence?
Took a couple of days off. Then remembered an old company slogan: Take two and drive on.
2
A high-quality Monday, if you ask me. Highlights for me:
* Lots of pop, including the very lovely HEAR ME OUT (a first-time answer in the NYT), and the paucity of draggy see-all-the-time answers.
* Lots of animals, including the theme animals, of course, but also ORCA, BAT, SWANS, ASSet, and wannabe MACAU.
* Lots of double E's (8).
* The sweet cross of FAM and THE MONKEY'S PAW
Tight, vibrant theme, and no SAGS overall. ACES and thank you, Michael, for one fine debut!
6
Great, we have a new constructor who can produce a delightful Monday puzzle.
Welcome, Michael, so many fun entries, but nice and easy to start the week .
13
LETTER BOXED THREAD
Feb 3rd MMXX
(1) F - S (6), S - G (8)
(2) F - S (9), S - D (5)
1
@Mari
I went long.
F-G(8), G-N(9)
@Mari
First time I've ever topped you! Usually I take your hints to find anything in two words.
F-S(9) S-D(4) 13!
3
@RRA ... and thanks to you, TIL what a flock of Mallard ducks is called!
An additional puzzle for you on this fine Monday morning. Can you name a NYT puzzle clue with most distinct answers?
(Not counting generic ones like "-", "..." or "See 17-Across", which, for example appeared more than 130 times!).
So, for example, the clue "Proximity" was used to describe the answers CLOSENESS, CLOSERANGE and NEARNESS.
Hint, our winner was used as a clue for over forty different answers. Additional hint - it's a single word that means more to me than to you.
2
@Bojan Please tell me you'll post the answer to this if no one gets it !
4
@Bojan ,
I'm thinking "Mine" based on your hint and its alternate meanings: not yours, ore source, thing that blows up.
2
@Adina That's actually a very good guess. I was surprised to see that "Mine" when written alone in the clue was used for only two answers, EXCAVATE and PIT.
I now realize that my hint might have threw you off. It was not meant as general "me". The word that we are looking for has an additional meaning to me, personally, due to my non-American background.
SPELLING BEE GRID
Feb 3rd MMXX
T A B I L N R
WORDS: 53, POINTS: 245, PANGRAMS: 1, BINGO
Starting Letters-Frequencies:
A x 10
B x 5
I x 2
L x 3
N x 2
R x 7
T x 24
Word Lengths -Frequencies:
4L x 15
5L x 16
6L x 14
7L x 6
8L x 1
9L x 1
Grid:
4 5 6 7 8 9 Tot
A 2 4 3 1 - - 10
B 3 - - 1 - 1 5
I - - - 1 1 - 2
L 2 - 1 - - - 3
N - 1 1 - - - 2
R 1 1 3 2 - - 7
T 7 10 6 1 - - 24
Tot 15 16 14 6 1 1 53
(Y-Axis: Starting Letters, X-Axis: Word Lengths, X/Y Co-ordinates: Frequency/Number of Words for that letter and length)
57
@Mari Just missing R6 not bunny or wicker.
2
@Mari
First two letters
AL-2, AN-1, AR-1, AT-6
BA-1, BL-2, BR-2
IN-1, IR-1
LA-1, LI-2
NA-2
RA-6, RI-1
TA-11, TI-7, TR-6
28
@Kevin Davis amphibious noise
10
And this time of year: "But it's a dry cold!"
3
@Blue Moon
Alas, it's not any kind of cold.
Please forgive the Monday goofiness (congrats Michael on your NYT debut and the Xwordinfo POW!):
Mr. PIBB and his MENSA BESTIE, THOMAS, flew to Vegas with all of his ASSETs and a HARE-BRAINED scheme. He started at the poker table and with ADROIT play and pocket ACES, he BREEZED through. “BANG!”, he cried, “I’ve got the HEART OF A LION.” THOMAS gave him a NOD. “NEATO! Now let’s scram.” But MR. PIBB—no doubt affected by Vegas’ DRY HEAT—replied, “SEE YA, I’ll GO SOLO.” He SWANned over to the craps table and bet it all on “the pass,” meaning a roll of “2” and he’d lose everything. SADIE, the shooter, let the dice fly. “FEH!” Mr. P cried: SNAKE EYES!
HEAR ME OUT: When you’ve got an ITCH to pull a Mr. PIBB, don’t be PIG-HEADED, because IN the end the HOUSE always wins.
17
Warning: silly and gratuitous sort of political joke ahead that I’ve now left and deleted seven times and hopefully will not be a CAT’S PAW for a deluge of hate tweets (for those on the other side of the aisle, just keep in mind that I will not mind at all if you make jokes about President Sanders, Warren, Biden, Bloomberg, Buttigieg, or Klobuchar. In fact, I’ll be thrilled to read a hundred such jokes here come next February).
Tune in tomorrow night for the sequel about the ex-casino owner entitled THE EQUINE’S REAR END.
3
It's funny about streaks... I was nearly at 100 days on my current one and had decided that I'd deliberately break the streak after day 100, because the streak counter concept feels manipulative to me but I like round numbers.
Then I had a very full day and didn't get to the puzzle on Saturday and POOF! there went my streak, on Day 96. On the whole I'm pleased that fate did it for me -- now I can start over. I'm on Day 2 of the next streak!
Oh yes, this was a sweet little Monday puzzle that I enjoyed doing :)
8
Felt fresh to me. And fast! Not my PB, but quicker than average. Congratulations!
5
I wasn't familiar with the short story "The Monkey's Paw," but it is available online through Project Gutenberg:
- https://www.gutenberg.org/files/12122/12122-h/12122-h.htm
in case anyone else want to read it (it's a quick read).
3
I had to read it for an English class in high school. Frightening but so many dilemmas to discuss.
1
@RichardZ Causes me to remember another great M. R. James horror story of that era: The Mezzotint.
2
@Betty
I LOVE M.R. James! Anyone who likes very moody ghost stories should check them out. “Oh, Whistle and I’ll Come to You” unsettled me (in a good way) more than anything I’ve ever read.
The Mezzotint is a really good story. If you read it and like the academic background, also “The Tractate Middoth”.
1
Another Monday solved! However, I am now struggling with the Mini.
Looking for to Tuesday's puzzle.
2
@Concerned Citizen Sorry to hear that. The Mini took me 45 seconds. I didn't even have to use the Down clues.
How happy I was to see Monday!
3
Though I don't consider myself an ADROIT solver by any stretch of the imagination, getting a music-oriented clue or two always grants me a bit of verve & gets me humming. This puzzle really gave me THE EYE OF THE TIGER with so many!
Four clued as such:
SHA-NA-NA
AIMEE Mann
EYE OF THE TIGER
HUEY Lewis & the News
And a few personally evocative ones:
NEATO (Three Loco song, don't bother looking this up)
THE MONK[EE]S
AHA
SADIE (A wonderful Joanna Newsom song)
Oh, and FETA clued over LARD was just what I needed for my post-Chinese New Year diet -- I totally lost my appetite.
2
@Matthew Miller
Don't forget HAIR OF THE DOG!
https://youtu.be/smiMQcAbqkA
Happy palindrome day! 02/02/2020
10
@TxMary Oops. I know. It was yesterday. Sorry about that everyone
TxMary,
It still is 02/02; this is tomorrow's puzzle.
@Barry Ancona oh no! Just when I thought I couldn’t be more embarrassed. I think I need a good night’s sleep! Thanks
EASY A!
2
Thrilled to have gotten this one in under 17 minutes, and it was fun! A great debut entry; thanks... it was THE BEES KNEES!
3
Fast Monday, fun. Why is the answer to “Bah” ...“Feh?”
5
@Shadow
In my life, "FEH" is Yiddish for dirty or a bad idea we don't talk about (She uses artificial flavors in her cookies? Feh!). I don't know that I would have used it for "Bah," but I understood it for the clue, regardless.
7
@Marlene
Scrooge would cringe.....
1
Zippy! Probably my fastest time ever. (Not sure because 1:32 is erroneously listed as my best time.)
I read The Monkey's Paw back in school, and have been permanently affected by it. I can't utter a hope or a wish or vague prayer for good fortune for me or a family member -- or even have one pass through my mind -- without flashing back to that story and "taking back" my thought. I'm a rational person, and I have no real belief whatsoever in the supernatural. But that dang story seems to have done its damage...
12
It just reminds you: TANSTAAFL
1
I think I'm starting to get better at doing the puzzle and reading the columns and darting off to the comments before the whole thing becomes too cumbersome. But, HEAR ME OUT, even though I was weaned on doing the Sunday puzzle on Saturday night, I'm finding it strange to have to do all the rest of the week's puzzles so early, and trying to fight my way into Wordplay, before there are prohibitive numbers of comments.
Gotta try to figure this out. I really like reading the comments and participating in the conversation, and I am delighted that there are so many new commenters joining us, but it's become so time-consuming that I'm having trouble keeping up.
But by working real hard I got to today's (Monday's) puzzle early (on Sunday), so here I am.
Nice puzzle, nice theme. I always love stuff about animals. And I have a whole history with my (late) best friend about failed or abandoned attempts to attend SHA-NA-NA concerts.
At any rate, an enjoyable puzzle. Thanks to all.
13
@Deadline Move to Asia. It’s a breeze to jump in the comments early. ;-)
5
@Doug
Yes indeed. Australia works too :)
5
And Harrogate
5
Finished the puzzle and then got the dreaded something's amiss pop-up. Took me forever to find figure out I'd spelled MACAU as MACAo. (Which I've done before. See Old dog; new tricks.) Since I solved that corner on the the downs, I never checked to see that ONUS was spelled wrong, but that's on me.
In honor of the SWANS, here's a clip of my favorite scene from Funny Girl.
https://youtu.be/TufkZ7qFdLg
10
@vaer
I had the same mix-up with MACAo. I had noticed the cross ONOS at the time, but had not read the clue. I did think to myself “Isn’t one ONO (more than) enough?”
2
Same error here... I’d say it was ON US!
6
@RampiAK Thank you Andrew and RampiAK. Funny exchange!
Deb,
I see the 45A emoji on both my APP and laptop, but I have the Android App and a Dell/MS laptop.
@vaer
@ Deb Amlen
No problem seeing the emoji on iOS or MacOS as well. The only difference is that the app/online versions are in color, and the print version isn't.
1
As a vegetarian fan of pie, I promise you don’t need 14A for a great crust.
3
What’s your recipe? The best pie crust I ever ate was made with lard.
1
I’ve made pie crust with lard, with butter and lard, and coconut oil, and eaten other people’s pies made with crisco. I have to say I think lard makes the best pastry, but I usually make it with butter. What do you use? I think crisco type fats don’t make a flaky pastry.
1
For the vegans...
https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/easy-vegan-pie-crust/
New best time for a Monday. Probably because I just finished the Sunday puzzle. Way over usual time on the Sunday, though.
TIGER EYES, DOG HAIR, and MONKEYS PAW. What a menagerie!
:-)
2
My first theme entries were the EYE OF THE TIGER and HAIR OF THE DOG, but I couldn't think of a classic horror story with "of the [animal]" in its title.
BEES KNEES got me back on track -- Some purists will no doubt argue that all answers should be in a single possessive form.
CAB for ZIN as a start. Otherwise a nice solve in below average time.
1
@RAH
Not sure what nit you're picking. I know BEES tend to travel in swarms, but surely we could refer to a singular BEE having several KNEES, given how many legs they have.
5
and Elke
Hey- this puzzle is the "cat's meow" !
Richly deserves the POW and on a debut puzzle yet.
Looking forward to many more, Mr. Schlossberg.
4
@Robert
Or perhaps its pajamas?
2
@both
Jessica thanks you for the recognition.
She's going back to sleep now.
6
I have been in 115 degree DRY HEATin Phoenix. It's hot.
2
@coloradoz
Friends of mine moved to Arizona (after a few detours) for supposedly health reasons. They were miserable. Their position was that hot was hot, no matter how dry it was supposed to be, and there was no way to become comfortable without seriously high-powered A/C.
I've never been to either Miami or Phoenix. I've lived in Mississippi. We have some awful heat even in NYC in the summer -- and we have experienced serious winter/cold weather deprivation in recent years. I promise myself I will never ever again go to the southern climes where heat is expected/accepted. If I ever have to leave NYC, it will be to move north. Way north.
2
One reason I’ve chosen North Yorkshire over California!
4
@coloradoz
I spent two weeks in Phoenix once - during which time the daily high temperature was never below 115F.
It may have been excused as DRY HEAT - - but I spell it INSUFFERABLE!!
I don’t know what you folks are going to do if global warming ever arrives in Arizona or Colorado. You can’t all escape to the mountains. There isn’t enough room.
I DO lust after some warmer clime, though when we have a two-week streak down in the teens - - or even below zero. Winter in Michigan is not my favorite season - - but, at least, it isn’t Minne-freezing-sota!!
OH! The puzzle was a solid “Solve”. Would have been a new PB - - but I had GREASED at 7D and am unfamiliar with PIBB - so there was no help there. It was only when I gave up on CAB at 24A that I got it sorted out.
Nice debut Michael. “Gettable” theme that helped with a couple of theme answers - - and just enough “grit” thrown in to make it a little bit of a challenge for a Monday.
Personal best for the mini, and just a few seconds off personal best for a Monday too. Starting the week off as I hope to go on!
3
Nice debut; welcome, Michael! It was a fast solve for me, and it was fun to see the animals fill it and speculate about what the next one would be. I wouldn't exactly call THE MONKEY'S PAW a cuddly thing, though!
5
YAY Monday!! I'M SO SMART!!!
I hope there is a happy winner in tonight's american football match!
7
My first solve (on the app) not looking at the grid, just filling the answers.
22
Well done, @John!
3
Congrats John!
1
Finished quickly but I got a phone call in the middle and the app kept the clock running.
1
I was 9 seconds off my best time for a monday!