tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305840857858959680.post5104480228816074113..comments2024-03-07T21:45:59.348-07:00Comments on Madness...Crossword and Otherwise: Thursday, February 7 - Kenneth J. BernikerLinda Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15816794362786044423noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305840857858959680.post-86905855529913178062008-02-07T18:34:00.000-07:002008-02-07T18:34:00.000-07:00Late to the show, but just a few comments on a fu...Late to the show, but just a few comments on a fun Thursday puzzle and very nice write-up:<BR/><BR/>Why should you think it's creepy to google a constructor's name. It's in the paper for the world to see. And, you learned some interesting stuff about today's constructor, I thought. Another science/math/musician constructor. Seems to be lots of those.<BR/><BR/>Re zax, here's a <A HREF="http://www.onelook.com" REL="nofollow">web site</A> I like to use for dictionary references. After you enter the word you're looking for, you get a list of dictionaries on the left, and a 'quick definition' on the right. Very helpful.<BR/><BR/>I think there's some 'rule' for abbreviations that are used more often than the full version of the term, for example S.O.S., G.O.P., and V.I.P. In cases like these, no abbreviation signal is necessary. I *think* these are Will's rules. <BR/> <BR/>I knew/recalled Jacques Brel from <A HREF="http://tinyurl.com/ywq7va" REL="nofollow">a musical</A> from long ago.<BR/><BR/>Donald, I don't see how ZAG, ZAP, ZED or ZEE could work with 64 Across. GEN GER? GEN PER? GEN DER? GEN EER? The clue called for a 2-word or a hyphenated word answer. A quick run through the alphabet revealed only XER to me. <BR/><BR/>See you tomorrow...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305840857858959680.post-4105401976869390932008-02-07T17:37:00.000-07:002008-02-07T17:37:00.000-07:00Sean, thanks for the laugh! I thought of Dr. Seus...Sean, thanks for the laugh! I thought of Dr. Seuss every time I looked at LOMAX.<BR/><BR/>Donald, ZAP definitely...that would give us PER. ZAG...GER, abbreviation for Germany. But it's always much more fun with a Scrabbly X!<BR/><BR/>Annielee, you amaze me with your gimmes. They're usually stumbling blocks for me...and several others.<BR/><BR/>DrBob, thanks for the info...depressing as it was ; )Linda Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15816794362786044423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305840857858959680.post-35115689318350814352008-02-07T16:23:00.000-07:002008-02-07T16:23:00.000-07:00Sadly Linda G as we age we get presbyopic (elder e...Sadly Linda G as we age we get presbyopic (elder eyes) or more farsighted. If you start out nearsighted you need a weaker prescription over time, but you also loose the ability to focus on close objects like the NY Times Xword puzzle. This is due to the loss of elasticity in the lenses of our eyes. Until I was older I never knew why some people needed reading glasses and magnifying mirrors. Sadly I now know. - DrBobAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305840857858959680.post-30184822895753231942008-02-07T13:29:00.000-07:002008-02-07T13:29:00.000-07:00Nice Thursday puzzle, some tough stuff but very do...Nice Thursday puzzle, some tough stuff but very doable. I wanted Indo to end with china, never heard indo-ARYAN before, and penny SAVER? That was the very last thing I got in the NW. Tried penny ante, penny bank, etc. The theme fell for me with FLYBOXER, but I puzzled over it for a while. BREL and YARE were gimmes. I love how we each have our own set of gimmes. <BR/><BR/>rikki, congratulations on your new neice! That's a beautiful name.<BR/><BR/>Linda, I think having too-strong glasses may be fairly common. It's happened to me. Glad you got it straightened out, and the new frames sound fantastic. Burgundy and purple are my kind of colors.MBGhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08315707409179428435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305840857858959680.post-32924784680255897802008-02-07T12:18:00.000-07:002008-02-07T12:18:00.000-07:00...and that entry of ZAX was not just "fill", it w......and that entry of ZAX was not just "fill", it was done on purpose -- it could just as well have been ZAG, ZAP, even ZED or ZEE and still work with 64 Across.<BR/><BR/>A little bit of playfulness on the part of Messrs. Berniker & Shortz...DONALDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17398968047673788006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305840857858959680.post-24005554605182040722008-02-07T08:57:00.000-07:002008-02-07T08:57:00.000-07:00I bet Dr. Seuss would know whether someone had a Z...I bet Dr. Seuss would know whether someone had a ZAX on his roof...<BR/><BR/>SeanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305840857858959680.post-42999073360099688572008-02-07T06:11:00.000-07:002008-02-07T06:11:00.000-07:00No flames for us today, Jim. Thanks, Rikki, for c...No flames for us today, Jim. Thanks, Rikki, for clarifying that.<BR/><BR/>A warm welcome to Cassidy Rae...a very loved baby girl!<BR/><BR/>Coach, there was a time in my life when I wouldn't have been able to go to sleep with one letter missing! It's good that we mellow with time ; )Linda Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15816794362786044423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305840857858959680.post-1602263366926904062008-02-07T05:02:00.000-07:002008-02-07T05:02:00.000-07:00One letter! (and I didn't feel like googling for i...One letter! (and I didn't feel like googling for it):<BR/>44A: Singer Jacques (Brel). Totally unfamiliar. Tough crossing at 39D: Easily maneuvered, as a boat (yare).<BR/>So Happy It's Thursday :-)coachjdchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12046857982693520443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305840857858959680.post-37341613709613848892008-02-07T00:17:00.000-07:002008-02-07T00:17:00.000-07:00Yes, zax is apparently a device used by roof slate...Yes, zax is apparently a device used by roof slaters. I tried wax for rag and china for aryan, too, and thought there was a rebus afoot, but figured out quickly from noflyzone that the flies had flown. I love orangs, especially the babies, speaking of which, my sister had one today. A baby, that is, not an orang...her best friend carried the baby for her...what a gift. Miraculous. Welcome Cassidy Rae Malone.<BR/><BR/>Didn't know Lomax, but knew Danny Ainge from the Celtics. Knew Eyre, but not Enid. Saw Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris when I was in college. <BR/><BR/>Nice and solid Thursday puzzle.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3305840857858959680.post-58812452925903018822008-02-06T23:13:00.000-07:002008-02-06T23:13:00.000-07:00Yep, I'm feeling a little uncertain about ZAX too,...Yep, I'm feeling a little uncertain about ZAX too, but I'm happy to know that if I go down in flames, I have good company :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com