tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post4059177340369697199..comments2024-01-25T10:14:06.567-08:00Comments on L.A. Crossword Confidential: SATURDAY, November 21, 2009—Barry Silk & Doug PetersonOrangehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-75823400762827110542009-11-22T02:36:53.587-08:002009-11-22T02:36:53.587-08:00For what it's worth--this one was way too hard...For what it's worth--this one was way too hard for me--I simply gave up. I felt a little better about that after reading that several people found the puzzle difficult.Cleonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-84857107695558934212009-11-21T21:02:11.988-08:002009-11-21T21:02:11.988-08:00I finished doing the Matt Gaffney puzzle and pulle...I finished doing the Matt Gaffney puzzle and pulled this one out after. For perhaps that reason I didn't find it overly difficult. I did make the NW much more difficult then it should have been blithely filling in CHEVY TAHOE where the PILOT should be and spelling AUTOMATON with an O. SULA/CARR was my only questionable crossing.<br /><br />Nice fun themeless xword keep 'em coming, guys.*David*noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-60066359737503582042009-11-21T17:36:55.300-08:002009-11-21T17:36:55.300-08:00@John - Yes. That's the stuff. We used to have...@John - Yes. That's the stuff. We used to have parity checks; just wanted a fresh explanation. Which reminds me - at MDS we had a group in Los Gatos, and they'd send some brainy fellow to teach us "architecture" (computers have alternate meanings for all words). One time this guy started saying frip-frop switch. This is very un-PC (whatever happened to non-U?) but I see the humor in anything and everything. Sorry.<br /><br />I recommend our Focus for saving on gas. Cute little bugger. I had to add cruise, but dollar-wise it wasn't like adding cruise to a Japanese car. I wanted BOFUS for the plate, but it was taken. Used -- SFINGI!<br /><br />My inmates turned me on to the xmas story - I was surprised they liked it, actually. I had to think up some essay and quiz, of course, but it had no problem passing mgmt scrutiny.<br /><br />@Mac - high hat goes back to - well, the days when people wore 'em.<br /><br />@Whitney - interesting. More of that. please.Sfinginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-73817153729831316212009-11-21T17:13:29.200-08:002009-11-21T17:13:29.200-08:00Fantastic puzzle, best I've done on the LATime...Fantastic puzzle, best I've done on the LATimes site in a long time. Congratulations gentlemen, and also Orange for a really inspired write-up. <br /><br />Muscle and High hat were new expressions for me (got a lot to learn), but everything else was smooth enough with a good deal of zing.machttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06794371617847975218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-5074192964757410172009-11-21T16:39:37.967-08:002009-11-21T16:39:37.967-08:00IMO, PARITY = Equivalence refers to the NFL salary...IMO, PARITY = Equivalence refers to the NFL salary cap.<br /><br />Enjoyed this puzzle immensely. However, any puzzle I can do w/o Google is no harder then a medium Thursday NYT.Rubenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-49892132673740061552009-11-21T16:20:17.472-08:002009-11-21T16:20:17.472-08:00I'm drinking a gin and tonic and thought this ...I'm drinking a gin and tonic and thought this puzzle was an absolute snap, a breeze, easy as pie. That's not to say I didn't like it, but I got to ride the rare constructor wavelength - and that felt pretty cool. <br /><br />Very enjoyable solve.hazelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04627015904603641109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-16951211000411635432009-11-21T13:46:45.934-08:002009-11-21T13:46:45.934-08:00@JNH - I agree, that Christmas movie was the best....@JNH - I agree, that Christmas movie was the best. You got me laughing thinking about those waiters.<br /><br />Started out on the wrong foot again by filling in windfall for GENEROUS, hiya for HIHO, and Delta for HERTZ. Needless to say, I had a lot of fixin to do, which I finally managed to do.<br /><br />Used to have a HONDA PILOT, it was waaaay to big for a little shrimp like me. After I would park it, I would step back and laugh my A** off at the sideways job that I usually pulled off. Could barely reach the tail gate to close it. Finally traded it in for a RAV4 which is much more manageable. <br /><br />Fun puzzle, thank you Mssrs. Silk and Peterson.chefwenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03999206352243329280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-51478018704907761542009-11-21T12:50:27.252-08:002009-11-21T12:50:27.252-08:00General TSO'S Chicken and all the talk about C...General TSO'S Chicken and all the talk about Chinese restaurants reminds me of the scene in the movie "The Christmas Story" where the waiters were singing Deck the Halls---<br />FA RA RA RA RA, RA RA RA RA RA<br /><br />That is my fave Christmastime movie... well, next to Doctor Strangelove.<br />Huh?JOHNSNEVERHOMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447455788629988277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-2776744224095624092009-11-21T12:35:28.019-08:002009-11-21T12:35:28.019-08:00@tinbeni
@sfingi
I'm surprised that @DataGeek ...@tinbeni<br />@sfingi<br />I'm surprised that @DataGeek didn't explain PARITY.<br />It is both a math term and a computer term. In computer memories, the bits making up the bytes are verified with something called a PARITY bit. If the sum of the data bits is an even number, then the PARITY bit is zero. If the sum of the data bits is an odd number, then the PARITY bit is one.<br />Usually the last bit (of the eight) is the PARITY bit. So when you see the error message "PARITY ERROR" pop up, now you know that there was a memory bit that got dropped out. Not all computer systems use a PARITY method.<br /><br />PARITY is also an important concept in Economics with regard to international trade.JOHNSNEVERHOMEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13447455788629988277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-23820162593956382242009-11-21T12:23:31.969-08:002009-11-21T12:23:31.969-08:00@Sfingi
As to PARITY (59-a), the closest I could c...@Sfingi<br />As to PARITY (59-a), the closest I could come up with had to do with using 'equivalent languages' in the 22d clue to OCHO, oh I got the answer, but just didn't like it, (as I stated earlier).<br />Apparently the others thought it was 'cute/cleaver' cluing ... ergo, "zipper" (Oh well, that's OK too)<br /><br />@docmoreau - The TSO's Chicken (13'd) I googled later, sounds good. So in the future I will look for it. But Chinese food here in Tampa Bay is nothing like when I work in NYC or LA.<br /><br />@JNH - your "Fantastic Voyage" clip was a total hoot!!! I ended up watching the other clip's at the site. Don't want to give it away, but it looks like a "fun hobby."<br /><br />@Orange - Wanted more of the WKRP clip, found it. "As god is my witness ..." A truly classic Thanksgiving TV themed show.<br /><br />@ddbnc - I counted 8 La's after the Fa in the refrain (no biggie). But my first reaction to 5-d's clue was, "Good! OK! Time for the Holiday's being mentioned in our puzzles."Tinbenihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14661395078047234853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-23610826701152053182009-11-21T12:10:40.667-08:002009-11-21T12:10:40.667-08:00@Gareth, I think DNA research or other scientific ...@Gareth, I think DNA research or other scientific research is a pursuit in the same way that crossword solving and scuba diving and a writing career are pursuits. I felt the way you did at first, but those analogies helped the clue make sense to me.Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-60776127746162954792009-11-21T12:10:06.811-08:002009-11-21T12:10:06.811-08:00Oh, another thing about the (syndicated) NY puzzle...Oh, another thing about the (syndicated) NY puzzle today is that NETWT was in it. Was there ever a conclusion on which is better NETWT, NTWT or NITWIT? :)Whitneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12427378278653572523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-22347903956872933982009-11-21T12:00:19.616-08:002009-11-21T12:00:19.616-08:00Good times...ORESTES was in my (syndicated) NY tim...Good times...ORESTES was in my (syndicated) NY times puzzle today. Learned this "ORESTES killed Clytemnestra for her role in killing ORESTES' (asshole) father, AGAMEMNON. This is all dramatized in Aeschylus's Oresteia (named after our boy here)." from Rex's blog! Sweet connections, learnin' is fun!<br /><br />A note on Normal, Indiana. Toshiba did some PR/Marketing thing that pitted Normal, IN and Boring, OR against each other to see who could make the most exciting video about their new laptops (or some such thing...). It was big news in Boring. Obviously.Whitneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12427378278653572523noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-37568348970927965602009-11-21T11:59:40.822-08:002009-11-21T11:59:40.822-08:00@docmoreau http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Ts...@docmoreau http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Tso%27s_Chicken. I'd never heard of it before doing American crosswords... With 2 "S"'s it has a habit of cropping up a lot! Just checked, the general hasn't been featured on our hosts' Crosswordese 101 feature yet, sure he's on the to-do list. Might be a nucleus of a theme: GENERALTSO, COLONELSANDERS...Gareth Bainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17770425154034935768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-27277855773696768562009-11-21T11:56:09.022-08:002009-11-21T11:56:09.022-08:00Wow over 10 minutes! Was an action-packed grid too...Wow over 10 minutes! Was an action-packed grid too. Yay to a hard Friday and Saturday LAT!<br /><br />So why is it all I want to focus is on is that I didn't like the clue for 48A, the answer seemed fine by me BTW... The clue says "pursuit", surely the DNA research is the means of pursuit and not the pursuit itself??? Maybe if you define research as "new knowledge about", but that seems off, somehow?Gareth Bainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17770425154034935768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-31922711503899919262009-11-21T11:42:22.153-08:002009-11-21T11:42:22.153-08:00Early afternoon, and already there is nothing I ca...Early afternoon, and already there is nothing I can add other than high praise to Silk and Peterson for a good challenge. Oh, one thing... who is this guy TSO(s)?docmoreauhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02818994558608641561noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-39176153339262498872009-11-21T11:39:36.168-08:002009-11-21T11:39:36.168-08:00Happy to report that the Univ of Nebraska Board of...Happy to report that the Univ of Nebraska Board of Regents--not the brightest box of crayons, those guys--nonetheless did vote to uphold the Univ Med Center's right to do stem cell research. It was a tie vote, so the current policy remains in effect.<br /><br />Good CW today! A little tougher than usual, very little bad fill. Loved the [Three less than once] clue. <br /><br />Didn't we just have John Dickson CARR in another CW recently?obertbhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05939425154392230224noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-19432593808453900212009-11-21T11:32:13.189-08:002009-11-21T11:32:13.189-08:00Had no trouble with NE corner or Spanish numbers. ...Had no trouble with NE corner or Spanish numbers. But, when I found I couldn't move because of so many factual names - the ones I didn't know atall like TRENT, RITTER, CARR, CECIL, SULA, HONDAPILOT and the ones I just couldn't conjure like LONI, KOREA, ETHEL, MCCAIN, TANIA, I decided to Google like crazy and then finish. It worked. <br /><br />I have a square Omega 1968 (gift from hubster) which reminds me of the Philip Johnson Museum of Art bldg. in Utica, from the air. <br /><br />I wanted Jack Paar for "I kid you not." <br /><br />I do think I like, or at least respect, Barry Silk's puzzles.<br /><br />Are there no mathy comments about 58A PARITY?Sfinginoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-9860630262283144932009-11-21T10:21:45.265-08:002009-11-21T10:21:45.265-08:00Found much to admire in this Saturday puzzle. My ...Found much to admire in this Saturday puzzle. My worst misstep came from 19a. I had MINES for MIRES, which worked, up until I needed HEIRS. The other glitch happened by first thinking that commuter lines might be car pool lanes instead of ELS, but these were minor troubles.<br /><br />The party kicks in CONGA line made me laugh. <br />All in all, a pleasurable solve. Thanks!Djinnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01486234891076518211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-3224600839723883432009-11-21T09:41:25.994-08:002009-11-21T09:41:25.994-08:00Oops. One quibble. I count four "lalalala&#...Oops. One quibble. I count four "lalalala's" at the end of "Deck the Halls"ddbmcnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-14530982499605011222009-11-21T09:36:45.138-08:002009-11-21T09:36:45.138-08:00Very meaty puzzle today! Yessss! Took me MUCH long...Very meaty puzzle today! Yessss! Took me MUCH longer than RP, but then, he's the "44th Greatest Puzzle Solver in the Universe."<br /><br />Highhat makes me think of Fred Astair "Puttin' on my highhat..." Never knew it meant "snub." <br /><br /> Thought "Passport" was a Nissan car! I have a Honda Pilot and still couldn't get that until the crosses! (LOVE my Pilot-just wish it was better on (ome)gas. <br /><br /><br />33D-Switch magazines, maybe? Reload=terrific clue, along with Once-totally tricked by that one!<br /><br />Snickered at @Orange's alternate clue for "Sperm donor." <br /><br />van Damme! That is some fine picture!<br /><br />Loved the Atkins/Knopfler video. Just finger lickin' good!<br /><br />Yours til Turkeys fly....ddbmcnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-374245088459082712009-11-21T09:31:07.720-08:002009-11-21T09:31:07.720-08:00Oh yes and I did sing Deck the Halls and this was ...Oh yes and I did sing Deck the Halls and this was at 3:00 a.m. while on puppy potty patrol.CrazyCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00245025301434920905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-19809779445213822872009-11-21T09:30:10.587-08:002009-11-21T09:30:10.587-08:00Yippee! This puzzle was definitely a challenge fo...Yippee! This puzzle was definitely a challenge for me, but I made it though with only one google and that was because I misread SORRY CHARLIE BRAND as SORRY CHARLIE BAND. There IS a song called SORRY CHARLIE but it's by a band named WEEN which obviously didn't fit. Finally realized my mistake and that was one of the easiest clues. I guess I need to get out the readers. Other than that, loved everything else, clever clues and fun fill.<br />Thanks Barry and Doug and thanks Orange. WKRP was one of my favorite TV shows of all time. Love to go back and look at the hair.CrazyCathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00245025301434920905noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-25614852053489149192009-11-21T08:58:04.483-08:002009-11-21T08:58:04.483-08:00@DataGeek: If the clue had been [Once menos tres],...@DataGeek: If the clue had been [Once menos tres], there would have been no trickery at all, just a demand that the solver know some Spanish. The language mixing is key in this clue—it looks like English "once" (one time) but is really Spanish "once" (eleven). I love tricky Saturday clues!Orangehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12433254398377357737noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626052240584383873.post-88643581359339862009-11-21T08:42:52.236-08:002009-11-21T08:42:52.236-08:00I'm with Rex on this one. What a great puzzle!...I'm with Rex on this one. What a great puzzle! Nprtheast corner was indeed the hardest...<br /><br />Maybe experienced puzzlers have seen it before, but "Three less than once" is an inspired clue! I didn't get it, even after I had it!<br /><br />Happy Going-Into-Thanksgiving-Week, all!jazzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02967093995893913338noreply@blogger.com