Monday, 8/31/09

NYT (p) 2:14 ... LAT (p) 1:57 ... CS (p) 3:34 ... ND (p) 1:59 ... JON (p) 2:38 ... BEQ (p) 3:16

Can't wait to get started on Eric Berlin's "Game Night Crosswords"! Glad I'm so busy today, or I'd be tempted to speed-solve and try to be first with the final answer.

Sunday, 8/30/09

NYT (p) 7:26 ... LAT 5:27 ... MR (p) 6:44 ... BG (p) 6:32 ... ND 3:58 ... LATB 4:55 ... CS 2:27 ... Acrostic ~10:00

Saturday, 8/29/09

NYT 2:58 ... LAT 2:51 ... CS 1:57 ... ND 4:02

This has to be a first! For Doug Peterson to have two puzzles published on the same day is a fairly common occurrence -- but two themelesses with identical grid designs? That's cool. I suspect that having just solved the Stumper put me in the right mindset for the NYT (second-fastest Saturday - and once again I'm posting the "timer" time, not the "posted" time. Actually, that may be my fastest Stumper, but I don't feel like checking right now).

Friday, 8/28/09

NYT 4:41 ... LAT 2:28 ... CS 2:01 ... ND 2:06 ... WSJ 5:36 ... BEQ 4:11 ... MGWC 7:11 ... DB (p) 7:07

Thursday, 8/27/09

NYT 2:41 ... LAT 2:19 ... CS 1:47 ... ND 1:46

Wednesday, 8/26/09

NYT 2:19 ... LAT 2:18 ... CS 1:43 ... ND 1:50 ... BEQ 1:40

Hey, that's the first time the NYT applet has ever posted a "wrong" time for me. The board says 2:27, the timer 2:19, and who can say what the computer is really thinking?

Tuesday, 8/25/09

NYT 1:59 ... LAT 1:53 ... CS 1:52 ... ND 1:34 ... BT 2:47 ... TO 2:48

Breaking news from the R&B podcast! Mike Nothnagel's Lollapuzzoola final puzzle will run in the NYT on Saturday 9/5, with a blurb about the tournament, hosts, and winner's solving time.

Monday, 8/24/09

NYT 1:59 ... LAT 1:38 ... CS 2:06 ... ND 1:28 ... JON 2:28

BEQ's offering today is his Lollapuzzoola construction, which I finished right around 6 minutes (iirc). Lolla puzzle PDFs and full standings are now up, with Howard again demonstrating that he's a step faster than the pack when not forced to use a dry-erase marker... :)

Hey, new comments while I was writing this! My favorite gimmick was #1 (Todd McClary), closely followed by #5 (Doug Peterson, one-upping my contribution from last year). But they were all great - Brian continues to impress as a constructor, Peter Gordon had some knotty sections that gave me more trouble (relative to the field) than anything else, BEQ always rocks, and Nothnagel's final themeless was outstanding.

I like BEQ's proposal to revisit the Guinness world record, still claimed by Stan Newman at 2:14 for a Monday NYT. I actually mentioned the idea to Brendan on Saturday, inspired by seeing Stan in competition for the first time in 20+ years. Wouldn't that be a good ACPT Saturday night activity? At least eight of us could top that record...

Sunday, 8/23/09 & Lollapuzzoola

NYT 6:00 ... LAT 6:20 ... MR 5:22 ... BG 6:04 ... ND 3:48 ... CS 1:54 ... Diagramless (p) 8:10

Yes, I won the tournament! The margin on the final puzzle was seven seconds, but I'll take it. I'm now the proud owner of an amazing crossword mosaic by Joanne Sullivan (see below), several extremely prestigious 8.5"x11" certificates of merit, and what may be the last two Sterling crossword books I didn't already own. (update: and a medal!)

Standings are up at Be More Smarter, and there may be more details on other blogs, but I'm not investigating until I've done today's puzzles. Longer writeup to come? Probably not.


(photo by G.M.)

Saturday, 8/22/09

NYT (p) 7:34 ... LAT (p) 3:53 ... CS (p) 2:24 ... ND (p) 6:11

It's time for Lollapuzzoola 2: Son of Puzzoola! Hopefully I'll post a recap in the next couple days. Or not, since at least half my readership will be there, right? Friday night I had dinner with THREE crossword bloggers, and a commenter who's just as cool.

Friday, 8/21/09

NYT 4:07 ... LAT (p) 2:56 ... CS (p) 2:23 ... ND (p) 2:28 ... WSJ (p) 8:02 ... BEQ (p) 3:29 ... MGWC (p) 6:42 ... DB (p) 6:02

Saw that Patrick Berry had the NYT, and decided it couldn't wait until mid-afternoon with the rest of the puzzles...

Thursday, 8/20/09

NYT (p) 3:48 ... LAT (p) 2:25 ... CS (p) 2:07 ... ND (p) 2:30

Wednesday, 8/19/09

NYT (p) ~3:00? ... LAT (p) 2:46 ... CS (p) 2:45 ... ND (p) 2:52 ... BEQ (p) 3:36

My timer failed to start on the NYT - it felt pretty average for Wednesday. Several errors/erasures in Newsday, which was odd because Piscop's puzzles are usually smooth 'n' easy even for Newsday.

Tuesday, 8/18/09

NYT (p) 2:46 ... LAT (p) 2:07 ... CS (p) 2:20 ... ND (p) 1:55 ... BT (p) 3:00 ... TO (p) 3:41

Monday, 8/17/09

NYT (p) 2:23 ... LAT (p) 2:14 ... CS (p) 2:51 ... ND (p) 2:07 ... JON (p) 2:43 ... BEQ (p) 5:22

Okay, I'm back (Tuesday evening) with a working backup computer. Thanks honey!

I was going to go mostly paper this week anyway, to gear up for the tournament...

Sunday, 8/16/09

NYT 7:51 ... LAT 4:24 ... MR 5:50 ... BG tba ... ND 3:32 ... LATB 5:09 ... CS 2:56 ... Acrostic 11:10

Hey, Bursztyn's back in the LAT. And I'm heading home tonight. Less than a week until Son of Puzzoola!

Saturday, 8/15/09

NYT 7:15 ... LAT 3:07 ... CS 1:46 ... ND 4:26

Thought I'd use the applet since the internet is less spotty today - but when I finished, it took 10+ seconds to register. Thus my "real" time above. I'm on record calling for more themed Saturdays, but this one accomplished nothing except upping the difficulty. (Which I certainly approve of!)

Friday, 8/14/09

NYT 3:01 ... LAT 2:49 ... CS 1:56 ... ND 1:59 ... WSJ 5:10 ... BEQ 3:32 ... MGWC 3:00

Catching up a day at a time...

...aaaaand all caught up.

Thursday, 8/13/09

NYT 2:31 ... LAT 2:17 ... CS 2:11 ... ND 1:54

Oops, not sure what happened to yesterday's (non-)post. Still haven't gotten to any crosswords, but that's mostly because the laptop's been acting up again. I guess I should repost the news from yesterday:
Good news: free whirlwind trip to Vermont! Bad news: only 24 hours to learn an hour's worth of obscure Sondheim songs.

(updated Friday afternoon. Great Naddorian grid by Patrick McIntyre in the NYT...)

Wednesday, 8/12/09

NYT 2:42 ... LAT 2:04 ... CS 1:46 ... ND 1:28 ... BEQ 2:31

(updated Thursday afternoon)

Tuesday, 8/11/09

NYT 2:12 ... LAT 1:52 ... CS 1:51 ... ND 1:27 ... BT 2:35 ... TO 2:18

Monday, 8/10/09

NYT 1:54 ... LAT (p) 2:02 ... CS (p) 2:58 ... ND (p) 2:08 ... JON 2:25 ... BEQ (p) 3:36

Sunday, 8/9/09

NYT (p) 6:53 ... LAT 5:02 ... MR (p) 7:25 ... BG (p) 6:47 ... ND 3:41 ... CS 2:24 ... Ringing Endorsement untimed (~15m?)

Just for fun - and to check the grid, though I wasn't questioning anything - I was able to type the NYT solution into the applet (reading Across answers from my completed printout) in 1:45. I don't get the people who don't get the speed-solvers! (Well, those who don't believe it's even possible to type that fast.) (Still haven't gauged my own WPM, btw.)

Meanwhile, Merl's puns fell pretty flat this week, except for the last one. (The penultimate one would have amused if I hadn't seen it before.) Apologies for the editing error in yesterday's post (fixed); those responsible have been sacked.

Saturday, 8/8/09

NYT 4:46 ... LAT 3:27 ... CS 1:32 ... ND 4:12

Had trouble with Gail Grabowski's LAT (first themeless?), but redeemed myself on the NYT despite making way more mistakes along the way than usual.

Hey, Barry C. Silk's got the Stumper! Nice. Awesome clue for 19-A.

Friday, 8/7/09

NYT 5:30 ... LAT 2:30 ... CS 1:52 ... ND 2:19 ... CHE 3:03 ... WSJ 3:44 ... BEQ 2:37 ... MGWC 2:39

No typos or anything on the NYT - just never got into the wavelength, and spent almost exactly a minute totally forgetting about MEL'S... AYESHA was no problem, but I couldn't think of MEL'S. Joon, I hope you beat me!

morning update... OK, if I'd solved the CS before the NYT as usual, MEL'S would have been fresh in the brain! I was going to mention the WSJ last night. How is it possible for me to fly though that puzzle at Ludicrous Speed, and immediately proceed to tank the NYT? Something like a mental refractory period (sorry, Mom)?

Gonna save the BEQ so I can fully enjoy the BEQ/Gaffney Crossover Event!

Thursday, 8/6/09

NYT 2:13 ... LAT 2:19 ... CS 1:52 ... ND 2:03

Hooray for Dan Naddor's NYT debut! In typical fashion, he's sporting 7 theme answers in the NYT and another 7 in the LAT.

Wednesday, 8/5/09

NYT (p) 2:59 ... LAT (p) 2:30 ... CS (p) 2:10 ... ND (p) 2:05 ... BEQ (p) 3:23

Tuesday, 8/4/09

NYT 1:56 ... LAT 1:54 ... CS 1:42 ... ND 1:28 ... BT (p) 3:35 ... TO (p) 3:37

I really should keep up the paper practicing... but I'm so lazy.

Monday, 8/3/09

NYT (p) 2:12 ... LAT (p) 2:10 ... CS (p) 2:40 ... ND (p) 1:46 ... JON (p) 2:37 ... BEQ (p) 4:14

I didn't believe my stopwatch on the Newsday, but I really never stopped writing. Next Monday we'll break 1:40!

Sunday, 8/2/09

NYT (p) 9:37 ... LAT (p) 6:58 ... MR (p) 7:04 ... BG (p) 6:51 ... ND (p) 6:23 ... CS (p) 3:04 ... Acrostic 14:25

Saturday, 8/1/09

NYT (p) 5:15 ... LAT (p) 4:54 ... CS (p) 3:38 ... ND (p) 7:20

Computer problems again - but it's good to do more solving on paper. See you Sunday night!