Friday, 6/12/09
NYT 3:05 ... LAT 2:14 ... CS 1:59 ... ND 2:21 ... CHE 2:15 ... WSJ 5:32 ... BEQ 3:14 ... MGWC 2:28
Thursday, 6/11/09
NYT 2:58 ... LAT 2:50 ... CS 1:51 ... ND 1:42
Cool non-traditional grid by Alex Boisvert in the NYT! I saw that Orange had posted a warning about the applet, so I used Across Lite, and checked out the grid for a few seconds before starting the clock. I remember reading a discussion about this idea on thecruciverb Crossword Fiend forum... how fun to see it in final form.
Cool non-traditional grid by Alex Boisvert in the NYT! I saw that Orange had posted a warning about the applet, so I used Across Lite, and checked out the grid for a few seconds before starting the clock. I remember reading a discussion about this idea on the
Wednesday, 6/10/09
NYT 2:46 ... LAT 2:20 ... CS 2:16 ... ND 1:27 ... BEQ 3:19
If I had thought about what number Hank Aaron wore, I might have seen the central entry sooner, and not tried FIFTY-FOUR elsewhere. Obama, again, Mr. Shortz? This couldn't have waited until the Super Bowl??
If I had thought about what number Hank Aaron wore, I might have seen the central entry sooner, and not tried FIFTY-FOUR elsewhere. Obama, again, Mr. Shortz? This couldn't have waited until the Super Bowl??
Tuesday, 6/9/09
NYT 1:48 ... LAT 1:43 ... CS 2:33 ... ND 1:37 ... BT 3:37 ... TO 4:24
Check out Todd McClary's Tony Awards-inspired crossword, posted yesterday morning!
Check out Todd McClary's Tony Awards-inspired crossword, posted yesterday morning!
Monday, 6/8/09
NYT 2:04 ... LAT 1:49 ... CS 1:56 ... ND 1:37 ... JON 3:04 ... BEQ 3:21
Oops, I forgot to post after solving the NYT last night. Tony Awards excitement, dontcha know! Lost about 10 seconds for a typo, and had two clues that I don't know at all (for NAS and YOST) - rare on a Monday.
Oops, I forgot to post after solving the NYT last night. Tony Awards excitement, dontcha know! Lost about 10 seconds for a typo, and had two clues that I don't know at all (for NAS and YOST) - rare on a Monday.
Sunday, 6/7/09
NYT 8:52 ... LAT 4:30 ... MR 5:54 ... BG 4:16 ... ND 3:44 ... CS 2:43 ... Acrostic 9:05
Allllmost finished the NYT in about 7 minutes, but the central rebus circle eluded me until I realized why the circles were placed in that pattern -- and what belongs in the middle. To that point I wasn't on to the "shifty business", just coming up with the ordinal numbers where they fit... I think I had a "B" for "back" where "R" belongs, until I finished the rest of the grid and concentrated on what I was missing with the rebus. Hey, I don't drive stick.
Glad to hear via cruciverb-l that Sylvia Burzstyn is on a hiatus, and we'll be getting her Sunday LAT puzzle back soon...
Allllmost finished the NYT in about 7 minutes, but the central rebus circle eluded me until I realized why the circles were placed in that pattern -- and what belongs in the middle. To that point I wasn't on to the "shifty business", just coming up with the ordinal numbers where they fit... I think I had a "B" for "back" where "R" belongs, until I finished the rest of the grid and concentrated on what I was missing with the rebus. Hey, I don't drive stick.
Glad to hear via cruciverb-l that Sylvia Burzstyn is on a hiatus, and we'll be getting her Sunday LAT puzzle back soon...
Saturday, 6/6/09
NYT 2:48 ... LAT 2:58 ... CS 1:51 ... ND 9:10
Congrats Doug for having the NYT and LAT on the same day! Is that the first time you've turned that particular double play? Guess I was a little more on the NYT wavelength, that's my best Saturday time in the applet. I usually solve Newsday before the other two themelesses, but I took one look at the "S.N." puzzle and saved it for last so I wouldn't be too frustrated. Not nearly as cool as his last grid, and less fair clues as well.
Congrats Doug for having the NYT and LAT on the same day! Is that the first time you've turned that particular double play? Guess I was a little more on the NYT wavelength, that's my best Saturday time in the applet. I usually solve Newsday before the other two themelesses, but I took one look at the "S.N." puzzle and saved it for last so I wouldn't be too frustrated. Not nearly as cool as his last grid, and less fair clues as well.
Friday, 6/5/09
NYT 4:22 ... LAT 2:40 ... CS 1:53 ... ND 2:04 ... WSJ 5:38 ... BEQ 9:28 ... MGWC ~3:00
Cool design by Martin Ashwood-Smith in the NYT. His 10-Minute Crosswords book has the most aesthetically pleasing empty puzzles of any in my library. Flip through it at Barnes & Noble - gorgeous grids. Today's had some great clues too, which I don't usually notice speed-solving.
Nice Newsday by Sandy Fein - a Klahnian grid, in that the theme is simple and minimal, but the fill is wide-open and interesting. I LOLed at seeing the "first Ghanaian president" clue... his last name is in BEQ's Diagramless Crosswords, and I found it the most obscure/random entry in the whole book. Thanks BEQ, because I knew his first name today.
Also thanks BEQ for publishing a Trippy "Something Different" today!
Cool design by Martin Ashwood-Smith in the NYT. His 10-Minute Crosswords book has the most aesthetically pleasing empty puzzles of any in my library. Flip through it at Barnes & Noble - gorgeous grids. Today's had some great clues too, which I don't usually notice speed-solving.
Nice Newsday by Sandy Fein - a Klahnian grid, in that the theme is simple and minimal, but the fill is wide-open and interesting. I LOLed at seeing the "first Ghanaian president" clue... his last name is in BEQ's Diagramless Crosswords, and I found it the most obscure/random entry in the whole book. Thanks BEQ, because I knew his first name today.
Also thanks BEQ for publishing a Trippy "Something Different" today!
Thursday, 6/4/09
NYT 2:34 ... LAT 2:22 ... CS 1:53 ... ND 1:47
Of all the days for me not to do the puzzles in a timely fashion! Doug and PB2 bring me easy puzzles, Dan Naddor has his weekly wide-open (yet theme-crammed) LAT, and Krozel/Collins have a baseball-related gimmick in the NYT. Geniuses all.
Of all the days for me not to do the puzzles in a timely fashion! Doug and PB2 bring me easy puzzles, Dan Naddor has his weekly wide-open (yet theme-crammed) LAT, and Krozel/Collins have a baseball-related gimmick in the NYT. Geniuses all.
Wednesday, 6/3/09
NYT 2:10 ... LAT 1:58 ... CS 1:48 ... ND 1:43 ... BEQ 2:47
Finally caught up with the weekend puzzles. Meanwhile my computer is behaving again, but I still need to figure out what's wrong with it.
Finally caught up with the weekend puzzles. Meanwhile my computer is behaving again, but I still need to figure out what's wrong with it.
Tuesday, 6/2/09
NYT 2:35 ... LAT 1:46 ... CS 1:34 ... ND 1:47 ... BT 2:43 ... TO 2:50
"Finishing" time on the NYT was 1:55ish, but it was a mistake, and not a typo. ONKEY for INKEY - I did see the crossing clue but didn't think about it, obviously.
My crazy month is almost over... brother graduates from college today, I've moved into the new apartment, and my computer has decided to celebrate by acting up again.
"Finishing" time on the NYT was 1:55ish, but it was a mistake, and not a typo. ONKEY for INKEY - I did see the crossing clue but didn't think about it, obviously.
My crazy month is almost over... brother graduates from college today, I've moved into the new apartment, and my computer has decided to celebrate by acting up again.
Monday, 6/1/09
NYT 1:50 ... LAT 1:37 ... CS 1:42 ... ND 1:16 ... JON 2:31 ... BEQ 3:46
Love Conan O'Brien, love John Farmer, loved the Monday NYT.
Love Conan O'Brien, love John Farmer, loved the Monday NYT.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)