Let's Talk about Crossword Puzzles (1 Viewer)

[Jack McCoy]

Any other fans out there in Footballguysland?

I do realize that in the echelons of nerdiness crosswords are somewhere between Dr. Who fanatics and those kids in the gaming club in college who staged human chess matches.

 

[inca911]

ETUI

OORIE/OURIE

NEB

Crosswords do help build the odd word vocab.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

Every day.

 

[technicaldifficulties]

In college, I worked at the stop-and-rob where the Fab5 got busted. I made copies of every newspaper. Did 8 every day during the summer.

 

[Sarnoff]

ETUI

OORIE/OURIE

NEB

Crosswords do help build the odd word vocab.

OLEO

OLIO

OREO

EPEE

ELSE

ORE & ERA

ARENA

ATONE

ERATO

ARIA

And it's either ELUDE or EVADE so you can fill in E__DE now and come back to it later.

I have a crossword app on my phone. Keeps me regular. To make them more challenging, I start with just one clue, and only build & branch off that one and then any others that are filled in... no jumping around the board. See if I can finish the whole puzzle by just working off of the starting point.

Anyone else ever have the same word come up in a bunch of puzzles all in the same week or so, then not see it again for a long time? Weird thing.

I like the tricky ones. Trickier the better. Had a really good clue last week that worked out to be extra-tricky because of my "build off the starting point method". 8 letters, and I only had the first letter, "A _ _ _ _ _ _ _". Clue was: "Star of M*A*S*H".

Another one that got me good was four letters. I had _A_T, and the clue was "Marge & Homer's son". Did about half the puzzle wrong before I figured out where it went off the rails.

 

[KingPrawn]

ETUI

OORIE/OURIE

NEB

Crosswords do help build the odd word vocab.

OLEO

OLIO

OREO

EPEE

ELSE

ORE & ERA

ARENA

ATONE

ERATO

ARIA

And it's either ELUDE or EVADE so you can fill in E__DE now and come back to it later.

I have a crossword app on my phone. Keeps me regular. To make them more challenging, I start with just one clue, and only build & branch off that one and then any others that are filled in... no jumping around the board. See if I can finish the whole puzzle by just working off of the starting point.

Anyone else ever have the same word come up in a bunch of puzzles all in the same week or so, then not see it again for a long time? Weird thing.

I like the tricky ones. Trickier the better. Had a really good clue last week that worked out to be extra-tricky because of my "build off the starting point method". 8 letters, and I only had the first letter, "A _ _ _ _ _ _ _". Clue was: "Star of M*A*S*H".

Another one that got me good was four letters. I had _A_T, and the clue was "Marge & Homer's son". Did about half the puzzle wrong before I figured out where it went off the rails.

Yidish word for a comic theme or gimmick?

 

[Parrothead]

I like them..

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

There's a free crossword app (there's actually a ton of them, probably) called Shortyz Crosswords. It has daily updates of a lot of the big newspaper boards.

 

[Black Box]

I like crossword puzzles, but can't stand Will Shortz.

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

I like crossword puzzles, but can't stand Will Shortz.

Is that who/what Shortyz is? I like crosswords, but I don't know anything about their creators or origins. I just happened to stumble upon it one day.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

I like crossword puzzles, but can't stand Will Shortz.

Hey, BB. Why? I only do the NYT.

 

[Black Box]

I like crossword puzzles, but can't stand Will Shortz.

Is that who/what Shortyz is? I like crosswords, but I don't know anything about their creators or origins. I just happened to stumble upon it one day.

He's the NYT crossword puzzle editor. Basically the guy when it comes to puzzles.

 

[Black Box]

I like crossword puzzles, but can't stand Will Shortz.

Hey, BB. Why? I only do the NYT.

I have one of those "best of" puzzle books, so it has become more of an adversarial relationship for me as I've worked through it.

It probably began with a misspelling on an answer and came to a head when a puzzle's trick was putting more than one letter in a box. That latter one made me want to punch him in the face.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

I like crossword puzzles, but can't stand Will Shortz.

Hey, BB. Why? I only do the NYT.

I have one of those "best of" puzzle books, so it has become more of an adversarial relationship for me as I've worked through it.

It probably began with a misspelling on an answer and came to a head when a puzzle's trick was putting more than one letter in a box. That latter one made me want to punch him in the face.

Haha. I've been there. I love those now. They're usually on Thursdays.

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

Had a really good clue last week that worked out to be extra-tricky because of my "build off the starting point method". 8 letters, and I only had the first letter, "A _ _ _ _ _ _ _". Clue was: "Star of M*A*S*H".

Another one that got me good was four letters. I had _A_T, and the clue was "Marge & Homer's son". Did about half the puzzle wrong before I figured out where it went off the rails.

So what were the answers?

 

[chet]

I do (try) the NYT most days. For those not familiar, it gets progressively harder throughout the week. I don't have the patience for Saturday's. Sunday is a bigger grid but is typically at Thursday's difficulty level.

 

[BlueDredSo]

I've recently rediscovered my love for crossword puzzles. My parents-in-law got me this book for Christmas with Tuesday crosswords in them. I guess Mondays are usually the easiest and it gets more difficult throughout the week? I didn't know that, but these seem like a good start for me. Usually only a couple answers I would've never known without looking up.

 

[BlueDredSo]

Had a really good clue last week that worked out to be extra-tricky because of my "build off the starting point method". 8 letters, and I only had the first letter, "A _ _ _ _ _ _ _". Clue was: "Star of M*A*S*H".

Another one that got me good was four letters. I had _A_T, and the clue was "Marge & Homer's son". Did about half the puzzle wrong before I figured out where it went off the rails.

So what were the answers?

Are you saying the 2nd one wasn't BART?

 

[Sarnoff]

Had a really good clue last week that worked out to be extra-tricky because of my "build off the starting point method". 8 letters, and I only had the first letter, "A _ _ _ _ _ _ _". Clue was: "Star of M*A*S*H".

Another one that got me good was four letters. I had _A_T, and the clue was "Marge & Homer's son". Did about half the puzzle wrong before I figured out where it went off the rails.

So what were the answers?

Are you saying the 2nd one wasn't BART?

First one, "Star of M*A*S*H", was ASTERISK. I was so sure it was "Alan Alda" that none of the rest of the puzzle made sense.

Second one, you have to remember the creator of The Simpsons named all of the characters after his own family. Except himself, Bart being an anagram of brat. So the answer was actually MATT (Groening).

 

[Sarnoff]

I've recently rediscovered my love for crossword puzzles. My parents-in-law got me this book for Christmas with Tuesday crosswords in them. I guess Mondays are usually the easiest and it gets more difficult throughout the week? I didn't know that, but these seem like a good start for me. Usually only a couple answers I would've never known without looking up.

Yep, Mondays are easiest, Sundays are hardest, and usually Friday is the most 'whimsical', with lots of free-form and tricky clues.

Helpful tip is that tenses always agree. So "Barker or Hope" is BOB and "Barker and Hope" is BOBS. Stuff like that. "Most ______" usually ends it IEST. Also, "Russian leader" is TSAR about twenty times more often than it is CZAR.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

Had a really good clue last week that worked out to be extra-tricky because of my "build off the starting point method". 8 letters, and I only had the first letter, "A _ _ _ _ _ _ _". Clue was: "Star of M*A*S*H".

Another one that got me good was four letters. I had _A_T, and the clue was "Marge & Homer's son". Did about half the puzzle wrong before I figured out where it went off the rails.

So what were the answers?

Are you saying the 2nd one wasn't BART?

First one, "Star of M*A*S*H", was ASTERISK. I was so sure it was "Alan Alda" that none of the rest of the puzzle made sense.Second one, you have to remember the creator of The Simpsons named all of the characters after his own family. Except himself, Bart being an anagram of brat. So the answer was actually MATT (Groening).

Those are great clues.

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

Had a really good clue last week that worked out to be extra-tricky because of my "build off the starting point method". 8 letters, and I only had the first letter, "A _ _ _ _ _ _ _". Clue was: "Star of M*A*S*H".

Another one that got me good was four letters. I had _A_T, and the clue was "Marge & Homer's son". Did about half the puzzle wrong before I figured out where it went off the rails.

So what were the answers?

Are you saying the 2nd one wasn't BART?

First one, "Star of M*A*S*H", was ASTERISK. I was so sure it was "Alan Alda" that none of the rest of the puzzle made sense.

Second one, you have to remember the creator of The Simpsons named all of the characters after his own family. Except himself, Bart being an anagram of brat. So the answer was actually MATT (Groening).

Love the M*A*S*H one, that's great.

I used to do crossword puzzles daily, but stopped once I stopped getting a newspaper delivered years ago. For whatever reason I have no interest in doing them online or anything like that, and I won't specifically go out and buy a book full of them. But hand me an actual newspaper and one of the first things I'll do is flip to the crossword puzzle.

 

[chet]

I've recently rediscovered my love for crossword puzzles. My parents-in-law got me this book for Christmas with Tuesday crosswords in them. I guess Mondays are usually the easiest and it gets more difficult throughout the week? I didn't know that, but these seem like a good start for me. Usually only a couple answers I would've never known without looking up.

Yep, Mondays are easiest, Sundays are hardest, and usually Friday is the most 'whimsical', with lots of free-form and tricky clues.

Helpful tip is that tenses always agree. So "Barker or Hope" is BOB and "Barker and Hope" is BOBS. Stuff like that. "Most ______" usually ends it IEST. Also, "Russian leader" is TSAR about twenty times more often than it is CZAR.

Not for the NYT. Saturday is hardest and Sunday is designed to be on par with Thursday.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Favorite 3 letter word, "musician Brian"

 

[Arizona Ron]

Wheelhouse?

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Had a really good clue last week that worked out to be extra-tricky because of my "build off the starting point method". 8 letters, and I only had the first letter, "A _ _ _ _ _ _ _". Clue was: "Star of M*A*S*H".

Another one that got me good was four letters. I had _A_T, and the clue was "Marge & Homer's son". Did about half the puzzle wrong before I figured out where it went off the rails.

So what were the answers?

Are you saying the 2nd one wasn't BART?

First one, "Star of M*A*S*H", was ASTERISK. I was so sure it was "Alan Alda" that none of the rest of the puzzle made sense.

Second one, you have to remember the creator of The Simpsons named all of the characters after his own family. Except himself, Bart being an anagram of brat. So the answer was actually MATT (Groening).

That is just cruel and wrong.

 

[glumpy]

I'm a fan though no pro, generally just part of my Sunday morning routine before my world wakes up.

 

[snitwitch]

Used to religiously do the NYT puzzle back when I read newspapers. Could usually get M thru W no problem. Thursday onwards were very difficult.

 

[Tick]

I like crossword puzzles, but can't stand Will Shortz.

I love Shortz crosswords, but can't stand non-Shortz crosswords.

 

[Nigel Tufnel]

I like crossword puzzles, but can't stand Will Shortz.

I love Shortz crosswords, but can't stand non-Shortz crosswords.

Same.

 

[Niles Standish]

Had a really good clue last week that worked out to be extra-tricky because of my "build off the starting point method". 8 letters, and I only had the first letter, "A _ _ _ _ _ _ _". Clue was: "Star of M*A*S*H". Another one that got me good was four letters. I had _A_T, and the clue was "Marge & Homer's son". Did about half the puzzle wrong before I figured out where it went off the rails.

So what were the answers?

Are you saying the 2nd one wasn't BART?

First one, "Star of M*A*S*H", was ASTERISK. I was so sure it was "Alan Alda" that none of the rest of the puzzle made sense.Second one, you have to remember the creator of The Simpsons named all of the characters after his own family. Except himself, Bart being an anagram of brat. So the answer was actually MATT (Groening).

Just researched because I thought his mother was something much different. Found her name was Margaret and she didn't go by Marge. So the clue was a bit off. Like the asterisk one though, that was good.

 

[Mr. Pickles]

Had a really good clue last week that worked out to be extra-tricky because of my "build off the starting point method". 8 letters, and I only had the first letter, "A _ _ _ _ _ _ _". Clue was: "Star of M*A*S*H".

Another one that got me good was four letters. I had _A_T, and the clue was "Marge & Homer's son". Did about half the puzzle wrong before I figured out where it went off the rails.

So what were the answers?

Elite players only.

 

[Psychopav]

WTH is rara avis, anyway?

 

[technicaldifficulties]

Shortz is the man because he designed his own Ph.D program at Indiana University. He's the world's only enigmatologist. That's pretty boss.

 

[DaVinci]

I like crossword puzzles, but can't stand Will Shortz.

Hey, BB. Why? I only do the NYT.

I have one of those "best of" puzzle books, so it has become more of an adversarial relationship for me as I've worked through it.

It probably began with a misspelling on an answer and came to a head when a puzzle's trick was putting more than one letter in a box. That latter one made me want to punch him in the face.

I just finished one where the answers to several clues included a smiley face. For example, the answer to "thin mug with sharp features" was "hatchet ".

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

So I downloaded the NYT Crosswords app for my phone this morning and did today's puzzle. I was 99% done but just couldn't get the last couple of clues, until I remembered

Spoiler

...a puzzle's trick was putting more than one letter in a box. That latter one made me want to punch him in the face.

Not sure how I feel about that yet.

 

[Black Box]

I like crossword puzzles, but can't stand Will Shortz.

Hey, BB. Why? I only do the NYT.

I have one of those "best of" puzzle books, so it has become more of an adversarial relationship for me as I've worked through it.

It probably began with a misspelling on an answer and came to a head when a puzzle's trick was putting more than one letter in a box. That latter one made me want to punch him in the face.

I just finished one where the answers to several clues included a smiley face. For example, the answer to "thin mug with sharp features" was "hatchet ".

Exactly.

:facepunch:

 

[Psychopav]

WTH is rara avis, anyway?

Seriously. Anyone?

 

[Sarnoff]

So I downloaded the NYT Crosswords app for my phone this morning and did today's puzzle. I was 99% done but just couldn't get the last couple of clues, until I remembered

Spoiler

...a puzzle's trick was putting more than one letter in a box. That latter one made me want to punch him in the face.

Spoiler

Not sure how I feel about that yet.

Yeah, that happens. Usually there's some warning, but it does sneak up on you sometimes. Back over the holidays I was doing one where "ANGEL" was hidden in all the long answers, and it only took up one box. Like, "Navy air show squadron" (BLUE*S) intersected with "Renaissance Painter" (MICHAEL*O). No warning in the puzzle, but when the answers I was sure of didn't fit, I knew that something was up.

 

[tri-man 47]

Puzzles I really enjoy are the variety found in the WSJ on Saturdays:

http://blogs.wsj.com/puzzle/

A mix of formats are used. In many cases, the answers need to be manipulated in some manner before being entered. Also, the clues themselves are often tricky as the given phrase includes a clue to the answer as well as a play on the letters of that word (answer) ..it's often hard to determine which is which within that phrase.

 

[inca911]

ATOZ was an answer that drove me crazy one puzzle. Clue was something like: "All encompassing".

 

[Wilfredo Ledezma]

Life is

Will Shorts.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kMc6ELFM1U NSFW language + Big Booty Hoes.

 

[Sarnoff]

At least once a week, I run into a puzzle that asks for a word from a "famous palindrome". For anyone who doesn't know, the palindrome is "Able was I ere I saw Elba", and "ere" is a once-popular, now merely poetic, word for "before".

 

[ntz08]

Favorite 3 letter word, "musician Brian"

eno

 

[Tick]

At least once a week, I run into a puzzle that asks for a word from a "famous palindrome". For anyone who doesn't know, the palindrome is "Able was I ere I saw Elba", and "ere" is a once-popular, now merely poetic, word for "before".

We're in the crossword thread... we're not monkeys.

 

[Psychopav]

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT RA RA AVIS MEANS?? PLEASE, CROSSWORD NERDS, I'M BEGGING YOU!!

please.

 

[ffjunk]

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT RA RA AVIS MEANS?? PLEASE, CROSSWORD NERDS, I'M BEGGING YOU!!

please.

Its a boner with a silent B.

 

[LittleLarry]

Used to religiously do the NYT puzzle back when I read newspapers. Could usually get M thru W no problem. Thursday onwards were very difficult.

I have finished a NYT Thursday only twice. Sometimes I will take a stab at the Friday, and don't even bother looking at the Saturday.

I also recommend trying the LA Times version. Those are still challenging but easier than the NYT.

 

[Ignoratio Elenchi]

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT RA RA AVIS MEANS?? PLEASE, CROSSWORD NERDS, I'M BEGGING YOU!!

please.

rara avis

 

[ntz08]

WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME WHAT RA RA AVIS MEANS?? PLEASE, CROSSWORD NERDS, I'M BEGGING YOU!!

please.

latin down?