The New York Times Crossword Puzzle thread

Spoiler alert for other procrastinators like me ...

drummerboy said:

I just got around to the Dec 25th puzzle. the "Married Couples" one.

I finished it, more or less, but I don't get the long answers.

Anyone?

The boxes contain the last two letters of a synonym for the first part of the clue and the first two letters of a synonym for the second part of the clue (e.g. grab/Go; calm/storm).

Fun one today. I'm getting better at the rebus puzzles. Didn't know 1 down and screwed up the spelling of 20 across. Oh well...

Just looking at this thread now, but I have to say I LOVE the Spelling Bee puzzle. Look forward to it every weekend.

I haven't tried a spelling bee puzzle yet. I've been working my way through the Pun and Anagram puzzles in the online archive. I'm just about done so I'll try those next.

minor spoiler for Thursday puzzles ahead

And I had to give up on today's puzzle. I got a couple of the special clues but couldn't finish.

Keep at it. Took me a bit longer than usual.

funny. I started the sunday puzzle yesterday, but I got stuck so I put it aside. Just started again, and within about 30 seconds I filled in 5 words that I was just stumped by yesterday.

the brain is weird.

another four words. done.

I spent at least half an hour staring at those clues yesterday.

That's why when I get "stuck," I like to do the Ken-Kens to reset my brain a little...

drummerboy said:

funny. I started the sunday puzzle yesterday, but I got stuck so I put it aside. Just started again, and within about 30 seconds I filled in 5 words that I was just stumped by yesterday.

the brain is weird.

I have to object to 57 down in yesterday's puzzle. Is that really a thing?

Spoiler alert...

"Oh geez" ? In my experience, it's a common phrase, used so that we cat'lics don't actually say the Lord's name in vain...

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=oh%20geez

drummerboy said:

I have to object to 57 down in yesterday's puzzle. Is that really a thing?

oh, that explains it. I had "uh" as the start

ok

Yeah, female bear in Spanish = osa...

I know. It's a recurring clue these days, but I haven't committed it to memory yet

osa osa osa osa female bear sp. female bear sp.

Whatever happened to snee?

I loved snee.

lanky said:

Yeah, female bear in Spanish = osa...

hmmm, and 81 down is a bit non-pc, isn't it? I thought we couldn't say that anymore.

yes. I was surprised, too.

I have one empty box: 87

can't help ya - I've got lots and lots of empty boxes

boy, today's was a weird slog until I got the theme. 26 down was a new one for me...

I am w-a-a-a-y behind. Still doing last Sunday's

going on vacation next week, good time to catch up.

I have to say, I'm pretty good at this - but the puzzle from Saturday (2/25) is still driving me batty. Not even half done after 4 or 5 days of looking at it.

I have a few empty spots at the center-top, and I cannot figure out what's wrong.

Ooops...I was talking about Sunday. Haven't tried Saturday yet.

The_Soulful_Mr_T said:

I have to say, I'm pretty good at this - but the puzzle from Saturday (2/25) is still driving me batty. Not even half done after 4 or 5 days of looking at it.

Southeast corner is stumping me.

OK...I just finished.

SE corner...once I got the Sixties clue, it came together.

DaveSchmidt said:

The_Soulful_Mr_T said:

I have to say, I'm pretty good at this - but the puzzle from Saturday (2/25) is still driving me batty. Not even half done after 4 or 5 days of looking at it.

Southeast corner is stumping me.

debby said:

SE corner...once I got the Sixties clue, it came together.

Yeah, I had the first three letters, which flummoxed me even more. It all made sense only after I gave up and looked at the reveal. (I'm no stickler for finishing on my own. Life's too short.)

I'm a TOTAL stickler! I find that the most satisfying part: coming back to finish a previously "impossible" puzzle.

DaveSchmidt said:

debby said:

SE corner...once I got the Sixties clue, it came together.

Yeah, I had the first three letters, which flummoxed me even more. It all made sense only after I gave up and looked at the reveal. (I'm no stickler for finishing on my own. Life's too short.)

I thought I had a slim chance of finishing today's (Thursday) puzzle... but I did it.

Nyuck-nyuck-nyuck.

Man, that Rex Parker sure is a noodge. Why can't I stop reading him?

(Note to self: Relax. You can't stop reading MOL, either.)

Hadn't checked him in ages till you just reminded me. It is somewhat satisfying, though, to see him pinpoint everything I found irritating about today's puzzle.

Spoilers below for Thursday's puzzle ...

If Alfred E. Neuman's smile (do I have to explain everything to you, millennials?) doesn't mean anything to you in this context, here's another warning of spoilers below.

zucca said:

Hadn't checked him in ages till you just reminded me. It is somewhat satisfying, though, to see him pinpoint everything I found irritating about today's puzzle.

I'm with him when he rails against contrived and hackneyed fill, but we part on the merits of unusual words or outdated cultural references. He despises being forced to add DIASTEMA to his vocabulary, if only briefly; I love it. ("AHA! Ooh! Satisfying!" is almost a direct quote of my reaction.) He bridles at every NESSUS that trips him; I enjoy stumbling into something new. DUMONT is no more part of my life than it is for a millennial, yet being aware of its history makes me feel enriched. 

Plus, he's as sour as a pickled NUTRIA.