0707-23 NY Times Crossword 7 Jul 23, Friday

Constructed by: Adrian Johnson
Edited by: Will Shortz

Today’s Theme: None

Bill’s time: 11m 09s

Bill’s errors: 0

Today’s Wiki-est Amazonian Googlies

Across

1 Humorous nickname for a raccoon : TRASH PANDA

The raccoon is native to North America. In captivity, raccoons can live to over 20 years of age, but in the wild they only live two or three years. The main causes for the shorter lifespan are hunting and road traffic.

11 Work : OPUS

The Latin for “work” is “opus”, with the plural being “opera”. We sometimes use the plural “opuses” in English, but people do that just to annoy me …

16 Actor Russell of “Escape From New York” : KURT

Actor Kurt Russell’s career started when he was a child playing a lead role in the TV Western series “The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters” in the sixties. Russell met actress Goldie Hawn on the set of the 1984 film “Swing Shift”, and the two have been in a committed relationship ever since.

“Escape from New York” is a 1981 sci-fi film in which New York’s Manhattan Island has been converted into the nation’s maximum-security prison. Kurt Russell stars in both this film, and in the 1996 sequel “Escape from L.A.” Russell took the role in an attempt to move on from the “sugary” reputation he’d earned from a string of appearances up to that point in Disney comedies. Mission accomplished, I’d say …

18 ___ Voyage, long-running London-based holographic concert : ABBA

I am an unapologetic fan of ABBA’s music. ABBA was the Swedish group who topped the charts in the seventies and eighties. The name ABBA is an acronym formed from the first letters of the given names of each of the band members: Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn and Anni-Frid. Early in their careers, the four fell in love and formed two married couples: Agnetha and Bjorn, and Benny and Anni-Frid. However, at the height of their success, the relationships became strained and both couples divorced.

20 Out in public? : OPENLY GAY

Back in the 1950s, to come “out of the closet” was to admit to being an alcoholic. By the seventies, the phrase mainly referred to gay people shrugging off secrecy about their sexual orientation.

25 Difficult position, maybe : ASANA

“Asana” is a Sanskrit word that translates literally as “sitting down”. The asanas are the poses that a practitioner of yoga assumes. The most famous is the lotus position, the cross-legged pose called “padmasana”.

30 Big trap : MAW

“Maw” is a term used to describe the mouth or stomach of a carnivorous animal. “Maw” is also used as slang for the mouth or stomach of a greedy person.

32 ___ Tomé : SAO

The Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe is an island nation off the west coast of Africa comprising mainly two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe. São Tomé and Príncipe is located in the Gulf of Guinea, off the coast of Gabon. It was colonized by Portugal after POrtuguese explorers discovered the islands in the 15th century. After gaining independence in 1975, São Tomé and Príncipe became the smallest Portuguese-speaking country in the world.

33 Evening in Amalfi : SERA

Amalfi, Italy is a coastal town on the Gulf of Salerno located about 30 miles southeast of Naples. The town gives its name to the popular tourist destination known as the Amalfi Coast.

34 Rice dishes traditionally made with saffron : PAELLAS

Paella is sometimes referred to as the Spanish national dish, but not by Spaniards. In Spain, paella is regarded as a typical regional dish from Valencia. The name “paella” means “frying pan” in Valencian, and is a reference to the shallow vessel traditionally used to cook the dish over an open fire.

38 “The virtue of the lukewarm,” per Sartre : MODESTY

Jean-Paul Sartre was a leading French philosopher, as well as a writer and political activist. Sartre also served with the French army during WWII and spent nine months as a prisoner of war having been captured by German troops. He was one of the few people to have been awarded a Nobel Prize and to have then refused to accept it. Sartre was named winner of the prize for Literature in 1964, for his first novel “Nausea”. Before his win, Sartre knew that his name was on the list of nominees so he wrote to the Nobel Institute and asked to be withdrawn from consideration. The letter somehow went unread, so he found himself having to refuse the award after he had been selected.

44 Backdrop for the 2019 film “1917”: Abbr. : WWI

“1917” is a 2019 Sam Mendes movie about two British soldiers carrying a message across no man’s land in northern France during WWI. Although historically inaccurate, the storyline was inspired by accounts of the war given to Mendes by his paternal grandfather. One remarkable feature of the film is that it was shot using long takes that were carefully edited to give the impression that it was filmed as just two continuous shots. Remarkable …

49 Useful chain for dog owners : PETCO

Petco is a chain of retail stores that sells live animals and pet supplies. The Petco logo includes the two company mascots, Red Ruff the dog and Blue Mews the cat.

57 Jared who played Morbius in 2022’s “Morbius” : LETO

Jared Leto is an actor and musician. In the world of music, he is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band 30 Seconds to Mars. In the film world, one of his most critically acclaimed roles was that of a heroin addict in “Requiem for a Dream”. Leto also appeared in “American Psycho”, “Panic Room” and “Lord of War”. He won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in 2013’s “Dallas Buyers Club”, in which he portrayed a transgender woman.

59 Festive Islamic greeting : EID MUBARAK

“Eid Mubarak” translates from Arabic as “Blessed festival/feast”. It is a greeting used by many Muslins at the two main holidays celebrated in Islam: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

62 Metamorphosing little creature : NEWT

Newts wouldn’t be my favorite animals. They are found all over the world living on land or in water depending on the species, but always associated with water even if it is only for breeding. Newts metamorphose through three distinct developmental stages during their lives. They start off as larvae in water, fertilized eggs that often cling to aquatic plants. The eggs hatch into tadpoles, the first developmental form of the newt. After living some months as tadpoles swimming around in the water, they undergo another metamorphosis, sprouting legs and replacing their external gills with lungs. At this juvenile stage they are known as efts, and leave the water to live on land. A more gradual transition takes place then, as the eft takes on the lizard-like appearance of the adult newt.

63 Counter offer? : FREE SAMPLE

When we sit at a counter (in a diner, say), there’s a connection with money lenders. Back in the mid-1300s, a counter was the table used by a money lender doing business. The term “counter” came into English from Latin via French, ultimately from “computare” meaning “to count”.

Down

1 Target Field team : TWINS

The Minnesota Twins baseball team was founded as the Kansas City Blues in 1894, before becoming the Washington Senators in 1901. The team arrived in Minneapolis in 1961.

Target Field is a baseball park in Minneapolis, Minnesota that has been home to the Minnesota Twins since the stadium opening in 2010. Target Corporation, which is headquartered in Minneapolis, paid an undisclosed sum to get the naming rights of the park.

3 Catalonia neighbor : ARAGON

Modern-day Aragón is an autonomous community in the northeast of Spain. The region is named for the medieval Kingdom of Aragón.

Catalonia is an autonomous community in the northeast of Spain, the capital of which is the city of Barcelona. Sandwiched between Catalonia and France to the north, is the lovely Principality of Andorra that is nestled in the Pyrenees. Andorra is the country in the world in which Catalan is an official language.

4 Gathering, informally : SESH

Session (abbreviated to “sess.” formally, and “sesh” informally)

5 24-hr. retail channel : HSN

The Home Shopping Network (HSN) was the first national shopping network, and was launched locally as the Home Shopping Club in Florida in 1982. Its first product was a can opener.

7 Guac and queso, at some restaurants : ADD-ONS

Guacamole is one of my favorite dishes. It is prepared by mashing avocados and perhaps adding the likes of tomato, onion and lime juice. The guacamole recipe dates back as early as the 16th century, to the time of the Aztecs. “Guacamole” translates as “avocado sauce”.

“Queso” is Spanish for “cheese”.

8 Virtual game described as a cross between Tamagotchi and Pokémon : NEOPETS

Tamagotchis are hand-held digital pets from Japan. They come housed in tiny egg-shaped computers, usually with a three-button interface. The Tamagotchis can be named, get hungry, and can be happy or sad. Care is provided by the owner using the interface buttons. The name “Tamagotchi” comes from the Japanese word “tamago” meaning “egg”, melded with the English word “watch”.

“Pokémon” is the second-biggest video game franchise in the world, second only to the “Mario” franchise. “Pokémon” is a contraction of “Pocket Monsters”.

9 2022 Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard, for one : DANE

Back in the late 1800s, long-distance cycle races were used as promotional events, traditionally to help boost sales of newspapers. These races usually took place around tracks, but in 1902 the backers of the struggling sports publication “L’Auto” decided to stage a race that would take the competitors all around France. That first Tour de France took place in 1903, starting in Paris and passing through Lyon, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Nantes and then back to Paris.

10 Port city that’s an anagram of 9-Down : ADEN
[9D 2022 Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard, for one : DANE]

Aden is a seaport in Yemen that is located on the Gulf of Aden by the eastern approach to the Red Sea. Aden has a long history of British rule, from 1838 until a very messy withdrawal in 1967. A native of Aden is known as an Adeni. Some believe that Cain and Abel are buried in the city.

13 Some murals : URBAN ART

A mural is a painting that is applied directly to a wall or a ceiling. The term “mural” comes from the Latin “murus” meaning “wall”.

23 Shortcut key : CTRL

The Control (CTRL) key on a PC keyboard is used to modify the function of other keys. For example, pressing CTRL+C copies a selection to the clipboard, and CTRL+V pastes the contents of the clipboard to a location defined by the cursor. Control keys were introduced on teletypewriters to generate “control characters”, which are non-printing characters that instruct a computer to do something like print a page, ring a bell etc.

29 What might accompany a headlock : NOOGIE

A noogie is a childish move in which someone rubs his (and it’s always a guy!) knuckles into a person’s head to create a little soreness.

35 “Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn” artist : AI WEIWEI

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese artist who has been vocal in his criticism of his country’s position on human rights and democracy. Weiwei was an artistic consultant largely responsible for the look and feel of the Beijing National Stadium, commonly referred to as the “Bird’s Nest”, that was showcased during the 2008 Summer Olympics.

47 Southern Tibetan people : SHERPA

In the Tibetan language, “Sherpa” means “eastern people” (sher = east, pa = people). Sherpas are an ethnic group from Nepal, but the name is also used for the local guides who assist mountaineers in the Himalayas, and particularly on Mount Everest.

50 Things that are beside the point? : CENTS

The decimal separator in a number written in decimal form is the symbol that separates the integer part of the number from the fractional part. Here in the US, we tend to use a decimal point for that separation. In Central Europe, a decimal comma is the norm.

55 Play checkers, informally : REFS

Back in the early 17th century, a referee was someone who examined patent applications. We started using the same term for a person presiding over a sporting event in the 1820s. “Referee” is a derivative of the verb “to refer”, and literally describes someone who has the authority to make a decision by “referring” to a book, archive etc.

57 Magical item held by Aladdin : LAMP

“Aladdin” is a famous tale in “Arabian Nights”, also called “The Book of One Thousand and One Nights”. However, there is no evidence at all that the story was in the original collection. It is generally believed that one Antoine Galland introduced the tale when he translated “Arabian Nights” into French in the early 1700s.

60 Private support grp.? : USO

The United Service Organization (USO) was founded in 1941 at the request of President Franklin D. Roosevelt “to handle the on-leave recreation of the men in the armed forces”. A USO tour is undertaken by a troupe of entertainers, many of whom are big-name celebrities. A USO tour usually includes troop locations in combat zones.

The lowest military rank of soldier is often a private (pvt.). The term “private” comes from the Middle Ages when “private soldiers” were hired or conscripted by noblemen to form a “private army”. The more generic usage of “private” started in the 1700s.

Complete List of Clues/Answers

Across

1 Humorous nickname for a raccoon : TRASH PANDA
11 Work : OPUS
15 “Uh-oh, our parents will kill us!” : WE’RE SO DEAD!
16 Actor Russell of “Escape From New York” : KURT
17 “You interrupted me …” : I WASN’T DONE …
18 ___ Voyage, long-running London-based holographic concert : ABBA
19 Just about here : NIGH
20 Out in public? : OPENLY GAY
22 Ice, in some product names : SNO
23 Support staff : CANE
25 Difficult position, maybe : ASANA
26 Business in which one is paid to establish relationships : DNA TESTING
30 Big trap : MAW
31 Common cold reaction? : BRR!
32 ___ Tomé : SAO
33 Evening in Amalfi : SERA
34 Rice dishes traditionally made with saffron : PAELLAS
38 “The virtue of the lukewarm,” per Sartre : MODESTY
40 Second : AIDE
41 Exaggerated workload : TON
43 Block from working, with “up” : GUM …
44 Backdrop for the 2019 film “1917”: Abbr. : WWI
45 One specializing in 26-Across : GENETICIST
49 Useful chain for dog owners : PETCO
51 Stimulate : WHET
52 Bound : HOP
54 One who’s loyal to a fault : RIDE OR DIE
57 Jared who played Morbius in 2022’s “Morbius” : LETO
58 Cry accompanying “Whoopee!” : I WON!
59 Festive Islamic greeting : EID MUBARAK
62 Metamorphosing little creature : NEWT
63 Counter offer? : FREE SAMPLE
64 Some food drive donations : TINS
65 Superfan’s purchase : SEASON PASS

Down

1 Target Field team : TWINS
2 “Whoa! … say what?!” : REWIND!
3 Catalonia neighbor : ARAGON
4 Gathering, informally : SESH
5 24-hr. retail channel : HSN
6 Poker prize : POT
7 Guac and queso, at some restaurants : ADD-ONS
8 Virtual game described as a cross between Tamagotchi and Pokémon : NEOPETS
9 2022 Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard, for one : DANE
10 Port city that’s an anagram of 9-Down : ADEN
11 Permissions : OKAYS
12 Skittles and darts, e.g. : PUB GAMES
13 Some murals : URBAN ART
14 Back order? : STAY AWAY!
21 Bit of slow motion, in a way : LAG
23 Shortcut key : CTRL
24 Fill with gas : AERATE
27 Cut out for it : ABLE
28 Terse admission : I AM
29 What might accompany a headlock : NOOGIE
33 One past a quarter : SEMI
34 Track around a park, maybe : PAW PRINT
35 “Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn” artist : AI WEIWEI
36 Condense, as text : EDIT DOWN
37 II or III, perhaps : SON
39 What might bring the heat : DUCT
42 “Or, here’s a thought …” : NEW IDEA …
45 Infant’s interjection : GOO
46 Some party planning inspirations : THEMES
47 Southern Tibetan people : SHERPA
48 Aggregates : TOTALS
50 Things that are beside the point? : CENTS
53 Some Facebook pings : POKES
55 Play checkers, informally : REFS
56 Requiring immediate attention : DIRE
57 Magical item held by Aladdin : LAMP
60 Private support grp.? : USO
61 Keep out : BAN

33 thoughts on “0707-23 NY Times Crossword 7 Jul 23, Friday”

  1. 13:18, no errors. Seeing “TRASH PANDA” in another puzzle a few days ago got me off to a good start with this one. A small gift from the crossword gods … 🙂.

    1. There’s a Double A Minor League Baseball team based
      in Madison , AL ( near Huntsville ) called the
      Rocket City Trash Pandas . They play in the Southern League
      and are an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels MLB Club …

  2. 23:30, no errors. I was well on my way to a 17 minute Friday, when I got the ‘almost there’ alert. Convinced that the error was in the cross between 55D (REFS) and 59A (EID MUBARAK), went through the alphabet with no luck. Turned out that when I changed 64A from CANS to TINS, it was left at TANS.

    1. Curious from the comments here – what does “no errors” mean? No use of auto-check or reveal?

      Also, I love coming to NYXCrossword for explanations to answers – many thanks to Bill! I’m still a bit confused as to how “REFS” refers to playing checkers. I got this on crosses, but are the “checkers” referring to a ref’s striped shirt, or something else?

      2. Speaking for myself: “13:18, no errors” means that I did the puzzle in thirteen minutes and eighteen seconds, using nothing but information stored in my own aging brain. No previewing of the clues, no auto-check, no reveal, no Googles, no dictionaries, no encyclopedias, no consultation with other entities, whether human or robotic – nothing that anyone might conceivably view as “cheating”. If anything out of the ordinary does occur, I change the wording of my report in such a way as to make clear exactly what happened. I do the NYT puzzles on an iPad mini, using the NYT crossword app, which has a timer; all the other puzzles that I work are done on paper and timed using a wristwatch (if, in fact, I time them at all, given that I really don’t care all that much about how long it takes).

        I think that others here use very similar guidelines.

      3. I, too, use the NYT App. My criteria for solving the puzzle are the same as Dave’s. No outside help. I might add that the NYT does give the congratulations screen when the puzzle is complete with no errors. So, there is that benefit which a pencil & paper solver would not have. Speaking for myself, it does not mean that every initial guess was correct; but that all wrong guesses have been corrected.

  3. 26:46. Fell asleep about 10 mins in, but I did stop the timer. It’s been a long week. Things picked up after I woke up.

    I never put “no errors”. However, if I did something out of the ordinary like check something, look something up etc, I just state it. I guess it’s because I almost always have some errors as I do these…”missteps” as I call them. I’m just fortunate I catch them and fix them…except when I don’t.

    Best –

  4. 36:56 no errors. Maybe get a bit smarter with the end game— or just lucky today.

    Re ‘No errors’ definition. I do the syndicated Seattle Times version of the puzzle. As you can see if you watch any of my video posts, once I enter the letter in the last blank square of the grid, I’m done, there are no second guesses at incorrectly filled in squares. If I get the success pop-up once I’ve put a letter in the last square, that’s ‘no errors’. If I don’t, I click the evil eye and count the errors, which are highlighted in yellow by the applet.

    I think the NYT application, if you enter a letter in every square on the grid but have at least one error, gives you a warning, ‘not quite there’ or ‘you’re almost there’ or something like that.
    Based on my definition of ‘no errors’, you’re done once you get that warning that you’ve completed the puzzle but with errors.

    I don’t know what the NYT users do (Jeff’s explanation is kind of wishy washy) and I’m not going to assume anything, but if some users give themselves a second guess at wrong squares once completing the grid, there may be a difference in the definition of ‘no errors’ with the NYT users, in that sense.

    2. Nick – I only allow myself to make corrections while I’m filling in the grid – e.g. if I put “GAUSS” and the actual answer is “TESLA” (that’s actually happened), I figure it out with crosses. I don’t let the NYT app “tell” me there’s an error. Otherwise, I consider it an error on my part if I finish the grid and I messed something up and didn’t catch it.

      Point is, putting GAUSS before TESLA (I’m a physicist) was an error, but it was an error I caught. So did I finish with no errors or did I make an error while solving?

      It’s all semantics. As long as people know what happened, whatever label they wish to put on it doesn’t bother me in the least. I do these for fun and as an escape from running my business. Taking such issues too seriously is anathema to what I’m doing these for.

      1. I did not notice this reply til now.
        Yeah of course correcting as you go is to be expected. I was talking about once the grid is completed and the software provides a signal of success or failure.

        Whether there is just a lack of a success message as on Seattle Times, or an ‘Almost There’ message on NYT, if you correct errors after that, then claim ‘no errors’, that was only with the help of the software hence not the same as ‘no errors’ with a success pop-up, objectively speaking. Not that I’m ‘upset, I was replying to the topic at hand as everyone else was except that some of you folks didn’t like my opinion. I did not even say one should not do that—WTF business would I have saying that—but, since the question was asked, the difference should be recognized in the definition or ‘label’ of ‘no errors’ i.e. ‘no errors’ = success pop-up and ‘Almost THere’, by your own definition above (I think), means ‘with errors”.

  5. Just to add, not sure why folks mention ‘look-ups, googling’ etc. when the question was about errors, not look-ups. A single look-up means you gave up , quit, did not finish, etc. The whole point of the exercise is to use your brain power, not google’s. But a look-up is a completely different thing from making an error.

    Also another footnote, from Bruce’s post , guess that means he counts it as ‘no errors’ after getting warning since he says he got the warning but still posted ‘no errors.’

  6. @Nick …

    I think you need to sign up for the next ACPT, which is an actual contest, with strict rules, winners, and losers. I would venture to say that most posters here take a rather more relaxed view of what we are engaged in than you seem to (or seem to want us to) … 🙂.

    1. Hey Dave, LA asked what our definition of ‘no errors’ is and I gave mine as I see it and do it. No errors means no errors.
      I’m glad at least you acknowledge your—and those who you seem to be the spokesman for (at least in your mind)—more ‘relaxed’ definition.
      I think to claim ‘no errors’ after the computer helped you clue in that you had errors is objectively not a factual claim. Consider if you were doing the puzzle on paper and completed all the squares without any prompt. By correcting the errors after being prompted by the computer, you cannot claim perfection. You had help.
      If you’re that ‘relaxed’ about it why do post your times to the second for comparison with other solvers and publicly post how you perfectly you performedn?
      It need not be a serious competition, it’s just a natural expectation when playing a game with even a friendly game of anything. If we were playing Scrabble, and you looked at your tiles and before laying them down started leafing through the dictionary, I get the feeling if I objected, you’d say, ‘Relax, Nick, this is not a Scrabble competition,’ then proceed to put down a triple X score with some obscure word you found, and jot down your score on the scorecard. It’s similar when you say ‘relax’ about your loose definition of a ‘perfect’ i.e. ‘no errors’ You see the contradiction?
      It is a bit of a pissing contest. Bill—or as I refer to him fondly, Godot— sets the tone for it by posting his time and # of errors. I’m willing to admit that it is such, in however minor or friendly a way.
      What you’re doing is akin to moving the goalpost, crowing about your performance and then saying, ‘relax, it’s not a contest.’

      1. Nick,

        Please reread what I said above about my solves. Your insinuations that I am somehow cheating are offensive, because I am not cheating in any way.

        I post my times and error counts because Bill does it, not because I am bragging about them. I am as likely to post about an awful time or an embarrassing error as I am about anything else.

        1. @Dave Kennison:
          Just to get back to the topic raised by @LA which triggered the discussion.
          If you correct your errors after completing the grid and getting the system warning of “almost there”, e.g. as Bruce did above, then declare “no errors” with no further comment, yeah I do consider that fudging the truth.

          I have no doubt you do that since you have such a problem with what you view as my “strict'” definition of “no errors,” to the point of censuring me that there is no place for my “strict” approach in this blog which you have determined is only for the “relaxed” and to go join ACPT if I have that attitude.

          If you tell me you don’t do that yourself but you are the self-appointed defender of those who do, I just don’t find that credible.

  7. First off, the usual business: 12:01, 2 Naticks.

    @LA
    By “no errors” it means once I declare the puzzle done (or the ending prompts or lack thereof on the online solver does it for me), there were no resulting squares that have “wrong” answers. By “the online solver does it for me”, I’m saying that since they inevitably provide prompts that clue you into the status of the puzzle (e.g. “help”) whether you want it or not, so once I get that I immediately declare it “Done”. Probably the best solution I can think of to a bad situation.

    Beyond that, if I get any kind of help from the online solver or otherwise, I declare that I did not finish the puzzle, which is indeed true because *I* did not finish the puzzle, no matter what the Deb Amlens and Patti Varols of the world say.

    That said (for what seems like the millionth time between the two blogs), I really don’t care how people do these things, as this isn’t a contest. But what I do expect is some honesty if people are going to talk about it. I’ve remarked (again for the millionth time it seems), that it seems a fair number of people have a severe problem with that.

  8. I agree re, to declare ‘no errors’ it means without a prompt from the puzzle software that you have errors that need correcting.
    I disagree that it’s not a pissing contest in at least a some small way, lile a friendly game. In fact, if you removed the contest aspect (posting stats), I believe the blog would lose a lot of its interest. Anyone who adds their time and # of errors to the blog is participating in the game. Even in a friendly game of cards, say, or other game, people by nature expect honesty.
    I would argue you only care if people are honest because of the contest/game aspect.

    1. Hey Anon, I was expecting a stern memo from our friend rebuking me for posting my definition of “no errors.”

      If he agreed with my definition, he would say so but instead I was told pretty much told to leave the blog and join ACPT, whatever that is, if I define ‘no errors the way I do. Got to conclude that if he disagrees that strongly with my definition, he also doesn’t apply it to his solves.

      Then when I respond, the inevitable outrage, “how dare you etc.” But he’s “relaxed” about the blog.

      It seems our friend is the blog moderator at least in his own mind so I’m guessing you’re right. He has to have the last word.

      1. The ACPT is the “American Crossword Puzzle Tournament”, a yearly event that one does not join, but that one can participate in, either in person (in Stamford, Connecticut), or by email. I guess I assumed you would have heard of it. In any case, I in no way suggested that you leave this blog.

        You read into my posts a lot of things that are most definitely not there.

        “If you tell me you don’t do that yourself but you are the self-appointed defender of those who do, I just don’t find that credible.”

        So you find it incredible that someone can be other than completely self-centered. Interesting … 🧐.

        What I object to is not the fact that you set rules for yourself (as do I and everyone else), but that you always present them as if they were the only possible rules and you criticize others for telling you exactly what they did, but describing it in terms that don’t conform to your standards.

        1. This is already more back and forth than I wanted on the topic so I’m gonna move on to the next crossword day and relegate this debate to the ash heap, otherwise it will just go in circles.

          I originally just responded to @LA but whenever I have opined on any rules that I apply for myself which should be obvious, like no look-ups or no second guesses at errors, in comes the Crusader to censor such talk. He doesn’t do that himself, apparently, but he will defend others’ right to do it with zealous self-righteousness. It’s all for the little people.

    2. Indeed. You can never discuss anything with someone that’s always right in their own mind.

  10. 2 lookups. So technically a DNF.

    got messed up with GENETICIST and that was key for me… I started it with some kind of OLOGIST and that took me down a wrong thought process.

    AIWEIWEI was crosses all the way. Wow, what a vowel filled name!!!

  11. One thing is absolutely for certain. Some people on this board need to get a life. For crying out loud, anyone who is upset about anyone else’s labels has one heck of a lot more free time to waste than I do.

    1. Anyone who does crosswords themselves and makes pedantic comments on a daily basis themselves isn’t really in a position to tell other people to get a life, join the club. Actually if you also talk about your real life on this blog, that may be a real sign of needing to get a life.

        1. Ah. You’ve been on this blog for 10 years and you’re telling other people to get a life. I think you just broke your own record. LOL.

          Let’s examine the evidence. I’ll make an exception to not mentioning my personal life for this. Today I went to work for 8 hours, got home after 5, spent an hour on the x-word starting a 6, then went for a 4,000m run. Do need to get a life? I’m willing to admit if that’s your conclusion based on the evidence. What did you do today, Jeff?
          Also let’s examine the evidence for you saying I was upset. That requires the ability to read a person’s mind to make that conclusion. Tell me what in my posts above is the evidence for that. Actually you’re post uses emotive phrases like ‘get a life’ and “For crying out loud”. Sound emotive to me. Are you projecting, Jeff?

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