Monthly Archives: June 2021

NYT Crossword Puzzle 6-26-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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Woohoo! Three Saturdays in a row! It says 1 DAY STREAK, but that’s nonsense. I finished at about 11pm here in LA, and that’s well into Sunday in New York, but I still get my Saturday as a Saturday.

I pulled out 7D Tropical island whose name comes from the Spanish for “snows”: NEVIS because I hadn’t known what Nevis was. Other than the partner of St. Kitts, of course. Now I know. But only kinda. I don’t have time to look into it and write about it right now. I’ll get around to writing about it later.

There wasn’t a theme I could detect in this one, but there were some all-the-way-across answers.

15A Hyperbole from one approaching the buffet: ICOULDEATAHORSE. Confused at this. I thought that’s a thing you say when you’re hungry and are asked to what degree. It also would be weird to say, “I could eat a moose,” because mousse is meh. Go for the ice cream and brownies for dessert.
17A Literary team playing in front of “ten thousand eyes”: THEMUDVILLENINE. There was no joy, though.
34A Like popping bubble wrap, for many: ODDLYSATISFYING. Maybe watching someone finish a long bubble wrap sheet is oddly satisfying. Doing it yourself is fun as shit!
55A “Can you be less cryptic?”: CARETOELABORATE. I think this is the second time in recent weeks that this passive-aggressive statement has been in the crossword. I don’t like it.
58A Times when NPR listeners are engrossed enough to linger in their idling cars. I had never heard this phrase before.

Finished this one in 46:38.

DayThis WkBestAverage
Monday6:443:499:30
Tuesday10:175:5213:43
Wednesday10:287:3817:38
Thursday50:0913:0930:17
Friday28:1116:2335:58
Saturday46:3827:4337:21
Sunday15:111:00:46
jet cloud landing aircraft

Stupid Delta Variant

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Things were looking up for us and down for COVID.

But now the delta variant has rolled in.

I talked to my grandpa and told him if he’d heard of the Delta variant.

I continued to say that the Delta variant is keeping us from being United, and while some say it’s un-American, we must stay Allegiant to the rules.

I had fun saying it, but I have a feeling it went over his head.

Let’s all continue to stay safe! Let’s keep 2020 as hindsight!

NYT Spelling Bee 6-25-21 final

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I got two words after getting the genius popup, but I can’t take a new screenshot in the app like I used to be able to. This is not progress. This is not helpfulness. Why are they making things worse? Stop taking away our features!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday I missed CAIO, COACT, COCA, IOTA, MOAT, TATTOO, TOMCAT, and TOMTIT.

Meatier Misses

COXA: Anatomy The hipbone or hip joint.

I’ll find a worthwhile picture at some point, but the ones I’ve found are all kind of lame.

…Because legs.

I’ll show myself out.

Today’s summary

Letters: FDEGLNU
Final score: 37 words for 172 points.
Genius minimum: 167 points.
First word: ENGULFED.
Pangram: ENGULFED.
Tweets:

What can I say? I’m not a fan of Belgian beers.

NYT Crossword Puzzle 6-25-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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Wow what a packed day today, and now I’m typing really fast to get this out. I have my 19-day streak going, and I’m really proud of that. Tomorrow’s puzzle probably won’t be easy, but bring. it. on.

I pulled out 38A Stub hub?: TOE because it’s so true! And so painful! There aren’t enough swear words in the English language. Good thing there are more languages.

Special mention to 55A Question that’s rarely a sign of good news: CANWETALK because I shared with Calah my answer early on:

but sometimes it’s a blessing!

and she shook her head said that it probably was not that. And then she said, “It’s probably ‘CANWETALK.'” And it was! Amazing.

Themeless today. I miss the circles.

Finished this one in 28:11.

DayThis WkBestAverage
Monday6:443:499:30
Tuesday10:175:5213:43
Wednesday10:287:3817:38
Thursday50:0913:0930:17
Friday28:1116:2335:58
Saturday27:4332:43
Sunday15:111:00:46

NYT Spelling Bee 6-24-21 final

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Many notable streaks were kept up today! When I posted today’s crossword blog, I brought the overall streak to 261 days. The crossword puzzle streak was brought up to 18. Also I used my free twitch subscription from amazon prime to subscribe to Pocket’s channel for the fourth month in a row.

Yesterday I missed APATHY, HARP, HARPY, HYPO, PAPAYA, PHARAOH, POOH, POTATO, PRAY, PYRO, RAPTOR, RATTRAP, TAPA, TARP, and TYPO.

Meatier Misses

OPAH: A large deep-bodied fish with a deep blue back, silvery belly, and crimson fins, living in deep oceanic waters.

Thanks, San Diego Magazine for this.


PARATHA: (in Indian cooking) a flat, thick piece of unleavened bread fried on a griddle.
PARRY: Ward off (a weapon or attack) with a countermove.

Today’s summary

Letters: OACIMTX
Final score: 26 words for 102 points.
Genius minimum: 91 points.
First word: TACO.
Pangram: AXIOMATIC.

NYT Crossword 6-24-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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This one took a long time, especially considering that last Thursday was 16:41. When I finally figured out the theme, things started to fall into place. And I kept up the streak that’s now up to 18 days.

I pulled out 37A Aster relative: TANSY because I’d never heard of TANSY. I’d tried PANSY, but that would make 25D Moved up the corporate ladder, say: GOTAHEAD incorrectly be GOPAHEAD, and even that wouldn’t get by Will Shortz.

Tansy from the The Spruce.
Asters from The Spruce.
Pansies from The Spruce.

Yeah, pansies and tansies don’t look remotely close. But asters and tansies look similar.

This is one of those puzzles with a multi-letter word in a square.

1D Fool: PIN(HEAD).
25D Moved up the corporate ladder, say: GOTA(HEAD).
32D Embark on the Oregon Trail, say: (HEAD)WEST.
59D Piece of equipment for a telemarketer: (HEAD)SET.
19A In-flight call?: (HEAD)SORTAILS. Because you call it in the air.
28A “That’s ridonculous”: SHAKINGMY(HEAD).
45A “Someone’s going to pay for this!”: (HEAD)SWILLROLL.
55A Lucy van Pelt’s frequent outburst to Charlie Brown … or how to fill some squares in this puzzle?: YOUBLOCK(HEAD).

Finished this one in 50:09.

DayThis WkBestAverage
Monday6:443:499:30
Tuesday10:175:5213:43
Wednesday10:287:3817:38
Thursday50:0913:0930:17
Friday16:2336:24
Saturday27:4332:43
Sunday15:111:00:46

NYT Spelling Bee 6-23-21 final

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Some exciting news first: I now have a table saw. It’s a small table saw, but it’s a table saw nonetheless. That should greatly impact the projects I can do and am doing, and that will be reflected in future posts on the weekly Tuesday morning woodworking blog.

Yesterday I missed AIRBALL (appropriately), ALIBI (my mind was elsewhere), BAILOR, BARB, BILABILAL, BILLIARD, BRAD, BRIAR, LABIA, and LABIAL.

Meatier Misses

ARBORIO: A variety of round-grained rice produced in Italy and used in making risotto.
BIRADIAL: having both bilateral and radial symmetry
RAILBIRD: A spectator, especially one at a horse race who watches from the railings along the track.

Railbirds at the Railbird Festival. It’s so meta!

Today’s summary

Letters: PAHORTY
Final score: 37 words for 154 points.
Genius minimum: 153 points.
First word: POOP.
Last word: PARATROOP.
Pangram: ATROPHY.

NYT Crossword 6-23-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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Finally done with work late Tuesday night, so I’ve done the crossword. But by now, my eyelids are very heavy. Very, very heavy. Not fun. It’s good I’m writing the top part at the end or this post mainly would be z’s.

I pulled out 18A The Aggies of the Mountain West Conference: UTAHSTATE because I was pretty confident in TEXASAANDM. But then that couldn’t be because only TEXASANDM fits. Also not the proper league.

Runner-up is 67A Is the pope Catholic?: YES. Amazing.

The circle theme continues today.

3D Author of “Jurassic Park”: MICHA(ELCRIC)HTON.
10D Fleeting romantic interest: F(LAVO)ROFTHEWEEK.
15D “Beats me!”: IHAV(ENOC)LUE.
22D Shift blame to someone else: PASSTH(EBUC)K.

26D “Get it together!” … or a hint to the highlighted letters: SHAPEUP.

Because (ELCRIC) -> CIRCLE.
and (LAVO) -> OVAL.
and (ENOC) -> CONE.
and (EBUC) -> BUCK.

And on the topic of shaping up, how can Will Shortz let such a glaring wrong thing just slip by? There are no colored squares! There are circles.

DayThis WkBestAverage
Monday6:443:499:30
Tuesday10:175:5213:43
Wednesday10:287:3817:38
Thursday13:0929:42
Friday16:2336:24
Saturday27:4332:43
Sunday15:111:00:46

NYT Spelling Bee 6-22-21 final

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So I think I was right about the parking in the City of Los Angeles: Streets that have Monday street sweeping on one side and Tuesday street sweeping on the other side don’t always have street sweeping in the same week. Today was the fourth Tuesday, but yesterday was the third Monday. When people get confused, it means free, unencumbered parking for meeeeeee!

Yesterday I missed ARRAY, AWRY, DRYWALL, WAYWARD, and WAYWARDLY.

Meatier Miss

DRYAD: (in folklore and Greek mythology) a nymph inhabiting a forest or a tree, especially an oak tree. I’ve missed this one countless times.

Today’s summary

Letters: BADILOR
Final score: 48 words for 181 points.
Genius minimum: 179 points.
First word: BAOBAB.
Pangram: BILLBOARD.
Tweets:

NYT Crossword 6-22-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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After many tries by me and much delay by them, Williams-Sonoma finally reached out to ask about us setting up a time to go in for registry stuff. Clearly they don’t have their act together. Their olivewood bowls split apart, they reach out in a timely manner, and they closed the giant Beverly Hills store that was actually good. Sad that Williams-Sonoma has gone that way.

I pulled out 16A Instrument that an orchestra tunes to: OBOE because I didn’t know that. I always think of the violin, but that would be a terrible thing to tune to. Woodwinds should have fixed notes. Strings have, well, strings. And strings stretch. Now I wonder if calypso bands tune to panpipes. Now that would be something to see. But not really to hear because they’re pretty quiet.

The theme of this one is kinda like the fishhook one. I’m not exactly sure how to do this one, since it goes across so many, but I guess I’ll do it the short way.

23A Classic Led Zeppelin song represented by the ascending circled letters and this answer: HEAVEN.

Because STAIRWAY and

61A Classic AC/DC song represented by the falling circled letters and this answer: HELL.

Because HIGHWAY and

29D With 36-Down, intersection … as suggested by the circled letters in the middle of this puzzle?: CROSS ROADS. Because a highway is a road, and a stairway is also wait a second, a stairway isn’t a road!

It’s too bad it’s more than two months after 4/20 because could you imagine this joke: Ever notice that you stare on a highway but get high on a stairway? Crazy.

Finished this one in 10:17.

DayThis WkBestAverage
Monday6:443:499:30
Tuesday10:175:5213:43
Wednesday7:3817:43
Thursday13:0929:42
Friday16:2336:24
Saturday27:4332:43
Sunday15:111:00:46