Monthly Archives: September 2021

NYT Crossword Puzzle 9-30-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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I pulled out 14A Like soil that combines sand, silt and clay: LOAMY because I like BoJack Horseman, and it reminded me of Todd’s rock opera:

The theme today was a decent addition to the puzzle. The puns worked. Good change of pace from the bargaining chip/firecracker/whatever other nonsense puzzle from a month ago or so.

17A [Birds] + [Bees] = P.R. campaign goal: TWITTERBUZZ.
26A [Lightsaber] + [Impatient fingers] = Boring: HUMDRUM.
36A [Cellphone] + [Bubble] = Edible accessory: RINGPOP.
48A [Cow] + [Thunder] = Snake eyes, e.g.: LOWROLL.

57A Academy Awards category eliminated in 2021 … or a hint to interpreting four clues in this puzzle: SOUNDMIXING. I had initially guessed that the eliminated category was BESTACTRESS in order to have a single best performer. I thought that would be a dumb idea because why rob someone of a statue? But also why rob a sound mixer of a statue?

Finished this one in 29:20.

DayThis WkBestAverage4-Wk AvgStreak
Monday6:083:499:256:0576
Tuesday10:555:2213:169:540
Wednesday15:367:3817:0311:4017
Thursday29:2012:1228:4431:093
Friday16:2332:1521:0116
Saturday20:1234:2234:2516
Sunday15:1153:5646:413

NYT Crossword Puzzle 9-29-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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I pulled out 34A Helpfully pushy person: NUDGER because I had put in NUDNIK, even though it didn’t really make sense that a nudnik would be helpful. Ultimately, that nagging feeling that a nudnik wasn’t helpful turned out to be accurate, and nudger–a word that apparently merits a red squiggly–was the word that does fit. So there you have it: Red squiggly words are well incorporated in the New York Times Crossword Puzzle. Yay.

There was (no) theme today.

13A *Stay in power: RESIGN -> RE(S)IGN -> REIGN + S.
23A *Hold on to: HEAVE -> H(E)AVE -> HAVE + E.
26A *Done openly: COVERT -> (C)OVERT -> OVERT + C.
37A *Changing gradually: REVOLUTIONARY -> (R)EVOLUTIONARY -> EVOLUTIONARY + R.
50A *Doesn’t eat: FEASTS -> F(E)ASTS -> FASTS + E.
54A *On this spot: THERE -> (T)HERE -> HERE + T.

66A When revealed in this puzzle, it reverses the meanings of the answers to the starred clues: SECRET. The letters that make the answers opposite make them secret? It’s weird, but fine.

Finished this one in 15:36.

DayThis WkBestAverage4-Wk AvgStreak
Monday6:083:499:256:0576
Tuesday5:2213:169:110
Wednesday15:367:3817:0311:4017
Thursday12:1228:4329:352
Friday16:2332:1521:0116
Saturday20:1234:2234:2516
Sunday15:1153:5646:413

Woodworking: Repairing the First Step-Up End Table (Part 1)

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As I put the newly completed end tables into service, I needed to find a new place for the first one I’d worked on. But over time, the table had tanned, and I saw the outline of a book that had been resting on it. Also I hadn’t reapplied teak oil like I should have, and there were some things I hadn’t addressed in my first go because I didn’t have a plane back then.

It was going to be a quick and easy project.

And it started off going as I’d planned.

Look at the coloration difference!

I was going to plane it to get rid of all the unevenness from the gluing I’d done way back when that I’d mistakenly thought I could sand off.

One key section of this unevenness was in the front with what should have been a consistent rounded-off edge. Keep in mind I do not have a router.

When I started the planing, the pronounced unevenness made me happy because it was something I knew I had to resolve.

I kept going and was thrilled at the quick progress.

As I continued across, the uneven spots were becoming more pronounced and then eliminated.

I was thrilled at how well the project was going.

Sure, there were some gaps to address, but those wouldn’t be anything that some homemade filler couldn’t repair, right? RIGHT?!

The crack going all the way through shouldn’t pose a threat.

Well, it was too wiggly for me to be comfortable with keeping it that way. The amount of play allowed me to snap the board apart the weak glue joint.

As I didn’t have a planer the last time I’d attempted gluing this up, I was limited by sanding off the old glue. But that made for a less-than-perfect gluing situation.

This time would be different!

I was happy to use my new coffee table workbench setup to mount my vise for the planing.

Once the faces matched one another, I glued up the boards.

Clamping a board in place would keep the project flat and reduce my new planing time. The wax paper protected the wood block from the glue.

Areas that needed wood filler got it, but this was all for superficial repair. The structural work had been done.

I planed it to remove any jagged anything and then sanded from 80+ to 180+ with the DeWalt random orbital sander.

And then it was finally on to the step that had initially seemed like it would happen so early on: application of teak oil.

I’ll wrap this one up next week and then start on something new.

NYT Crossword Puzzle 9-21-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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Since I am off today due to the holiday of Shmini Atzeret, here’s the puzzle I missed from last week due to the first day of the holiday of Sukkot.

I pulled out 51D How many people get around town: INACAB because that’s such a stereotypical New York answer. Even in New York, though, do people still take cabs? I mean didn’t the price of New York taxi medallions plummet because everyone takes Lyft or Uber or Via over there? Michael Cohen made that claim many times.

And on the topic of lawyers or former lawyers or whatever, it’s time for the theme!

17A Advocate for U2’s frontman?: PROBONOATTORNEY. Maybe the rest of the attorneys were hired by bandmate The Edge as he attempted to destroy part of California. You know, because the band cares about the environment and poverty and whatever. Suck it, The Edge. And, for that matter, Bono. Try making a song that doesn’t sound like every other one of your songs. Jeez.
27A Swing of a bowler’s arm?: MOVETOSTRIKE. I took bowling class in college. My best score ever was 182 or 186. Maybe 184. I still have my bowling shoes. They have flames that glow in UV light, so you know they go fast.
49A A little tied up at the moment?: MOTIONDENIED. It had looked real bad for a while with the whole Sweetwater Mesa thing, but then he was the one who was denied. In your FACE, The Edge.
65A Attire for gym period?: CLASSACTIONSUIT. It’s like that time there was the class action lawsuit against Red Bull because no one actually got wings. I got money because I was part of the class. Probably better than wings. I distinctly remember buying three cans of Red Bull in college during finals week for my friend Mitchell. The total came to $6.66. I received no wings.

Finished this one in 10:43.

DayThis WkBestAverage4-Wk AvgStreak
Monday3:499:256:0576
Tuesday10:435:2213:179:110
Wednesday7:3817:0411:3216
Thursday12:1228:4329:352
Friday16:2332:1521:0116
Saturday20:1234:2234:2516
Sunday15:1153:5646:413

NYT Crossword Puzzle 9-27-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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I pulled out 15A One of 10 on a ten-speed: GEAR because it’s not true. This is about combinations of gears. A 10sp bike normally has two chainrings (gears near the pedals) and five cogs in the back. Gear 1 in the front can connect to gears 1-5 in the back, and gear 2 in the front can connect to gears 1-5 in the back, so that’s 10 speeds. Another way to do 10 speeds is to have a single gear in the front and then 10 gears in the back. But if you do that, it’s 11 gears total. Now, there are bikes that have fewer than the number of combinations possible. Like a 30sp mountain bike may have a 22-tooth chainring, a 33-tooth chainring, and a 44-tooth chainring. In the back, it could have an 12-tooth cog and a 24-tooth cog, among others. The 44, 24 combination is the same speed as the 22, 12 combination. This may not necessarily matter in practice, but it still means that the clue is garbanzo beans.

A theme for Monday!

17A Olympic event for which the world record stands at a little over 20 feet: POLEVAULT. This is a very impressive sport to watch live. The craziest moments are when the pole snaps.


23A Magic duo with a 20+ year act in Las Vegas: PENNANDTELLER. Amazing magicians. I saw them in London years ago.
37A “Spring forward” and “fall back” plan: DAYLIGHTSAVINGS. Years ago we voted to allow the state legislature to make it always daylight savings for California. I don’t know what’s become of that other than it not happening yet.
50A Added cost of buying soda: BOTTLEDEPOSIT. In California, CRV isn’t a deposit. Normally, you give a deposit with a recyclable container and get it back if you turn it in. In California, it isn’t that way. If you pay 10c, you might get 5c back. Maybe. But you have to go to a recycling center, and those are generally mad sketch. Adnd then they do it by weight instead of by quantity.

61A Guaranteed … or where you can find the ends of 17-, 23-, 37- and 50-Across: INTHEBANK. Vault, teller, savings, deposit. All bank terms.

Finished this one in 6:08.

DayThis WkBestAverage4-Wk AvgStreak
Monday6:083:499:256:3576
Tuesday5:2213:179:090
Wednesday7:3817:0411:3216
Thursday12:1228:4329:352
Friday16:2332:1521:0116
Saturday20:1234:2234:2516
Sunday15:1153:5646:413

NYT Crossword Puzzle 9-26-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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I pulled out 82A “What in the …!”: SONOFA because I figured this answer out with only the first letter filled out. I thought it an absurd answer, but based on how the NYTXW goes, it was worth keeping in.

The title of this puzzle is Study Breaks.

21A Function whose output is 45° when applied to 1: ARCTANGENT. Shown as AR(C)TANGENT.
26A Premium membership designation: ELITESTATUS. Shown as ELITESTAT(U)S.
42A It lets you see the sites: INTERNETCONNECTION. Shown as INTERNE(T)CONNECTION.
60A Holders of multiple passports: DUALCITIZENS. Shown as DUAL(C)ITIZENS.
74A First openly lesbian anchor to host a major prime-time news program: RACHELMADDOW. Shown as RACHE(L)MADDOW.
92A Ones fighting for change: POLITICALACTIVISTS. Shown as POLITICAL(A)CTIVISTS.
108A Hempseed product: CANNABISOIL. Shown as CANNABI(S)OIL.
119A Bringing up the rear: LASTINLINE. Shown as LA(S)TINLINE.

Metasolution 1: Classes

21A AR(C)TANGENT -> ART.
26A ELITESTAT(U)S -> STATS.
42A INTERNE(T)CONNECTION -> ECON.
60A DUAL(C)ITIZENS -> LIT.
74A RACHE(L)MADDOW -> CHEM.
92A POLITICAL(A)CTIVISTS -> CALC.
108A CANNABI(S)OIL -> BIO.
119A LA(S)TINLINE -> LATIN.

Metasolution 2: Circled letters!

CUTCLASS. Because these letters cut the classes.

Finished this one in 44:08.

DayThis WkBestAverage4-Wk AvgStreak
Monday6:043:499:256:3575
Tuesday5:2213:179:090
Wednesday8:517:3817:0411:3216
Thursday42:4612:1228:4329:352
Friday18:3016:2332:1521:0116
Saturday54:3720:1233:0234:2516
Sunday44:0815:1153:5646:413

NYT Crossword Puzzle 9-25-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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I pulled out 40A Shipping option for books: MEDIAMAIL because I used to sell books on half.com back in the day and shipped lots and lots of books media mail. Sure, the speed was slow, but (a) if the buyers wanted it faster, they’d have opted for expedited shipping, and (2) sometimes I wrapped the books in thick cardboard kinda like a present but in a Postal Service-acceptable way.

This puzzle was bananas. Really, bananas. I though things were all crazy until I saw the link at the bottom of the page:

18A Greek goddess of memory: MNEMOSYNE.
33A Site of the impact of the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago: CHICXULUBCRATER.

Finished this one in 54:37.

DayThis WkBestAverage4-Wk AvgStreak
Monday6:043:499:256:3575
Tuesday5:2213:179:090
Wednesday8:517:3817:0411:3216
Thursday42:4612:1228:4329:352
Friday18:3016:2332:1521:0116
Saturday54:3720:1233:0234:2516
Sunday15:1154:1547:432

NYT Crossword Puzzle 9-24-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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I pulled out 35A Quadrennial bonus: LEAPDAY because it reminded me of the party I went to on Leap Day 2020. The world was different then. We had heard of COVID, but we’d all been reassured that it was just like a bad flu. (As long as we’re careful, nothing can go too wrong.) That was a little more than two weeks before I proposed to Calah, my wife of 40 days.

No theme for a Friday.

Finished this one in 18:30–mostly on my phone!

DayThis WkBestAverage4-Wk AvgStreak
Monday6:043:499:256:3575
Tuesday5:2213:179:090
Wednesday8:517:3817:0411:3216
Thursday42:4612:1228:4329:352
Friday18:3016:2332:1521:0116
Saturday20:1233:0228:3515
Sunday15:1154:1547:432

NYT Crossword Puzzle 9-23-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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I pulled out 36A Blue Angels, e.g.: AEROBATS because first I had partially filled out the answer with AIR because planes and then I realized it was ACROBATS because acrobatic plane stuff. AEROBATS slowed me down. A lot. I had no idea was RYC was for 24D Alternative to white until I realized it was RYE.

I think this is the first theme I’ve really liked in a while.

67A Redacts, as sensitive information (suggested by three of this puzzle’s answers): BLACKSOUT. I figured this out pretty quickly, and that helped me finish the puzzle in about 19 minutes. Then came the error checking.

19A Insomniacs have them: SLEEPLESSNIGHTS. With SSN (social security number) blacked out.
38A Failing spectacularly: GOINGUPINFLAMES. With PIN (personal identification number) blacked out.
59A Members of a wartime skywatching corps: GROUNDOBSERVERS. With DOB (date of birth) blacked out. This one was by far the toughest for me. I mainly struggled to try to figure out what was left to hide beyond SSN and PIN.

Ultimately finished this one in 42:46.

DayThis WkBestAverage4-Wk AvgStreak
Monday6:043:499:256:3575
Tuesday5:2213:179:090
Wednesday8:517:3817:0411:3216
Thursday42:4612:1228:4329:352
Friday16:2332:4221:0215
Saturday20:1233:0228:3515
Sunday15:1154:1547:432

NYT Crossword Puzzle 9-22-21 Complete (contains spoilers)

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I pulled out 1A Indian wedding garb: SARI because I don’t know that that’s specifically just for weddings. I feel like it’s not. I mean how could I contest Grant Boroughs and infallible editor Will Shortz with such a fashion question, right?

Theme!

17A Much of Roy Lichtenstein’s work?: DOTCOMICS. You know, because Roy Lichtenstein spent much of his time on the internet with his quasi-pointillism(?) art.

From American Suburb X

28A Euclid’s “Elements,” Descartes’s “La Géométrie,” etc.?: MATHCLASSICS. Because they’re classics, and it’s math. And MATH CLASS.
38A Wacky shenanigans of a woodworker?: CAPENTERANTICS. First of all, woodworking and carpentry are different. Those who read my weekly woodworking blog know that I’m not writing about putting up frames for houses; rather, I’m writing about finer projects. I don’t know why the NYT is insistent on exposing how unsophisticated the crossword writers are. Just help them out, you know? Or maybe Will Shortz is just slipping and can’t edit a puzzle worth a damn anymore. But, yeah, carpenter ants. Antics. Whatevz.
46A Frights upon waking up from sunbathing naps?: FRYINGPANICS. Ugh. I mean I get that it’s a panic because did I get sunburned? But also it’s not a panic because you did. Grab the aloe. Drink water. And frying pan. Meh.
64A Things that dad likes to discuss?: POPTOPICS. Lazy.

Finished this one in 8:51.

DayThis WkBestAverage4-Wk AvgStreak
Monday6:043:499:256:3575
Tuesday5:2213:179:090
Wednesday8:517:3817:0411:3216
Thursday12:1228:2625:501
Friday16:2332:4221:0215
Saturday20:1233:0228:3515
Sunday15:1154:1547:432