Tag Archives: NYT Crossword

NYT Crossword 12-5-22 Complete (contains spoilers)

I pulled out 15A Last car on classic trains: CABOOSE because it reminded me of the time I went to the CMSt.P&P railyard in Cle Elum, Washington. I’ve written about it before, but as a reminder, I was in Cle Elum for the financial audit of a resort, and I got to see this park that had a bunch of old cabooses. Some had platforms to walk up to them, and I tried the doors without success. Only years later–when I was writing the blog post about it–did I learn that the doors I had been trying were the doors to hotel rooms. I don’t know if anyone was in those hotel rooms on the snowy December day, but that was a thing I did.

Theme!

16A ‘Bama rival: OLEMISS.
25A Bit of banking documentation: DEPOSITSLIP.
39A Cause of many California earthquakes: SANANDREASFAULT.
50A N.B.A. commissioner starting in 2014: HONEYBOOBOO.

62A “Oopsie!”… and a hint to the ends of 18-, 25-, 39- and 50-Across: MYBAD. MISS, SLIP, FAULT, BOOBOO.

Finished this one in 4:24.

DayThis WkBestAverage4-Wk AvgStreak
Monday4:243:494:247
Tuesday4:25
Wednesday7:38
Thursday12:12
Friday10:29
Saturday16:33
Sunday15:11

NYT Crossword Puzzle 2-18-22 Complete (contains spoilers)

I pulled out 4D Japanese watch brand: SEIKO because I have picked up watch repair as a hobby. I have been gravitating toward Citizen and Seiko that I can get for not that much and then work on them. Recently I bought two used Seiko watches that looked great in the pictures. They were described as not functioning, though that can just mean needs a battery. I opened one of them up and saw that the battery had leaked.

The leak got into the movement, so it seized. Yes, it turned a Seiko into a seizedko. I researched the Seiko 8123 movement (coincidentally I finished this puzzle in 18:32) to see how I could do a straight swap. But they no longer make the 8123 movement. I kept looking and found two possible replacements. The Seiko 7N43 movement is the same size and has one jewel, compared to the 8123’s five jewels. The 7N43 also has SAB/SAT in blue like the 8123 has. But then there’s the Hattori VX43 that has zero jewels and doesn’t have the SAB/SAT in blue. For cheaper the 7N43, I got a busted watch that has a 7N43 movement. There was an inscription on the back of the watch: “CHARLES STANLEY MARSHALL GOD’S SAINTLEY [sic] GIFT TO ALL HE MEETS.” I’m waiting for the battery to arrive, but if it doesn’t, I’ll replace the movement with a VX43.

No theme for this Friday puzzle.

Finished this one in 18:32.

NYT Crossword Puzzle 2-2-22 Complete (contains spoilers)

I pulled out 29A One in peak singing condition?: YODELER because I actually think that was pretty good.

Also here’s Jewel yodeling:

Theme!

18A With 20-Across, goes to great lengths: BENDS
20A BACKWARDS to make BENDS over BACKWARDS.

35A With 39-Across, superior: ACUT
39A THEREST to make A CUT above THE REST.

36A THEBELT
41A With 36-Across, plays dirty: HITS to make HITS below THE BELT.

55A THE BRIDGE
60A With 55-Across, no longer an issue: WATER to make WATER under THE BRIDGE.

Finished this one in 12:49.

NYT Crossword Puzzle 1-24-22 Complete (contains spoilers)

I pulled out 8D Breakout movie role, say: STARTURN because I’ve never heard this term before. Maybe I have, and maybe it was a crossword answer before. If so, I’ve solved it only from the cross words.

Theme!

16A It doesn’t need time to rise before baking: QUICKBREAD.
29A One of two “royal” sleeping options: QUEENBED.
35A Social crafting event: QUILTINGBEE.
42A ATV with four tires: QUADBIKE.

59A Key member of a football team, in brief … or a feature of 16-, 29-, 35- and 42-Across?: STARTINGQB.

Nyah-nyah, Tom Brady. LFGR.

Finished this one in 6:23.

NYT Crossword Puzzle 1-23-22 Turns of Phrase Complete (contains spoilers)

I pulled out 18A Scorpion, for one: ARACHNIDS because I hadn’t realized that scorpions are arachnids. I had thought that scorpions only have six legs.

From Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo.

But as is clear from this picture, scorpions have eight legs. Wow is that an ugly animal.

The title of this puzzle is Turns of Phrase.

21A Artists sketching pectorals?: DRAWERSOFCHESTS.
33A Vow to remain mum about hotel guests’ secrets?: HONOROFMAIDS.
52A Small distance covered by a naval armada?: FOOTOFFLEET.
73A Boxer lacking a left hook?: MANOFRIGHTS. Extra funny because man of right or mano frights?
89A What brass band music has?: PLENTYOFHORN.
107A Tree feature in winter?: ABSENCEOFLEAVES.
14D What a dog walker and a strong-willed pooch might vie for?: COMMANDOFCHAIN.
45D The Bee Gees’ Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb?: BROTHERSOFBAND.

It’s a turn of phrase of a turn of phrase. You gotta turn the turn of phrase around to get the turn of phrase we know to be the way the phrase is turned.

21A DRAWERSOFCHESTS -> CHESTS OF DRAWERS.
33A HONOROFMAIDES -> MAIDS OF HONOR.
52A FOOTOFFLEET -> FLEET OF FOOT.
73A MANOFRIGHTS -> RIGHTS OF MAN.
89A PLENTYOFHORN -> HORN OF PLENTY (CORNUCOPIA).
107A ABSENCEOFLEAVES -> LEAVES OF ABSENCE.
14D COMMANDOFCHAIN -> CHAIN OF COMMAND.
45D BROTHERSOFBAND -> BAND OF BROTHERS.

Finished this one in 33:57.