Waking up to the news this morning was not a very pleasant experience. My thought are with you, America.
@Sonja Kiitos, indeed it is a dark day in American history. Hang on, it's going to be a bumpy ride.
Not to take away from Mr Aaronson, who made an absolutely lovely puzzle that aired on a very unfortunate day. Thank you for providing at least some respite, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Woke up to find 1A starting the puzzle and in charge of the country.
Lovely crossword, clever theme. I’m sick to my stomach for your country. I just can’t understand why? Why? It’s 2016 and Brexit again. I can never forgive the lies that were told that people fell for. 8 years later you struggle to find anyone to admit they voted Leave. Its destroyed the UK. I fervently hope today’s choice won’t do the same to the USA.
Should have had a Sunday sized puzzle as a longer distraction tonight…
I woke up, turned on the news and was instantly completely depressed. It helped a bit to have this fine puzzle to concentrate on. I really enjoyed gradually seeing how the fun theme emerged. An excellent puzzle and just right for a Wednesday I think. Well done Adam
I enjoyed solving this puzzle and thought the theme was quite clever. There were quite a few amusing clues as well. I don't know much about unions so I don't know if solving this puzzle is crossing a picket line or if it will affect anything one way or the other, but too late now I guess. I don't have much enthusiasm right now, I have a feeling I'm going to sink into a deep depression tomorrow (and I'm not even from the US!)
@Janine Got an extra room or two? Think Canada’s about to have an explosion of entry applications.
What no comments? Is there some big event going on in the US tonight or something?
@Ant Hmmm .... I read somewhere that something is going on..... There's also the strike. I just saw this as well. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/04/business/media/new-york-times-strike.html?smid=nytcore-android-share" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/04/business/media/new-york-times-strike.html?smid=nytcore-android-share</a>
I just can't. This would have been fun on any other day, but I'm just miserable right now.
A tough puzzle on a very tough night. Riffling through all the possible fills was so much better than trying to deal with all the possible vote outcomes—a tough slot to fill, a Wednesday puzzle that dropped on this second Tuesday in November, one that feels like a BLACK SABBATH. My deepest thanks, Adam Aaronson, for a fine, engaging puzzle that offered some welcome relief from this unremitting gloom.
@dutchiris After reading the comments, I see that I should not have been so focused on what was happening nationally and paid more attention to what was happening here. My sympathy to the tech workers who make all this possible, and my apologies for not observing your picket line.
@dutchiris I’m going to rage-quit this country. See you in Lillehammer.
A gem of a puzzle. I'm sorry for the constructor that it had to come on such a dark day.
I love this oasis we have here. Fun puzzle. Sleep deprived so I had 3 typos to speck out, but an otherwise lovely jaunt. Hoping for peace and calm for each and every single one of you. 🐸 ribbit.
@CCNY I was thinking the same thing. Peace to you as well.
Well, at least there are crosswords. Coming into a grave new world, at least there are crosswords… Oh, I really adored this language quirk theme. What finds! Furthermore, I loved reading Adam’s notes, learning how much brain work and time went into coming up with these theme answers and perfect revealer – the sign of an artist, the sign of one who is not satisfied with anything less than excellence. There is beauty and inspiration in that. This puzzle gifted me with a lovely interlude at the perfect time. Balm. Adam, it was so good to see you again in the Times after an absence of almost two years, as I love your puzzles. Thank you so much for this jewel!
I’ve been avoiding election coverage, preferring to get the news in the morning, so I’ll break the ice. I enjoyed the answer within an answer feature in this pleasant Wednesday exercise. I wanted green roll to be wad, had to settle for SOD. I was happy to see the lovely and vociferous MEADOWLARK feature in one of the theme answers. Sadly, these cheery denizens of open fields are becoming scarcer as open fields become scarcer.
@Marshall Walthew Me, too. Scared to look at election coverage. Puzzle was too easy to keep me away until the polls close in California. Very enjoyable, maybe the Mini will fill my time until 8 pm PST.
The puzzle was fun, thanks. The US elections, not so much. :(
Nice and easy Wednesday puzzle including my favorite hard rock band. Looks like with the two first across answers the constructor has predicted the election result...
@Harri also 3D, 56D, maybe 7D and 15D, 12D for sure, 35D perhaps?
@Harri Torille! Your comment made me chuckle, fully agree with the sentiment. Terveisiä naapurista :)
@Harri Oh, you're a big fan of EUROPE? (It's the Final Countdown!) I'm kidding, BLACK SABBATH may have been the first cassette I bought with my own money. I never got to see them live, but I did see Ozzy, solo. (No bats were harmed.)
Came here to say: 1. Love this community 2. I hope they will leave most of your comments stand. It's doing my heart good to read them. 3. Puzzles, esp. NYT puzzles, are my #1 refuge from life and I'm not giving that up for anything. Even for a few days.
Hi all — I'd like to ask that you limit any political commentary to the political articles on the site (of which there are many today). I know that that's not easy to do, given how vital this space has become to the community of Times Crossword solvers, but it's likely that comments here expressing political views will be either filtered out or flagged for removal. Thanks for your kindness and understanding; let's keep this a hopeful place to be.
@Sam Corbin Many, if not most, of us do not have a subscription to the broader NYT site. As a community of intelligent people who interact via these comments daily, it is a shame that NYT is going to censor us.
@Sam Corbin While I appreciate your sentiments, this comments section is a community -- and many of us are grieving today. It would be a disservice to the community to filter out our ability to share our deep feelings with each other.
@Sam Corbin Want to talk about "keep[ing] this hopeful place to be". Start analyzing who gets away with what in this "community". There is a cadre of privileged commenters who get away with anything, and when we respond to those commenters, those comments get deleted. This is far from a "kind" and "hopeful" place.
@Sam Corbin Here’s the thing: the belief that you can compartmentalize this is wrong. This is the slippery slope and you are encouraging “all” to be the ostrich sticking its head in the sand. Trying to treat this as unconnected from the other things in our lives that matter to us has enabled this. It is only going to get worse if we continue to try to normalize this by shifting it to an “other” category. Shame on anyone who enables this by doing that. Play your games, watch your movies, consume your drugs, whatever, and you are enabling the fourth reich. Shame on you.
A puzzle with the flavor of BLACK SABBATH, devilishly clever as it is. Feeling MOPEY today, with a definite urge to POUT! Grateful, like several who have already commented, for a community attuned to the beauty, subtlety and power of language, used in other forums to enhance critical thinking and and deepen the understanding of humanistic values. That's the LONG AND SHORT OF IT!
I'm going to try rewriting the conclusion of my other post in the most innocuous way possible, to see if it finally posts after eight other attempts... ___ The main reason I'm still solving and commentingis that I have already bought the right to do so. I only do harm to myself if I don't use it. Let's say I bought a well-known electric car. And then, because the famous owner of the company decides to support a man who stands for everything I stand against; do I stop using my car in protest? Would I be punishing that guy? Who am I harming by not using it? Even if the factory workers walked off their job, would it make sense for me to punish myself? Especially since I doubt my actions would even be noticed. Everyone else, you do you. I'll do me. Self-interest seems to be in fashion these days, especially when there's nothing to be gained by self-denial.
@Steve L Here's the first part: I'll begin by articulating my approval of this puzzle, which contains a theme I don't recall ever having seen before. We've had words within words, but not that answer the clue just as well as the larger word, i.e. two examples in the same category. I wish I were as sanguine about last night's results. I wonder how over 50% of the country has collective amnesia and doesn't consider moral bankruptcy--if not actual bankruptcy--a disqualifier for the position of President. And I wonder why that same majority would choose that person over his opponent--are they still unwilling to elect a female president? How much of a handicap was her being a minority? Whatever, this country seems intent upon voting against their own best interests. But let's move onto the minor controversy on all the commenters' minds: how to react to the NYT tech workers' strike. I for one will continue to solve the puzzles and participte. Why? First of all, I very sincerely doubt that my absence--or the absence of every person who said they would abstain--will have any effect whatsoever on the outcome of the strike. Note how little effect--none, actually--all the pleading had when it was announced that the Acrostic would be discontinued online. Your "voice" is just not that noticeable. In fact, if anything, more traffic could lead to issues developing that might prove the worth of those workers, more so than less traffic would.
@Steve L Just guessing, but for many, abstaining from the puzzle is a symbolic gesture in support of the union. It's a morality kind of thing. Would you renew your subscription if it expired tomorrow?
Wish i could have enjoyed this, but our nation suffered a major set back yesterday and i am in mourning,
@Norwood It was more than a setback. It was a wholesale repudiation of everything America is supposed to stand for.
Nice puzzle. Very clever. I'd like to go on, especially about OPE, but I can't. Sorry that this really nice, clever puzzle fell on a day where I can't muster up any enthusiasm.
@HeathieJ I know just what you mean. Same here.
@HeathieJ We're all muzzled now, unless you want to taunt: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/shared/comment/430n3i?rsrc=cshare&smid=url-share" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/shared/comment/430n3i?rsrc=cshare&smid=url-share</a> Perfect response for a day like today.
ko and I are spending the day wallowing in misery and self pity. We will add a POUT or two. Thank you Adam. Nice puzzle
3 more hours until a 6 year streak bites the dust. It’s small potatoes, but there’s a lot of work and sweat and perseverance in there. Nevertheless, I’m a lifelong union member, and I don’t cross picket lines.
@bratschegirl -- Bit over eight years for me. I'm hoping the strike ends soon, then I can fill in the unfilled grids in order, and maybe the streak will stand? Some people here in the past have said that that works. But if not, c'est la vie.
@Lewis I’ve noticed that as long as I complete the puzzles in order and don’t open a new puzzle before finishing the oldest one my streak will stand. For example if I finished yesterday’s puzzle today and don’t open today’s puzzle my streak is saved.
I'm not starting my new streaks until after the strike, but dang, I sure could use some puzzles to keep me from falling into despair.
@Jim -- According to Rex Parker, if you solve the puzzle in the hard copy newspaper, or use a third party app, you are not crossing the picket line, since the strike only involves the digital realm.
@Jim There are always the printed NYTCP collections available on Amazon.
I see a lot of puzzles in my next 4 years.
Managed to get through this one, though I never really caught on to the trick. No big deal. Not surprised that I'm not alone in not being terribly interested in the puzzle this morning. And... I also see that I'm not the first one to mention the possibility of moving to Canada. Anyway... a couple of puzzle finds today. Here's one of them: A Sunday puzzle from July 15, 2012 by Randolph Ross with the title: "A" trip around the world. First theme clue and answer: "Four stops on "A" trip around the world :" AFRICASIARGENTINARUBA And all the theme answers had the clue: "Three more stops." The other theme answers: AMERICARIZONALBANIA ALGERIALABAMARCADIA ALBERTALAMEDASTORIA ALTOONARMENIARALSEA ANTARCTICALASKANTIGUA Here's the Xword Info link: <a href="https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=7/15/2012&g=26&d=A" target="_blank">https://www.xwordinfo.com/Crossword?date=7/15/2012&g=26&d=A</a> ...
I aced this puzzle in 34 minutes. What? I haven't yet read the description nor understand the some of the clues. Shocked by being the 16th commenter. I'm avoiding knowing the outcome of the election by doing puzzles, although I did cry a little tonight for the world.
There was a cabaret and there was a Master of Cerеmonies. It was the end of the world And I was dancing with Sally Bowles and we were both fast asleep...
Thank you for the delightful puzzle today. Lovely theme. This was a refreshing distraction from what has likely been on all of our minds this morning.
Oh, in re the moratorium on political commentary on the Wordplay column, I did start to vent in response to one of the conservative opinion columnists (McCarthy) but eventually I cancelled it. To paraphrase Gerald Ford "our long national nightmare is just beginning" and no amount of venting is going to change that!
So clever! No wonder it took literally years and both human and technical data processing. That's two really impressive puzzles in the same week. My footer is already straining at the seams. /sorry, rest of the world ____________________ Jesse Goldberg 8/28/2024 for Puzzle of the Decade Evan Kalish 11/5 Runner-Up for 2024 (emu filler)
Most excellent Wednesday in a long while, nicely done Mr. Aaronson. My mind may have been elsewhere, but this was 6 minutes over my average.
That may be the sun setting in the picture, and I hate the news, but the fire ball came back up today, and it still SHINES. (truly)
Good morning. Loving this theme-y week! Thank you for this lovely puzzle. Bright spot on a dark day. Re: the strike. I'm not boycotting because I pay yearly, and my subscription runs through next summer. The only person who would suffer if I stopped doing the puzzles is me. If the strike is going on when my renewal comes up, I'll re-think it.
A challenging Wednesday, thanks for the much-needed distraction!
I'm thinking what devil is an "ollid"? And what does "alo" have to do with Toblerone chocolate. I was beginning to despair when it occured to me that "mopey" is a synonym for my original choice "moody"and magically "ollie" (a skateboard maneuver) and "alp" (a Swiss peak) transformed my "sullen" humor into one of triumph.
Very clever and fun puzzle. You can't spell BLACK SABBATH without ABBA. I'll just leave this "Into the Void"/"Take a Chance on Me" mash-up here. It's as creepy as you might imagine: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN8AZY5dOJA" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN8AZY5dOJA</a>
@Justin omg this is amazing! I never saw this mashup. I love both bands to death
Nice puzzle! ...If you don't have Adam Aaronson at the very top of your list of notable NYT constructors, then you simply don't know how to alphabetize. 😎
Anyone know what's up with OPE? I thought I was well traveled enough and weird enough to at least recognize most of the nation's idioms, but I've never heard this one. Glad to have the puzzle this strange and unsettling morning.
D. Miele, OPE, Sorry. Hope this helps: <a href="https://www.thenorthwestern.com/story/life/2020/05/04/ope-sorry-deeper-look-into-midwests-favorite-expression/3003713001" target="_blank">https://www.thenorthwestern.com/story/life/2020/05/04/ope-sorry-deeper-look-into-midwests-favorite-expression/3003713001</a>/
@Barry Ancona Thanks for that article. I wondered about OPE also, having lived in the Chicago area for much of my adulthood, before eventually returning to my home state. We learn so many interesting things from crosswords and from our fellow solvers.
The thought that not doing puzzles will save the union is delusional in more ways than one today.
@Jennifer I could not disagree more. I don’t know where you work, but if your boss starts mistreating you I’ll stop shopping there.
@Jennifer It’s possible it may help the guild. Management tracks the daily usage rate, you can be sure. If there is a significant dropoff, theycould be concerned that customers may not renew, or even cancel, their subscriptions to what is a huge money maker for them. A bit indirect, but possibly effective.
I’m impressed that you wrote a program to help up you with the clues and persevered for years. Kudos to you.
I'm glad Adam had the patience to sit with this theme until he perfected it. The supporting fill makes me think he knew what was going to happen. I was hoping that this Billy Bragg song would have lost its relevance, but no such luck: <a href="https://youtu.be/0K7gyTQuuls?si=bz4mmeMMM60fNRLx" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/0K7gyTQuuls?si=bz4mmeMMM60fNRLx</a>
Aw, everybody's so MOPEY today. I just wish I'd been watching MSNBC when they had to call Pennsylvania. That had to have been a crushing BLOW. In July of 1975, I was standing on the beach on Cape Cod, looking up into the night sky. Sure enough, we were able to see the docked APOLLO and Soyuz, as they sailed overhead in low-Earth orbit. (TIL that the display at the NASM is mostly a model.)
@Grant "I just wish I'd been watching MSNBC when they had to call Pennsylvania." Apparently the call for civility and politeness doesn't extend to taunting from the right.
That was a fun theme. The puzzle was a bit heavy on geography but some of us like it that way. And I suspect I'm not the only one who who answered the Steve Kornacki clue while watching him on TV.
Hermit thrush! Hermit thrush in the deep woods of the north. <a href="https://youtu.be/o0mATRdzZSc?si=RPibsVP2vMTdVOcN" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/o0mATRdzZSc?si=RPibsVP2vMTdVOcN</a>
@David Connell (and Sam Corbin) Loons, of course, but for some reason I feel compelled to answer the call of the Phoebe, every time I hear it. "FEE-bee, FEE-bee."
@David Connell - I see comments about ope and its clue today. It is akin to nope, yep, and others in that the final p is unreleased. The sound ends with a closed mouth. This is why BZZT and PSST are spelled as they are (lots of folks hated on the former): the sound is stopped and not released. That unreleased sound is extremely expressive, and reflecting it in writing is equally expressive. No and nope are distinct; yeh/yeah and yep are distinct. There are definable differences between them. The unreleased plosive expresses finality, decisiveness, confidence, strongly held opinion. Mm-hmm. Uh-hunh. Unh-hunh. Nuh-unh. Nuh-hunh. Naw. Nah. No. Nope. Nowise. Nohow. Gradation.
Enjoyable puzzle on a dark day. Can someone please explain 56D though?