Once a Marine

"Getting to first base" was always a struggle for me as a kid baseball player or as a teen Romeo but I finished this Friday in 35:47 at age 81! There is hope!

High school math teacher, coach, and master of the crossword puzzle. Wonderful example of the dedicated education professionals who teach our children for too little money and almost no recognition. Shame on us!

Today cannot be Friday. I cannot do NYT Friday puzzles in less than 30 minutes. Without help no less! I'm 81 so maybe this is really Tuesday.

Holey Moley! What a great puzzle!

Amazing imagination at work here. Having been able to solve this tough puzzle as my 81st birthday looms means that my sentencing to the "home" has probably been delayed for a few years. Thanks for the reprieve Jesse!

Mr. Neuthaler writes of 40 tries before the NYT finally accepts this puzzle. He then goes on to tell us the lovely story of the crew which supports/solves his puzzle making efforts. The puzzle was a nice Tuesday but the story was the real gift. Thank you sir.

"Thither" reminded me of a high school classmate named Heather who, while waiting to go on stage in a school play, lost part of her costume. Without any hesitation another performer said, "come hither Heather thou has lost a feather." Clever puzzle in which the trees "stumped" me for quite a while.

Our new puppy "Tillie" fell asleep on my arm as I finished this delightful puzzle. The good news jingle did not wake her & the arm is already dotted with her "teething" nip marks. She's about 9 weeks old and will "sit" on command.

This was a Saturday? No way! I did it in 43:43 probably my bestest evah since starting the NYT puzzles in 1967! Maybe cause '43 is my birth year? I never hit a "dinger" but I know one when I see one. Mr. Norris, you hit this one outta the park!

Nice memories from today's puzzle. Three uncles were WWII vets and I remember fighting with my brother over a GI Joe doll. Later on 2 daughters had Barbie & Ken and Cabbage Patch kids. Christmas season always included a trip to NYC for visits to FAO Schwartz & Radio City Music Hall. Started the puzzle early this morning then ran out to take my wife to the train with maybe one or two blanks remaining. Returned after gym & grocery stops to find the clock still running. Personal Monday "high" of over 5 hours!

"IT" was a wonderful NYT debut. The image of Mr. Snitkin doing the hokey pokey in the kitchen with his three little kids really brightened up a dark & rainy Virginia day.

Fumbled around for much TOO LONG then stumbled to the finish in well over an hour. Dickens, Hugo and Rand were all on my teenager reading list when I was naive enough to think Ms. Rand had something meaningful to say. Marvelous puzzle!

One gold star to start the New Year off but oh so many to follow. Whoopee! Quick Wednesday but a nasty Thursday looms. Happy New Year!

Thanks Jeremy for my 1st "hole in one" in about 65 years of golf futility.

The image of people in a TSA line carrying pool cues and bowling balls is really funny. Would love to hear their explanations. This puzzle will stay in my head all day.

Breakfast with kids, grandkids & 3 dogs. Presents opened. Nice puzzle just finished. Nap approaching. Dinner to come with candles glowing. Not a bad day with family all safe in "America the Beautiful." Let's spend 2025 with less complaining & lots more helping. Merry Christmas to all...........!

Jed Clampett's "Texas Tea" finally got me going after a very slow start. Then Sena with an S became Cena with a C and BINGO! And let's hear it for all those Long Island teachers who dragged me across the high school finish line!

Started out with a huh? which quickly turned into an ah ha! Super silly & satisfying April Fools Day puzzle.

Hated it! Latinos is a country I grumpily asked? Then I peeked and came to love it. Maybe there is some hope.

This puzzle made me howl in broad daylight. No "moonshine" required. Too many blanks for me after the 1st pass but then Lon Chaney appeared out of the mist and 39 minutes later I had screamed my way to the finish. Thank you Mr. Cohn and please come back soon. I'll bring the garlic!

Great line from "Everyone Loves Raymond" in which we learn that when Ray & Robert were children Marie told them that the ice cream truck music meant "no ice cream left!" By the way, I have not gotten smarter so why do I keep thinking Saturdays have gotten easier?

Mostly easy for me Thursday unlike most Thursdays. Finally "wormed" my way to the stars and was happy to see Mr. Sagan gleaming there.

Wanted the rebus "up" to finish cough syrup for a long time. I've been doing these puzzles since 1966 and cannot remember one with missing last letters. Of course, at my age a good memory is just another memory.

Rebuses ain't my favorites but this one was a hoot. Heisman Trophies got me off and running and led me to a faster than usual Thursday finish. EI EI OH!

No "lightbulb" for me today but it was nice to learn something new about Lincoln.

Wanted "spose" to be "spect" for a minute or so. Otherwise this Wednesday gem was a pretty smooth critter . Thank you Ms. Bloomer & Mr. Chen.

Misspent youth: One of maybe a dozen "Sweet Sixteen" parties. Classmate not only got "pantsed" but his pants were raised on a flagpole for all to admire. Tough but fair Saturday struggle finished in just over an hour. Thinking of all the LA area puzzlers who may be too busy to be playing games this morning.

Does anyone remember "snipe hunts" at scout camp?

Even though the local weather forecast is for some "freezing rain" today, I never got the theme and struggled for quite a while. I was ready to be a grumpy old guy and shout 19 down at this Pandy person! However, once I realized that Hawke & Crowe was not Ethan, the gold star and music soothed the beast. Thank you Pandy person!

Thank you Ms. Sinclair for this Valentine treat. My "One Love" returns from NYC this afternoon. "Canoodling" just might break out!

A horse "hand" measurement is 4 inches and I don't remember why I know that.

Bob voyage Deb! We will miss you.

Fun Saturday for me and very unlike my usual Saturday struggle. I almost hated to see it end. Got off to a good start & at about 3/4 through went to my granddaughter's softball game(they won handily). Got home and finished with our new puppy's help and no puppy nips.

"Tanks" for the memories Mr. Cheng!

I never thought the NYT would go to "POT" in my lifetime. Fun puzzle!

"Frog Legs" & the Du Midi restaurant on East 48th Street in NYC was always a treat when my wife and I could afford evenings in the "Theater District." Opened in 1949 but now gone and we never once said PTUI about the food. Lovely Thursday puzzle which brought back some nice memories.

Three OLES! for the Farm Workers of America and Senor Chavez! One Ole for me for "3 Friday solves in a row" as reported by the current NYT puzzle bosses who have "micromanaged" my solving records since February of 1967. Thank you Carolyn for a fun start to the weekend.

Loved it! Finished in just over three hours due to interruptions: feeding, walking and playing with our new Cockapoo puppy in a house filled with family here or the weekend to catch our catcher granddaughter's softball tournament. The proper name theme was ingenious, fun and right in my wheelhouse unlike most Sunday puzzle challenges. I'm listening to Bill Withers as I type.

Two delightful puzzles in a row in '24 but a nasty Saturday lurks in our future! No mas! No mas!

Apparently being an old guy stuck in the past on a lap top can still pay off. After figuring out ___and___ the rest was a pleasant and pretty quick Thursday solve. Several deep breaths all around maybe?

I miss Cpl. Agarn & Sgt. O'Rourke & Wrangler Jane and the wonderfui Hekowis who did not know where the heck they were. Nice Monday start. Nice Monday start Mr. Young. Thanks!

Best wishes to Mr. Short for a rapid recovery. Thank you Ms. Novak for your charming Monday debut. Please return to us soon.

Wow! What a tough and interesting Saturday. Finishing it has made my day! Rest of the day should be no sweat.

This Saturday was a delight with plenty of clever cluing and Simone & Meara were right in my old guy wheelhouse. They opened the way for a rare weekend under an hour solve. Think I will "hibernate" till Sunday rolls in. Thank you Ms. Lin. Please come back soon and bravo on your "full house!"

Eyes right! Where did I hear that before? EYE loved this one! New puppy in the house so all EYES have been on her! Looking forward to this team's next production!

I thought this puzzle was"K" but could not force myself to put the correct #s in the proper boxes. I'm not familiar with his 24KMagic album but I cannot be the only octogenarian who enjoys Bruno's music.

Thanks Mr. Collins for this very tough but but enjoyable Saturday struggle. Nothing but blanks first pass through but then I remembered that someone named Paulina was a famous model and things opened up. 1:19:44 later including a walk with the puppy the bugle finally sounded.