Cathy

@AudreyLM I just asked Google Gemini to find eleven- and twelve-letter examples in this format, and it failed, even when I told it that it could use proper nouns, contractions, and abbreviations. It said it was "exceedingly difficult" to find any examples and seemed impressed when I suggested the examples from this puzzle. "Well done!" I also told Gemini that this was the theme of today's NYT crossword, relating these words to matryoshka dolls, and it said this was a "fantastic observation" and a "perfect connection" between the two concepts. When I pointed out that the puzzle was created by a human, it said that "the human demonstrated a unique form of creativity and intuition that, at present, is beyond what AI can consistently replicate in puzzle creation."

@Mike "He strikes me as being vein."

@Mike Don't be drawn in! He's a shady character...

@JBW Like a record, baby, right round round round...

@Jason They don't fall down! <a href="https://youtu.be/2dsj-wNvmWs?si=HNQItdDy9cKJFo6A" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/2dsj-wNvmWs?si=HNQItdDy9cKJFo6A</a>

@Marc A. Leaf I wondered, why E? T I L <a href="https://atlanticeyeinstitute.com/history-of-the-eye-chart" target="_blank">https://atlanticeyeinstitute.com/history-of-the-eye-chart</a>/

@Tim Don't be incenced! Just kidding. We also have organize vs organise, but not advize. I had to fight with auto-correct for that sentense, and I won.

@Andrzej I think Joe is saying it's ironic because if a team has NO OUTS things are going very well for them so far in the inning (meaning that it's their turn to bat and run and hopefully score). A player can get an out in several (many 😂) different ways, such as striking out or being thrown out, and occasionally those things happen in combination so that three players are out basically all at once during one player's turn to bat. Once the team has three outs, the inning is over and it's the other team's turn, so it's an instant end to what was going well at that point. So the team was required to have NO OUTS in order to lose their turn by getting three all at once. Perhaps ironic but also heartbreaking, potentially devastating, if it's your team.

@Chris J I had "EIO" in the middle and then figured it out, definitely did not pounce. Interestingly, the "supervocalic quintet" was 51D on Nov 19 so it did seem familiar. Coincidence? Reminds me of the recent Idaho clues...

@Joe Yes, as in precheck at the airport. Their logo looks like TSA Pre✓ so maybe it makes more sense if you see it written like that. I had STEADY instead of STEELY so that was near the end for me too.

@HeathieJ I just read this online, so it must be true, NO CAP: "By baptism, each of us is called to be a spiritual altar, for we are priestly people offering sacrificial praise and prayer in our hearts." So it could happen literally anywhere.

@Andrzej Estd is short for Established in this case, as in, the business was established in 2025.

@Andrzej In English it would sound strange to say "I left NO TIP" but it works for the puzzle. I would say "I didn't leave a tip." We also have this idiom: "leaves nothing (or a lot) to be desired," although I would say it's used more in print than spoken. As in, "the dinner was excellent; it left nothing to be desired."

@Justin Yes, I think she's correct, the non-hep parents would have been born in the 19th century.

@Sam Lyons "But crossword puzzles are keeping IDYL alive." ...and Spelling Bee

@Bill So beautiful, and you also reminded me of Mr. Bean, which made me laugh, thanks! "Ecce homo qui est faba..."

@Heidi Could you please write an otter verse with hamlet and samlet?

@The X-Phile I also had nUEEN. It's a planet, right? Planet Nueen, where Kylo Ren and Ayo Edebiri live.

@Dave It's useful as an acceptable Spelling Bee word. I try to remember it along with BABOON, BONOBO, and BONBON.

@TMD I think it's that PRE usually refer to something that comes before, as in prefix, but for T.S.A. PRE it comes after. I've never thought of that as being weird, though.

@Bill I highly recommend the album "Flatt and Scruggs at Carnegie Hall!" - 32 tracks with many great songs including Jed Clampett - it will make you smile!

@Chris After reading the comments, I was sitting here saying "squirrel" out loud in various pronunciations, and realized all of sudden that my dog was getting very worried 😂

@Jane Wheelaghan TIL that Debbie Downer is a Saturday Night Live character! I'll have to go back and watch some of those sketches. <a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Downer" target="_blank">https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Downer</a> The white cheddar cheez-its are pretty good, but if I were going to buy them I would go for the Annie's organic brand instead. They have alternatives including cheddar bunnies, yum, that might be available in the UK.

@Oikofuge Thank you for posting this lovely excerpt. My dad used to subscribe to the Compleat Angler fly-fishing catalog and I had no idea why it was spelled that way. We probably have the book too. Good memories.

@Andrzej I just realized that Steve probably meant that EST can ALSO stand for estimate, sorry if that was obvious.

@John As others have said, sleep can help. I wondered if this one would be possible, then fell asleep for five hours, woke up, and was able to finish even though still very difficult. So don't give up!

@Marty Should one wear JORTS with a MURSE? Or would that be a NEARFATAL error?

@Elijamin EDT is Eastern Daylight Time, in case you haven't looked it up yet. I had ANISE as well and took forever to let it go.

@Xword Junkie Welcome in! Have a good rest of your day! Mischeeevious

@Steve L I think that IS the irony, the contrast between the logical and the emotional, partly because it is rare.

@Jane Wheelaghan Fly cemetery reminds me of spotted dog (or spotted Richard for the emus)

@john ezra Yes and Wham! could be included in your list, and a single Car.

@MP Rogers Installation service... Guaranteed for six months or twelve miles... Hilarious, thank you! 😂

@Anonymous Agreed on the wavelength factor. According to xwstats, the last "hard" Saturday was on Feb 7, with similar Global Stats. I solved that one 12% faster than my average, while today's took twice my average. I really had to work for this one.

@dana Ask Eric Hougland...

@ExpatByChoice It seems to happen often, that the answer to a difficult Saturday clue will be a relatively common word. So earlier in the week you might get [German: mit :: French: ____] or [What's with that French guy?] I just looked up the US national anthem and it's no wonder we don't know the other verses either :)

@Oikofuge Hilarious article, partly because of the serious tone. I love that the judges tasted everything "in moderation" before AND after the hearing. 😂

@Richard Williams You can still go here for stats: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/puzzles/stats" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/puzzles/stats</a> I also have an android phone and have this site bookmarked. The new stats on the app seem okay, but I like to see the date of the fastest time so I still check the bookmark.

@Francis @SBK You might enjoy this piece: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/opinion/i-love-new-york-except-for-the-yankees.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/09/opinion/i-love-new-york-except-for-the-yankees.html</a>

@Oikofuge I had SKIHAT for a while, and so HONS, trying to make HONOR SOCIETY work somehow with the above ICEDTEA. Oof. After sleeping for a while I eventually saw the D and T across and then was able to fix everything else. I might also have seen it faster without any highlighting...

@Katie I'm reminded of this story in the New Yorker: <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1994/07/25/how-i-met-my-wife" target="_blank">https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1994/07/25/how-i-met-my-wife</a> I know it's been linked here before, always worth another laugh.

@Oikofuge If it's a tent that's too small is it a marqwee?

@Jeff Zapolsky I still use this link: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/puzzles/stats" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/puzzles/stats</a>

@Dale Rosenberg Greetings from a fellow Oakridger! You are seen! We almost had AMSE at 40A... 😂

If enough people buzzed loudly, would ADDY be allowed in Spelling Bee?

@Graphic With those statistics, I'm happy to be one of the fewer than 2000!