Tradcarp

@Laurent You should be infinitely proud of the ability to do even a Monday puzzle in a foreign language. As a late coming beginner to learning French, I can’t imagine being able to do ANY crossword in your language. Bravo!

@Super8ing Didn’t know much about CEO salary, so I spent 5 minutes poking around the web. While that salary is correct, it seems that the profits from cookie sales stay at the local Girl Scout district level, so perhaps we can continue to enjoy our Tagalongs with a clear conscience? :-)

@Lpr I suppose I am to blame for this. Earlier this week I grew weary with all the “too easy/too hard”, “fair clue/not fair clue” rancor, which took a dark turn into mockery and satire about the skills of solvers that I found troubling. I despaired at the apparent loss of the congenial atmosphere of the bright folks who I had come to know here. CCed was kind enough to offer an alternative thread for when the regular comments turn dark. Maybe, as your comment suggests, we all can re-examine our collective tone and return to the polite solver family sharing comments on the puzzle and on their lives that I found so enjoyable. Peace.

@CCed Bum wrap is going to make me smile all day. And I was so sure about DDE as the prez that I left it in until the “Nice Try” message came up. Doh!

@Mike Where’s our pun? Don’t let one pompous fool get you down! We love you, Mike! I need your pun to start the day!

@Bob I believe you are referring to mortar

@Andrzej While I missed the discussion where criticism has been squelched, I hope that these “positivity trolls” won’t keep you from adding your voice in the future. I find your comments to bring such a diversity of perspective, full of cultural information and history from another continent. Not to mention my awe at your being able to even DO the puzzle in your non-native language and non-native country. Perhaps I’m a curmudgeon but I appreciate diversity of opinion and am wary of forums where all participants have drunk the purple koolaid. I think you have way more fans here than you know. Count me among them.

@John 100%. The first time I landed at the “new” terminal my jaw dropped. I couldn’t stop remarking what an unbelievable change it was. And to have accomplished the rebuild without closing down the airport was an amazing engineering feat. One of my new favorite airports to use!

@Andrzej I couldn’t agree more. And to find the setting to turn off that timer! It’s a pastime, not a blood sport! 😊

@CCed Even 5 years in, Fridays can be pretty challenging. This puzzle was the perfect level of crunchy and fun for me. I wish I hadn’t stuck with Oct-AVE for as long as I did. And I must have skipped class when HEGIRA was taught 😊 Off to enjoy a ridiculously warm (and windy) day in the Windy City. Peace

@CCed TIL that cotes are not just for doves, but for any domesticated animal! Very impressive construction that elicited an audible “wow” when I figured the trick out. What a pleasurable hour of solving! Peace

@Strudel Dad Unfortunately, I shared your experience. My family had an old and old-school dentist who didn’t believe in Novocain. I had six fillings drilled without any anesthetic. I stopped going to the dentist when I was 14 and told my mother that I was never going back. I can still close my eyes and picture every color, sound, and smell in that office. To finish on a better note, I went to a “modern dentist” at age 23 and although I had two more cavities, the experience couldn’t have been more pleasant. Modern medicine is not overrated.

@Bonnie Nestor Traditionally, baptismal fonts were in the entrance to the church, but not on the altar. The idea was that one had to be baptized before they could “enter” the church. As with most things traditional, many churches have evolved to move the baptismal font to the altar. More picturesque for photos and less walking for the clergy. :-)

@Vaer Me too, for a couple weeks now. I gave up and have started reading the “All” tab where the full thread is displayed. Clunky and time consuming, but it works.

@Steve L Thanks, Steve. That was helpful. Seems to me AHA and OHO are pretty close to the same. I’ll just have to get one A or one O and I will be home free :-)

@Jim McD Actually they do have a hub at JFK. Lots of domestic feed to international flights qualifies as a hub. Seen the size of Terminal 8 there? And you omitted Miami and LAX, which are also AA hubs. Emu, emu

@Andrzej Please don’t leave the comments community! Yours are some that I most enjoy and value. Your perspective from far afield is so needed. And the fact that you can do the NYT crossword in your non-native language is mind boggling to me. I struggle in the language I’ve spoken for 60+ years! I think many of us would like to join you for a baseball game, also. 😊

@SBK I’m confused by your answer. Was this a joke that I didn’t get? If not, can you provide a reference? Never heard of box as a collective noun

@Ms. Billie M. Spaight Why so much judgment?