Alexander L

I hold a graduate degree in Linguistics from Yale University. People should be aware that the word "octopus" is Greek, not Latin (oktopous in classic Greek). Its plural is therefore "octopodes." Not "octopi" which uses a Latin plural form (like alumnus:alumni). So, using the most common form of creating plurals in English, namely adding an "s" or "es" is completely acceptable. How many people on this list participate in on-line forums? How many of these forum participants call them "forae"? English usage commonly uses the "s" form to create plurals of foreign words, even when the word is already plural. Anyone heard somebody cringe at the word "candelabras"? Well, candelabra is already the plural of "candelabrum," so it's a "double plural." How about "tortellinis"? Or "antennas"? Or "formulas"? It should be "formulae" and "antennae," but who ever says that? Let's let "octopuses" and "octopi" live together comfortably in the English language, at least until some pedant insists on people using the correct plural form --"octopodes."

I'm amused by commenters rants, because a week ago or so, these were among those complaining about puzzles that make you put two (or more) letters in a single square (rebuses). Here is the exact opposite. making a single letter spread over two squares. I think it's time we all learned to think outside of the box! I find both approaches equally valid and challenging. Besides, the puzzle's title "Double Digits" clearly points out that one should look for doubled entries.

I thought the puzzle was brilliant. Best Thursday puzzle (which I expect to be tricky) I have seen. I quickly solved 1D, 2D, 4D, 6D and 15D, which made it clear what *allot time was. Aha! The star stands for a missing "b." I thought that that meant that every starred clue should start with a "b." But wait... The only *acre on an ocean floor that I know is "nacre, so I was able to figure out that the star in a clue could be a "b" or an "n." Simple solve, without even reaching the revealer. BTW, people should get used to answers such as "BANB," which is not a word, but meant to be parsed "B AND B," which is not three words, either. But, please, get a life! I am dismayed by the number of negative comments

There must be a lot of people new to playing NYT puzzles, which is, of course, good, but-- they should know some basics: 1. Thursday puzzles are meant to be the tricky ones. Mondays are the easiest; Saturdays the hardest; Sundays the longest. 2. On Thursdays, learn to think outside the box. You will have puzzles where you have to put more than one letter inside one square -- these are called rebuses. They are so much a part of crossword culture, that the NYT online version actually has a "Rebus" option right above the puzzle. you press that and then you can type in more than one letter into one square (sometimes as many as five or even more!). And this week we had a puzzle in which you had to stretch one letter across two squares. Looking above or below for the missing letter is par for the course. 3. People who want straight-forward puzzles, with one letter per box and no tricks can buy a booklet of them at the checkout line at the grocery store for $0.99. Oops, I mean $5.99 now--or more. Tricky puzzles give you an extra challenge that makes them fun.

Very nice puzzle. The obvious Oscarstatue clued me into needing a rebus. Brave New Word and Braveheart were also obvious. Rebuses should never be a put-off for anyone. Why would the NYT puzzle (online version) have a special "Rebus" key if it wasn't a common puzzle requirement?

This was a toughie. The long answers didn't come easily and the cluing was tricky. An excellent and challenging Saturday puzzle.

I loved the puzzle, and I love rebuses (except when I can't figure out the exact way to enter them. I figured out pretty soon that in the answers had missing letters, which were either E or I, depending on the orientation of the answer (thank you VIVINLIGH). I also figured out that the crossword allows you to just put in an "I" for each of the EI/IE pairs--meaning you can just ignore the missing "E"s. Great fun. And a boo to all people who don't have enough imagination to deal with missing letters. I, too, have been frustrated by not having the imagination to solve the Wall Street Journal Friday Crossword Contest Puzzles, which make you solve for a "meta" in some incomprehensible (to me) way.

I had a bit of trouble understanding how Galaxies can be Androids, when I had just been holding one in my hand. DOH!

I wonder about everyone who says a "B" or an "N" can't count as a word. Letters of the alphabet have plurals. Everybody (hopefully) says: My daughter got all A's. Even if she got B's or C's. :)

Quite tough, but fair. I had trouble sticking my toe in to open the door, but then it became easier. I had "MAUVES" for eye-shadows for a while. I, too, know the difference between strategy and tactics, but it's OK. TIL "STIMMING" and the etymology of "SKI." So a "Russki" is a Russian piece of wood.

I thought it was a great puzzle and a lot fun. Easy to solve because the theme answers were quite long, but once you got a few of the letters, you could fill in the rest. My problem is with the clue for 46D. It seems to break the rule that no part of the clue's wording could be the answer. And yet, there it was. Why would that not be caught by the editors?

For those who enjoyed Dave Brubeck's video with the piece in the odd time signature of 5/4, I suggest you listen to the Second Movement of Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony -- the classiest piece in 5/4 time. Also. listen to Mussorgsky's Promenade in Pictures at an Exhibition.

Addition to comments: English language mauling of foreign words: French: Mercy buckets. Spanish: Much grass. Russian: Yellow Blue Bus. The last was how an American visiting Russia asked his friend how to say "I love you" in Russian, which phonetically is "Ya lyblyu Vas." "Yellow-Blue Bus" is close enough for a first date.

I thought this was an original, challenging puzzle. I know that there are some who will consistently rant about rebuses, but they have been a part of NYT crosswords for a very long time. Goodness! In the online version, there is, above the puzzle, even a "Rebus" key which allows you to enter multiple letters into one square, It wouldn't be there, if it were not meant to be used, when needed. I, as someone who holds a Yale graduate degree in linguistics, am a bit surprised at the pedants who protest against plural forms, such as TOGAE or OKRAS. In crossword puzzles, alternative spellings are permitted, as are various plural forms, some grammatically correct in an ancient language, and others used in common speech. No one would be surprised if someone came home and said "I was at the store and bought three okras." And, although the form "togas" is fine in contemporary English (which favors plurals ending in "-s" or "-es" even when it's redundant), using a Latin plural for a Latin word is perfectly fine, as well. We do say "algae," don't we? So, let's revel in both forms, and not call one incorrect.

Yes, I, too, have to confess to having seen too much Shel Silverstein in Playboy Magazines (which I should not have been reading at that age), to consider him as a kid's author.

Knowing foreign languages helps. "Sergeant" in French is "Sergent" In German, it's "Sergeant" In Russian, it's "Serzhant" I think, in America, we are fooled by the ubiquitous shortening of the word to "Sarge."

I am surprised by the number of commentators complaining about about MERER. NYT and WSJ puzzles often use "created words." which are never used in normal speech. Examples: User of an obsolete unit of measure: Cubitser Writer about a mythical creature: Dragoner Old-fashioner writer: Quiller Maker of an ancient Greek vessel: Amphoraner Devoted to a mythical being: Sphinxer Writer about a mythical hero: Sager Writer about a mythical creature: Centaurer

Lovely puzzle. several long answers came easily and filled in a lot of squares, making the crosses simple to solve.

Well, I am frustrated. I completed the puzzle in an under-average time, and rechecked all my answers, but no congratulations message appeared. I rechecked my answers four or five more times, making sure there were no zeroes in place of "O's." Finally, I threw in the towel and pressed "Reveal," expecting to show I square that I had somehow missed. Instead, when I pressed "Reveal," up came the "Congratulations" screen. It did not mark any errors, and I changed nothing. But when I checked the Crossword Archives, it showed that I had not earned my Gold Star, and my lengthy streak of solved puzzles was broken. Wow, am I upset by this bug, or glitch or whatever. Yes, I know it's just a puzzle, but I am sure many solvers pride themselves on their solving streaks. Oh, well--that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Very nice puzzle. Great theme. While solving, I noticed a lot more "X"s than usual. An 8-point Scrabble letter. Is there a way to find out which NYT crossword had the most "X"s? And does anybody out there really know what a 33A is? Never have seen or heard it before.

Loved the puzzle. Tough cluing and a lot of misdirections, but that's what I expect from a Saturday NYT crossword. Couldn't get Boom Roasted, without the crosses. I knew about the Incan Glyphs , but never heard them called Nazca Lines. Nazca Glyphs, Nazca drawings, yes. Oh well. I learned today that Wookiee was spelled with two ee's. OK. I probably have never seen it spelled out.

I believe the 13A clue should not have been allowed. To have an answer to the clue "Where to find one's UCL" start with a "U" violates the rule that no part of the clue should be repeated in the answer. This is similar to the NYT puzzle published on February 24, 2024. The clue was "Hint to the number of ingredients in Trisquits" and the answer was TRI. Duh. This should be forbidden by the editors.

The only thing I remember being tossed into the ubiquitous red SOLO cups at dorm parties were quarters. And maybe, someone will create a compendium of weird first names, like "Ving." Brilliant clueing for 32 across. Great puzzle.