The vast majority of commenters on Rex Parker’s NYTXW blog are menschen (or womenschen), but once in a while some snark sneaks in. One of the more annoying instances is when Rex writes a very positive review of a puzzle (a rarity) and is accused of doing so only because he’s friends with the constructor. Long-time readers appreciate that such a charge of favoritism is absurd. He almost always just ignores such jabs, but yesterday he popped in with a reply. Here is the charge and the response:
Anony Mouse: The effusive write up of this puzzle means that the constructor [Adam Shapiro] is a friend of Rex.
Rex: You seem nice. As for me, I wouldn’t know Adam Shapiro from … well, Adam, frankly. But keep feeling your feelings and speculating your speculations. It is the internet, after all. ✌️
It has long been clear that Trump is in Putin’s pocket. Not because Putin helped him get elected the first time, although he did — Trump would throw him under the bus like he would anyone if it suited him. It’s because Putin’s offering him business deals and riches, IMO, and because Trump has come under his monstrous spell. And so, finally, Trump is casting off any pretense and is actively supporting Putin’s war against Ukraine. He threw his great friend Lindsay Graham under the bus last night, exempting Russia from the sanctions in the bill Graham worked hard to pass. Look for Trump to start in with personal insults for Zelensky. He’s already called for his ouster. He’ll do everything he can to help Putin, short of sending in troops to fight alongside the Russian soldiers. And he’d do that do if he could get away with it.
We love it when a person’s name becomes a unit of measurement. A great one is Daniel Pinkwater, NPR personality. He has a large rear-end, so the Car Talk guys would describe the back seat of a particular car as, say, 2.5 Pinkwaters wide. Similarly, a “Scaramucci” is a very brief period on a job from which you are fired. It’s for Anthony Scaramucci who served as Trump’s press guy for just 11 days long ago. He came up when Trump’s latest blonde press babe, Kate Zacharia, blew out of the role after just five days. It caused Scaramucci to note: “Records are made to be broken. But I take no pleasure in other people’s pain.”
Claiming to be (and having Trump introduce her as) a lawyer when she isn’t one didn’t help. She’s a lawyer as much as our George is Jew-ish. She floundered around about a distinction between attorney and lawyer, and, when asked what state she’s a lawyer in blurted something out about China. Since we have Natalie to warm our pages, we need not lament Kate’s record-breaking demise.
The puzzle today defeated me (and many others) because of one square. It was the square that crossed both of the following clues: “Plant parts that develop as a seedling grows,” and “Skin care brand from Japan.” My best use of crosses gave me TREELEAVES for the former, which resulted in CEREL for the latter, which I never heard of, but seemed as okay as anything else. Turns out it’s TRUELEAVES and CUREL. I had no hope.
It’s a good puzzle. Would you know that “Poison classification” is HAIR METAL? What?? I didn’t but the crosses were friendly. “Poison” here is a rock band and HAIR METAL is a sub genre of Heavy Metal. Also known as Glam Metal. Turn it up! You might like them!
At 8D, “Seafood-based ingredient in Eastern cuisines,” was FISHPASTE. It’s also, as I noted, an adhesive you would use to repair your halibut.
This poem by Gwendolyn Brooks is called “the vacant lot” and is from the Poetry Foundation.
Mrs. Coley’s three-flat brick
Isn’t here any more.
All done with seeing her fat little form
Burst out of the basement door;
And with seeing her African son-in-law
(Rightful heir to the throne)
With his great white strong cold squares of teeth
And his little eyes of stone;
And with seeing the squat fat daughter
Letting in the men
When majesty has gone for the day—
And letting them out again.
Took Robin (the artist formerly known as Lianna) to get her driver’s permit today. Ouch. They bounced us from counter to counter but things seem to go well at each and we emerged with our heads spinning after 25 minutes and the permit in hand! We agreed the 25 minutes seemed like over an hour: the effect of stress. But people were all very nice — I think that’s because Robin has that effect on you. Her photo didn’t capture how beautiful she is. The MVC shots almost never do.
Wanna feel old? A commenter noted the following yesterday:
2026-1972 is the same amount of years as 1972-1918.
Is there a cheesier actress than ALISON BRIE? A whole wheel of her appeared in the puzzle today, clued by “Actress who plays Trudy on ‘Mad Men’ and Annie on ‘Community.’” She and her sister Lauren are Jewish via her mom, who “would always make sure we knew we were Jewish.” Her acting career began at a JCC (Jewish Community Center) in SoCal.
Brie is 43. Who put this dress together? Is it supposed to work like that?
Hearty Owl Chatter congrats to the impressive Milwaukee Brewers who dispatched the big bad Dodgers in four straight. Wow! We got to see Jake Bauers’ two brilliant game-changing at-bats that broke the backs of Grade-A arms, Yamamoto and Snell. Foul after foul until he (1) walked, and (2) homered. Has an MVP ever been earned with a best-at-bat walk? Good stuff!
Thanks for dropping in. See you tomorrow.
