NY Times Sunday Puzzles--Need Help?

I did some checking around on the Web. I couldn't find an article that addresses the issue of which puzzle is the hardest, but I did find many references to Saturday puzzles as being the most difficult. (I found lots and lots and lots of ads for crossword books.)

As for poor Gus's quandary, you're all leading him in the wrong direction. I guess it's time to reveal the answer--cet (cheetah et tiger). Sigh.

Holy moley!! This week's acrostic is a killer. There were a few minutes there when I thought I wouldn't be able to do it.

If anyone needs help, just holler.

By the way, Roberta, I just re-read your intro.

Try some diagramless crosswords.

They are terrific -- and not nearly as difficult as it might seem.

SUGGESTION: I always reproduce the grid on better paper so that I can use pencil. And I always enlarge the grid to make the putting of numbers and letters easier.

Give it a try.

You will get to love it.

It is like Puns and Anagrams -- you gotta develop a taste for 'em.

Hi Roberta:

I don't subscribe to the New York Times, but I work the N.Y. Times Puzzle in our local paper. I love it. But even more, I enjoy Crostics Books by Thomas H. Middleton. Is he still the author of the Crostics for N.Y.T? There are usually two or three Cryptics in those books and I'm really hooked on them. I just wish there were more Cryptic books by Middleton. (I do not like the Hooked on Cryptics Series by Henry Hook.)

We don't have Acrostics or Cryptics in our PA. paper. I'm not in the same league with you folks, though. A pencil with a big eraser is needed here. But, I do complete them. (with a little help from the Internet.)

Hiya Frank, I've tried and actually done some diagramlesses. It's not the hardness that bothers me. I just don't like them. Sometimes you acquire a taste, like for olives. And sometimes, you just never acquire a taste, like for anchovies.

Raggedie, I'm familiar with Middleton and Hook. They are both contributors to the NY Times. I predict that a cryptic puzzle will appear next week or the week after. If I get one word, I'll be happy. As for getting help with the crosswords, I used to consult every reference I could find. How are you gonna learn stuff if you don't look stuff up?

For Crostic/Acrostic fans--

Acrostics Network
822NW Murray Road PMB #244
Portland, OR 97220-5868

Acrostics Network is published bimonthly (six issues a year).

Subscription rates:

$12 for 4 issues

$18 for 6 issues

$36 for 12 issues.

Each issue includes at least 15 puzzles and sometimes more than 20. Contributors are not paid but work for the joy of having their work appreciated.

NY TIMES PUZZLE
I've been doing the Saturday puzzle for 15 years. I can do the Thursday in two hours. The Saturday averages two weeks...lol

NY TIMES PUZZLE
blah blah blah

Since I get the NYT's Sunday Crossword through my local paper, I'm a week behind those people who whip out pencil or pen and scrawl directly on NYT's.

Call it this week--call it last week--the puzzle of my present is a doozie.

Noddy: Is the theme of your puzzle "What's the Meaning of This", which I worked last week, or "It Takes All Kinds", which I worked today?

Raggedyaggie--

I put in an hour or so this morning on "What's the Meaning of This?" and am about to return to spend part of the first long "summer" evening on the project.

The wheels creak, but all the same they may turn.

Lucky you, Noddy. It's still winter in my part of PA. A slight sprinkling of snow on the grass this A.M.

By the time you read this post, you'll probably have finished the puzzle. But, give a little whistle if you ever need any help. I keep the answers until the next puzzle arrives.

Raggedyaggie--

We have snowflakes as well, but DST means long summer evenings whether the evenings are warm or not.

I managed to fill in most of the squares of "What is the Meaning of This?" and then peeked at the answers. The newspaper publishes the answers and if I should lose that section I subscribe to the NYT's Internet Crossword Archives.

Your thought is much appreciated. Some Sunday's I feel that I'm struggling alone against The Universe and Will Shortz--and that I'm not going to win with much glory.

A quote from Will Shortz:

"What I especially like about being at The Times is the audience. The Times undoubtedly has the most intelligent, best educated group of solvers in the country, so I can presume a level of culture and solving skill that I couldn't anyplace else."

(I'm the exception (lol))

"Succeeding the late Eugene T. Maleska, Mr. Shortz made modest modifications to the crossword, "but nothing radical." Constructor bylines were added to the daily puzzles; previously the contributors had labored anonymously. Also, the cultural references were broadened, with such modern subjects as movies, television and rock and roll being added to the classic puzzle vocabulary. "And I do like riddles, so there are more tricks and ambiguities in the clues now," he said."

(And I can do without the tricks, ambiguities and rock and roll. (lol))

Noddy, You have a treat in store next week. This week's puzzle is clever. Very clever.

Once I got used to Shortz's tricky clues, I got to like them. I groan only occasionally.

Roberta: Do you mean the "It Takes All Kinds" puzzle? (That one was fun, and I like tricky clues, too, but not when letters are omitted, or skipped, in the clues. UGH. )

Raggedy, Yup. It Takes All Kinds is the one I meant. I loved the theme clues and answers in this one. Omitted letters? Don't remember one of them.

I can't remember the theme, but there was one where an "x" was in the box (up and down) in lieu of a letter in the clue, and several where the last two or three letters of a word were eliminated in the answers. I spent three days each on those blasted puzzles. (lol)

What's the Meaning of this? heh! heh! I always get the long, theme oriented ones. It's the short ones that give me trouble.

There used to be a newspaper--National Observer--published by Dow Jones. Great puzzles in that one. Unfortunately, they went belly up.

I always PM Raggedy for help. What would I do without that youngun.

Raggedy, Oh, those! Once I figure out what's going on, they don't bother me at all. I just work around those things until my lightbulb lights up.

Letty, If Raggedy isn't around, I'd be glad to help you.