tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6797119770533435005.post5057892099774609790..comments2023-12-22T06:42:08.261-05:00Comments on Sun Blocks - A Crossword Blog by Pete Mitchell: Wednesday, August 27, 2008Pete Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00915253628212019131noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6797119770533435005.post-2857861042304457802008-08-27T18:08:00.000-04:002008-08-27T18:08:00.000-04:00@jazz: Zoot Sims may well have played sax, but the...@jazz: Zoot Sims may well have played sax, but the reference in the puzzle was to Dr Teeth and Electric Mayhem, which is the band from "The Muppet Show" and also happens to feature a sax player named Zoot (very possible named for the aforementioned Sims).Pete Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00915253628212019131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6797119770533435005.post-26782462096532963492008-08-27T17:54:00.000-04:002008-08-27T17:54:00.000-04:00>>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoot_Sims...>>>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoot_Sims<BR/><BR/>Zoot Sims (1925-1985) was the sax reference. <BR/>He played with Woody Herman's band among others.<BR/>He also recorded a lot with Al Cohn; another jazz tenor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6797119770533435005.post-82950258213190365162008-08-27T16:48:00.000-04:002008-08-27T16:48:00.000-04:00@austin: I only know this because I've seen it and...@austin: I only know this because I've seen it and questioned it before in a Sun puzzle. "Hard by" means "in close proximity to".Pete Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00915253628212019131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6797119770533435005.post-9528017684716701092008-08-27T15:54:00.000-04:002008-08-27T15:54:00.000-04:00Good puzzle. Never got SHINER or NUDITY. "hook-and...Good puzzle. Never got SHINER or NUDITY. "hook-and-eye" got me thinking of clasps and "cause for an R" had me thinking of baseball and what could cause a run.<BR/><BR/>Still don't understand why the word "hard" is in the clue for ENID, OK. Makes more sense to me as "City by Vance AFB"<BR/><BR/>Any help?Austinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00544909289143764466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6797119770533435005.post-29393334883515856532008-08-27T15:44:00.000-04:002008-08-27T15:44:00.000-04:00thanks for the kind words.the ALFRE/FLOJO crossing...thanks for the kind words.<BR/><BR/>the ALFRE/FLOJO crossing was the one i was most worried about, since it is indeed two unusual names, crossing at a letter that could plausibly be any vowel or several consonants. but peter didn't seem to think it was a big deal, and i guess i agree with him. FLOJO is legitimately incredibly famous. her world records in the 100m and 200m are <I>still</I> records 20 years later, which is almost unbelievable in track & field. and really, nobody has even come close, including confessed dopers like marion jones. by the way, the FLOJO clue was absolutely my favorite in the puzzle. and like all my other favorite clues in the puzzle (COMEDY/EMO, SHINER), it was written by peter!<BR/><BR/>i think i may have originally submitted a larry BIRD clue, but i guess it didn't make the cut. as you point out, there are an awful lot of names in the puzzle already. my favorite clue that didn't survive was [Finish seducing] for 63D. maybe that was deemed too edgy even for the NYS.<BR/><BR/>pete, two of your "suns of bitches" are secretly baseball clues also. ELIOT asinov's <I>eight men out</I> is the classic book on the black sox scandal, which became a movie. it's a good read, although asinov himself recently passed away. and TODD mcfarlane is a guy i only became aware of because he purchased a whole bunch of famous home run balls--mcgwire's 62nd and 70th, sosa's 66th, bonds's 73rd, etc.<BR/><BR/>the URIS clue is totally unfamiliar to me, but it's probably easier for new yorkers.<BR/><BR/>last time ALFRE came up, i think i said something like, "i've seen this name before, but i don't think it was in a puzzle i've done." it turns out that i'd seen it because it ended up in my own puzzle! (though i didn't put it in--that part of the fill was redone by peter.)Joonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07825085755390339668noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6797119770533435005.post-10561827373719728252008-08-27T10:00:00.000-04:002008-08-27T10:00:00.000-04:00@artlvr: Nah. I'm often having to resort to guessi...@artlvr: Nah. I'm often having to resort to guessing, especially where names cross. In this case, though, FloJo (Florence Griffith-Joyner) was a gimme for me, as I remember her from the Seoul olympics in 1988 when she won several medals. And Alfre Woodard appeared in "Suns of Bitches" <A HREF="http://sunblocks.blogspot.com/2008/06/tuesday-june-17-2008.html" REL="nofollow">a couple of months ago</A>, sparking a commentary thread in which Karen Tracey (mellocat) ended saying, "But I bet you'll remember her name next time she comes up in a crossword!" She was right.Pete Mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00915253628212019131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6797119770533435005.post-5632000626045768322008-08-27T09:45:00.000-04:002008-08-27T09:45:00.000-04:00Tough one, joon! And congrats on the pangram...Pet...Tough one, joon! And congrats on the pangram...<BR/><BR/>Pete thinks everything is gettable from crosses, but I missed the F in ALFRE/FLOJO, two odd names. I did like the NORSE GOD selections, tho.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com