ACROSS LITE PUZZLE: [ INFLATION]
PROGRAM: [Across Lite]
PROGRAM: [Java]
PRINTOUT PUZZLE: [ INFLATION]
PROGRAM: [Adobe Acrobat]
In yesterday’s New York Times, former druggie, alkie, and Guns N’ Roses bass player Duff McKagan came out of the crossword closet. Welcome to the fold, Duff. You laid down the low-end on the consensus-best Guns N’ Roses record, and you not only have announced your nerd-hood for the consensus-best puzzle in the country. Glad to have you on board.
(Quick sidebar: I have a perverse fascination with “Chinese Democracy,” in fact, it was my favorite record of last year. I know it’s a Guns N’ Roses album by name only, but still, it’s boss in my book. Okay, back to the spiel.)
There’s still one hurdle we crossword constructors are facing: Our fame is strict anonymity, especially underneath the Shortz juggernaut. Duff says: “I experience many triumphs and failures against the legendary puzzle master Will Shortz and his wicked crossword makers.” Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to be considered “wicked.” Especially in Boston where “wicked” is an adverb. “Wicked pissah,” for example. It’s just high time some of us superstar constructors share some of that spotlight.
Now I understand that Will’s the face of the whole puzzle world. After all, he’s earned it. He’s done more for this field then, well, just about anybody. I mean, name one aspect of puzzledom and it’s a pretty much sure thing Will’s going to be part of it: The Times crossword, the NPR Sunday puzzle, the National Puzzlers League, the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, The World Sudoku Championship, The World Puzzle Championship. His face, or at least name, is plastered all over almost but not quite half the books in your local puzzle section in your bookstore. Then there was that “Wordplay” movie a couple years back, and a cameo on “The Simpsons” too.
And that’s just the public end of the what this guy’s done for puzzles. Seriously, go into his basement and you’ll see it looks like the last scene of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Only it’s not a warehouse of government secrets, it’s pretty much every single piece of puzzle-related ephemera you could imagine, and thousands of pieces you couldn’t dream of. To be not only the face, but also the editor and the historian of puzzles is an awe inspiring achievement.
The fact that anybody remembers a name when it comes to anything puzzle-related is northing short of amazing. It’s almost like a Pavlovian dog thing. If “puzzle,” then “Shortz.” To the casual observer, it’s like one guy’s running the whole show. Case in point: way back in the dark ages when I started telling people I began selling puzzles to the Times, a couple friends responded, “doesn’t one guy just make ’em all?”
Which is all well and good (like I’ve always said, the fact that we’re talking about puzzles in the first place is a great thing). However, there are more than enough personalities in this biz to go around. Hopefully blogs like these (and the ones under PUZZLE FOLKS to your right) will turn out to be the great equalizer.
Quick note on the puzzle: I was struggling to come up with a quality blurb to really drive the gimmick home, until I remembered of the line in the classic (and crosswordese) Nas jam “The World is Yours”. And yeah, I know that one of those guys wasn’t a president. Hope you enjoy it. New one on Friday.
Nice one. The theme was very clever, although it hobbled me a bit. As a lapsed Canadian, who rarely has anything above a 5-spot in his pocket, I had a hard time thinking of who was on what bill. That personal deficiency aside, I liked it a lot.
As to anonymity, I feel for you. I don’t think there are any kids out there (yet) telling their parents, “When I grow up, I want to be a famous crossword puzzle constructor!”
nice. liked the theme! Since you’re not sticking to an early-in-the-week=easy / late-in-the-week=hard schedule (which I think is fantastic–it’s nice to have a stumper on Monday or Wednesday!), would you consider putting an approximate difficulty rating at the top of the puzzle? If I’ve got 10 minutes to do the puzzle before I have to dash, I’d love to know if I’m going to complete it in that time or be staring at three filled-in words and cursing your name. 🙂
I own at least two Lisa Stansfield albums (just looking at your Twitter sidebar)
Liked this a lot, though it was super easy (for a BEQ puzzle). I should say “AND” it was super easy, because I’m all in favor of good easy puzzles. They are vastly underrated and a great joy to millions who simply solve casually.
Approved.
rp
Great puzzle, thoroughly enjoyed it! It was a good Tues/Wed difficulty, imo
twitter sidenote: I have been using saline nasal washes for the past couple of years (Ayr, Simply Saline), and my spring allergies have improved immensely. And Naphcon-A for itchy eyes….well worth the $$
I’m all for raising your children this way.
I like this suggestion. Let me mull it over how I’ll implement it.
Much appreciated. It’s very difficult to balance the puzzles for the seasoned veterans, as well as pave the way for the next generation.
Good to know.
“Case in point: way back in the dark ages when I started telling people I began selling puzzles to the Times, a couple friends responded, “doesn’t one guy just make ’em all?”
Which is all well and good…”
Why on earth is it ‘well and good’ that someone receives undue credit due to public misperception? I don’t begrudge Will anything — he’s done a lot for the puzzle world in general and for my career in particular. But I think he’d be the last one to want people to believe that he writes the NY Times crosswords himself.
And I want to see a HYPERinflation puzzle!
I was trying to say all the previous paragraphs points were “all well and good.” I guess it didn’t come across that way. At some point, I hope somebody’ll go on the record saying that I’m all that.
Hyperinflation: let’s hope that it doesn’t get to that.
I think you’re preaching to the converted, w/r/t the anonymity issue. Anyone who’s here will know your name, and presumably have other favorite constructors (For me, Ben Tausig always seems to throw at least one great clue into his puzzles, usually with personal connection. His clue for DOOM goes unmatched)…
And about the puzzle, loved the theme but I don’t know how I feel about having both CLEM and CLEMSON in one grid.
Regarding the poll– for what it’s worth, I would be sad if the Java option went away. I really prefer to be able to solve without leaving my browser.
Right… I just had to get some stuff off my chest.
None of the features are disappearing. I just wanted a semi-scientific way of keeping track of things.
Totally awesome puzzle. Great theme which reminded me of Victor Borge’s classic “Inflationary Language” routine…worth watching if you’re not familiar with it!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY6kElOYcd8
In my effort to prove to my co-workers that I’m not a hopeless fuddy-duddy Luddite. I turned to the gal that sits near me and showed her the question regarding porn actresses, without missing a beat she stated “anal” and turned back to what she was doing. Should I ask?
Thanks BEQ for bringing crosswords to the masses, its almost dare I say a public service.
Chinese Democracy, album of the year?! I’ll let it be. From Monday, I believe Elvis has the most albums with somewhere near 75 including “Best of”. Frank Zappa has over 30 albums as well. What did you think of MGMT’s album Ocular Spectacular?
Of course, pre-Shortz, the crossword constructor didn’t even get a byline on the Times puzzle.
First of all, you’re right and there’s no denying it. However, I wonder if Duff McKagan would be able to name some of his favorite constructors if he were asked. He didn’t get the chance in the interview.
In fact, I wonder how many people who do the NYT every day have a favorite constructor? Since people reading this blog don’t count for this discussion, we may never find out.
Thanks for the share. Is your icon from Mega Man?
“Bringing crosswords to the masses” shall appear on my next batch of business cards. (Does anybody use those things?)
I saw MGMT when they opened up for Fiery Furnaces and they did bubkes for me. I might have given the record a listen, and it still didn’t do much. Is the band pronounced “management” or “M-G-M-T”?
It’s a good question. I suspect that people do pay attention to who made it. I will say this: my sister-in-law and her father are huge crossword nuts, and they were surprised I was going to become part of the extended family.
M-G-M-T, I really like their sound, they remind me of Arcade Fire.
That is true. But I still think it’s highly unfair that the constructor’s name is not above the puzzle he/she wrote, and that it’s in microscopic type. This rather silly situation obviously contributes to the common misperception that Will writes all the NYT puzzles.
To his credit, I believe Will has asked for the constructor’s name to be placed alongside his, where it should be, and where it is on almost every other crossword. I don’t know why the newspaper won’t honor this request but it is shameful that they won’t.
Actually, it’s “Mugmutt.” Or should be.
Well, there’s another band that does bubkew for me.
What’s in a name, right?
Oh, I really want to play Mega Man right now. Think they’ll mind here at work?
Also, which one was the best one?
Brendan, honey from a local beekeeper might help. It contains some of the pollen you are allergic to.
“Tito” isn’t Terry Francona’s nickname. Tito is Terry’s dad.
Readers of the Boston Globe (or anyone who watches the local sportscasters) will be familiar with Terry ‘Tito’ Francona. A good clue for Bostonians, maybe not for general public. Has Tito Puente become a stale reference? or Marshal Tito, for that matter?
I noticed a bit of a glitch with the Java app… when I filled in the last box, it said, “congratulations, puzzle complete.” and the timer stopped. However, the puzzle wasn’t completed correctly, as I had put an incorrect letter, guessing at the latin phrase intersecting mouse from Cinderella, (interestingly, the mouse answer is the same as my initials, what is it about having a “Q” in one’s name that makes it irresistible to go by one’s initials.)
Anyway, thought you might like to know. I usually use ACL, but sometimes find the Java function handy, and thanks for the easy one
I don’t think it’s true that Will has asked them for any such thing. The Times would certainly honor such a request from Will if he made it.
Hmm… I’ll have to give that a look. Thanks for the heads up.
People, people, why are we fighting?
The new Isis record rules, BTW.
Mea culpa — didn’t realize that was a local-ism.
Since you’re taking suggestions (I say hopefully), it would be a big help to have the date print out at the top of the Across-Lite puzzle.
I end up with a pile of printouts and no idea where to find your blog for each puzzle. Even the sidebar list of old blogs on your site just lists puzzle NUMBERS, plus blog titles that are not the same as the puzzle titles.
I enjoy all this, BTW … more French, less bands, please.