Some sick fuck in the prehistory of computational fluid dynamics decided that when we perform a coordinate transformation from the messy, curved physical space of x,y,z to a generic pure-Euclidian computational space, that the latter should be denoted eta, zeta, and xi--η,ζ,ξ. Checking in from the future: that last one is "ksee", not the Chairman.
Eta ain't so bad, but have you ever tried to take five pages of rapid-fire notes and then later differentiate from zeta and xi? We affectionately referred to them as "squiggle" and "more different squiggle". And when I say "affectionately", I mean "I wanted to injure people".
I just took a quick look at the archives and I’ve completed every NYT crossword since January 1, 2015, although my longest streak is only 101 days. It also looks an awful lot like I started working through the 2014 puzzles knocking off days on the week in order of difficulty as every Sunday through Wednesday has been completed, which is an odd way to be obsessive. For some years now my only goal has been to complete the year in the year, which only was a close thing in 2020 when for some reason I ended up having to finish out 45 in 3 days to close out - c funny that my worst completion rate should have come in the year when I had the most down time on my hands.
As for useless knowledge: I already had the Latin cognates and verbs thanks to a HS that only offered Latin and very badly taught Spanish for foreign languages, but the crossword is the only reason I have any knowledge of baseball or hockey players or any Tolkien books. Every time I see some clunky variation of “online ______” (ezine, emag, estore, etc) I think about calling up Will Shortz to ask him where he lives because I just want to talk... although my real ire is reserved for whoever picks the dictionary for the Spelling Bee game
As it happens, I started doing the Sunday NYT puzzle in the 90s when my (now) wife and I moved in together - she had a “family tradition” of completing it with her dad over the course of the week, no reference materials, and I was drafted in for the history and geography clues. It took her several years to recover from me getting a crossword specific subscription and moving online ;)
Used to work with someone who claimed their father did the crossword everyday, but only using one set of clues. Like covered up down and only used across. I give up most days before I get halfway through using both sets.
1) yes 2) I can't say *never* but it's very, very rarely, usually when there's a stupid rebus that I can't figure out how they want it entered in the app
those are the times where they squeeze multiple letters or even full words into a single square. the worst is when it's like "it's E if it's down and I if it's across" and you don't know whether to put E/I or I/E or one or the other and you just have to guess until the app accepts it
Congrats on the streak. That is definitely some to either be proud or ashamed of. I notice that I have some streaks that get nixed when life gets in the way (all day road trip, family day at the amusement park, etc.) and old man and online xword interface makes 9 min average seem nigh impossible.
My team started doing the free mini daily when we went home for covid, as a morale sort of thing. I don't log in, but I don't think I've missed a day* in four years.
I give up after Wednesday, because I invariably just don’t know something. I don’t mind having to think on things I know but there’s some stuff that’s just not in the punch bowl
for the the NYTs sins (and there are plenty) the worst is asking digital subscribers to pay an additional fee to play the crossword. loljk still not as bad as keeping Bret Stephens on the payroll.
Some sick fuck in the prehistory of computational fluid dynamics decided that when we perform a coordinate transformation from the messy, curved physical space of x,y,z to a generic pure-Euclidian computational space, that the latter should be denoted eta, zeta, and xi--η,ζ,ξ. Checking in from the future: that last one is "ksee", not the Chairman.
Eta ain't so bad, but have you ever tried to take five pages of rapid-fire notes and then later differentiate from zeta and xi? We affectionately referred to them as "squiggle" and "more different squiggle". And when I say "affectionately", I mean "I wanted to injure people".
that zeta is an inverted deuce.
Never poop while standing on your head.
ya, upside down 2 and upside 3. that's how i'd remember em at least!
My lowercase xi and my lowercase epsilon look awfully similar unless I'm thinking about it very, very carefully.
when I was doing fluid modeling, I always drew my zetas like that scene in Billy Madison when he is faking cursive
Lower-case zeta is just awful in general. So many things it can be confused with.
Good one. Way to go (BRAVO).
I just took a quick look at the archives and I’ve completed every NYT crossword since January 1, 2015, although my longest streak is only 101 days. It also looks an awful lot like I started working through the 2014 puzzles knocking off days on the week in order of difficulty as every Sunday through Wednesday has been completed, which is an odd way to be obsessive. For some years now my only goal has been to complete the year in the year, which only was a close thing in 2020 when for some reason I ended up having to finish out 45 in 3 days to close out - c funny that my worst completion rate should have come in the year when I had the most down time on my hands.
As for useless knowledge: I already had the Latin cognates and verbs thanks to a HS that only offered Latin and very badly taught Spanish for foreign languages, but the crossword is the only reason I have any knowledge of baseball or hockey players or any Tolkien books. Every time I see some clunky variation of “online ______” (ezine, emag, estore, etc) I think about calling up Will Shortz to ask him where he lives because I just want to talk... although my real ire is reserved for whoever picks the dictionary for the Spelling Bee game
The spelling bee dictionary is WILDLY inconsistent.
I’d add ECIG to the Shortz Wordz, too.
ECIG! Nooooooooooo
As it happens, I started doing the Sunday NYT puzzle in the 90s when my (now) wife and I moved in together - she had a “family tradition” of completing it with her dad over the course of the week, no reference materials, and I was drafted in for the history and geography clues. It took her several years to recover from me getting a crossword specific subscription and moving online ;)
Used to work with someone who claimed their father did the crossword everyday, but only using one set of clues. Like covered up down and only used across. I give up most days before I get halfway through using both sets.
Shameless plug, Scott - Have you read my sister's book on the history of crossword puzzles? https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Inside-Box-Adventures-Crosswords/dp/0525522107/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2TA5ZYRR1NQSF&keywords=thinking+inside+the+box&qid=1705950176&sprefix=thinking+insi%2Caps%2C247&sr=8-4
I have not, but that looks like a fun read--I'll add it to my list, thanks!
does the streak only survive if you complete the puzzle and if so, how often have you cheated?
1) yes 2) I can't say *never* but it's very, very rarely, usually when there's a stupid rebus that I can't figure out how they want it entered in the app
*nods knowingly*
"yes...a...rebus. plural of reba. i know what that is."
those are the times where they squeeze multiple letters or even full words into a single square. the worst is when it's like "it's E if it's down and I if it's across" and you don't know whether to put E/I or I/E or one or the other and you just have to guess until the app accepts it
Congrats on the streak. That is definitely some to either be proud or ashamed of. I notice that I have some streaks that get nixed when life gets in the way (all day road trip, family day at the amusement park, etc.) and old man and online xword interface makes 9 min average seem nigh impossible.
Kinda jealous.
The fact that you didn’t include a snake near the Nile is a crime, you ASP
That one got away from me--I guess it was too EELY
Mine is at 1,879 days.
High five! We’re both ahead of the friend in that Shortz interview.
My team started doing the free mini daily when we went home for covid, as a morale sort of thing. I don't log in, but I don't think I've missed a day* in four years.
* wilderness expeditions are exempted
Fun read. Thanks for this to start the week. I've never gotten into crosswords but I've got a sudoku problem
I'll share something I learned this weekend: The Reuben Sandwich was invented in Nebraska
I give up after Wednesday, because I invariably just don’t know something. I don’t mind having to think on things I know but there’s some stuff that’s just not in the punch bowl
I do most of my puzzles at work in incognito mode, which means no streak tracking.
But it gives me the freedom to lie about how good I am (very).
for the the NYTs sins (and there are plenty) the worst is asking digital subscribers to pay an additional fee to play the crossword. loljk still not as bad as keeping Bret Stephens on the payroll.
I view them as a games company with a problematic side business in publishing.