Signs of the Times
by Randolph Ross
edited by Mike Shenk
March 12, 2010

Full answers available on WSJ's crossword puzzle page.

Theme: Road signs starting common phrases
ONE WAY OR ANOTHER {22A Somehow}
SLOW MOTION REPLAY {30A Sports analyst's aid}
ENTER THE DRAGON {46A 1973 Bruce Lee classic}
STAY RIGHT THERE {82A “Don't move!”}
WRONG WAY CORRIGAN {98A Directionally challenged pilot of 1938}
STOP THE BLEEDING {111A Get a bad situation under control}
YIELD THE FLOOR {3D Let someone else speak}
EXIT INTERVIEW {54D Conversation after canning}


Nomination for Word of the Week: EGOISTS {64A I guys}
To my mind, egoist is a pompous way to say egotist, but the OED gives three definitions of the former, only one of which = the latter. Both talk about themselves, in addition, an -ist uses self as, “the guiding principle of his conduct.”


People of the Puzzle: EDISON {43D Holder of 1,093 patents}
1,093! A fact worth a pause for respect.

MOHS {74D Scale on which diamond is 10} – Is it immortality if society knows the name but only science knows the person? Poor Frederick doesn't even make Anonyponymous by John Bemelmans Marciano [Bloomsbury 2009].


Crosswordpuzzlese: DRE {11D Rap Dr.}
Got right off. So, either I'm getting cooler or doing too many crossword puzzles – which is likely to lead the other way. Geek Power!


News to Me: PAWLs {97D Ratchet parts}
The widget that moves the toothed wheel.


Admissions of Defeat: Nevermind.
Too many mystery Proper Noun crosses such as WILEY{25A Pilot Post}/ODAY{5D Jazz Singer Anita} (which I got) or LEON{51A First name in the CIA}/SENNETT{30D Mack, maker of madcap movies} (which I did not). ASHpit/ASHPAN? {39A Fireplace receptacle}. BAAaaaaaa{41A Sheepish response}. File in the Thank You for Playing category.


Commentary: The im/possibility of improvement?
When I first started doing puzzles regularly, I saw a jump in performance after 2-3 months. Since then I've been stuck. Good days/weeks; then bad. So, is it possible to move from a mid-level puzzler to an expert? Or does a certain type of intelligence lend itself to a certain level of puzzling and ya gotta dance with what ya brung? Gloom flowers strewn in my path this week.


ACPT Countdown Clock: 370 days
Friday March 12, 2010, to March 18, 2011.

Likelihood of my attendance at the ACPT: 30%.
Base level of interest: 10% NYC, 10% PuzzleFest, 10% interested traveling companion. 0% of 25% each for Friday NYT, Saturday NYT, & Fireball. Didn't even try this week. (re math: What can I say, it's not an exact science)


Katherine Walcott
Puzzle Fan