An Open Letter.

[tablesaw]

Dear Will Shortz:

Re 2-Down in the corssword puzzle of Monday, November 22.

Despite what you and your cabal of Northeastern cruciverbalists would like the rest of us to believe, "In the 40s, say" defines "COLD", not "COOL".

Sincerely,
Tablesaw
Los Angeles, California

TueNYTX: 4:40. 1 error. Misread the clue.
60°F

Comments

[yendi]

People in other nations, in fact, might think that the same clue defines "hot as hell."

[tablesaw]

This is true, but it still supports my assertion that "COOL" is not valid.

[saxikath]

Um, er... please put spoilers for the NYT behind a cut?

[cazique.livejournal.com]

just be like me - get so behind on puzzles that by the time you get to that one, you've forgotten which was the right answer and which was wrong.

[tablesaw]

Sorry, forgot that other people keep a backlog.

[joenotcharles.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, Mr. Shortz is correct. It is not cold if water doesn't freeze. That seems fairly objective.

[tablesaw]

So 33°F is cool?

[joenotcharles.livejournal.com]

Just a sec, lemme convert that to Celsius... Yes, yes it is. 31 degrees is where we have to start arguing - I'd still call that cool, but I wouldn't laugh at you for calling it cold.

[tablesaw]

So, by this similar logic, water can never be cold if it remains in its liquid state?

[slipjig.livejournal.com]

...you and your cabal of Northeastern cruciverbalists...

Jeezum crow, you'd think I'd hear about these things.

[mcsnee.livejournal.com]

Actually, there was a printing error--the clue should read "In the '40s, say" because everything in the '40s was cool.

Especially World War II.

[ojouchan.livejournal.com]

Oh, come on. We all know that cold is -68.

[tablesaw]

I think that would more accurately be described as "IMNOTGOINGOUTSIDE".

[ojouchan.livejournal.com]

Not even with gloves and nifty headgear?