The solution and annotation to puzzle No. 3,362 is below the fold. Happy birthday, Raydoc!
If you like to solve cryptics, you probably also like to listen to Bach’s music. I had plenty of opportunity to do both yesterday. In the morning, the church choir (with Sabers augmenting the tenor section and The Other Doctor Mitchell steadying the sopranos) sang portions of two Bach masses. I particularly liked the Kyrie from the Missa brevis in A. There’s a simplicity in it, and it’s in a key you don’t hear often.
Right after that we had to leave for Germantown, where Sabers performed with the Philadelphia Sinfonia Players, the intermediate ensemble of Philadelphia’s top youth orchestra program. They take a very professional approach to rehearsing and performing, and they play a lot of standard repertoire, all of which which is good preparation for the next level. The added challenge helped with the school orchestra too, where Sabers was promoted to principal bass (or as we put it: first bassman) this year.
Along with the Bach Little Fugue, the PSP played Strauss’s Blue Danube and Grieg’s In the Hall of the Mountain King. That’s the piece with the famous theme that starts in the lowest registers of the orchestra. The bassoonist did a great job with it, and Sabers and his standmate gave the bass line the ‘tiptoe’ feel of an approaching troll.
Between that and the high school concert Thursday (did I mention Sabers sang the entire school chorus concert tonight, too?--four performances in five days, plus a piano recital next Sunday), I was very impressed with the tone and solid projection of his instrument, which we bought last year and is now pretty well played-in. So if you’re in the market for a new bass, give the folks at Gollihur’s a call. If you’re looking for a half-size instrument for a junior high bassist, give me a call.
Showing posts with label Sabers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sabers. Show all posts
Monday, May 11, 2015
Friday, April 17, 2015
Fighting cognitive decline (Puzzle No. 3,359)
The Nation is finally back to regular publication after the anniversary issue.
There’s been research concluding that crosswords and other puzzles are a good way to keep your mind sharp as you grow older (note to young solvers: it’s never too early to start), but perhaps that’s not enough.
Working out clues exercises your mind, but you get to do it at your own pace. This Washington Post article, and the scientific study it references say that having to see, interpret, and react to an action is also important to maintaining cognitive abilities. Playing tennis has it; golf doesn’t. Refereeing definitely fills the bill, and so does fencing, but fencing is a little more forgiving to the body. Plus there’s the opportunity to be a competitor again after 25 years where I’ve never been the winner (or the loser) when I come off the ice.
So here’s a shot of me and Sabers from an article about the national collegiate championships, where Sabers refereed and I was assistant director. And there’s a TV clip (click here and here) where you can see your humble blogger in action (the left-hander in the background). If you’d like to try out fencing, drop me a line, and I can point you towards a club in your area. It’s never too late to start: the vet 60 women’s national and world saber champion got into the sport as an adult.
Choose your weapon (pen or pencil) and challenge puzzle no. 3,359!
Link to puzzle: http://www.thenation.com/article/204289/puzzle-no-3359
Degree of difficulty (by standards of this weekly puzzle): easy
Agility factor: light to moderate—trust your ability
This week’s cluing challenge: REACT. Add your clue to the comments.
Back with the solution and annotation Monday!
There’s been research concluding that crosswords and other puzzles are a good way to keep your mind sharp as you grow older (note to young solvers: it’s never too early to start), but perhaps that’s not enough.
 |
| He just missed me there, but Sabers won the bout. |
So here’s a shot of me and Sabers from an article about the national collegiate championships, where Sabers refereed and I was assistant director. And there’s a TV clip (click here and here) where you can see your humble blogger in action (the left-hander in the background). If you’d like to try out fencing, drop me a line, and I can point you towards a club in your area. It’s never too late to start: the vet 60 women’s national and world saber champion got into the sport as an adult.
Choose your weapon (pen or pencil) and challenge puzzle no. 3,359!
Link to puzzle: http://www.thenation.com/article/204289/puzzle-no-3359
Degree of difficulty (by standards of this weekly puzzle): easy
Agility factor: light to moderate—trust your ability
This week’s cluing challenge: REACT. Add your clue to the comments.
Back with the solution and annotation Monday!
 |
| A few errors in form, but an on-target hit. |
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Two tickets (Solution No. 3,201)
The solution to The Nation puzzle no. 3,201 is below the fold.
Congratulations are in order for Sabers, who had two qualifying events last weekend and succeeded in both. Saturday was the PMEA District 11 chorus auditions, where he won a place in the three-day chorus festival.
Sunday was the Junior Olympics fencing qualifiers for our division. This event also functions as the unofficial Philadelphia-area high school fencing championship. There’s a senior from DVFC who’s the class of the division: he’s won every one of the qualifiers he’s been in, and another senior from our club who’s the number two junior in the division. After that, there are four others, including Sabers, who on any given day could lay claim to being number three.
So on Sunday, with three qualifying for JOs, Sabers could earn a spot if he competed up to his potential. He won his first four bouts, including the one against his biggest local rival. Meanwhile, one of Sabers’s teammates (a sophomore) upset the DVFC senior, leaving Sabers in first place. Sabers who had already beat the sophomore 5-4, lost to the senior and then inexplicably lost a 5-4 bout to the fencer who ended up in last place for the tournament. That dropped him from the number 2 slot to number 4, and he’d need to win two bouts to get that third place and the ticket to Richmond.
The quarterfinal was against one of our teammates: Sabers blew him out 15-6. The semi against the top seed was just as lopsided the other way. So it came down to the bronze medal bout, which unfortunately had to be against his teammate. The teammate hot, and took an 8-4 lead in the first period. I noticed Sabers’ attacks falling short, so I advised him to pay attention to distance and not make his move too soon. He got a couple of quick touches, and a minute later, I could see his opponent looked mentally exhausted, even though he was still ahead 10-8 in the bout. Sabers stepped up his tactical approach, took control of the bout, and closed it out with ease, 15-12. Some ups and downs along the way, but mission accomplished.
 |
| Sabers and his coach |
Sunday was the Junior Olympics fencing qualifiers for our division. This event also functions as the unofficial Philadelphia-area high school fencing championship. There’s a senior from DVFC who’s the class of the division: he’s won every one of the qualifiers he’s been in, and another senior from our club who’s the number two junior in the division. After that, there are four others, including Sabers, who on any given day could lay claim to being number three.
So on Sunday, with three qualifying for JOs, Sabers could earn a spot if he competed up to his potential. He won his first four bouts, including the one against his biggest local rival. Meanwhile, one of Sabers’s teammates (a sophomore) upset the DVFC senior, leaving Sabers in first place. Sabers who had already beat the sophomore 5-4, lost to the senior and then inexplicably lost a 5-4 bout to the fencer who ended up in last place for the tournament. That dropped him from the number 2 slot to number 4, and he’d need to win two bouts to get that third place and the ticket to Richmond.
 |
| Sabers, Nick, and Nate, again |
Monday, October 6, 2014
“E” is for Encore (Solution No. 3,339)
The solution to The Nation puzzle no. 3,339 is below the fold.
If you were following this blog a year ago, you will recall Sabers winning a Philly Cup tournament, and with it an "E" rating from the US Fencing Association. Well it turned out a few weeks later, when we didn’t ever get confirmation of the rating, that the host club had not properly renewed their sanctioning paperwork for the new season, and as a result, the tournament, its results, and Sabers’ rating were all annulled. Ever since, he’d been looking for a chance to re-win the "E."
That chance came Sunday. While the lineup included a hotshot from New Jersey who won last week’s youth event, Sabers went in as the favorite for a change. He took care of business in the preliminary round, losing only one bout (by one touch to a high-schooler from the Panthers club) and earning a bye to the semifinals. There he had a comfortable win against a rookie who had upset the Panthers fencer in the quarters. Meanwhile, the Jersey kid won his semi.
Between warm-ups (one of the good parts of the sport is how fencers can support and help each other one moment, then turn around and compete the next) and the preliminary bout, Sabers had figured out this particular opponent and had a game plan: defend his initial attack (either with a parry or distance), and catch an easy riposte. Brainwork rather than a physical battle. It worked well, but the opponent changed his timing and got a couple of favorable calls from the referee to take an 8-6 lead at the halfway break.
Tweaking his strategy during the break, Sabers threw a feint into his defense to slow things a little more. The kid’s attacks started to fall short again, and Sabers got three easy touches and the lead. After that, it was a cruise to the finish with four chances for the winning point–comfortable enough for his old man to get video of the victory. 15-12 final, and this one they won’t take away.
No gold medals or official ratings for finishing this puzzle, but the smarter solvers who can anticipate Hot and Trazom’s moves will feel good about themselves. I especially liked the three-part clues and other misdirections.
That chance came Sunday. While the lineup included a hotshot from New Jersey who won last week’s youth event, Sabers went in as the favorite for a change. He took care of business in the preliminary round, losing only one bout (by one touch to a high-schooler from the Panthers club) and earning a bye to the semifinals. There he had a comfortable win against a rookie who had upset the Panthers fencer in the quarters. Meanwhile, the Jersey kid won his semi.
Between warm-ups (one of the good parts of the sport is how fencers can support and help each other one moment, then turn around and compete the next) and the preliminary bout, Sabers had figured out this particular opponent and had a game plan: defend his initial attack (either with a parry or distance), and catch an easy riposte. Brainwork rather than a physical battle. It worked well, but the opponent changed his timing and got a couple of favorable calls from the referee to take an 8-6 lead at the halfway break.
Tweaking his strategy during the break, Sabers threw a feint into his defense to slow things a little more. The kid’s attacks started to fall short again, and Sabers got three easy touches and the lead. After that, it was a cruise to the finish with four chances for the winning point–comfortable enough for his old man to get video of the victory. 15-12 final, and this one they won’t take away.
No gold medals or official ratings for finishing this puzzle, but the smarter solvers who can anticipate Hot and Trazom’s moves will feel good about themselves. I especially liked the three-part clues and other misdirections.
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Driver ed (Solution no. 3,338)
Solution and annotation to The Nation puzzle No. 3,338 below
the fold.
Sabers and I were late to orchestra today. A tree fell onto our usual route, and then when we got to the highway on the detour route, there was a multi-car accident right in front of us. After a half hour going nowhere, the road was reopened, and about three or four miles down the way was an overturned car by the side of the road (looks like the passengers were OK).
Driver ed lesson for Sabers: light rain is dangerous—it makes roads more slick than heavy rain does. Longer following distances, no sudden lane changes.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Germany 2, Argentina 0 (Sunday brunch: July 13, 2014)
It’s a good thing Sabers doesn’t have school tomorrow: he and just about everyone else in Bad Reichenhall going to be up late celebrating a World Cup win for Germany. No better time for a sports-minded kid to go on an exchange student trip than during the World Cup.
Argentina’s coach thinks his team will have to play a perfect game in order to win, and I agree with him. The German defense is better than that of the Dutch who managed to figure out Messi and minimize (though not eliminate) his opportunities to create a goal. The first half will look like the Brazil-Netherlands third-place game, minus the penalty that I thought should have been just outside the box. Germany will have the majority of possession early on, and Klose will put one away. Then another goal late as the Argentines press for the equalizer.
While you’re waiting for kickoff, you can solve these puzzles. Still no World Cup themes in the cryptic realm though.
The Wall Street Journal has an easy variety cryptic by Hex called “Family Reunion.” As usual, the solution is elsewhere on the blog. Falcon reports that Hex’s weekly straight cryptic in the National Post is also easier than usual.
Want something harder? Take on Fraser Simpson’s puzzle in the Globe and Mail. Or (as we catch up with Kevin Wald) “Catching Four,” his contribution to the Post Hunt in Washington (knowing that fact might help you work out one of the themes).
The New York Times variety puzzle (behind the paywall) is a Hex acrostic. Commentary (and spoilers) from Deb Amlen at Wordplay.
Before you go, don’t forget that Trip Payne’s 2014 Extravaganza is going to start August 1. Sign up here. Ten bucks for twelve puzzles plus a meta, and two solvers with correct answers win $100.
Argentina’s coach thinks his team will have to play a perfect game in order to win, and I agree with him. The German defense is better than that of the Dutch who managed to figure out Messi and minimize (though not eliminate) his opportunities to create a goal. The first half will look like the Brazil-Netherlands third-place game, minus the penalty that I thought should have been just outside the box. Germany will have the majority of possession early on, and Klose will put one away. Then another goal late as the Argentines press for the equalizer.
While you’re waiting for kickoff, you can solve these puzzles. Still no World Cup themes in the cryptic realm though.
The Wall Street Journal has an easy variety cryptic by Hex called “Family Reunion.” As usual, the solution is elsewhere on the blog. Falcon reports that Hex’s weekly straight cryptic in the National Post is also easier than usual.
Want something harder? Take on Fraser Simpson’s puzzle in the Globe and Mail. Or (as we catch up with Kevin Wald) “Catching Four,” his contribution to the Post Hunt in Washington (knowing that fact might help you work out one of the themes).
The New York Times variety puzzle (behind the paywall) is a Hex acrostic. Commentary (and spoilers) from Deb Amlen at Wordplay.
Before you go, don’t forget that Trip Payne’s 2014 Extravaganza is going to start August 1. Sign up here. Ten bucks for twelve puzzles plus a meta, and two solvers with correct answers win $100.
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Valencia (Sunday brunch: April 27, 2014)
That’s nice, but I should have a team too. But I don’t any direct connections to Europe (the other Doctor Mitchell was born in Ingolstadt); how do I pick one? Go with the herd and buy a Barcelona or Manchester United jersey? How unoriginal. Then I found an inspiration. In my wine cellar is a collection of mourvèdres: mourvèdre bring a flavorful but somewhat uncommon grape of the Rhône. There aren’t any big-time soccer teams in Châteauneuf-du-Pape or Contra Costa county, but there are in eastern Spain. So I picked up a map of La Liga teams, located Jumilla, and saw that the home team there is Valencia.
Anyone else have some soccer stories to share? Are there any teams out there with jerseys that could pass for a crossword grid?
Erica has blogged this month’s Harper’s and also introduces us to the mercenary she brought in to win the Chicago bedbug wars. On top of that we learn that Erica likes anagrams almost as much as she likes salads.
Trip Payne has announced his annual Extravaganza; ten bucks gets you a dozen puzzles, a meta, and a crack at a $100 prize to be awarded to two solvers who submit correct solutions by the deadline.
Also vieing for your puzzling dollar is Peter Gordon of Fireball Crosswords, who’s announced another Kickstarter project for a series of bi-weekly crosswords filled with answers ripped from the headlines, or as Peter puts it: “All the News That Fits Symmetrically.” Subscriptions start at six bucks for twenty crosswords, and the funding is open through June 15.
The weekday cryptic in the National Post is syndicated from the Daily Telegraph (London), running several months behind. So on Tuesday they ran DT 27,367: their puzzle commemorating the 100th anniversary of the crossword, and Christmas fell on Wednesday (links are to Falcon, who shares Big Dave’s posts and adds some notes on degree of difficulty). Even if Brit cryptics aren’t your cup of tea, this is worth trying.
Patrick Berry fans, raise a glass. Your favorite constructor is at work in the weekend Wall Street Journal, with a Section Eight. Hints are posted.
Regular service resumes north of the border. After two weeks of harder-than-usual puzzles, this weekend’s National Post puzzle (blogged by Falcon) is fairly easy. The Globe and Mail puzzle by Fraser Simpson is hard.
The New York Times variety puzzle (behind the paywall) is a Split Decisions. I get the impression that Deb Amlen isn’t a fan either.
Sunday, April 20, 2014
Holy Week (Sunday brunch: April 20, 2014)
Happy Easter to all, and a joyous Passover as well. I think these holidays are best when you get a good story to tell out of them. This year, one of Bangle’s classmates was scheduled to lead the Palm Sunday procession over to St. Luke’s, where we join with our neighbor churches for the blessing of the palms. But she got hit with a softball Saturday and was sporting a lovely black eye. Of course she went ahead and led the procession, and her father made sure to get lots of pictures.
Usually during Holy Week, we’ll have the Passion story read at least once, if not twice, but this year for Good Friday, we instead heard the Living Last Words, a companion work to the Living Last Supper that our church has put on the past several years. Both pieces tell the narrative as seen through the eyes of the participants.
The teens were the performers in the Living Last Words, and Sabers (as the centurion) and Bangle (as the shepherd) gained much praise for their portrayals.
Meanwhile, my friend Burt scored the one-liner of the season: “I thought my wife and I would never hear those words from my daughter: ‘Let’s have the Seder at our house this year.’”
Got a story to share? Comments are open. On to the weekend’s puzzles.
The Wall Street Journal has a Hex variety cryptic: quite appropriately an Egg Hunt. The solution is posted elsewhere on the blog. Ask there if you need any of the clues explained; some of them are pretty clever.
Falcon found the Hex straight cryptic in the National Post to be harder than usual for the second week in a row. I thought the same, and we probably both finished on the same answer. And the Fraser Simpson puzzle from the Globe and Mail (printable, Java) was pretty hard too.
We learn this week from her latest Brit cryptic that LizR likes King Crimson.
The New York Times puzzle (behind the paywall) is a Hex acrostic. Deb Amlen has comments and some answers at Wordplay.
If you didn’t see the update to Thursday’s post, Puzzazz released a new book of variety crosswords by Mike Shenk, and it shows off the advantages of the app really well.
 |
| “Truly, I tell you: one of you will betray me tonight.” da Vinci’s painting brought to life in Glenside. |
The teens were the performers in the Living Last Words, and Sabers (as the centurion) and Bangle (as the shepherd) gained much praise for their portrayals.
Meanwhile, my friend Burt scored the one-liner of the season: “I thought my wife and I would never hear those words from my daughter: ‘Let’s have the Seder at our house this year.’”
Got a story to share? Comments are open. On to the weekend’s puzzles.
The Wall Street Journal has a Hex variety cryptic: quite appropriately an Egg Hunt. The solution is posted elsewhere on the blog. Ask there if you need any of the clues explained; some of them are pretty clever.
Falcon found the Hex straight cryptic in the National Post to be harder than usual for the second week in a row. I thought the same, and we probably both finished on the same answer. And the Fraser Simpson puzzle from the Globe and Mail (printable, Java) was pretty hard too.
We learn this week from her latest Brit cryptic that LizR likes King Crimson.
The New York Times puzzle (behind the paywall) is a Hex acrostic. Deb Amlen has comments and some answers at Wordplay.
If you didn’t see the update to Thursday’s post, Puzzazz released a new book of variety crosswords by Mike Shenk, and it shows off the advantages of the app really well.
Monday, April 7, 2014
Godspell (Solution No. 3,319)
 |
| Light of the World |
A little theater for you in honor of this week’s theme: Bangle and Sabers in the church’s production of Godspell. More pictures here.
Catchy music, colorful costumes, and a cast made up of kids from 3 to 18. That’s a sure-fire recipe for a real crowd-pleaser. Kudos to music director Rae Ann Anderson for all her work on the production, and for having such confidence in the kids.
[ed. note: this post was back-dated to keep the solutions in order]
Showtime (Puzzle No. 3,319)
The theme answers in puzzle 3,319 are Broadway
musicals, which was a perfectly timed theme. Sabers and Bangle are performing in a church production of
Godspell this weekend; it’s been one of my favorite shows ever since I saw the
original cast off-Broadway in the 70s.
When the choir director announced the production, I did a
little research and discovered that John-Michael Tebelak wrote Godspell as a senior project while he was in college
(at Carnegie Mellon). At that point, it was a straight play. A few months later, Tebelak and the producers decided the show needed music, and reached out to another recent CMU alum, Stephen Schwartz, who composed the memorable songs.
The show is notable for the number of now-famous performers who made their main-stage debuts in it (particularly in the 1972 Toronto prodution), including Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Sonia Manzano, Jeremy Irons, and Paul Schaffer.
In our production, Sabers has the John the Baptist role. Fellow high school students Jake (as Jesus) and Blair (Judas) are the other leads; and Bangle and her two junior high classmates round out the main cast. Nearly twenty elementary-age kids have smaller singing and speaking parts, and the cherubs provide the cute and adorable element.
Link to puzzle:
[ed. note: this post was back-dated to keep the puzzle links in order]
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Open hockey (Sunday brunch: July 28, 2013)
I don’t have to compete at State Games like The Other Doctor Mitchell, Sabers, and Bangle, but I need to be in mid-season shape too: this is an important event for the players and they deserve our best. Official USA Hockey training camps aren’t going to start until next month, so I set up my own program: going around to some of the area rinks for their open hockey sessions. It’s a whole lot more productive practice than going to a public skate and just skating around in circles, even skating fast and weaving around other skaters to work on agility like I usually do to get ready for the season. And I need it because I've been refereeing more fencing than hockey the past few months.
The players found it novel to have a ref join them, but for the most part they played like the usual open hockey: hacking around, floating in the neutral zone, and showing off individual skills. Friday night was a really good bunch of players: a couple of guys who looked like college players or maybe senior A, some decent senior Bs, and some good midget/high school age players including a very solid defenseman.
With no goalies, no line changes, and very light enforcement of the rules, it was like pond hockey. For the ref working solo, it was like D-league, only at twice the speed. There’s no better workout for a ref: a solid hour of 150 percent speed and endurance. Bantams will seem slow after this, which is just what I needed.
Need some puzzles to keep your brain just as fit? Here we go...
The Wall Street Journal has an acrostic by Mike Shenk and the New York Times has a Hex acrostic (behind the paywall).
Hope you’re not afraid of snakes! This week’s Hex cryptic in the National Post has a serpentine theme, while the Nathan Curtis puzzle of the week is a Snake Charmer.
And if you didn’t see it earlier this week, give Roger Wolff's “X Games” a try, and if you like it, join the Kickstarter for his Cryptic All Stars book. I finished it this morning, after nailing the 12 letter entry on the left. It’s one of those puzzles where the lights are unnumbered and the answers given in alphabetical order. I had about two thirds of them figured out, but only three in the grid. I had to take a leap of faith, and ended up rolling right through as soon as I did. Let that be a lesson.
The players found it novel to have a ref join them, but for the most part they played like the usual open hockey: hacking around, floating in the neutral zone, and showing off individual skills. Friday night was a really good bunch of players: a couple of guys who looked like college players or maybe senior A, some decent senior Bs, and some good midget/high school age players including a very solid defenseman.
With no goalies, no line changes, and very light enforcement of the rules, it was like pond hockey. For the ref working solo, it was like D-league, only at twice the speed. There’s no better workout for a ref: a solid hour of 150 percent speed and endurance. Bantams will seem slow after this, which is just what I needed.
Need some puzzles to keep your brain just as fit? Here we go...
The Wall Street Journal has an acrostic by Mike Shenk and the New York Times has a Hex acrostic (behind the paywall).
Hope you’re not afraid of snakes! This week’s Hex cryptic in the National Post has a serpentine theme, while the Nathan Curtis puzzle of the week is a Snake Charmer.
And if you didn’t see it earlier this week, give Roger Wolff's “X Games” a try, and if you like it, join the Kickstarter for his Cryptic All Stars book. I finished it this morning, after nailing the 12 letter entry on the left. It’s one of those puzzles where the lights are unnumbered and the answers given in alphabetical order. I had about two thirds of them figured out, but only three in the grid. I had to take a leap of faith, and ended up rolling right through as soon as I did. Let that be a lesson.
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