Very nice to have a NYS election day puzzle, especially with master wordsmith Mario Cuomo! I'm not sure why gila woodpeckers in cacti got into the picture, but we can shrug and say 'Cuz. At least I'd vaguely heard of the Hedgehog...

I doubt if there'll be much of a sweep in the current voting, but many thanks to Mr. Boone for the memories! Maybe we'll see son Andrew Cuomo on a ballot soon?
ArtLvr | 11.02.09 - 10:11 pm | #

Sometimes nurses are much more than doctors' assistants, as in an intensive care unit -- which I remember with immense gratitude. But in an operating room, that's what would be: assistants.
ratsandthunderstorms | 11.03.09 - 12:55 am | #

Hadn't heard the quote; RAREE is new to me. I guess learning two new things makes it a good day.
Elaine | 11.03.09 - 1:58 am | #

Take care of yourself, Orange! Regardless of who is fighting it, there are some nasty flu viruses (virii?) going around right now.

The puzzle was relatively easy due to a lack of nasty crosses, but I was surprised to see some of the answers (RAREE, IONIA, TAO, FEU) and clues ("Gila woodpeckers nest in them," "What Fred Ott did...") in a Tuesday puzzle. Again, the puzzle wasn't particularly hard, but it seemed Will was striving for a higher level of difficulty than your average Tuesday.

Oh -- and am I the only one who has never heard of "Gimme Dat Ding"? I just looked it up, but it was a complete mystery to me while solving.
Barry G | Homepage | 11.03.09 - 6:08 am | #

Barry,

You are not the only one. It was new to me as well. I wasn't too optimistic when I saw it was a quote puzzle, but it was quite straightforward with the crossings. Raree was new to me as well.
Bruce S. | 11.03.09 - 7:14 am | #

BEQ Horsing around puzzle: A good horse would have been Caligula's horse Incitatus. That pony knew how to live!
bill sullivan | 11.03.09 - 8:46 am | #

ARTLVR,

I'm with you. As for puzzle objections, "blow one's top" is not equivalent to GET ANGRY, it is just an inappopriate response to the emotion or citcumstance. And to EMEND is closer to improving (or editing) than AMEND, which is to change something, not always for the better.
Zulema | 11.03.09 - 9:47 am | #

But if a nurse isn't a surgeon's assistant, who is?
I don't believe the clue was demeaning.
Marcus Well Be | 11.03.09 - 10:09 am | #

don't go there.
joon | 11.03.09 - 10:47 am | #

Any NURSE clue that doesn't involve single malt is demeaning to scotch.
Martin | 11.03.09 - 11:19 am | #

Barry - "Gimme dat, gimme dat, gimme, gimme, gimme dat;
gimme dat ding, gimme, gimme dat ding."
A novelty song from 30-40 years ago.
larry | 11.03.09 - 12:02 pm | #

"Marcus": Her administrative assistant back in the office, of course. In the OR, the surgeon's assistant might well be a shiny new surgical resident learning the ropes, no?
Orange | Homepage | 11.03.09 - 12:18 pm | #

Orange,

I would think the resident, if involved in the procedure, is a surgeon too -- not as experienced, but a surgeon. Since there will always be nurses in the operating room, and they will always be assisting as well, what's wrong with the clue?

I probably shoulda listened to Joon.
Martin | 11.03.09 - 12:51 pm | #

When will I ever notice all my typos? Even after 3 run-throughs there were 2 left. Sorry.
Zulema | 11.03.09 - 12:55 pm | #

I still vote for "Breastfeed" as a clue for NURSE.

But Martin's suggestion about scotch is good, too. In most cases, though, wouldn't a clue involving scotch be a better match for the word SAVOR or SIP? The only thing I would NURSE if I drank scotch is a hangover.
Deb Amlen | Homepage | 11.03.09 - 1:08 pm | #