NYT Spelling Bee

[Langue_doc]

Good morning!

Genius, but no pangram.

Made it to QB by guessing a couple of words.

LB -- the NYT solution; saw the second word right away and then the first.

ab_grp, did you make the pancakes that were in a recent email from the NYT? I've been wanting to try that recipe.

Happy solving, all!

[ab_grp]

Good morning!

I'm off to a slow start this morning.  We are changing up our morning routine, and I am not the most adaptable, so I am kind of at loose ends trying to figure out timing.  But I'll work on the bee more later and did get the crossword done.

We had the schmofficial solution as well, with husband providing the main ingredient.  The other one I was trying for a while was weathervane.  Oh well!

Langue_doc, I just checked, and that pancake recipe was in a recent NYT email.  I was surprised at how different they ended up tasting from "normal" pancakes with what doesn't seem like much lemon zest for flavor, and I was pleased that the texture came out nicely (ricotta just seemed sort of heavy to add?).  We liked them a lot and have leftovers for today.  If you are interested, I will say more here, but feel free to skip it of course, since you did not ask for a dissertation on it.  ;-)  As reviewers noted, the recipe is probably more complicated than it needs to be to some extent.  We just made "buttermilk" from 2% milk and lemon juice and did not gently rub the lemon zest into the sugar with our fingertips (I am not sure what all that is supposed to do, but it sounds messy, so we just mixed it with the whisk after adding the vanilla).  I was a little concerned about pouring the melted butter into the egg mixture, so I did it simultaneously with the "buttermilk" to cool it off.  Of course, you could melt the butter earlier so it is cooler at the time of adding.  The recipe says it makes 12-14 small pancakes.  For us it made 10 pancakes that I would say are medium sized, although they are about the size of the bottom pancake in the stack on the left in the accompanying photo, so maybe that is small.  I don't eat pancakes too often and haven't studied the measurement of them.  We had them with some blackberries and regular maple syrup, and husband whipped up some whipped cream.  If you try them, let me know what you think!

Happy solving! 

[Langue_doc]

Disclaimer: not bee-related, so ignore if not ab_grp.

ab_grp, thank you for the info about the pancakes, especially the lemon zest rubbing part. I saw from the notes that there are substitutes for the buttermilk and also the ricotta. I do want to use the ricotta so I'm waiting for my next grocery trip, probably tomorrow. The notes also suggested halving the recipe--I was thinking of using a third of the listed ingredients because the recipe calls for 3 eggs and an amount of flour that can be easily one-thirded.

[cathwen]

Good afternoon!

I am also off to a slow start today, which looks like a Bad Puzzle Day.  No LB yet, and SB is only Amazing with no pangram!

Yesterday I got to QB-1ABM, but got stuck on the last word, which finally sent me to the hints.  It was tantara!  I grumbled about it, which inspired my husband to sing verses from Iolanthe. 

For LB, I was trying desperately to make something with weathervane or convergent, but had no luck.  I did not even see wavelength!

Happy puzzling! 

[ab_grp]

I finally got some kind of momentum with the bee and have 3 words left, but it's not going easy.  I forgot to say that yesterday tantra was last.  I was lucky to remember arhat, tantara from previous puzzles. 

Not much luck yet on LB, and sudokus are like pulling teeth. 

Good luck with the pancakes, Langue_doc! I think the ricotta was one of the biggest draws for me (there's just something about it I really like), so I understand wanting to hold off for that purchase.  I thought the ingredient scaling was interesting.  Like you said, lots of items divisible by 3.  So many 3/4ths! I wondered why they didn't just scale it up so most of the units were whole units, but scaling down works too! Given that they reheat pretty well and that I'm lazy, I'd rather just make the mix and get the griddle out once.  I do wish I had some more berries on hand!

[Langue_doc]

Good morning!

I probably need just two or three more words in today's bee.

I didn't get around to the puzzles yesterday. I'd have found the pangram as I was looking for -ble ending words, but wouldn't have found bibelot.

Happy solving, all!

[ciao_yall]

Morning!

QBWATHICH but learned a new word - bibelot. And for LB, pastrami-influx.

Happy solving!

[ab_grp]

Good morning!

I think I have 5 words left today, not at Alpha.  Yesterday I missed bibelot, bootee.  Husband got the latter but missed booboo.

No luck on LB, either! Congrats, ciao_yall!

Hopefully it will be a better puzzle day all around!

Happy solving!

[cathwen]

Good afternoon!

I got to QBABM today! Yesterday, however, I needed help with the last two words:  beetle and belittle. 

For the third day in a row, I have not found a 2fer for LB.  Yesterday I had influx, but did not see pastrami—so congratulations, ciao_yall! 

Happy puzzling! 

[Langue_doc]

QB and two-fer; not very economical, but "normal" words.

cathwen, sorry about the temporary loss of your mojo--it'll be back soon.

[Parasaurolophus]

Pretty stumped today. Oh well!

[Langue_doc]

Good morning!

Pangram (easy) and genius (strenuous).

Don't remember my last word yesterday--the words all just found themselves.

bulkhead/debonair; couldn't find a mate for bonehead.

Happy solving, all!

[ciao_yall]

Morning!

GwP yesterday, missed a few easy ones or I very easily could have achieved QBABM if not at least QBWG.

Just 3fers yesterday, including hulk-ked-debonair, blinked-dour-rah. Let's see what today brings!

Happy solving!

[ab_grp]

Good morning/afternoon!

Short but difficultish bee today.  I am down to three short words.  Hmm.  Yesterday I missed gamin.

No luck on LB, unfortunately! Congrats, Langue_doc!

Happy solving!

[ab_grp]

Got a 2fer! Yay! Also down to QB-1.