Even the crossword puzzles in The New York Times are biased in favor of Obama and Biden finds David Levinson Wilk in Politico. Wilk did a little research to see how many times McCain has been an answer in the NYT puzzle since 2005. He came up with zero entries. When he looked for Obama he found the name "regularly appeared" in the puzzle. Does this prove that the Times is "150 percent in the tank" for Obama as McCain adviser Steve Schmidt recently claimed?
I find it a bit amazing that neither McCain's name, nor Palin's name (unless it is referring to Monty Python alum Michael) appears in the Times puzzle. But, there you have it. Wilk gives us his findings but tries to make light of the whole thing.
According to the puzzle database maintained by Cruciverb.com, ever since that game-changing day in 2005, OBAMA has appeared regularly as an answer in New York Times crossword puzzles. With its wonderfully convenient alternating series of commonly used vowels and consonants, OBAMA has been the answer to the clues “Senator who wrote ‘Dreams From My Father,’” “Future senator who delivered the 2004 Democratic convention keynote address” and “Presidential candidate born in Hawaii.”
But what about MCCAIN? Shockingly, not once has MCCAIN been an answer in a crossword in the New York Times, The Washington Post or the Los Angeles Times. No MCCAIN, no JOHNMCCAIN, no SENATORMCCAIN, not even his most recent sobriquet, the presidential-sounding JOHNSMCCAINIII.
Wilk also found a few Biden entries but no Sarah Palin additions.
Now, Wilk is trying to claim that this is all because Obama has the luck of having so many vowels in his name an idea that seems plausible on some level. But, this claim is not satisfying in the long run. After all, crossword puzzles do, here and there, feature words without a satisfying number of vowels in them!
No, it looks pretty plain that OBAMA is a magical word for the NYT puzzle makers. It looks like "150% in the tank" is the answer for #1 up AND down!
(Photo credit: nystore.com)
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I am not discounting your
September 26, 2008 - 05:35 ET by Pete WilsonI am not discounting your theory of bias, there's plenty of it at the NYT, in my opinion. However, OBAMA has three vowels and only two consonants, very handy in crossword puzzles.
You're right. There are so
September 26, 2008 - 06:32 ET by ThisnThatYou're right. There are so many ways Obama can be used in crossword puzzles. Educational, too.
This list could go on forever.
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If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
If NYT ran Jeopardy
September 26, 2008 - 05:45 ET by Mica the MagnificentI'll take "Preferred and superior presidential candidate whose name ends with Obama" for $100, Alex.
I'm Joe Biden and I have a problem with this message about Barack Obama. - - - Joe Bidenism
There is no Bias in the MSM
September 26, 2008 - 06:24 ET by ThisnThatThere is no Bias in the MSM -- anywhere. At any time. You simply can't find it no matter how hard you look.
I know. I googled "Bias in the media" and couldn't find one person named Bias. QED.
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If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
Obama is the answer to
September 26, 2008 - 07:31 ET by HockeyKidObama is the answer to clues in many of my crossword puzzles, too. Here are some them:
14 down Five letter word
September 26, 2008 - 09:03 ET by Alpedhuez5514 down Five letter word for corrupt politician
In Obama's defense, the 3-2 vowel ratio makes it easy to fit in for a crossword writer. They love words and abreviations with a lot of vowels.
"I drink a great deal. I sleep a little, and I smoke cigar after cigar. That is why I am in two-hundred-percent form."
-- Winston Churchill
Come On WT
September 26, 2008 - 09:17 ET by CaringwhiteguyPeople who do crosswords regularly know that the only hockey player's name appearing in a clue is Orr, and the answer to the clue "Giant great" is Ott, not Mays. The crest of a mountain is "arete" or "tor", hardly ever "peak". French verb is virtually always "etre". These are words that just fit handily into the grids with the right combination of vowels and consonants to make other clues fit.
This is a "tempest" in a "teapot" (two words not often found in puzzles).
Crossword guy's 2 cents
September 26, 2008 - 09:23 ET by G-MoneyFinally, a Newsbusters topic right up my alley, as I write puzzles in my spare time. Nerdy, and proud of it.
Crossword editors could be partisan of course, but my assumption is that most are more interested in building a good grid with as few obscure terms as possible. Certainly the name Obama is no longer obscure, even if his non-personal accomplishments still are.
Where the argument for 'tankedness' loses me is in WHERE in the puzzle one finds Obama. I'm assuming it's in random places and not part of the theme. With three consecutive consonants at the top of the word, and two of them 'c', and being six letters long, the likelihood of a random 'McCain' is much lower. The premise of this story is amusing, though, given the NYT's unrepentant shilling.
As for me, I've used the Messiah's name once, in a place where 'Osama' would have also fit. However, I wanted the puzzle to be pangrammatic and the b also promoted the theme. Honestly, I didn't think twice about it. I haven't added clues yet for the grid, perhaps I'll use one of ThisnThat's hilarious examples.
G-M, I don't make crossword
September 26, 2008 - 20:51 ET by Kenny BunkportG-M, I don't make crossword puzzles, but I have been solving the NY Times puzzles for 30 years. I agree with you and Wilk that Obama is a better crossword name than McCain. How many times has musician Brian Eno's name been used? It's because Eno is a great crossword name not that the NY Times has a huge thrill for Mr. Eno.
Palin has only been on the scene for a month. You can't expect the crossword writers to use her this soon. I haven't seen Biden pop up too often either.
I have maybe noticed a slight liberal leaning in the overall tone of the puzzles over the years. But no more than you would find in an Encyclopedia Britannica. Maybe a leaning toward environmentalism or tendency for puzzle themes featuring populist icons. I just don't see a gross promotion of one party or candidate over the other.
Media bias is a major problem, but seeing in the crossword kind of borders on paranoia.
A gun in your hand beats a cop on the phone.
WTF???
September 26, 2008 - 09:47 ET by geoksterC'mon, this is ridiculous.
We've got so many ways to prove that the MSM is biased, but this is just stupid. Did you need to fill space today?
"Obama" is a great word for a crossword puzzle. Commonly used alternating vowels and consonants. "McCain" has three consonants in a row, which is tougher to fit in a puzzle. And "Palin" has not been in the limelight long enough to be used yet, but since her name has qualities similar to Obama, she will be soon enough.
And the clues that "Palin" will get will not be complimentary.