Antisemitism and the NYT crossword

[Anonymous]

I did a jigsaw puzzle recently with some piece shapes that raised my eyebrows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s an unfortunate accident and they should address it and apologize for the accidental offense. (There’s is actually a whole thing about accidentally creating a swastika pattern in quilts and I can imagine the crossword layout presents similar issues. Nevertheless, they shouldn’t ignore it!)

Can I prove that it wasn't on purpose? Of course not. But it seems far, far more likely that it was accidental.

Unfortunately, there are many clear cases of antisemitism these days. This is not where to focus energy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s an unfortunate accident and they should address it and apologize for the accidental offense. (There’s is actually a whole thing about accidentally creating a swastika pattern in quilts and I can imagine the crossword layout presents similar issues. Nevertheless, they shouldn’t ignore it!)

Can I prove that it wasn't on purpose? Of course not. But it seems far, far more likely that it was accidental.

Unfortunately, there are many clear cases of antisemitism these days. This is not where to focus energy.

Why not? It’s pretty egregious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the constructor’s note: “ Thrilled to have my first Sunday puzzle in The Times! This grid features one of my favorite open middles that I’ve made as it pulls from a variety of subject areas. I had originally tried to make it work in a 15x15 grid but then decided to expand the grid out to a Sunday-size puzzle with a fun whirlpool shape. Hope you enjoy!”

I believe him. He saw a whirlpool. Not everyone sees swastikas everywhere.

This. This whole thing feels like a huge stretch of trying to be offended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s an unfortunate accident and they should address it and apologize for the accidental offense. (There’s is actually a whole thing about accidentally creating a swastika pattern in quilts and I can imagine the crossword layout presents similar issues. Nevertheless, they shouldn’t ignore it!)

They are ignoring it, and other media outlets are ignoring it. Why is that?

Because … it’s not newsworthy

I thought swastikas were bad. Apparently we are cool with them now.

58 - Boxcars

60 - Brandenburg Gate, the entrance to the Reichstag

88 - Group led by Darth Sideous ( the Emperor in Star Wars) — the cross word is too low resolution to see if this fits, but my first answer would be “stormtroopers”.

7 down is a reference to Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd. Their wall concerts were openly antisemitic, with the fascists of the “wall” being adorned with Stars of David and a Hitleresque fascist leader — with Roger Waters being a open antisemite and hater of Israel.

Lots of various references to Islam throughout.

Not a chance any of this was accidental.

interesting that Pink Floyd never got cancelled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The guy who made the crossword puzzle is a gay economist living in DC. Pretty sure he's not antisemitic.

Being gay and an economist shields you from anti-semitism? Hmmm.

Oh we have a troll on our hands. I see. Trying to stir up anger & outrage over a coincidence. Only YOU saw a swastika. Why is that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the constructor’s note: “ Thrilled to have my first Sunday puzzle in The Times! This grid features one of my favorite open middles that I’ve made as it pulls from a variety of subject areas. I had originally tried to make it work in a 15x15 grid but then decided to expand the grid out to a Sunday-size puzzle with a fun whirlpool shape. Hope you enjoy!”

I believe him. He saw a whirlpool. Not everyone sees swastikas everywhere.

You can only see a swasitika if you fill in specific boxes to isolate a swastika shape in the middle of the puzzle. Why would anyone do that? Why would the designer do that. Mom people who do crossword puzzles go through and fill in all obvious answers first, both horizontal and vertical, and then start working through it again using the filled in spaces as clues to help figure out the rest. Meaning that no one who is actually doing this puzzle as it is intended would ever see the swastika in it.

I could turn a crossword puzzle into a raised middle finger or a smiley face or a frowny face or a poop emoji if I just fill in certain spaces in the puzzle without any regard to actually filling it out. Does that mean those crossword puzzles are SECRET MESSAGES intended to communicate "eff off" or happy or sad or poop? No, it means I have waaaaaaay too much time on my hands. And that's saying something coming from someone who does crossword puzzles for fun.

[Anonymous]

Nyt is Jewish owned and operated (Jewish ceo)

This is a false flag

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s an unfortunate accident and they should address it and apologize for the accidental offense. (There’s is actually a whole thing about accidentally creating a swastika pattern in quilts and I can imagine the crossword layout presents similar issues. Nevertheless, they shouldn’t ignore it!)

They are ignoring it, and other media outlets are ignoring it. Why is that?

Because … it’s not newsworthy

I thought swastikas were bad. Apparently we are cool with them now.

58 - Boxcars

60 - Brandenburg Gate, the entrance to the Reichstag

88 - Group led by Darth Sideous ( the Emperor in Star Wars) — the cross word is too low resolution to see if this fits, but my first answer would be “stormtroopers”.

7 down is a reference to Syd Barrett of Pink Floyd. Their wall concerts were openly antisemitic, with the fascists of the “wall” being adorned with Stars of David and a Hitleresque fascist leader — with Roger Waters being a open antisemite and hater of Israel.

Lots of various references to Islam throughout.

Not a chance any of this was accidental.

interesting that Pink Floyd never got cancelled.

Incorporating Islam makes it anti-Semitic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The guy who made the crossword puzzle is a gay economist living in DC. Pretty sure he's not antisemitic.

Being gay and an economist shields you from anti-semitism? Hmmm.

Oh we have a troll on our hands. I see. Trying to stir up anger & outrage over a coincidence. Only YOU saw a swastika. Why is that?

Lots of people do not think this was a coincidence. Stop attacking someone because they have an opinion.

I don’t think this is a coincidence either. Especially with “boxcars” incorporated into the puzzle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It only makes a swastika if you block out more than half the boxes. That is not how people fill in the crossword puzzle.

Agree. If you get the clue, you fill in the whole word. You would not put in the first few letters and leave the rest blank, which is what you would have to do for multiple answers to make the image appear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s an unfortunate accident and they should address it and apologize for the accidental offense. (There’s is actually a whole thing about accidentally creating a swastika pattern in quilts and I can imagine the crossword layout presents similar issues. Nevertheless, they shouldn’t ignore it!)

Jewish and agree it's probably an unfortunate accident but how in the heck did no one catch this - it's obvious on first glance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the constructor’s note: “ Thrilled to have my first Sunday puzzle in The Times! This grid features one of my favorite open middles that I’ve made as it pulls from a variety of subject areas. I had originally tried to make it work in a 15x15 grid but then decided to expand the grid out to a Sunday-size puzzle with a fun whirlpool shape. Hope you enjoy!”

I believe him. He saw a whirlpool. Not everyone sees swastikas everywhere.

... which is why diversity matters. because "not everyone" sees it - but every single jewish person does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nyt is Jewish owned and operated (Jewish ceo)

This is a false flag

If you think the NYT is pro-Jewish, you have no clue about the history of the paper.

https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/10903

https://www.timesofisrael.com/the-sulzberger-family-a-complicated-jewish-legacy-at-the-new-york-times/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s an unfortunate accident and they should address it and apologize for the accidental offense. (There’s is actually a whole thing about accidentally creating a swastika pattern in quilts and I can imagine the crossword layout presents similar issues. Nevertheless, they shouldn’t ignore it!)

Jewish and agree it's probably an unfortunate accident but how in the heck did no one catch this - it's obvious on first glance.

Anyone who sees a swastika in this crossword is just looking for something to be offended about. It says more about you, if you see a swastika, than it does about the crossword.