There was a kerfuffle over a recent NYT crossword puzzle, and the debate ended up getting airtime on The Colbert Report.

I thought you all might enjoy seeing it. Scroll down to see the vid.

[Fixed the link]

This message has been edited. Last edited by: zmježd,

Will never said a cross word until he took it in the Shortz.

If he tours the country, it'll be a Shortz circuit.

I think he comes up Shortz when compared to predecessors Maleska, Weng & Farrar. Haven't enjoyed one much since last March's riff on Spoonerisms...

It does seem to me that the "illin" could be the clue for "Wack, in hip-hop," at least by Shortz's explanation. Can't say I've heard of "illin" before, though. Has anyone here?

Great post, CW!

Somehow I doubt that most Wordcrafters are of the correct age group to be au fait with current youthful slang.

I'm in my fifties; I've heard both illin' and wack used by people who are not hip-hop artists. I work for a company most of whose employees are in their twenties and thirties.

I'll ask my kids. Of course I had heard of wack, just not illin.

I thought illin was someone who went to a college in your state, Kalleh. As for wack, if you add "off" to it, I understand it.

quote:

Originally posted by zmježd:
illin' and wack

This is pretty old slang. I seem to remember it from the 80s.

I've heard wack, but not illin.