Crossword confusion
June 3, 2009 | 10:18
am
Many readers have sent notes like this from Harriett L. Pease of Glendale: "Please do not tell me that you are no longer going to feature Sylvia Burstyn on Sunday's Los Angeles Times crossword puzzles. I have enjoyed her style for years, when she co-authored with Barry Tunick, and after his untimely death she has done an exemplary job on her own. Sylvia has a cunning sense of humor and I do miss her."
To Pease and other, the editors of Sunday Calendar say this: "Ms. Burstyn is taking some time off. We appreciate your comments and thank you for your interest in the puzzle." Sunday Calendar editor Bret Israel adds that until Burstyn returns, Merl Reagle's puzzles will be published in Arts & Books on Sunday.
I miss Sylvia Burstyn's puzzles. They sometimes make me smile and at other times make me groan, but they are always a fun challenge.
I much prefer hers to Merl's.
Posted by: Cindy Wall | June 03, 2009 at 10:14 PM
Glad to hear Sylvia Bursstyn will be back. In the meantime the substitution is OK.
Posted by: Linda Little | June 10, 2009 at 12:33 PM
I'm glad to know that you haven't put Sylvia Bursztyn out to pasture! I much prefer her puzzles to Merl Reagle's.
I applaud Ms. Bursztyn for continuing after her puzzle partner Barry Tunick died. I'm sure the puzzles are a lot harder to construct than for us to figure out.
Ms. Bursztyn, hope you enjoy your time off.
Posted by: Flo Selfman` | June 25, 2009 at 11:55 AM
I was SOOO happy to see that Sylvia Burstyn was back and then - major disappointment - it was only for one week and Merl Reagle is back.
Merl Reagle I know to be highly regarded, but her puzzles are humorless
slogging and self-congratulatory ("ain't I the smartest?") compared to the
bright intelligent puzzles put together by Ms. Burstyn that are fun to do
and give you "ahhh" and "aha" moments.
Merl Reagle gives me "oh no" moments. I hope Ms. Burstyn will be back
for good.
Posted by: Heather MacDougall | August 23, 2009 at 01:29 PM