"Watch It" March 14, 2025

[Streroto]

I wonder how many of us actually had rabbit ears in the house at some point. I know I did.

[BarbaraK]

I wonder how many of us actually had rabbit ears in the house at some point. I know I did.

I actually wouldn't surprised if I have a set in my junk tech box even now.

[The XWord Rabbit]

Your Rabbit can't begin to compete with Miki's wonderful musical tribute to Mr. Shenk's "Watch It" puzzle.
There was nary a story of Muggles lost this week, so he shall proceed directly to his St. Patrick's Day wish for you --
a card he wrote in the early 1980's when he was a rebellious little bunny. Enjoy - and see you next time.

[chart]

I wonder how many of us actually had rabbit ears in the house at some point. I know I did.

Rabbit ears actually work better for me for HD OTA signal today than any new "HD antenna" being hawked on amazon.

[avian]

I use a rabbit ears on my TV for OTA channels. Just like @chart I tried a digital one and it was a fail.

[woozy]

I wonder how many of us actually had rabbit ears in the house at some point. I know I did.

Rabbit ears actually work better for me for HD OTA signal today than any new "HD antenna" being hawked on amazon.

Considering our average age, I'd be upset if it were lower than ... er.. 80%

...

Hey, so something I've been wondering about for a while yet but don't know where to ask (so why not ask on a crossword forum?). Have any of you had any experience installing an outdoor antenae? Do I have to drill a hole through a wall??? (Instructions always act as though that is no big deal). Or can I just use the existent cable line (from previous owner, I've never actually had cable) if I can figure out what all these obsolete long painted over wires outside my house.

[MikeMillerwsj]

The contest answer is RABBIT EARS. As suggested by the answer AS SEEN ON TV, find five instances of TV in the Across answers, then take the two letters on top of each instance to spell the contest answer.

A big and successful turnout for this clever puzzle: 2,147 entries, 87% correct. A lot of solvers got partway to the solution and simply guessed TV in one form or another: 173 guesses with TV including CRT TV (30), ANALOG TV (6), and TUBE TV (5). Plus 25 guesses of ANTENNA.

Congrats to this week's winner: Dan Kelly of Fort Wayne, Ind.!

[Bob cruise director]

Another week, another empty shelf.

[Deb F]

Another week, another empty shelf.

I feel your pain. As do many Muggles!

[OohLaAHA]

Another week, another empty shelf.

I like your new profile picture. That looks just like my Dad's that I took to MIT for my freshman year.

[Bob cruise director]

Another week, another empty shelf.

I like your new profile picture. That looks just like my Dad's that I took to MIT for my freshman year.

Did your Dad show you how to use it?

If you only used it freshman year you must have graduated in the 70's which is when calculators were introduced.

[OohLaAHA]

Another week, another empty shelf.

I like your new profile picture. That looks just like my Dad's that I took to MIT for my freshman year.

Did your Dad show you how to use it?

If you only used it freshman year you must have graduated in the 70's which is when calculators were introduced.

I don't even remember how I learned to use it. My husband was three years ahead of me and he says the first time he saw a calculator was his junior year when one of his classmates had one. I think they went on sale at the Coop my senior year and sold for around $400 which was a fortune then.

[vandono]

I like your new profile picture. That looks just like my Dad's that I took to MIT for my freshman year.

Did your Dad show you how to use it?

If you only used it freshman year you must have graduated in the 70's which is when calculators were introduced.

I don't even remember how I learned to use it. My husband was three years ahead of me and he says the first time he saw a calculator was his junior year when one of his classmates had one. I think they went on sale at the Coop my senior year and sold for around $400 which was a fortune then.

Love that profile picture, too. Way back in high school (graduated early 80s) the academic competitions between schools included the usual - debate, math, science, etc. - but also slide rule. I won in our district but lost in regionals. Don't tell my wife I did that; she thinks I'm a piano player in a Waffle House.

[PQ63]

The contest answer is RABBIT EARS. As suggested by the answer AS SEEN ON TV, find five instances of TV in the Across answers, then take the two letters on top of each instance to spell the contest answer.

A big and successful turnout for this clever puzzle: 2,147 entries, 87% correct. A lot of solvers got partway to the solution and simply guessed TV in one form or another: 173 guesses with TV including CRT TV (30), ANALOG TV (6), and TUBE TV (5). Plus 25 guesses of ANTENNA.

Congrats to this week's winner: Dan Kelly of Fort Wayne, Ind.!

Yep, I'm one of the lazy ones who guessed TELEVISION. It was too easy to be correct!

[Tom Shea]

Another week, another empty shelf.

I like your new profile picture. That looks just like my Dad's that I took to MIT for my freshman year.

Did your Dad show you how to use it?

If you only used it freshman year you must have graduated in the 70's which is when calculators were introduced.

Thanks. Now I'll have horrible flashbacks/nightmares on high skool physics and second semester thermo.

Interesting discussion on the thread about an obsolete device.

My slide rule is in a place of honor in my garage toolbox (the one on top of the workbench, not the other 8 ones) my father's mic's are on the shelf right next to it. The slide rule is there just to confuse youngsters that might wander by. I continue to use neither, but could figure out the mic's if I had to. For the slide rule, I'd have to look up how to use it on that newfangled contraption called a come-pute-er. Graditated without owning one of those (and didn't buy one for probably a decade). Dropped out of the fortran class, because you had to sign up for time during prime drinking hours. The only things I still own from that painful institution are a circa 1988 alumni directory and my diploma, somewhere in a drawer.

[KayW]

I like your new profile picture. That looks just like my Dad's that I took to MIT for my freshman year.

Did your Dad show you how to use it?

If you only used it freshman year you must have graduated in the 70's which is when calculators were introduced.

Thanks. Now I'll have horrible flashbacks/nightmares on high skool physics and second semester thermo.

Interesting discussion on the thread about an obsolete device.

My slide rule is in a place of honor in my garage toolbox (the one on top of the workbench, not the other 8 ones) my father's mic's are on the shelf right next to it. The slide rule is there just to confuse youngsters that might wander by. I continue to use neither, but could figure out the mic's if I had to. For the slide rule, I'd have to look up how to use it on that newfangled contraption called a come-pute-er. Graditated without owning one of those (and didn't buy one for probably a decade). Dropped out of the fortran class, because you had to sign up for time during prime drinking hours. The only things I still own from that painful institution are a circa 1988 alumni directory and my diploma, somewhere in a drawer.

Every now and then I take another look in vain for my old slide rule. I find it hard to believe that a packrat like me would ever get rid of something that takes up so little room. They were just a little before my time, but I was so nerdy in school (like I've become much cooler since haha) that I got one because I thought it would be cool to know how to use one. Anyway, whenever the topic comes up, I make another fruitless pass of any place I think I could have stashed it. One of these years it will magically turn up!

[Joe Ross]

Same. I thought I had posted a photo of Dad's pocket slide rule (just thought of another place to look! it might be with mine, tangled in computin' tape), which was ever present in his breast pocket. My all boys HS had an extremely strong class academically, the oft-used "several standard deviations" ahead of any that had gone through. Programmable TI calculators were all the rage and worn on belt holsters, earning us the nickname of "TIFs" (leaving you to guess the meaning of "F").

We also had months where we were only allowed to use slide rules, after being taught their analog use. So, despite being 100% verified nerds, our top classes had the athletes and hep cats. Whenever dissed by the smoking shelter / smoking lounge (remember those?) crowd, we'd take any excuse in their taunts to whip out the slide rules to discuss loudly the probablility we'd be able to perform the acts they suggested we perform on ourselves, or what have you.

The slide rule works. For visual folks, it gave more confidence than the 10 or 30 precise keystrokes needed to give the (more precise, to several places) digital answers. My opinion, anyway.

@OohLaAHA
@Bob cruise director
@vandono
@Tom Shea
@KayW

[BarbaraK]

Even in the 23rd century, slide rules are used to pilot starships. Proof:

(No photoshopping, just a screenshot.)

And yes, I still have one.