A few days ago, in one of the threads, someone mentioned the New York Times crossword puzzle. Today, I realized I had a gap in my schedule and had time to work one (something I have not had time to do for a while). One of the answers was ‘nerts’, a term I vaguely remember hearing in some old, black-and-white movie. Is it still usual for the word ‘nerts’ to be used? Or is it, perhaps, slangy? Or is just another one of those, remote, age-old crossword answers, used by the odd cruciverbalist (high, AnnaS!) now and again, which one must face, on occasion?

Can't resist doing a limerick with this one, Dgeigh. Words like "Nerts!" don't come along every day. :)

A very useful word is "Nerts!"
Which a cruciverbalist inserts
In a crossword puzzle -
Our wits to muzzle.
"Nerts! This crossword really hurts!"

MSN Encarta: nerts [ nurts ]

interjection

expression of contempt or refusal: a word used to express contempt, disgust, or refusal (dated slang)

[Mid-20th century. Alteration of nuts.]

As a keen (and most of my friends would agree, often odd) cruciverbalist, I've never even heard of nerts. Then again I've never done the New York Times Crossword and I'm not American...

I've never done the New York Times Crossword and I'm not American...

If you’re interested in trying one, Bridget, here’s the link to the NYT crossword puzzle online:

http://www.nytimes.com/pages/crosswords/

You have to register to access the current puzzle (or any other part of the online articles, etc.), but it appears to be free.

Beginning with the Monday puzzle, the puzzles get harder as the week progresses – (probably fairly standard, regardless of the publisher). The Saturday and Sunday puzzles are a bit harder, though, primarily due to their size. I was able to finish the one Saturday puzzle I tried, but the Sunday puzzle I tried eventually just sucked the enthusiasm out of me. I don’t think I wanted to work another puzzle for at least a month.

yehhhhssss, I did look at it - they have an archive one you can play with without registering.
But as a Pom with a twisted mind, I prefer cryptic crosswords. The only web subscription I have ever taken out is to the Guardian crossword site - driven to that by the quality of the local Australian SMH offering. And I'm not putting a link in as you can't play at all for free - sorry!

cryptic crosswords

Hmmm… they sound interesting. I might have to try one.


Pom

Writing of interesting, ‘Pom’ was a new one on me. Thanks for using it!

‘Pom’ certainly has an interesting etymology. I never would have thought Cockney rhyming slang existed in Australia. It makes sense when I think about it, though. Is rhyming slang still used in Australia and/or New Zealand? (Of course, you may not know if it’s used in New Zealand, or not, but I’d thought I’d ask since you’re closer to it than I am.) If so, it would be interesting to study the current rhyming slang used in England and compare it to rhyming slang that may exist anywhere else in the Commonwealth, along with their histories/etymologies, so to speak.

Dgeigh, first of all I don't know which alleged etymology of 'Pom' you found - the most commonly accepted is an abbreviation of 'Prisoner of his/her Majesty'. (Australian humour dictates that Britain got it wrong in sending all the criminals off to the wide, sunny, blessed lands of Oz and leaving all the righteous citizens to endure their home winter, so who was a prisoner after all?)

As for rhyming slang, I find a continual minor irritation in all the tourist books along the lines of 'How to speak Strine' which list/translate perfectly good Cockney rhyming slang as if it originated in Australia. (Bit like 'as American as apple pie - just where did the Americans get apple pie from, I'd like to know?!? )

Bits of rhyming slang are still used. I'd quite happily say 'let's have a butcher's' and 'trouble and strife' is widely understood though not widely used.

Much more genuinely 'Australian' to my ear is the habit of abbreviating words to end in an 'o' - 'let's get the relos round for a barbie this arvo'. And there are some fantastic slang expressions:
- Act like a shepherd and get the flock out of here
- I must be off like a bucket of prawns in the sun
- flat out like a lizard drinking

From M-W Oline:

Pom
Pronunciation: 'päm
Function: noun
Australian & New Zealand, usually disparaging : POMMY

Also from M-W Online:

Pommy
Main Entry: Pom•my
Variant(s): or Pom•mie /'pä-mE/
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural Pommies

Etymology: by shortening & alter. from pomegranate, alteration of Jimmy Grant, rhyming slang for immigrant

Australian & New Zealand, usually disparaging : BRITON; especially : an English immigrant


Most of the other sources in OneLook show the same.

Oh, and by the way, all this talk of Apple pie has made me hungry.

http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/foodday/fd0197/fd012097.html

Act like a shepherd and get the flock out of here

Reminds me of:

Be like Wayne Gretsky and get the puck outta here.

I think Nerts! is a corruption of Nuts! used in place of swearing. eg Archie Goodwin when annoyed. Which is why someone saw it in a black and white film; in modern films they usually just swear.

Zed! You're a Rex Stout fan?

Definite Rex Stout fan. I had never read the books till I saw the series on PBS with Timothy Hutton. Can't believe I missed them for so long.
Got a favorite?