soaproot
@soaproot.northsky.social
I'm more active at @soaproot.sfba.social.ap.brid.gy (enable the bridge by following @ap.brid.gy to more fully interact).
638th best crossword solver (in 2026; for those not steeped in crossword banter, this is tongue in cheek).
Jim Kingdon.
gay 🏳️🌈
638th best crossword solver (in 2026; for those not steeped in crossword banter, this is tongue in cheek).
Jim Kingdon.
gay 🏳️🌈
Reposted by soaproot
As for "down the rabbit hole of how many eggshells you have and have not dodged", yes I am trying to win the mixed metaphor contest. I'm a little bit afraid that the crossword people I follow here will be able to run circles around me, however.
September 18, 2026 at 2:21 AM
As for "down the rabbit hole of how many eggshells you have and have not dodged", yes I am trying to win the mixed metaphor contest. I'm a little bit afraid that the crossword people I follow here will be able to run circles around me, however.
Reposted by soaproot
Brand new #research found that iron-containing cells in pigeons' livers may help them sense the Earth's magnetic field.
#Nature is weird. 🤯 #Birds are amazing. 🐦
👇 Read the full story in my latest Beaks & Bones post.
beaksandbones.substack.com/p/pigeon-mac...
#scicomm #ornithology #pigeons 🧪🪶
#Nature is weird. 🤯 #Birds are amazing. 🐦
👇 Read the full story in my latest Beaks & Bones post.
beaksandbones.substack.com/p/pigeon-mac...
#scicomm #ornithology #pigeons 🧪🪶
Pigeons sense the Earth's magnetic field—with their livers
Superparamagnetic cells in their livers help homing pigeons navigate on cloudy days.
beaksandbones.substack.com
September 2, 2026 at 9:05 AM
Brand new #research found that iron-containing cells in pigeons' livers may help them sense the Earth's magnetic field.
#Nature is weird. 🤯 #Birds are amazing. 🐦
👇 Read the full story in my latest Beaks & Bones post.
beaksandbones.substack.com/p/pigeon-mac...
#scicomm #ornithology #pigeons 🧪🪶
#Nature is weird. 🤯 #Birds are amazing. 🐦
👇 Read the full story in my latest Beaks & Bones post.
beaksandbones.substack.com/p/pigeon-mac...
#scicomm #ornithology #pigeons 🧪🪶
Reposted by soaproot
Nobody can replace Alitalia
August 17, 2026 at 11:38 PM
Nobody can replace Alitalia
Dealing with a software development job (promotions, coworkers, etc) calls for both serious advice and humor (even snark at times: how else can you cope with the absurdity). I say this as a description of the https://
softskills.audio podcast. I have no connection other than as a satisfied listener.
softskills.audio podcast. I have no connection other than as a satisfied listener.
Soft Skills Engineering
It takes more than great code to be a great engineer. Soft Skills Engineering is a weekly advice podcast for software developers about the non-technical stuff that goes into being a great software dev...
softskills.audio
August 17, 2026 at 11:22 PM
Dealing with a software development job (promotions, coworkers, etc) calls for both serious advice and humor (even snark at times: how else can you cope with the absurdity). I say this as a description of the https://
softskills.audio podcast. I have no connection other than as a satisfied listener.
softskills.audio podcast. I have no connection other than as a satisfied listener.
Reposted by soaproot
This "Which One Doesn't Belong" warm-up question generated some rich student discussions today in Calculus class. The word bank was helpful in nudging them to include curve sketching terms in their justifications. #ITeachMath #MathSky #WODB
April 14, 2026 at 12:32 AM
This "Which One Doesn't Belong" warm-up question generated some rich student discussions today in Calculus class. The word bank was helpful in nudging them to include curve sketching terms in their justifications. #ITeachMath #MathSky #WODB
Reposted by soaproot
One thing I learned at #ACPT this year is that I'm fast enough to make B finals if things go right. This year they didn't - I had a mistake in 2 different puzzles that I'd have caught if I'd checked more thoroughly.
But it's doable!
Anyway, I had a great time as always. Puzzle people are the best.
But it's doable!
Anyway, I had a great time as always. Puzzle people are the best.
April 13, 2026 at 4:03 PM
One thing I learned at #ACPT this year is that I'm fast enough to make B finals if things go right. This year they didn't - I had a mistake in 2 different puzzles that I'd have caught if I'd checked more thoroughly.
But it's doable!
Anyway, I had a great time as always. Puzzle people are the best.
But it's doable!
Anyway, I had a great time as always. Puzzle people are the best.
Reposted by soaproot
Just got home and immensely grateful for a fabulous time at #acpt. I got to talk to so many fun, kind, and incredible people and solve brilliant puzzles. Can’t wait for the next one. Thanks to everyone who made this weekend so kickass 💫
April 12, 2026 at 9:30 PM
Just got home and immensely grateful for a fabulous time at #acpt. I got to talk to so many fun, kind, and incredible people and solve brilliant puzzles. Can’t wait for the next one. Thanks to everyone who made this weekend so kickass 💫
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It was a delightful weekend at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, in its last year in Stamford, CT. The finals featured an exciting win by Erik Agard @e-a-rly.bsky.social over Will Nediger @bewilderingly.bsky.social and David Plotkin. Congrats to all! #acpt
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHEX...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHEX...
American Crossword Puzzle Tournament 2026 - A Division Finals
YouTube video by Ben Zimmer
www.youtube.com
April 12, 2026 at 10:14 PM
It was a delightful weekend at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, in its last year in Stamford, CT. The finals featured an exciting win by Erik Agard @e-a-rly.bsky.social over Will Nediger @bewilderingly.bsky.social and David Plotkin. Congrats to all! #acpt
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHEX...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHEX...
Reposted by soaproot
Reviewing my photos from #ACPT - I took a quick selfie with the rest of the solvers in the downstairs ballroom before we started puzzle 7 this morning and just noticed @gppasco.bsky.social flashing a ✌️lol
April 12, 2026 at 10:40 PM
Reviewing my photos from #ACPT - I took a quick selfie with the rest of the solvers in the downstairs ballroom before we started puzzle 7 this morning and just noticed @gppasco.bsky.social flashing a ✌️lol
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So glad I made it to #ACPT this year!! Being behind the scenes as an official has been super fun and I’m excited to do it again next time (even though while marking puzzle 5 grids my brain dissolved into a pile of mush 🤡)
April 11, 2026 at 11:45 PM
So glad I made it to #ACPT this year!! Being behind the scenes as an official has been super fun and I’m excited to do it again next time (even though while marking puzzle 5 grids my brain dissolved into a pile of mush 🤡)
I probably am not supposed to admit this out loud, but I enjoyed this year's #ACPT Puzzle 5. Didn't finish it, but did enjoy it. Really nice theme befitting a puzzle 5.
April 11, 2026 at 7:47 PM
I probably am not supposed to admit this out loud, but I enjoyed this year's #ACPT Puzzle 5. Didn't finish it, but did enjoy it. Really nice theme befitting a puzzle 5.
I'm back from lunch at the #ACPT having left a nametag to reserve my seat but kept my pencils and reading glasses with me. You can never be too careful about the cutthroat crossword solvers trying to sabotage the competition.
April 11, 2026 at 6:13 PM
I'm back from lunch at the #ACPT having left a nametag to reserve my seat but kept my pencils and reading glasses with me. You can never be too careful about the cutthroat crossword solvers trying to sabotage the competition.
Reposted by soaproot
Every veteran at the ACPT when a hotshot rookie comes in and stuns everyone with their blazing speed:
April 11, 2026 at 12:56 PM
Every veteran at the ACPT when a hotshot rookie comes in and stuns everyone with their blazing speed:
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@gamesmagazine.bsky.social is celebrating the 2026 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament by joining Bluesky! Woohoo!
#ACPT
#ACPT
April 10, 2026 at 12:14 AM
@gamesmagazine.bsky.social is celebrating the 2026 American Crossword Puzzle Tournament by joining Bluesky! Woohoo!
#ACPT
#ACPT
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Prepared for the #ACPT by pair-solving a Saturday New York Times puzzle with a boyfriend (who innocently asked, after pair-solving a Thursday, "wait, they get harder than Thursday, right?"). The most fun kind of preparation! 🏳️🌈
April 10, 2026 at 2:45 PM
Prepared for the #ACPT by pair-solving a Saturday New York Times puzzle with a boyfriend (who innocently asked, after pair-solving a Thursday, "wait, they get harder than Thursday, right?"). The most fun kind of preparation! 🏳️🌈
Reposted by soaproot
It would be shellfish to choose... But one often must choose the lesser of two weevils.
March 6, 2026 at 5:33 PM
It would be shellfish to choose... But one often must choose the lesser of two weevils.
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Pronouns in the news, 1930 ed: antedating and author identified. Richard Tingley, prolific crossword setter, put three common-gender pronoun clues in a puzzle that ran in late 1930; this one appeared in the Rockford (IL) Star, Dec. 28, p. 23. The puzzle ran the next day in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
February 5, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Pronouns in the news, 1930 ed: antedating and author identified. Richard Tingley, prolific crossword setter, put three common-gender pronoun clues in a puzzle that ran in late 1930; this one appeared in the Rockford (IL) Star, Dec. 28, p. 23. The puzzle ran the next day in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
Why am I just now learning of the existence of crosshare? I could quibble with some of how it works but I love the idea of a community driven crossword platform.
Please support Crosshare. It's a great platform for crosswords that is getting better every year.
crosshare.org/donate
crosshare.org/donate
December 3, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Why am I just now learning of the existence of crosshare? I could quibble with some of how it works but I love the idea of a community driven crossword platform.
Reposted by soaproot
Fermat's Last Theorem is a famous example of a question which can be stated using only naturals and whose proof requires a lot of machinery.
But in fact the AM-GM inequality, just for ℕ, can be stated purely using ℕ (clear denoms, raise everything to n'th power). Is there a simple proof avoiding ℝ?
But in fact the AM-GM inequality, just for ℕ, can be stated purely using ℕ (clear denoms, raise everything to n'th power). Is there a simple proof avoiding ℝ?
October 26, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Fermat's Last Theorem is a famous example of a question which can be stated using only naturals and whose proof requires a lot of machinery.
But in fact the AM-GM inequality, just for ℕ, can be stated purely using ℕ (clear denoms, raise everything to n'th power). Is there a simple proof avoiding ℝ?
But in fact the AM-GM inequality, just for ℕ, can be stated purely using ℕ (clear denoms, raise everything to n'th power). Is there a simple proof avoiding ℝ?
Just listened to the 10 Oct 2025 episode of @theairshowpodcast.com and it cracks me up that they don't talk down to us by defining RASM, CASM, etc. but they do think micrometers are too scary ("half a millimeter" would also work, depending on what thickness of human hair you use)
October 13, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Just listened to the 10 Oct 2025 episode of @theairshowpodcast.com and it cracks me up that they don't talk down to us by defining RASM, CASM, etc. but they do think micrometers are too scary ("half a millimeter" would also work, depending on what thickness of human hair you use)
Reposted by soaproot
I'm writing about nonincreasing sequences of zeroes and ones. So you could have all zeroes, all ones, a one followed by zeroes, two ones followed by zeroes, etc. (Here a sequence is a function from ω, the set of natural numbers, to { 0 , 1 }). How many such sequences are there?
1/n
1/n
July 17, 2025 at 10:57 PM
I'm writing about nonincreasing sequences of zeroes and ones. So you could have all zeroes, all ones, a one followed by zeroes, two ones followed by zeroes, etc. (Here a sequence is a function from ω, the set of natural numbers, to { 0 , 1 }). How many such sequences are there?
1/n
1/n