Cryptoquote Spoiler – 01/31/17

“I learned a long time ago that there is something worse than missing the goal, and that’s not pulling the trigger.”   —   Mia Hamm

(Our first quote from the – sometimes controversial – USA Women’s Soccer Team All-Star goalie, at least since I’ve been posting these spoilers.  Oops!  I just confused Hope Solo with Mia Hamm.  My bad!  Mia was a forward, now retired, and controversy free.  But, this is kind of a variation on Wayne Gretzky’s:  You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.  I wonder who said it first?  Regardless, you simply can’t succeed, if you don’t put in the attempts.  Fear of failure assures that you won’t get anywhere.  Sorry, Mia!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 01/31/17

Visual Description:  Meeting of the town board.

CRIBH  =  BIRCH,  TYPTU  =  PUTTY,  MORHEC  =  CHROME,  PEXMET  =  EXEMPT   —   Giving us:  BICUTYOMEEMT

Clue/Question:  When the town needed to make big purchases, it had to be handled – – –

Answer:  “BUY“ COMMITTEE

(Maybe not the funnest pun in the book, but it’s still a pun.  I am very surprised that WordPress didn’t question that word.  If Merriam-Webster’s doesn’t acknowledge it as an adjective then why would stodgy, old, English WordPress give it a pass???  Hmm!  People under 50 seem to use it all the time, so maybe that’s why.  Oh, well.  No new clue words today.  I wouldn’t necessarily call them old favorites, but they’re definitely not new.  Three of their jumbles did come up as new though.  We have definitely seen “cribh” before.  The answer letter layout was a nicely cryptic jumble.  But, the leading nature of the clue/question, along with the quotation marks, and the cartoon’s dialog, kind of made the answer pretty self-evident.  The cartoon was very effective.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 01/30/17

“I am always busy, which is perhaps the chief reason why I am always well.”   —   Elizabeth Cady Stanton

(So.  If you keep “busy” . . . you won’t get sick???  Or, is she not talking about her physical health, but her state of mind?  Hmm!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 01/30/17

Visual Description:  The ABCs of ASL.

KIDYN  =  DINKY,  ZOYDO  =  DOOZY,  KAHNES  =  SHAKEN,  GOLANO  =  LAGOON   —    Giving us:  DINDOOSHNAG

Clue/Question:  When it came to learning sign language, the student was – – –

Answer:  IN GOOD HANDS

(Nice pun.  Not sure they’ve done ones with the deaf before!  None of the clue words were new, but two of the jumbles were.  We’ve seen “zoydo” and “golano” before.  The answer letter layout was also a nice jumble.  It gave nothing away.  The cartoon tells the story.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Sunday Jumble Spoiler – 01/29/17

Visual Description:  Ali versus . . . some white guy.

SUFEED  =  DEFUSE,  LONELP  =  POLLEN,  SHLAPS  =  SPLASH,  KOCIOE  =  COOKIE,  MURBEM  =  BUMMER,  PILSAR  =  SPIRAL   —   Giving us:  DSPNPAHCEUESAL

Clue/Question:  After knocking out his opponent in the first round, the boxer was – – –

Pre-Answer:  Three Words  –  (7-letters)  (2-letters)  (5-letters)

Answer:  PLEASED AS PUNCH

(Beautiful pun!  No new clue words today, but four of the jumbles did come up as new.  we’ve seen both “sufeed” and “lonelp” before.  The jumble for “spiral” was so difficult for me, that even doing this Jumble for the second time I had to back into it.  It probably took me a little longer yesterday, but I still had no recollection of the word when I went to do it today.  I did it at my mom’s yesterday, but didn’t get a chance to post, due to having to drive 4 1/2 hours to get home.  I left it there, so I had to do it all over again, this morning, at my house.  I thought it would come to me instantly, like the first five words, but it was deja vu all over again!  The answer letter layout was good, but the answer was obvious, to me.  The cartoon is great.  It looks like the guy’s mouth guard is spit out on his chest!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Sunday Cryptoquote Spoiler – 01/29/17

“A critic is a man who knows the way but can’t drive a car.”   —   Kenneth Tynan

(Dead at 53, from pulmonary emphysema!  But, doesn’t he look dapper smoking?  Okay, so maybe people really didn’t know any better in the 40s, 50s, and 60s.  But, why should we feel bad for people who end up with all sorts of smoking related illnesses since then?  It’s your choice to start.  Stopping might be harder for many, but it’s still your choice to stop.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 01/28/17

Visual Description:  Chinese flim-flam.

HOBTO  =  BOOTH,  ZIDYZ  =  DIZZY,  LAMCYL  =  CALMLY,  CALEHB  =  BLEACH   —   Giving us:  BOODZAMLBE

Clue/Question:  The panda wanted to buy the world’s fastest growing plant, but he was being – – – 

Answer:  BAMBOOZLED

(Clever stinky pun!  There were no new clue words today, however all of the jumbles came up as new.  The answer letter layout was sufficiently cryptic.  The cartoon was great once again, although I was dealing with the reduced size Jumble.  Not sure if this is generic, or based on one of the Kung Fu Panda movies.  I haven’t been to a cartoon movie in probably close to 15 years.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 01/28/17

“HOLD  YOUR  HEAD  AND  YOUR  STANDARDS  HIGH  EVEN  AS  PEOPLE  OR  CIRCUMSTANCES  TRY  TO  PULL  YOU  DOWN.”   —   TORY  JOHNSON

(Our first quote from Tory Johnson, at least since I’ve been posting these spoilers.  Peer pressure and circumstance can be a bitch sometimes.  So, this is one of those easier said than done things, but definitely something we should strive for.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 01/27/17

“I hold that the parentheses are by far the most important parts of a non-business letter.”   —   D. H. Lawrence

(They DO kind of help in clarify the meaning you are trying to convey!  Quick solve!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 01/27/17

 

 

Visual Description:  History in the making.

SERDS  =  DRESS,  UDUNE  =  UNDUE,  ARPSIN  =  SPRAIN,  GATEEN  =  NEGATE   —   Giving us:  DREUNDSPINETE

Clue/Question:  When Andrew Johnson was impeached on Feb. 24, 1868, it was – – – 

Answer:  “UN–PRESIDENT–ED“

(Fantastic pun!  I know that many of you out there are hoping that history repeats itself, but I say we have to give the man a chance.  That’s the American way.  There were no new clue words today, but three of the jumbles came up as new.  We have seen “serds” before.  The answer letter was very good, but I might have used the NDU in “undue”, so as the UN wouldn’t stand out so.  As it were, the first part of the answer was pretty obvious.  And, because of the past tense nature of the clue/question, you just knew the last part of the answer was going to be ED.  As far as the cartoon, I always enjoy the historical period pieces.  A very nice jumble.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

(I wish that Woodrow Wilson had had the same mindset as Andrew Johnson, when it came to the Treaty of Versailles.  It might have avoided so much pain and suffering that resulted from it.  The political cartoon I chose looks a little like a young Charles Osgood!)   —   YUR