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