Cryptoquote Spoiler – 03/31/17

“Beauty is when you can appreciate yourself.  When you love yourself, that’s when you’re most beautiful.”   —   Zoe Kravitz

(Okay.  Our first Zoe Kravitz quote.  I’m a fan of her father, Lenny and mother, Lisa Bonet.  Here’s a photo of Zoe, looking a lot like her mom.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 03/31/17

Visual Description:  A new age for China.

XLIEE  =  EXILE,  CERKW  =  WRECK,  GAMMUN  =  MAGNUM,  ROYREN  =  ORNERY   —   Giving us:  ILEWCMGMONE

Clue/Question:  After the collapse of the Yuan Dynasty, many in China were – – –

Answer:  “WELCOME–MING“

(I’d love to go to China some day.  See the Great Wall . . . n’ all.  There were no new clue words today, but three of the jumbles were.  We have seen “cerkw” before.  The answer letter layout was nearly inscrutable!  Not that I know the order of the Chinese dynasties, but I do know that Ming is probably the best known of them.  At least to us round-eyed Westerners.  Loads to like in the cartoon.  It always takes me a little time to tell the difference between Chinese art and Japanese art.  I’m sure they must have influenced each other.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.    It’s the 31st of the month, so you can get $1.50 scoops at BR today!   —   YUR

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 03/30/17

“If you want to be more productive, then start at the start:  get there on time.”   —   Richard Branson

(Always a good idea!  Especially, when it comes to work.  With certain social events it’s okay to – occasionally – be fashionably late.  But even then, don’t let it become a habit.  I didn’t seem to have a Richard Branson “Tag” set up, but I’m pretty sure we’ve had a quote from him in the past.  We’ll see if WordPress links us to an earlier one.  It turns out we’d had 3 or 4 Henry Van Dyke quotes in the last four months, and that Rogers Hornsby re-run showed up thanks to WordPress’ linking the current post to the one from two years ago!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 03/30/17

Visual Description:  A zinger from a ringer?

SLACS  =  CLASS,  RNIKD  =  DRINK,  TOMSED  =  MODEST,  NRCEWH  =  WRENCH   —   Giving us:  ASDNODWNH

Clue/Question:  Having been dealt a royal flush, she won – – –

Answer:  HANDS DOWN

(Always beware the “beginner”!  Whether they’re BS-ing you, or beginner’s luck kicks in, they end up being the wild card you weren’t counting on.  No new clue words today.  However, all of the jumbles do appear to be new.  I was able to see them all immediately though.  The answer letter layout was the fifth jumble today!  If you’re familiar with poker – or just about any card game – and you noticed nobody holding their cards, the answer was pretty self-evident.  It also didn’t hurt that there were only two vowels in the answer letter layout.  Be wise, and either play just for fun, or for very low stakes.  Friendships are more valuable than winnings.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 03/29/17

Visual Description:  Mountain town shop.

OGILO  =  IGLOO,  NIRDG  =  GRIND,  SOLJET  =  JOSTLE,  NIFEED  =  DEFINE   —   Giving us:  GOGIOSDN

Clue/Question:  She wasn’t sure the new billboard would work, but the sales increase, which was a – – –

Answer:  GOOD SIGN

(Maybe it’s Boulder, CO!  Or Park City, Utah!  They’re both very trendy towns!  I’m a little curious as to why Jeff set this shop scene in the mountains.  He usually has his reasons.  There are no new clue words today, but three of the jumbles did come up as new.  David has definitely used “nirdg” before.  The answer letter layout is a nice jumble too.  But, the answer was fairly obvious, so what are you going to do?  I don’t know.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 03/29/17

“The mountain is voiceless and imperturbable; and its very loftiness and serenity sometimes make us the more lonely.”   —   Henry van Dyke

(I can’t remember when I last saw/heard the word “imperturbable”.  It was one of the reasons why today’s Cryptoquote was as challenging as it was.  It didn’t stop me though.  I think it’s the second Henry Van Dyke quote in a week also.  That, in itself, is a little unusual.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 03/28/17

“It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.”   —   Tony Robbins

(Or, indecision, as it were.  Sort of a Thank you, Captain Obvious kind of quote, but that’s what motivational speakers specialize in.  They just have a knack for saying things in a way that seem to resonate more.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 03/28/17

Visual Description:  Boys will be boys.

PAHYP  =  HAPPY,  GOCIL  =  LOGIC,  GAMEDA  =  DAMAGE,  LORHEL  =  HOLLER   —   Giving us:  APPLODAOLR

Clue/Question:  The bottles of soda were on sale for a – – –

Answer:  DOLLAR A POP

(More of a visual gag today!  No new clue words, but two of the jumbles appear to be new.  They’ve definitely used “pahyp” and “lorhel” before.   The answer letter layout was another successful jumble.  The cartoon is a kind of Dennis The Menace meets Norman Rockwell classic.  Little kids, boys especially – because girls seem to have more sensibility – think that burping is the funniest thing in the entire world.  The longer and louder the better.  They’ll try to belch out each other’s names, and even see who can get furthest reciting the alphabet . . . in belch-form.  It’s a boyhood right of passage.  Two great movies:  Stand By Me and The Sandlot!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 03/27/17

Visual Description:  Pre-illusionist curtain raisers.

AHWET  =  WHEAT,  LIGUT  =  GUILT,  TROYNH  =  THORNY,  MILYFS  =  FLIMSY   —   Giving us:  WHATGUITONISY

Clue/Question:  Mimes don’t speak during a performance . . . Of course that goes – – –

Answer:  WITHOUT SAYING

(Little Teller always plays a kind of a mute character.  Penn Jillette gets to do all the talking in their routine.  These guys do a great job of keeping their act fresh, and highly entertaining.  It kind of seems like they’ve always been around, but It looks like they got their start in the late 70s.  Which now is a pretty long time ago!  I think their big steady gig is somewhere in Vegas these days.  How about Jimi Hendrix opening up for The Monkees???  Pretty ironic, don’t ya think?!

No new clue words today, but all of the jumbles came up as new.  They pretty much all jumped off the page for me.  The answer letter layout is a nice long 13 letter jumble, that might have stumped some of you, but I don’t think too many of you.  The cartoon is a nice likeness of the Penn & Teller.  I’m betting that both David and Jeff are big fans, as am I.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.  Happy 30th Birthday to my bouncing baby boy, Derek!  It seems like only yesterday that I was holding this 9 pound 1 ounce little butterball in my hands.  The cutest and funniest kid I’ve ever known, and now he is a thoroughly handsome man.  Love that kid!   —   YUR

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 03/27/17

“True bravery is shown by performing without witness what one might be capable of doing before all the world.”   —   La Rochefoucauld

(I’m wondering if that is even possible these days.  There seems to be cameras, and other instruments of surveillance, just about everywhere these days.  But, doing the right thing, whether in public, or in what we’ve always perceived as in private, is always worth doing.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.  Seems yer uncle was correct.  The Rogers Hornsby quote was used before, about two years ago, in March of 2015!   —   YUR