Cryptoquote Spoiler – 09/16/17

“We are here and it is now.  Further than that all human knowledge is moonshine.”   —   H. L. Mencken

(He lived, and died, before the great leaps forward that science has taken in the last 60 years, but I still dig what he was saying.  All the traditional hocus pocus – despite the comfort it provides so many – is essentially “moonshine”.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 09/16/17

Visual Description:  Stretching their growing minds.

SINOB  =  BISON,  TEMLA  =  METAL,  MBEFLU  =  FUMBLE,  VORPNE  =  PROVEN   —   Giving us:  BISOMETFUMREN

Clue/Question:  The Math teacher had taught multiplication a – – –

Answer:  NUMBER OF TIMES

(Beautiful!  My lovely daughter teaches 6th and 7th graders Math, at a school in the Bronx.  She’s just started her fourth year, but she is both popular and effective.  And, she has already established herself as a bit of a veteran, if you can believe that.

Saturday’s jumble had all old reliable clue words, yet all of the jumbles came up as new.  It seems to me that the word “proven” has been overtaken by the word proved.  Their are times when proved is appropriate, but I often hear it when I think “proven” would be better.  Maybe, it’s just me.  The answer letter layout was excellent, and didn’t give anything away.  But, I think everyone figured that “number” had to be part of the answer, and the slate was primed for “times”!  Stock classroom cartoon.  But, expertly done!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.  Sunday’s Jumble has a bit of a send-up to yer dear old Uncle!  I’ll post that after the football game.   —   YUR