Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/09/17

“Every birthday, every celebration ends with something sweet, a cake, and people remember.”   —   Buddy Valastro

(Aah!  The “Cake Boss” guy!  I love cake.  But then again, I also like ice cream . . . and cookies . . . and pie . . . and pastries!  Probably why I’m overweight . . . and on metformin . . . and on atorvastatin.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Jumble Spoiler – 12/09/17

Visual Description:  The cheapening of the game.

VPOER  =  PROVE,  SROCS  =  CROSS,  POXEES  =  EXPOSE,  PLAJOY  =  JALOPY   —   Giving us:  POECRSESELOP

Clue/Question:  He sank the winning three-point shot in front of – – –

Answer:  SCORES OF PEOPLE

(A good, standard, stinky pun.  All of today’s clue words are old favorites, but all of their jumbles appear to be new.  It’s been quite a while since we’ve seen “jalopy”.  It’s a word that I’m pretty sure isn’t widely used by the younger generations.  The answer letter layout was a lovely jumble.  Sufficiently cryptic.  Nice hoops crowd scene cartoon!  I’ve hated the “three-point shot” ever since they instituted it.  It’s made the game into the joke that it is today.  Clearly, my opinion.  Obviously, it’s resulted in higher scores, but I miss seeing guys trying to take it to the hole.  You see it on occasion now, but far too often you see these guys pulling up to take the three.  There is far less defense than back in the glory days of Walt “Clyde” Frazier, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, Jerry “Mr. Outside” West, and Oscar “The Big O” Robertson.  Guys like them could do it all!  And, too few teams today utilize a big man, because the game revolves around the three.  The aforementioned gentlemen took their share of shots from what is today “three-point” range, but with far less frequency, because it was much more of a team sport back then.  They really had to work the ball down court in those days, and more of the action took place under the hoop.  I often wonder how many points some of my guys would actually have – you know, adjusted stats – if some of their field goal were counted as threes, as they are today.  But, even they may have been seduced by the allure of pulling up and taking the showboat three, and then I wouldn’t have my great memories of how the game is supposed to be played.   Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR