Cryptoquote Spoiler – 02/01/18

“Go at it boldly, and you’ll find unexpected forces closing round you and coming to your aid.”   —   Basil King

(A very positive and uplifting quote!  This appears to be our first quote from Mr. King.  Not to be confused with the painter/poet.  It wasn’t THE toughest cryptoquote ever, but it was pretty challenging.  None of the words ended in E, but I can see some trying to make the T into the E.  That was my first impression anyway.  Of course the key word in the cipher was YOU’LL, and that’s what I built off.  UNEXPECTED was the last word that I solved, largely because of the elusive E.  Fun solve.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 02/01/18

Visual Description:  Man-made mountain’s majesty.

LUFTA  =  FAULT,  CROPH  =  PORCH,  BYDIRH  =  HYBRID,  EDENEL  =  NEEDLE   —   Giving us:  AUTPRHHDEEE

Clue/Question:  Mount Rushmore’s supervisor was needed, so he prepared to – – –

Answer:  HEAD UP THERE

(Maybe not the headiest of stinky puns, but it’ll do.  No new clue words today, although I did try to create one on my own.  More on that a little later. 

Three of the jumbles came up as new, with “croph” having definitely been used before.  I actually struggled a bit with “edenel”, and I settled on what I’m guessing is kind of a modern era used term, but not an officially accepted word, in lendee.  I guess it’s the same with borrowee.  Yup.  WordPress doesn’t like that either.  But both words are generally recognized these days.  Maybe, someday the formal, more authoritative dictionaries will accept these as legitimate words, but not today.  Maybe Hoyt is paying them not to recognize them.  Maybe “needle” is one of his favorite words?  Maybe I’m rationalizing my mistake?  Maybe I’m rambling?  Probably.

The answer letter was a swell jumble.  It wasn’t obvious, but it gave me enough to realize my mistake.  For a few seconds I thought maybe my newspaper put one of the circles in the wrong place.  I’ve heard others having that problem, but it would have been a first for me.  Fun cartoon.  I’m guessing the supervisor is either sculptor Gutzon Borglum, or his son, Lincoln.  I never knew it took 14 years to build it.  Ironically, the first place they considered for the project is known as the Needles!  But, Borglum rejected it because the granite was of poor quality.  Ya can’t make this stuff up, folks!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google