Cryptoquote Spoiler – 06/30/18

“Spectacular achievement is always preceded by spectacular preparation.”   —   Robert H. Schuller

(This was a tough one to get started, considering there were no single letter words, and no words ending in E.  Even though I don’t like going to the author too early, I took a peek, but surprisingly did NOT see Robert!  Fortunately, I suspected MR was IS, but at first I questioned why the next word would end in S?  I figured out that word had to be ALWAYS, and I was off to the races.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 06/30/18

Visual Description:  Last century’s fuel.

GEWIH  =  WEIGH,  FNEOT  =  OFTEN,  YUFTAL  =  FAULTY,  BEEEFL  =  FEEBLE   —   Giving us:  WEOFLFL

Clue/Question:  With the oil field depleted, they shut down operations.  But the owner was – – –

Answer:  WELL OFF

(Great stinky pun!  I’m glad the well is off, but Tex is well off while the planet is worse off, for his actions.  But you know, things aren’t really going to change all that much just because his field shut down.  There are two reasons why we have a Middle East crisis, and they’re both related, despite what our government, and the corporate media, would have us believe.  But, that is already too heavy a topic of discussion for a Saturday Jumble.

All of the clue words are trusted old friends.  Three of the jumbles are coming up as new, with “gewih” having definitely been used at some point in time.  None of them seemed too hard today.  The answer letter layout was just okay today.  I know it’s only seven letters long, but I think switching “weigh” for “often” would have made it a little more cryptic.

Good oil field cartoon.  I liked the horns on the front of the big ol’ car.  And, the license plate of DINOMNY was clever!  Most of what we’re burning today was once running around during the Jurassic Period.  Be well and do good, friends.  And, stay cool!)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 06/29/18

“The first to apologize is the bravest.  The first to forgive is the strongest.  The first to forget is the happiest.”   —   Unknown

(It definitely should flow in this order though.  A good apology should contain some kind of explanation for the offending words or actions.  This allows the hurt one to forgive.  Then, with the passage of a little time, both can forget, and get on with the relationship.  Be well and do well, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 06/29/18

Visual Description:  “Where America’s day begins!”

IPNTU  =  INPUT,  YAMOF  =  FOAMY,  WARELY  =  LAWYER,  DEONLO  =  NOODLE   —   Giving us:  ITFMAWENOD

Clue/Question:  The sun has been coming up in the east every morning since the – – –

Answer:  DAWN OF TIME

(It looks like a Maine version of a Folger’s commercial.  This was the finest kind of pun!  Ayuh.  Hahd tellin’ not knowin’ if this were a tough one, orah an easy one.  I thought Thursday’s was hahdah than Wednesdasy’s, but some of ya thought Wednesday was wicked hahd.  Wheyahevah ya wanna go in Maine they’ll tell ya:  Ya cahn’t get theyah from heeah.  So, don’t bothah askin’ for directions!

No new clue words today, but all of the jumbles appear to be new.  I was able to see them all today.  The answer letter layout was probably the toughest jumble of the day.  I thought there was absolutely nothing obvious about it.  It was the grand combination of a good leading clue/question, the great daybreak cartoon, and the avoidance of the word “dawn” that made the answer attainable for me.

Wicked good cahtoon, Jeff!  Nice lahbstah pot, lighthouse – but not Emerson – and a beautiful sunrise.  “Morning has broken, like the first morning.  Blackbird has spoken like the first bird.  Praise for the singing, praise for the morning.  Praise for them springing fresh from the world.”  Thank you Cat!  “The best part of waking up, is Folgers in your cup.”  Thank you, Folgers!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 06/28/18

“Forget your perfect offering; there’s a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”   —   Leonard Cohen

(The great Leonard Cohen . . . has finally arrived at the Cryptoquote!  I haven’t seen any of his quotes since I’ve been posting these spoilers.  I know the man is an icon, but when I was first introduced to him I had to ask:  Did he always sing as though he had just been gargling with razor blades?  I surmised that he was better known for his compositions, than his vocalizations.  The craggy voice did lend a certain urgency and poignancy to his songs, but I prefer some of the cover versions of his work.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 06/28/18

Visual Description:  Haughty cuisine?

TTOEC  =  OCTET,  CIVEO  =  VOICE,  TYKONT  =  KNOTTY,  TFOHMA  =  FATHOM   —   Giving us:  OTTOICKNYFATO

Clue/Question:  The new bistro was the most elegant in town, and diners – – –

Answer:  TOOK A FANCY TO IT

(Oooh . . . fancy!  Very chichi, indeedy.  It’s hard to call this one a stinky pun.  But, it’s a pun nonetheless.  Yer uncle has very little use for these kind of restaurants.  These places are more about the presentation, or “the plating”, which to me is NOT worth paying extra for.  And, usually the portions are a little lacking.  Granted, some restaurants’ portions are a little too big.  But, at least that gives you the discretion to eat what you can, and bring home the rest for later . . . or for the dog.  I don’t relish the idea of eating something pretty – and pricey – and going home hungry.  But, to each their own.

All old favorite clue words today.  Three of the jumbles came up as new, with “civeo” having definitely been used sometime before.  The word “knotty” spells out in alphabetical order.  And, I had to skip “ttoec” and come back to it, before I saw “octet”.  Most excellent answer letter layout!  Very cryptic, and nothing obvious about it.  I think today’s answer might have been more challenging than yesterday’s.  Although, based on the number of queries on my Stats page, it looks like a good number of you struggled to get “DIFFER-RENTS”.

Today’s cartoon is great!  The snooty looking waiter, carrying a steamed lobster on a tray.  The little candelabra on the back table.  The origami swan napkins on the front table.  I think it’s just a coincidence that the one woman looks like Mrs. Garrett, from “The Facts of Life” – Ya know, Charlotte Rae is still hanging in there at 92 – because her dining partner is a little nondescript, TV-wise.  BUT, the two gentlemen, at the back table, are most definitely Niles and Frazier Crane!  THEY are probably the main thing that screams FANCY in this cartoon.  I really loved that show, “Frazier”.  Great writing, and great characters.  So sad about John Mahoney.  Fine actor.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 06/27/18

“You can say one thing about ignorance:  there seems to be more than enough to go around.”   —   James Feibleman

(A quote steeped in truth!  Surprisingly, there is very little – in the way of an online biography – on this gentleman.  He appears to have been quite accomplished as a poet, short story writer, novelist and philosopher.  I think he definitely warrants a Wikipedia page.  He’s been dead for about 31 years, but this is the first time he’s made it to the Cryptoquote, since I’ve been posting the spoilers.  Let’s give a posthumous welcome, to James, to the Cryptoquote Club!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 06/27/18

Visual Description:  Near identical living quarters.

OZARR  =  RAZOR,  UFDIL  =  FLUID,  GSUUFN  =  FUNGUS,  SREETJ  =  JESTER   —   Giving us:  RRFIDFNSETE

Clue/Question:  The two house for lease looked alike, but it was easy to spot the – – –

Answer:  “DIFFER–RENTS“

(The groan heard ’round the world!  Oh, yes.  This was truly a stinky pun.  But, I’m not complaining.  The stinkier the better!  This was clearly a visual gag, as the rental signs were THE clue here.

All of today’s clue words have been used in the past.  However, some we haven’t seen in some time.  And, all of their jumbles appear to be new.  The first three I got immediately, but “sreetj” took me about four seconds.  The answer letter layout was a nice cryptic jumble.  But, it was the combination of the quotation marks and hyphen, the rental signs, and the leading nature of the clue/question that made it a fairly easy solve, for me.  And hopefully, for you too.

Nice, simple, semi-urban setting, against the Chicago skyline.  But, “Jumble Properties”?  Jeez, these guys are into just about everything!  Mugs, calendars, games, cars, etc., and now real estate.  Jeff and David are going to be bigger than Charles and David Koch some day!  LOL!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 06/26/18

“You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed.  And you are beautiful.”   —   Amy Bloom

(Why thank you, Amy!  Back at ya, kid!  Yep.  None of us are perfect, but each one of us has beauty and value.  This is the first quote of Ms. Bloom’s to hit the Cryptoquote, at least since I’ve been posting these spoilers.  Welcome to the club, Amy!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 06/26/18

Visual Description:  A third of the game.

GHEED  =  HEDGE,  OYRIN  =  IRONY,  GULOEN  =  LOUNGE,  GYEOAV  =  VOYAGE   —   Giving us:  DGEIRLNVO

Clue/Question:  NASCAR star Kevin Harvick loves golf and particularly enjoys a – – –

Answer:  LONG DRIVE

(But, at least with golf it’s not . . . all left turns!  I’d call this a benign stinky pun.  Kinda like a popcorn fart.  There was no stretch of the imagination here.  A straightaway, clear cut pun.  Neither one of these sports floats my boat, as a spectator.  I’ll occasionally watch golf, especially if not much else is on.  But, with cable and internet television, there’s pretty much always something else on.

All of today’s clue words are Jumble staples, but all of their jumbles are coming up as new.  I was able to see all the clue words immediately today.  Guess I was just in the zone.  The answer letter layout made for an admirable jumble.  Most definitely NOT obvious, by any means.

Fairly standard golf cartoon.  It’s hard for me to say how good a likeness this is of Mr. Harvick, but at the very least it’s passable.  I always enjoy the little details.  The divot, the broken tee, the number 4 on his cap, and the # 4 on his golf cart.  I know the argument for golf carts is that they speed up the game, so more golfers can play.  But, I still think it’s lame for guys – and gals – who are in the prime of their lives, to be using golf carts.  The brisk walk, following the ball, is at least half the exercise angle of the sport.  Hopefully, the cart was just a . . . vehicle for further exploiting the # 4.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google