Cryptoquote Spoiler – 01/24/19

“With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts.”   —   Eleanor Roosevelt

(I had a bitch of a time getting this one started.  I suspected the C was the E, but I couldn’t rule out the J.  Finally, I saw DAY and AND, and then NEW came into view.  I wasn’t seeing the name at all.  I played with E_EAN, but didn’t see Eleanor until I was nearly finished.  I also saw the I as O, but was thinking the last name was GOODsomething, or WOODsomething.  It’s a little ironic as 3 inches away, in Today in History, was something about President Franklin D. Roosevelt meeting Churchill in Casablanca, in 1943.  But, I always do these puzzles before reading the funnies and all the other good stuff on those pages.

I think I might just have been having a bad day.  I – unfortunately – woke up around 5:50AM, and then set my alarm for 8:00.  Had trouble getting back to sleep, but eventually did.  Heard the alarm, but decided to sleep a little more.  Woke up at 9:46!  Raining like a SOB, after a number of sub zero days.  Snow was pretty much gone, but there were still icy patches on the sidewalks, for my morning Wally walk.  I came to this one stretch of sidewalk, on a busy road, that had both ponding and ice, so I opted to walk on the lawn/dirt to the side of it.  I could tell that the upper layer of soil was squishy, but it was still frozen underneath.  I thought I had it all under control, when I stepped on this very slight grade.  I fell on my ass.  The handle of the umbrella went into the mud.  My leash hand went into the mud.  I held onto Wally though.  I was able to get up right away, but felt like I twisted my right knee.  I was a little in shock, a little in pain, and a lot pissed.  I was able to complete our walk.  The knee isn’t perfect, but I don’t think there’s any major damage.  I had to do some emergency laundry, as there was mud all over my ass and pants leg.  Then, I breezed through the Jumble, but got hung up on this bad boy.  Before I knew it it was noon, and my son was coming in the door, for lunch.  Holy Crap!  I had no idea that it was that late.  I made him a sandwich, and then got back to the Cryptoquote.  I’m also getting some little chest twinges.  Such a bother.  Oh, well.  I’ve gotten all that off my chest.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 01/24/19

Visual Description:  Comedy club conundrum.

ONWSO  =  SWOON,  VODTI  =  DIVOT,  HRYITT  =  THIRTY,  SAUCCE  =  ACCUSE   —   Giving us:  SWNDITTHIASE

Clue/Question:  When the stand-up comedian ran out of new ideas, he was – – –

Answer:  AT HIS WIT‘S END

(A very intelligent pun.  I think it’s hard to call this one stinky.  I feel bad for the guy.  I guess it’s the comedians’ version of writers’ block.  Not funny at all.

No new clue words today.  Although, all of the jumbles appear to be new.  I had some trouble getting “accuse”, because the jumble – “saucce” – looks so much like the word sauce.  The answer letter layout was a great 12-letter jumble, that gave away absolutely nothing.  I think the length of the answer spaces is what helped me get the answer so quickly.

Fine comedy club scenario.  It looks like he’s trying to rehearse in front of another comedian.  But, unfortunately, he’s run dry.  Does he look familiar to any of you?  I was kinda thinking Jim Carrey, but he’s more of a comedic actor, than a stand-up.  I think he’s brilliant, though my wife can’t stand his hyper-theatrics.  But, looking at all the photos of him in Google Images, I kind of worry about him.  I see a kind of sadness in them, even the ones where he’s smiling.  Maybe it’s one of those tears of a clown kind of things.  I hope he’s in a good place.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google