Cryptoquote Spoiler – 03/07/19

“The hardest thing to do is to be true to yourself, especially when everybody is watching.”   —   Dave Chappelle

(Very, very funny guy!  The last time I saw him was in “A Star is Born”, with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga.  In my opinion, that should have won Best Picture.  The first time I remember seeing him was in a movie called “Undercover Blues”, with Dennis Quaid and Kathleen Turner.  Also the first time I ever saw Stanley Tucci.  He played this wannabe bad guy who called himself Muerte, but Dennis and Kathleen’s characters always called him Morty . . . much to his chagrin.  But, I digress.  Today we welcome Dave to the Cryptoquote Club.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 03/07/19

Visual Description:  The coming of the age of blacktop.

NEEUV  =  VENUE,  PEDIT  =  TEPID,  WAYLEK  =  WEAKLY,  NAHRGA  =  HANGAR   —   Giving us:  VEETPDWYHAA

Clue/Question:  When asphalt became commonly used on roads, it – – –

Answer:  PAVED THE WAY

(A wonderful, aromatic pun!  I love the smell of fresh asphalt.  It’s the tar.  It’s got a great smoky smell to it.  It always brings back great memories.  I’m sure some people don’t care for the smell of it, and to each their own.  Asphalt pavement was patented in the 1870s, but they really didn’t use it much until the turn of the 20th Century.  Nowadays, I think they often recycle existing pavement, and sometimes add ground up tires to the mixture.

None of today’s clue words are new, although all of the jumbles appear to be so.  I was able to see all the clue words immediately.  The answer letter layout was a fine eleven letter jumble, but I saw the answer right away.

Great cartoon of some early street pavers, right at the corner of First and Main. Cobblestone roads are very durable, but not all that comfortable to travel over.  That’s probably not a manure wagon at the top of the picture, but a horse drawn forerunner of some kind of dump truck, to haul the asphalt mixture.  Loads of fun.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google.