Cryptoquote Spoiler – 03/12/19

“The most harmful and foolish kind of prejudice is prejudice against yourself.”   —   Jewell Parker Rhodes

(That must be a terrible thing to grow up with, thinking that you’re somehow bad, or less than others.  But, that is what society said to too many, for far too long.  I’m now just recently starting to feel it, due to the current – and ever increasing – state of “political correctness”.  Many view me as the ultimate “bad” person, being both white and male.  I know what’s always been in my heart though, so I don’t let those small minded people get me down.  Today we welcome Ms. Rhodes to Cryptoquote Club.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 03/12/19

Visual Description:  Outside the Denver Mint?

CAAKB  =  ABACK,  PMETT  =  TEMPT,  RADYEM  =  DREAMY,  KRHNIS  =  SHRINK   —   Giving us:  ACTETDEMSIN

Clue/Question:  The Lincoln penny debuted on the centennial of his birth because – – –

Answer:  IT MADE “CENTS“

(Copper definitely has a distinctive scent.  Some might even call it smelly.  So, I guess that means this is a stinky pun on a few levels!  In case any of you were wondering, this would have to be 1909, the year the Lincoln penny was introduced.  It was the first U.S. coin to depict a U.S. president.  Prior to that it was deemed too monarchical to have the image of a president on a U.S. coin.  We can blame George Washington for that line of thinking.  It held for well over 100 years though!  The Lincoln penny replaced the Indian Head penny, and was designed by Victor David Brenner.  If you look closely, right above the rim, below the shoulder, you can see the sculptor’s initials VDB.  You can see it in the image above better than on most pennies, because the initials wear away fairly easily.

No new clue words today.  But, “aback” happens to be the very first word on the world famous ralis95 clue word database.  If Hoyt were to allow plural words ending in “I” then abaci could be the first clue word.  But, that’s not likely to happen.  They’re not cheap and easy like just adding an “S”.  If they were allowed we could also have alumni, cacti, fungi, nuclei, and octopi.  Something for the Hoyt Commission to consider?  Three of the jumbles came up as new, with only “caakb” having definitely been used before.  The answer letter layout was a nicely cryptic eleven letter jumble.  At first I was thinking the word MINT or MINTS, before it all made sense to me.

Fun turn of the century cartoon.  The one reporter with the old style camera, and the others wearing their bowler, or derby, hats.  I’m not sure if Abe would have been flattered, or mortified, to be the first.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google