Visual Description: Google is slipping!
TFEAR = AFTER, NUUCT = UNCUT, RIFAMF = AFFIRM, SMEEAS = SESAME — Giving us: ATNTAMSSE
Clue/Question: Illinois chose the slogan “Land of Lincoln” in 1955 in order to honor the respected – – –
Answer: STATESMAN
(State’s Man! Yeah, okay. Not really the cleverest of puns. But, what are ya gonna do? Old Abe was born this day in 1809, in rural Kentucky. He lived there until age 7. Then his family moved to Southern Indiana, where he lived from 7 to 21. I guess you could say he called Illinois “his home” for 35 years, but actually more like 31. He lived the last 4 + years in the District of Columbia, as President, so that kinda cuts into his Illinois years, in my book.
We appear to have a brand new clue word today, in “uncut”. Our good friend, ralis95, will once again be updating his world famous clue word database. I thought we had more than six UN type words, but I guess not. We do now. All of the jumbles came up as new today. I didn’t think any of them were stumpers. The answer letter layout was a fine nine letter jumble. I thought it was nicely cryptic.
Fine cartoon. A little hard to identify it as a period piece. Maybe the skinny ties? I don’t think the mustachioed guy is referring to the state motto: “State Sovereignty, National Union”, but probably the not so flattering: “The Sucker State”. Yeah, that doesn’t exactly scream state pride! You know how Google usually dolls up their logo on important days? Well, today it was business as usual. Nothing Lincoln related at all. Strange! Be well and do good, friends.) — YUR
Images courtesy of Google
Unclerave's Wordy Weblog 
Here’s an email that this Jumble inspired, “I usually enjoy Jumble, but I don’t think it is the place to express a political opinion as in today’s ‘Statesman’.”
I have no idea what this person is talking about. Am I missing something?
I’m as puzzled as you, brother! Neither your cartoon, nor my historical commentary expressed a “political opinion”. Peoples be strange! — YUR
There’s no expression of political opinion in this puzzle or cartoon. The puzzle doesn’t tell Jeff’s e-mailer to respect Lincoln; it just states a fact about the intentions of Illinois legislators in 1955.
I figured on Feb 11 that we’d be getting a Lincoln theme today, because we often do. It’s very difficult to keep coming up with a fresh angle for an annual holiday puzzle. This one succeeded.
OMG Jeff, I don’t get it either. I thought it was a grand Jumble and very clever. Thank you!
And David is so right!
And while I’m here I had a bit of trouble with AFFIRM, and had to diagram the clue letters a bit before I got the answer. LL