Cryptoquote Spoiler – 02/22/20

“A budget tells us what we can’t afford, but it doesn’t keep us from buying it.”   —   William Feather

(Spoken like a man of Experian . . . er experience!  Credit – while necessary – can quickly become a quagmire, that is tough to escape.  Be well, be fiscally responsible, and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 02/22/20

Visual Description:  Making a bad first impression.

TDHIC  =  DITCH,  NYIKD  =  DINKY,  DDDEEW  =  WEDDED,  NMENAR  =  MANNER   —   Giving us:  DIHDINWDDEANNE

Clue/Question:  All her dinner date did was complain.  She wasn’t happy about being – – –

Answer:  “WHINED“ AND DINED

(Now, this is your basic stinky pun!  It made for a classic Jumble answer.  I’ve heard people refer to complaining as “whining”, but for me, whining brings with it a pretty specific audible tone.  Regular complaining is bitching, or kvetching.  But, there is a time and place for complaining.  And, a first date is probably not the best time to show your gripier grumpy side!

All old familiar clue words today.  Two of the jumbles are coming up as new, with both “nyikd” and “dddeew” having definitely been used before.  The answer letter layout was a very impressive fourteen letter jumble.  I don’t think it was obvious in any way.  The combination of the cartoon, its dialog, and then the quotation marks were what led me to the final answer.

Great restaurant scene cartoon.  Your eyes are drawn to the wine bottle and the diner’s wine glasses.  I think she was hoping for a Hamiltonesque Lin Manuel Miranda, but she was struck with this wannabe pony-tailed pretender.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google