Curtain Raiser

Trump is decidedly the most dangerous political *figure* – I don’t want call him a “leader”, or even a person – of our lifetime. We need to vote him out, and we need to be prepared that he will violently resist leaving office. We are living in unprecedented times, my friends. — YUR

CollTales

Don’t Watch it From the Shadows, Colltalers

The Democratic Convention brought comfort and hope to part but not all of the party’s constituency. But the Republican one, held while protests raged against police brutality and white supremacists killed three (white) people in the ‘inner-city chaos‘ they see, was everything supporters wished it to be.
Meanwhile, the U.S. still tops the world with six million Covid-19 cases and near 190,000 deaths, California wildfires are burning an area larger than Delaware, and about 20 million Americans are unemployed. To the GOP, though, these are not a priority; only the consecration of Donald Trump is.
We’ll go back to the Democrats’ half-delivered message and to the Republican lying feast, but first, let’s ask once again, why almost as many have rallied in big cities against the use of masks as those denouncing the killing of Blacks and people of color? While the latter…

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Cryptoquote Spoiler – 08/31/20

“We grow best when clouds hang over us because clouds bear rain and rain refreshes us.”   —   H. W. Beecher

(My wife gets a little out of sorts on cloudy, and rainy, days.  They don’t bother me at all.  I always say:  “Into every life a little rain must fall.”  Rainy days are essential to life/growth.  And, how can you appreciate the sunny days if you don’t experience the rainy ones?  I’m with Henry on this.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 08/31/20

Visual Description:  Ticket counter trouble?

HMUTP  =  THUMP,  LOICC  =  COLIC,  SINWUE  =  UNWISE,  CATEPK  =  PACKET   —   Giving us:  THMCOIUNEPAC

Clue/Question:  When there weren’t enough business-class seats, the baseball player said – – –

Answer:  PUT ME IN COACH

(You can never go wrong with sports related puns, in my book.  Well, some of them are definitely overdone, but this one felt kinda fresh.  And, at least it’s a seasonal Jumble/pun.

None of today’s clue words are coming up as new.  They are all pretty recognizable.  However, all of their jumbles are coming up as new.  I think Hoyt is aiming to give us different jumbles, because the clue words are pretty much completed.  The answer letter layout was a surprising twelve letter jumble, for a Monday.  The final answer did not come to me immediately, but I didn’t exactly struggle to get it.  I was looking for something a little more baseball specific, as this phrase is pretty universal to all sports.  Every player on the bench, or the sideline, wants to get in the game.  So, this is a very common request.  Of course, John Fogerty’s song, “Center Field”, kind of cemented it into baseball lore.  The song is so full of baseball idioms.

Swell airport ticket counter cartoon!  I like how the clerk is kind of blasé, the manager is trying to be the tough guy, and the player just wants to get on the darn plane!  I was at JFK on Saturday, and it was kind of surreal.  I was at an international terminal, it was the middle of the afternoon, but it was like a ghost town.  The COVID-19 pandemic has really shut down leisure travel, and most countries are only allowing essential travelers.  I can fully appreciate why they’re doing it, but it just looked so strange.  Enjoy the song, folks.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Sunday Cryptoquote Spoiler – 08/30/20

By the streets of “By and By”, one arrives at the house of “Never”.   —   Miguel de Cervantes

(A beautiful quote on the perils of procrastination!  Stay tuned folks, because – by and by – I’m going step away from this computer, and become a big, big star!  LOL!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google and Pinterest

Sunday Jumble Spoiler – 08/30/20

Visual Description:  Egghead Salad Surgery.

DOINGI  =  INDIGO,  RSYEEG  =  GEYSER,  SWYLLO  =  SLOWLY,  SACOIN  =  CASINO,  NEUVEA  =  AVENUE,  TOHBCL  =  BLOTCH   —   Giving us:  IIESRSLOCASAVBLH

Clue/Question:  Einstein’s theories were presented in such detail because he wanted to – – –

Pre- Answer:  Four Words  (5-letters)  (3-letters)  (3-letters)  “(5-letters)”

Answer:  COVER ALL HIS “BASIS“

(Ooh!  A sneaky hard Sunday Jumble!  Haven’t had one of these in a while.  Of course, being that Albert Einstein was the prime character, you knew you weren’t in for child’s play.  He was on a different level than most of us mere mortals.

All of today’s clue words are stalwart members of the world famous ralis95 clue word database.  Five of the jumbles appear to be new, while we’ve definitely seen “neuvea” before.  Once again, I struggled to get “casino”.  I’m glad I finally saw it, because I don’t think it would have been possible for me to get the final answer without its three letters.  I thought the answer letter layout was a very cryptic sixteen letter jumble.  I was able to surmise the ALL and HIS, but the word in quotations was rather elusive.  So, I concentrated on the first word being some kind of a verb.  At first I thought CROSS, but the IEAVB left me scratching my head.  But, because of the I, E and V, along with the C from CROSS, I came up with VOICE!  And, the SRSAB did give me a viable BRASS.  I tried to convince myself that VOICE ALL HIS BRASS was a strange version of POLICE YOUR BRASS.  But, that was more than a little out there, and it didn’t really address the quotation marks!  Finally, I was able to make out COVER, and the ISSAB gave me the BASIS of the pun.  You should see my answer letter layout.  Usually, it is fairly pristine.  But today, there are hash marks above the letters and hash marks below the letters.  Some letters are slashed out, and the last remaining ones are circled!

Fine Ein-stein baseline combine.  This little goldmine hid the gag-line, and prevented me from crossing the goal line.  Asinine?  I’ll take the high sign and resign.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 08/29/20

“Hugs can do great amounts of good, especially for children.”  – – – Diana, Princess of Wales

(This was another tough one to get started.  I finally got “OF” and “FOR” first, then “DO” and “GOOD”.  After that things fell into place.  A great and positive quote, from a beautiful, positive person.  Such a shame that she died so young.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 08/29/20

Visual Description:  Outtake from a Chiffon Margarine commercial.

VOEMI  =  MOVIE,  IMLTI  =  LIMIT,  MEDATN  =  TANDEM,  TAULNW  =  WALNUT   —   Giving us:  MIELITNDEWAL

Clue/Question:  Mother Nature would finish dampening the morning lawns, – – –

Answer:  ALL IN “DEW“ TIME

(I love it!  Of course, I’m a sucker for homophonic puns.  And, I love nature scenes.  And, anything that reminds me of my childhood and younger days.  This reminds me of those old Chiffon Margarine commercials, from the ’70s.  “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature!”

There are no new clue words today.  But, all of the jumbles appear to be new.  For some reason, I had a lot of trouble with “tandem”.  I had to back into it.  The answer letter layout was a devilish dozen letter jumble.  No hints or clues to the final answer.  The quotation marks in the final answer slots were a big hint.  That, and the use of the word “dampening” in the clue/question.

Great cartoon, with a talking bunny, birdies, butterflies, and a floating Mother Nature.  She doesn’t look like Dena Dietrich, star of those old margarine commercials, but that was still the vibe I got.  Oh, the rising sun on the horizon was also a nice touch.  I grew up on margarine, but that’s because we were all scared of cholesterol back then.  Plus, it was cheaper than butter.  For the past 35 years I’ve happily switched to butter.  And, I’ll never go back.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Spoiler Delays for Today

Puzzles solved, but I’m going to be a little busy today.  Later, friends.   —   YUR

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 08/28/20

“A computer once beat me at chess, but it was no match for me at kickboxing.”   —   Emo Philips

(This one took me a lot longer than it should have!  Emo is definitely one of the last first names that I ever think of.  Funny guy though!  Is he still an active comedian?  Gee, I guess he is!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 08/28/20

Visual Description:  Self-interested integers.

ONZEO  =  OZONE,  KNASC  =  SNACK,  NAUTBE  =  BUTANE,  UOESDX  =  EXODUS   —   Giving us:  OONSNCTNEEOD

Clue/Question:  The first positive number had a big ego and was proud to be – – –

Answer:  SECOND TO NONE

(Wa wah waahh!!!  Corny AF, as the kiddies are fond of saying.  But, stinky or not, it is actually a very accurate pun!  I don’t think I have to explain it to any of you.

All of today’s clue words are familiar old friends.  However, all of the jumbles appear to be new, to me.  Regardless, I got them all without hesitation.  The answer letter layout though was a spectacular twelve letter jumble.  But, because of all the O‘s and N‘s, and the leading nature of the clue/question, I was able to get the final answer right away.

Jeff pulled out Animated Number Cartoon # 7 today.  I think he can probably do these ones in his sleep!  But, all in all a fun Friday Jumble!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google