Visual Description: A room with a view.
LIVAL = VILLA, GLTIH = LIGHT, GENUHO = ENOUGH, PMCASU = CAMPUS — Giving us: VLEOCA
Clue/Question: They wanted a better view of the small inlet from their home, so they built an – – –
Answer: ALCOVE
(Of course, I got the answer right away. But, there is something a little off with it. The way the clue/question uses the word “inlet”, and the woman’s dialog uses the words “little bay” suggests the word COVE, and not an ALCOVE. A little misdirection??? The little addition they’re building could be considered a nook, as in a breakfast nook, but that’s not really what I think of when I hear the word ALCOVE. All the synonyms for the word are freestanding structures, not additions. Like I said, I got it, and I do get it, but I don’t really dig it.
All of today’s clue words are familiar old friends. Three of the jumbles appear to be new, but we’ve definitely seen “lival” in the past. The answer letter layout was a swell little six letter jumble, that was not obvious!
Terrific cartoon of a happy young couple improving the value of their home. I hope they’ll enjoy the view of their little cove for years to come. Be well and do good, friends.) — YUR
Images courtesy of Google and Hikespeak.com
Unclerave's Wordy Weblog 
I liked this one. It felt original.
The Wikipedia article says an ALCOVE can be either a small recessed section off a larger room (an interior space), or an opening in a wall with an arch (which could be outdoors–here’s a picture of an outdoor one without an arch that was labeled as an “alcove:” https://www.outdoortheme.com/outdoor-design-decor/wall-alcove-for-outdoor-seating/ ). The one under construction in the cartoon looks more like a hut. But I didn’t get thrown off by this. I too saw it quickly. The “…an” lead-in from the clue helped narrow the first letter down to one of three vowels.
They might have debated quotation marks and a hyphen: “AL-COVE” to emphasize the double-use of COVE. Would that have worked better for you, Unc?
Is ALCOVE on the ralis95 master list as a regular word? There is another solution for that anagram, coeval, meaning (I had to look this up) “of the same age, date, or origin,” but that’s an obscure enough word that ALCOVE could be used as a regular word.
To me an alcove is like what the woman in the photograph is sitting in, David. A *recess* in a wall. To me, the one under construction in the cartoon looks like a breakfast nook, a separate little room that will be right off their kitchen. Almost like a small sun-room. I know the definition of alcove is a little broader, and equates to nook, but when you go to the Merriam Webster Thesaurus section its primary definition is: “a freestanding airy structure in a scenic setting (as a park) typically offering commanding views” https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alcove
Like I said, I DO get it. And, I didn’t say I didn’t like it. I just thought it was a little off the mark. Especially, considering their use of the words “small inlet” and “little bay” in the context of the puzzle. So, yeah. I think I would have preferred the answer to have been “AL-COVE”.
You’re mostly right about why ALCOVE is not on the ralis95 list. COEVAL, despite it being obscure to you and me, does have a current definition in Merriam-Webster. I know this is a major reason why David L. Hoyt wouldn’t use ALCOVE as a clue word.
But, thanks so much for the detailed comment! That’s what I like to see from you guys. — YUR
I knew it was ALCOVE because of the clue, and because it couldn’t be COEVAL!
With only six letters, this puzzle looked deceptively easy; but not so
It didn’t take long to get “light”, but “villa” was a minor struggle.
After a little more effort came “campus”, which revealed the third jumble had to be “e” or “o” in the first or third place. Then it became easy to spot “enough”.
Unc, I didn’t quite get your “misdirection” about the words “COVE” and “ALCOVE”.
Cove is a little bay; alcove is a little room. What’ the confusion ?
Then there’s “nook” ! I’m not sure I know the difference between nook and alcove. I’m not sure I’ve seen a nook or an alcove. I’m not versed on architecture.
UR,
From Dictionary.com, ALCOVE: A recess or small room adjacent to or opening out of a room…
From a British Dictionary,
Cove: noun.
1) A small bay or Inlet, usually between rocky
headlands.
That seems to make the answer a legit “Play on
Words”…….Oh, la de da!!^¥
Lattttter…….k
No offense, lwc, but I think I explained myself very clearly, both in my original comments and in my reply to David. I don’t want to beat a dead horse. — YUR
Ken,
See my reply to lwc. — YUR
My shortened comment is that I think the hyphen would have made the answer not seem off. The cartoon, though wonderfully drawn, looks more like a sunroom with a large window for the view. LL
That’s my girl, LL! — YUR