Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/31/20

“May the coming year bring all health, happiness, prosperity and stability.”   —   From Your Puzzle Friends

(Couldn’t have said it any better!  Be safe, be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 12/31/20

Visual Description:  Family New Year’s Eve celebration!

SIPOE  =  POISE,  PMYET  =  EMPTY,  LUDOEB  =  DOUBLE,  SANMUK  =  UNMASK   —   Giiving us:  OISEMTDLEASK

Clue/Question:  They looked at their photos of the NYC New Year’s Eve ball drop for – – –

Answer:  OLD TIMES‘ SAKE

(2021 surely won’t erase the stain of 2020, folks.  At least not any time soon.  But, there’s always hope for the new year, just as there is hope every single morning.  Just the act of opening our eyes, and realizing we’re alive, and it’s a brand new day should bring joy to our hearts.  Life is fragile and short, and nothing is guaranteed.  So, never pass up the opportunity to tell your friends and loved ones that you love and appreciate them.  I appreciate all of you loyal readers, and I wish you all a Happy New Year.

We might have a brand new clue word today, in “unmask”.  Unless we’ve seen it on some Sunday of course.  It’s not on my latest version of the ralis95 clue word database at least.  Three of the jumbles appear to be new, but we’ve definitely seen “pmyet” before.  The answer letter layout was a terrific twelve letter jumble.  But, I doubt that many struggled to come up with the final answer.

Fun cartoon of a few generations of a family welcoming the new year.  Be well and do good always, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

 

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/30/20

“Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”   —   Robert Browning

(That’s a fine question, Bob!  All I know is if I ever get there . . . and my pets aren’t there . . . and they don’t have beer, I’m headin’ south, folks!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Happy 74th Birthday, Patti!

Jumble Spoiler – 12/30/20

Visual Description:  Financial vertigo.

SUREE  =  REUSE,  CLOBK  =  BLOCK,  CTAANV  =  VACANT,  ACOLAN  =  CANOLA   —   Giving us:  SEBLOANTCAL

Clue/Question:  He got woozy after learning all of his savings had been stolen and – – –

Answer:  LOST HIS BALANCE

(A very fine – and 21st century appropriate – pun!  There are just so many scammers and outright thieves these days, who generally target the elderly.  Today’s answer feels fresh, to me.  But, I’ll leave the confirmation of that to our very own Woodward and Bernstein, David and Angela!

All old reliable clue words today.  But, all of the jumbles came up as new, for me.  It took me a few looks to get “reuse” and “canola”, but the other two came to me right away.  The answer letter layout was an excellent eleven letter jumble.  But, with the wonderful cartoon, and its revealing dialog, the final answer was pretty obvious, to me.

Great cartoon of a . . . well, late middle-aged, if not elderly, couple.  He’s trying to steady himself by grabbing a chair, and she’s making sure he doesn’t fall  to the floor.  I’m a little surprised that Jeff didn’t draw him with a landline.  A lot of us . . . mature types still use those things, don’t cha know!  LOL!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/29/20

“The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it.”   —   Flannery O’Connor

(Ah.  She would have made a good 9/11 Truther.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 12/29/20

Visual Description:  The family business.

TRUTE  =  UTTER,  PCYIS  =  SPICY,  SCOYLT  =  COSTLY,  TCESHK  =  SKETCH   —   Giving us:  UTESCYCOSSKE

Clue/Question:  The locksmith considered customer satisfaction the – – –

Answer:  KEY TO SUCCESS

(Katy bar the door!  The answer hit me like a bolt outta the blue!  But, let’s get a grip.  Any latch-key kid could have solved this one, of that I can assure you.

It’s been a while since we’ve seen a new clue word.  Three of the jumbles are coming up as new, for me.  But, we’ve definitely seen “trute” sometime before today.  None of the jumbles tripped me up though.  The answer letter layout was a terrific twelve letter jumble.  But, just like nuts and bolts, few things go together like a lock and key!

Fine cartoon of a father and daughter locksmith business, along with a loyal satisfied customer.  Mrs. Jones holding a key was a bit of a bonus clue.  Fun Jumble!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/28/20

“Beware of little expenses.  A small leak will sink a great ship.”   —   Benjamin Franklin

(Wise words from my favorite Founding Father!  The same man who gave us “A penny saved is a penny earned.”  Adjusted for inflation that penny would be about 65¢.  If you could save 65¢ everyday that would add up to a tidy sum.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 12/28/20

Visual Description:  Exploding unicorn!

TEYNR  =  ENTRY,  NUHOD  =  HOUND,  NRIHED  =  HINDER,  CGENAH  =  CHANGE   —   Giving us:  ETHUHIG

Clue/Question:  They made a giant pinata for the party which was a – – –

Answer:  HUGE HIT

(Sometimes it really takes a huge hit to crack those suckers.  Occasionally, they make them too strong, and they don’t want to break.  But, once you find that sweet spot . . . the sweets will spill out!

We’ve seen all of thoday’s clue words before.  Two of the jumbles are coming up as new, for me, but we’ve definitely seen “teynr” and “nuhod” before.  The answer letter layout was a simple seven letter jumble.  Before looking at the cartoon, my eyes went to HIGH first.  I soon realized I needed HIT though.

Fun cartoon of a children’s party.  Very likely a birthday party.  A fiesta de cumpleaños!  Pinatas come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but the most common one seems to be that of a donkey.  Or, a Burro!  All in all, a much more satisfying game than pin the tail on the donkey.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Sunday Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/27/20

“That is a good book which is opened with expectation, and closed with delight and profit.”   —   Amos Bronson Alcott

(Great quote, but we saw this exact quote on 12/27/09.  Be well and do good, friends.  I didn’t say THAT back then!)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Sunday Jumble Spoiler – 12/27/20

Visual Description:  American History class.

NULNTE  =  TUNNEL,  WMAYRL  =  WARMLY,  ROLEMA  =  MORALE,  RRKADE  =  DARKER,  MELEAF  =  FEMALE,  GBOLEG  =  BOGGLE   —   Giving us:  NNEWLOREDAKEEGGL

Clue/Question:  The fact that George S. Patton was a famous military leader is – – –

Pre-Answer:  Two Wards  (7-letters)  (9-letters)

Answer:  GENERAL KNOWLEDGE

(All in all a very stinky pun.  By and large this so commonly known that not knowing it would be broadly condemned as mostly ignorant.  A little bird has informed me that this answer was used exactly five years ago, although the setup was completely different.  But, my job is not to point out recycled final answers.  No, recycling is a good thing.  My job is to nitpick Jeff’s cartoons, and to make fun of Hoyt’s bald noggin!

All of today’s clue words are familiar old friends.  However, all six jumbles are coming up as new!  That’s a little unusual.  None of them tripped me up though.  The answer letter layout was a supreme sixteen letter jumble.  But, the final answer largely jumped right out at me.

Great cartoon of the college history lecture.  Fine likeness of “Old Blood and Guts”.  Kind of ironic that Patton survived the war, but then died of injuries sustained in a common car/jeep accident.  Not that they had them back then, but I’d bet he would’ve been too macho to ever use a seat-belt.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google