Belated Jumble Spoiler – 12/25/21

Visual Description:  A Cat Scratch Fever Christmas!

KAAEW  =  AWAKE,  NNNAY  =  NANNY,  TLCUSP  =  SCULPT,  HELSIG  =  SLEIGH   —   Giving us:  AWANASCRSL

Clue/Question:  When they dressed the cat in a St. Nick costume for Christmas, he had – – –

Answer:  SANTA “CLAWS“

(Oh, yeah!  That cat is definitely going to scratch one of those kids.  Maybe even both of them.  The vast majority of cats do not have the patience for this kind of thing.  Dogs are much more easy going, when it comes to dress up.  They might try to shake it off, but they won’t scratch or bite.  These kids are going to learn . . . the hard way.

No new clue words this day.  However, it looks like all of the jumbles are coming up as new.  I was able to see all the clue words right away.  The answer letter layout was a tidy ten letter jumble.  It wasn’t obvious.  The quotation marks, and all the A’s, made for a simple solve though.

Cute cartoon of kids . . . about to be scratched.  I hope Mom and Dad have plenty of hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment and bandages!  From the puss on that puss . . . they’re going to need it!  Easy, kitty.  Just run away!  LOL!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Belated Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/25/21

“We wish for all a heartfelt holiday season with peace and prosperity in a healthy new year.”   —   Your Puzzle Friends

(Merry belated Christmas, and a Happy Kwanzaa to all of our readers!  I don’t celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas, so that is a little belated, and I’m not African American, but that won’t stop me from making the relevant greetings to every single person who reads this blog!  If – somehow –  you’ve taken offense, PLEASE feel free to leave this blog and patronize my derivative competition!  Love to all!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 12/24/21

Visual Description:  Age defying.

SREHF  =  FRESH,  RNSLA  =  SNARL,  PUYGMS  =  GYPSUM,  NCLEUT  =  LUCENT   —   Giving us:  FRESNAYUUCT

Clue/Question:  The cosmetic surgeon offers nearly invisible stitches to – – –

Answer:  “SUTURE“ FANCY

(I thought this one was a fairly tough solve!  Of course it didn’t help that they didn’t deliver a newspaper today, and when I finally went to their e-version it said that it wasn’t a “delivery issue”.  Talking to my neighbor, Ed, he said the phone recording stated that there won’t be ANY delivery through the weekend!  I think if the newspaper wants us all to go just digital they should just come out and say so.  As it is, with the spotty service we’ve been receiving, it would just save us all a lot of aggravation.

No new clue words today.  I though “lucent” might be, but we’ve had it before.  And, WordPress does not acknowledge the word!  Three of the jumbles appear to be new, but we’ve definitely seen “srehf” before.  The answer letter layout was an electric eleven letter jumble.  Knowing I don’t care for UN clue words I kind of convinced myself – for a while – that the second word was UNCUT.  But I couldn’t do anything with FRESAY!  It took me some time to get to SUTURE, and from the FNAYC I got to FANCY.  Sneaky, guys!

The cartoon really didn’t give me any clues to the final answer.  Nothing suggested FANCY, and only the cartoon dialog word, and clue/question word, of “stitches”, suggested SUTURE.  I bet many of you guys had a bit of trouble with this.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/24/21

“Santa Claus has the right idea:  visit people only once a year.”   —   Victor Borge

(Victor Borge was a very talented and funny man.  Hard to believe he’s been gone 21 years!  I think his humor would go over most people’s heads these days.  This is our first Victor Borge quote here at the Cryptoquote.  So, we welcome him to the Cryptoquote Club today!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 12/23/21

Visual Description:  Not having it.

WABRL  =  BRAWL,  LAVEV  =  VALVE,  ILANFE  =  FINALE,  OMQUUR  =  QUORUM   —   Giving us:  BAVEFALOR

Clue/Question:  She asked if she could borrow her sister’s favorite sweater, but the response wasn’t – – –

Answer:  FAVORABLE

(Can an “ugly” sweater actually be someone’s favorite sweater?  Hmm.  I guess it could be.  People are strange, you know.  Not yer uncle Rave though.  He’s relatively down-to-earth.  That is when he’s not speaking in the third person.  And, he’s not ranting about some nonsense of modern “civilization”.

All of today’s clue words have been used before.  Two of the jumbles appear to be new, but we have seen both “lavev” and “ilanfe” in previous Jumbles.  I didn’t struggle with any of them though.  The answer letter layout was a nifty nine letter jumble.  But the final answer came to me immediately.

Fun cartoon of  a classic “ugly” Christmas sweater.  I thought it was a little strange that the word “favorite” was in the clue/question, considering the final answer.  A little slip up, maybe???  I know that there are some purists out there.  LOL!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam!

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/23/21

“The two most joyous times of the year are Christmas morning and the end of school.”   —   Alice Cooper

(Not to be confused with Al Kooper!  I’m pretty sure that Mr. Cooper must have come up with this quote in response to questions about his smash hit “School’s Out”.  But who knows?  I like his commercial with Baker Mayfield.  I think it’s for Amazon.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to Jorma Kaukonen, formerly with Jefferson Airplane!  (Great ’60s angst here!)

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/22/21

“Christmas is a season for kindling the fire for hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart.”   —   Washington Irving

(I just got done writing a good number of checks to various charitable organizations.  A couple of children’s hospitals, Toys for Tots, The Bowery Mission, Coalition for the Homeless, Boys Town, a variety of veterans groups, a number of Native American organizations, The Red Cross . . . groups like that.  I’m far from being wealthy, but tis the season of giving!  And, there a lot of people in need out there.  Today’s condensed date makes for a great palindrome!  Keep those love lights burning, folks!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick!

Jumble Spoiler – 12/22/21

Visual Description:  Refuse . . . to retire.

AALDS  =  SALAD,  FWALU  =  AWFUL,  LMFAEE  =  FEMALE,  RUHYOL  =  HOURLY   —   Giving us:  ALAFUFEMHO

Clue/Question:  The trash collector retired after 40 years and was voted into the – – –

Answer:  “HAUL“ OF FAME

(Hopefully, he’ll be retiring to a bundle of a pension.  He loaded many many tons of garbage over the course of 40 years.  He probably has a lot of stories he could tell you.  My daughter-in-law’s step-brother is a garbage man, and he says you wouldn’t believe some of the things that he’s rescued from the garbage.  Perfectly good things just become part of the clutter in some homes, and they get tossed with actual trash.  I guess it’s due to our disposable economy.

All of today’s clue words have been used in the Jumble before.  However, all of today’s jumbles came up as new.  No stumpers on my end.  The answer letter layout was a tranquil ten letter jumble.  By itself, it was nicely cryptic.  But the clue/question, the cartoon’s dialog, and the quotation marks, were big clues to the final answer.

Fun cartoon of the retirement ceremony.  The photo of ol’ Gus – I had to name him – will soon join those of other fine retired garbage men.  And, he’ll be receiving a nice watch for his many years of service.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to Michael Bacon, of the Bacon Brothers!

 

Jumble Spoiler – 12/21/21

Visual Description:  Geologic strata.

THALC  =  LATCH,  WSOHE  =  WHOSE,  DUELSG  =  SLUDGE,  GANROD  =  DRAGON   —   Giving us:  LCWSSLDRAO

Clue/Question:  The college offered earth science programs that were considered to be – – –

Answer:  WORLD–CLASS

(I feel like the hyphen is a bit superfluous.  Did anyone else find it superfluous?  Who concurs?  Do you concur?  I just think that superfluous is a word that Frank Abagnale Jr. might have used while he was trying to con someone into thinking he was someone he wasn’t, in “Catch Me If You Can”.  Besides the great lead actors, four of Frank’s conquest/girlfriends were played by Ellen Pompeo, Elizabeth Banks, Amy Adams, and Jennifer Garner!  Not bad for a kid that didn’t even finish high school!

All of today’s clue words are familiar old friends.  Yet, all of their jumbles have come up as brand new, from what I could see.  I didn’t think any of them were tough though.  The answer letter layout was a tasty ten letter jumble.  I thought it stacked up very nicely!

Great cartoon of a Geology class, out in the field.  And, when I say “in” I really mean IN the field!  Technically, this class may be Stratigraphy.  When I was a senior in college, trying to satisfy my Science requirement, I took a Geology class.  The professor asked me if I wanted to make Geology my major.  He thought I was a freshman!  All my life I’ve been a bit of a baby face.  I still pass for a few years younger than my age.  Good genes, no smoking, and I don’t worship the sun.  I did enjoy that Geology class though.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to Patrick Murphy, formerly of The Lemonheads.

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 12/21/21

“Nothing is cheap that is superfluous, for what one does not need is dear at a penny.”   —   Plutarch

(I think this is an argument FOR the worthiness of art.  A lot of mouth-breathers don’t seem to see the value in art.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to Lukas Rossi.