Jumble Spoiler – 01/26/22

Visual Description:  NOT barbecuing!

WHSIS  =  SWISH,  ODMME  =  MODEM,  RZLDIA  =  LIZARD,  EGRALR  =  LARGER   —   Giving us:  IHDMLIRLGE

Clue/Question:  His mother-in-law had questions about his outdoor cooking technique, so she – – –

Answer:  GRILLED HIM

(This is for our friend, lwc!  Just cooking something on charcoal, or briquettes, does not constitute barbecuing.  It’s just grilling.  The only thing you really have to know when grilling is:  don’t put things on the grill until the coals are good and hot, and don’t leave things on too long if you want them less than well done, or not long enough if you do want them well done.  Other than that it’s just your basic caveman cooking!  “Barbecue” is much more involved.

There were no new clue words today.  As I said a few days ago SPOOK is still eligible as a new Jumble clue word.  Three of the jumbles did come up as new, for me.  But we’ve definitely seen “odmme” in previous Jumbles.  The answer letter layout was a tidy ten letter jumble.  Expertly jumbled by our favorite wordsmith!  The final answer slots were a help.

Great cartoon of a meddling mother-in-law giving her son-in-law the third degree.  Maybe she’s just messing with him!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Happy birthdays to Norman Hassan of UB40, and Charlie Gillingham of Counting Crows!

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 01/26/22

“The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget.”   —   Thomas Szasz

(I can easily forgive, as long as I get some kind of explanation for the wrong.  Of course I’m not referring to accidents, but to deliberate acts of harming me or one of my loved ones.  No explanation, no exculpation!  We have had a Szasz quote before, although I still had to narrow the “A” down to either the C or the Z.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to Chris Hesse of Hoobastank!  (I just love the name of that band!)

Jumble Spoiler – 01/25/22

Visual Description:  Cantankerous caffeine craving crank.

MRAFE  =  FRAME,  GGION  =  GOING,  SIFNUO  =  FUSION,  MACERY  =  CREAMY   —   Giving us:  FAEGONFIONCEM

Clue/Question:  The chronic complainer was up early drinking his – – –

Answer:  “MOANING“ COFFEE

(I can relate to our crotchety compadre!  But my complaints relate to the actual delivery of the newspaper, which can be more hit-or-miss lately.  Once I have it, I rarely have a complaint about the Jumble.  More observation, and occasionally a . . . slight critique.  My bigger issue is more frequently with the Cryptoquote!  Too often they’re a re-run, which isn’t the newspaper’s fault, but sometimes on Sundays they kind of squeeze it in awkwardly, which can make solving it more difficult than normal.  But I don’t complain to my wife.  I save these . . . observations for you guys!  LOL!  If anything, I’m the one who would like a little silence in the morning.  I don’t need any AM conversation, thank you.

We’ve seen all of today’s clue words in previous Jumbles.  However, three of the jumbles are coming up as new, for me.  We’ve definitely seen “ggion” in the past.  No stumpers for me today.  The answer letter layout was a thoughtful thirteen letter jumble.  I thought it was perfectly cryptic!  From the clue/question, and the cartoon, I knew right away that the second word was COFFEE.  With the quotation marks, and remaining letters, I came up with the pun part:  MOANING.

Great kitchen table scene, with an older married couple.  It looks like Ma likes to do the Jumble on her cellphone, while Pa prefers the paper.  My wifey likes doing Word Search puzzles, but they only come on Sundays, in our paper.  I’m glad that I don’t have competition!  Ma’s got the I ❤ Jumble mug.  His has some kind of chemical notation, that I can’t quite make out.  Angela???  LOL!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to that gorgeous creature, Alicia Keys!  (Not really my genre, but . . . that face!!!)

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 01/25/22

“No business is a success which must ruin men to make money.”   —   Roy L. Smith

(I guess that means FOX News is a failure???  I mean they certainly try pretty hard.  LOL!  We’ve had quotes from this Methodist minister before.  This was a very quick solve for me.  I saw “business” right off the bat.  The only trouble I had was coming up with Roy’s “L”, which stood for Lemon, his mother’s maiden name.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to Joe Sirois of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones!

Jumble Spoiler – 01/24/22

Visual Description:  The lap warmer.

RTEGI  =  TIGER,  RMICP  =  CRIMP,  QLASUL  =  SQUALL,  EEMURS  =  RESUME   —   Giving us:  TERRPSQURUE

Clue/Question:  Her cat wanted attention, so she gave him some – – –

Answer:  “PURR“ HIS REQUEST

(Easing into the week with a simple stinky pun!  With the A in “squall” and the S in “resume” that could have given us a thirteen letter answer letter layout, to make the answer:  AS “PURR” HIS REQUEST.  Maybe the guys try to avoid going over twelve letters on Mondays???  Who knows?!

All four of today’s clue words already appear in the ralis95 clue word database.  Three of the jumbles came up as new.  But we have seen “rmicp” before.  It took me a few looks before I saw “resume”.  Funny how that word has two meanings.  They could be related though, when you stop and think about it.  The answer letter layout was an elegant eleven letter jumble.  This is one of those where the letters Q and U are almost like another clue!

Cute cartoon of a cat lady and her kitty.  That’s a pretty big cat!  I bet he’s bigger than David or Jeff’s dogs!  I haven’t owned a cat since I was a bachelor.  They can be great company.  I just don’t have the patience for litter boxes anymore.  And, allowing them out is very harmful to the populations of birds, chipmunks, squirrels, rabbits, etc.  They don’t kill because they are hungry.  It’s just instinctual for them.  They are natures perfect predators.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 01/24/22

“In youth, we run into difficulties.  And in old age, difficulties run into us.”   —   Josh Billings

(So true.  When we’re young at least our reactions are quicker.  We lose both speed and reaction time, as we age.  So much easier for those difficulties to run smack into us.  A little tough getting this one started.  Seeing IN and INTO was a big help for me.  I didn’t even pick up on Josh Billings until about a third of the way in!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Sunday Jumble Spoiler – 01/23/22

Visual Description:  Unsolved Mysteries!

LACLEO  =  LOCALE,  GRIONI  =  ORIGIN,  KPESON  =  SPOKEN,  MEETXP  =  EXEMPT,  MCOSHO  =  SMOOCH,  STUESL  =  TUSSLE   —   Giving us:  CEORNSENEMTSHUSL

Clue/Question:  The cheese shop in the Scottish Highlands sold – – –

Pre-Answer:  Three Words  (4-letters)  (4-letters)  (8-letters)

Answer:  LOCH NESS “MUENSTER“

(A wonderful pun!  Thankfully, muenster is NOT a stinky cheese, so I guess this is NOT a stinky pun?!  Plenty to like though.  I like the name of the cheese shop:  Legendairy Cheeses!  We’ve got a cheese shop not too far from me called The Second Mouse Cheese Shop.  Their slogan is really cute:  “The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese”!  I haven’t been there yet.  It’s across the river – Hudson – from me, so it’s a little out of my way.  Some day, when I’m over that way.

All familiar old clue words today.  Four of the jumbles came up as new, but we’ve definitely seen both “lacleo” and “meetxp” at one time, or another.  I had a little trouble coming up with “smooch”!  I haven’t smooched anyone in a while.  The answer letter layout was a splendid sixteen letter jumble.  Without the cartoon, and clue/question, this might have been a tough solve.

Great cartoon of tourists over in Scotland.  I’m sure the little town near Loch Ness is very touristy.  And, why not?  It’s one of the worlds favorite myths/legends.  A wonderful Sunday Jumble!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Sunday Cryptoquote Spoiler – 01/23/22

“He speaks reservedly, but he speaks with force.  Nor can one word be changed but for a worse.”   —   Homer

(Fairly challenging solve!  I was pretty sure I identified the E early on, but I couldn’t be completely certain until I decided that EWZ was ONE.  Many of the words came to me fitfully, and it even took me some time to realize who the author was.  So, this made for a fine Cryptoquote.  But I’m sure this is from one of Homer’s great works.  I just don’t know which one, and who he was referring to.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 01/22/22

Visual Description:  Ish Kabibble meets Merlin.

CNHIP  =  PINCH,  NLADB  =  BLAND,  NCAGEL  =  GLANCE,  SIALHV  =  LAVISH   —   Giving us: PINBNDGLELIS

Clue/Question:  The book the sorcerer used to learn magic and new incantations was – – –

Answer:  SPELLBINDING

(Because a book has a binding.  And, this one is full of spells!  I get it.  It’s one of those literal/figurative puns.  I guess we haven’t had one of those in a little while.  They’re a little less stinky.

All of today’s clue words were on the world famous ralis95 clue word database.  But every one of the jumbles appear to be new!  None of them tripped me up though.  The answer letter layout was a very impressive twelve letter jumble.  By itself, there was nothing obvious about it.  But the cartoon and the dialog made for a quick solve.

The best part of today’s Jumble has to be the cartoon!  A great wizard, and a mesmerized apprentice.  An enchanting magic wand, and a massive book of spells.  I thought the raven book holder was a very nice touch.  But the potions and creepy ingredients on the shelves were also pretty cool.  Oh, and also the mortar and pestle on the table.  Great job setting the scene!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to Steve Perry of Journey!

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 01/22/22

“Other lands have their vitality in a few, a class, but we have it in the bulk of our people.”   —   Walt Whitman

(Classic 19th Century optimism.  It carried over into the first half of the 20th, but I fear it kind of petered out in the latter half of the century.  Now, we’re pretty much like those other lands.  It’s what happens when you become too full of yourself.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to Ben Moody of Evanescence!