Cryptoquote Solved – 05/31/22

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.“   —   Confucius

(I can’t be certain, but I think we’ve had this quote before.  I’m sure that others have said very similar words, but Confucius probably said it first.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Solved – 05/31/22

Visual Description:  Codger, crags and a crank.

MOLIB  =  LIMBO,  LSDAA  =  SALAD,  NLDAAS  =  SANDAL,  DHOSAW  =  SHADOW   —   Giving us:  LIOSLDSALSHA

Clue/Question:  The rock formations in the Scottish Highlands are – – –

Answer:  AS OLD AS THE HILLS

(Just you wait, Missy!  Time catches up with all of us, eventually.  And, to these eyes, you’re no spring chicken yourself.  I certainly get the pun.  I didn’t struggle to get the final answer, but initially I was looking for something more related to Scotland.  A quick Google search said that the popular expression: as old as the hills goes back to the Bible, Job, 15:7.  But it has gone through some changes over the years.

We have seen all of these clue words before.  Apparently, Hoyt has given up on finding new ones.  However, he is coming up with new jumbles for the clue words, as all of today’s have come up as new.  None were tough to get though.  The answer letter layout was a twirling twelve letter jumble. I definitely don’t think it gave anything away.

Fine cartoon of a couple of folks traversing the Scottish Highlands.  Maybe they’re heading to Loch Ness, to get a glimpse of Nessie!  Nah!  That’s just for the suckers . . . I mean tourists.  Lots of popular destinations are based on myths and legends.  Magical thinking is an entertaining escape from the reality of real life.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Solved – 05/30/22

“Heroism doesn’t always happen in a burst of glory.  Sometimes small triumphs and large hearts change the course of history.”   —   Mary Roach

(This sounds like something Gandhi, or Martin Luther King, Jr., might have said!  This appears to be our first Mary Roach quote used at the Cryptoquote, at least since I’ve been posting them.  We welcome “America’s funniest science writer” to the Cryptoquote Club today!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Solved – 05/30/22

Visual Description:  World’s tallest!

NANYO  =  ANNOY,  NLUKP  =  PLUNK,  PKTOEP  =  TOPPLE,  MCONOM  =  COMMON   —   Giving us:  ANNLUTOEMM

Clue/Question:  The construction of the 555-foot-tall obelisk in Washington, D.C., was – – –

Answer:  MONUMENTAL

(Old George didn’t die in battle, but he definitely served his country during wartime.  A lot of folks like to split hairs, and say that Memorial Day is only for those who gave their lives in service of our country.  Actually, that is true.  But does it ever hurt to thank a veteran, or active service person?  Not in my book.  And, I’m generally an anti-war activist.

All of the clue words have been used in prior Jumbles.  Three of the jumbles are coming up as new, however “mconom” has been used in previous Jumbles.  They all came to me right away.  The answer letter layout was a terrific ten letter jumble.  Even though it is an obelisk it is known as the Washington Monument, so the final answer came very quickly.

Great cartoon of two guys marveling at the structure.  It is the world’s tallest obelisk!  Followed – ironically – by the Jefferson Davis obelisk.  Both men believed strongly in their cause.  Only history – which is always subjective – deifies the one, and vilifies the other.  Confederate soldiers died in service of their short-lived country too.  I think that all should be remembered, regardless of current sensibilities.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Sunday Jumble Solved – 05/29/22

Visual Description:  When in Rome . . .

LNEAGC  =  GLANCE,  REVIDT  =  DIVERT,  MISPRH  =  SHRIMP,  SNIECC  =  SCENIC,  YNWOAH  =  ANYHOW,  SYPRAT  =  PASTRY   —   Giving us:  LEIRTSPCEINHPA

Clue/Question:  After they cleaned up when Michelangelo was done painting the ceiling, it was a – – –

Pre-Answer:  Two Words  “(8-letters)”  (6-letters)

Answer:  “PRISTINE“ CHAPEL

( . . . visit the Vatican!  I wonder just how many people are even looking at the floor when they visit the Sistine Chapel?  They don’t allow picture taking, and they don’t really allow you to linger very long, so UP is much more important than DOWN when you’re there.  Not really enough time to get a sore neck!  Maybe, for the privileged few who might get a private viewing, you might notice the floor.  But, for all I know, I might have been walking on Armstrong Solarium tiles, or something, when we visited the vaunted – and vaulted – venue.  I read – somewhere – that occasionally someone comes away from the tour unimpressed.  Are they kidding me??!!

All of today’s clue words are in the Pantheon of the ralis95 clue word database.  Five of the jumbles appear to be new, but we’ve definitely seen “syprat” in an earlier Jumble.  I started writing SCIENCE before realizing that was seven letters, and it took a couple of looks to see ANYHOW.  The answer letter layout was forceful fourteen letter jumble.  I don’t think it gave anything away.  The cartoon’s dialog and the quotation marks in the final answer slots were the big giveaways for me.

Fine cartoon of Michelangelo and Pope Julius II, and some church workers.  The chapel itself was built by Pope Sixtus IV some 27 years prior to the famous ceiling painting, which is why it’s called the Sistine Chapel.  There already was a fresco of a blue night sky, with golden stars, that had been painted by Piero Matteo d’Amelia, but I guess Julius II wasn’t much into the natural world, so he commissioned Michelangelo to tell some supernatural stories.  It’s considered one of the world’s great masterpieces, so I guess it was a good decision to do . . . the redo.  Fun Jumble.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Jumble Solved – 05/28/22

Visual Description:  The tall order.

SEYZT  =  ZESTY,  LRIDL  =  DRILL,  ABOBOM  =  BAMBOO,  EOCTPI  =  POETIC   —   Giving us:  ZESRLLBAMBPOEI

Clue/Question:  At 7’4″ tall and 500 pounds, clothes shopping for André the Giant was a – – –

Answer:  SIZABLE PROBLEM

(An excellent, stinky pun!  André the Giant was positively massive!  He was known as “The Eighth Wonder of the World”, and was a mainstay of the World Wrestling Federation from the 1970s throughout the 1980s.  Sometimes the “good guy”, but usually playing the “bad guy”, he was often pitted against Hulk Hogan.  He also had a roles in the movies “The Princess Bride” and “Conan the Destroyer”, and also appeared in other movies and television shows.  Because of his massive size he had a tremendous tolerance for alcohol, allegedly drinking 119 12 ounce beers in six hours!  But despite playing the “bad guy”, André was know for both his gentleness and generosity.  Tragically, he died in his sleep of congestive heart failure, at the age of 46.

All of today’s clue words are already on the ralis95 clue word database.  Three of the jumbles are coming up as new, for me.  However, we have definitely seen “seyzt” in previous Jumbles.  The answer letter layout was a fearsome fourteen letter jumble.  Beautifully cryptic.  But the great cartoon and the clue/question set up the answer perfectly, for me.

Great likeness of André!  The tailors look totally amazed at his magnitude!  He probably had to have all of his clothes specially made for him.  Today’s Jumble was gigantic fun!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Solved – 05/28/22

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.“   —   Martin Luther King, Jr.

(And, to think that racist scum-bags plotted to discredit and defame this man of peace and love, and then ultimately kill him, is one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th Century.  Nothing is assured in this life, but how much better might our country – and the world – be if this man had not been assassinated?  Power and greed will be the death of us all.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Solved – 05/27/22

“A lesson taught with humor is a lesson retained.”   —   Dr. Ruth Westheimer

(Wow!  Dr. Ruth is still kicking it at 93!  And, I didn’t know this, but she was a Haganah sniper during the Nakba!  I wonder how may Palestinians – and/or Brits – did she kill?  I bet she doesn’t like to talk about it.  And, we all know she loves to talk!  She was always an amusing little spark plug, but now I think I like her a little less, because of this.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Solved – 05/27/22

Visual Description:  Excedrin headache #39.

THHIC  =  HITCH,  TNNIH  =  NINTH,  LBTALE  =  BALLET,  BCPLIU  =  PUBLIC   —   Giving us:  IRHNNTBAETPUI

Clue/Question:  Being a ram and smashing horns so often was becoming a – – –

Answer:  PAIN IN THE BUTT

(A great stinky pun!  I don’t know how those rams can do all that head/horn butting!  They must really have thick skulls.  And maybe, like woodpeckers, have some kind of protective lining, or fluid, cushioning their brains.  What a way to get a date with a ewe though!  Are the girls even impressed though?  Or, is it that they pretty much don’t have any choice, when the loser is vanquished?

All of the clue words are well acquainted with rali95’s Jumble clue word database.  Two of the jumbles appear to be new, but we’ve definitely seen both “thhic” and “tnnih” in previous Jumbles.  It took a few looks for me to see PUBLIC.  The answer letter layout was a thrilling thirteen letter jumble.  I thought it was phenomenally cryptic.  The final answer slots, and the leading nature of the clue/question made for a quick solve though.

Great cartoon of the battling battering rams!  Looks like there are other participants too.  And, someone is watching from atop the rocky crag.  Another challenger, or a prudish ewe, looking to get outta Dodge?  LOL!  Fun Friday Jumble.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Jumble Solved – 05/26/22

Visual Description:  Indulgent parents.

FRUGF  =  GRUFF,  SOIEP  =  POISE,  TPYAAH  =  APATHY,  DRNEOT  =  RODENT   —   Giving us:  UFPOIPTYRON

Clue/Question:  The young horse was bought by a family that was happy to – – –

Answer:  PONY UP FOR IT

(Somehow, I don’t think that Dad is all that happy about it!  Owning a horse, or even a pony, can be pretty expensive, unless you own some kind of farm, or ranch.  Board and turnout is expensive.  It can run up to around $500 a month around here.  It’s probably cheaper in more rural areas and states.  But just about every little girl would love to brag that they own a pony!

All of today’s clue words are permanent residents – old nags – of the ralis95 ranch.  However, all four of today’s jumbles are new foals.  Both “tpyaah” and “drneot” gave me a bit of trouble, but yer uncle is a bit of a jumble whisperer.  I just say:  show me who you are, baby.  And, they reveal themselves to me!  The answer letter layout was an elegant equine of an eleven letter jumble.  Almost a Trojan horse of a jumble!  Nothing obvious about it.

Great cartoon of the family at a horse farm.  Some places call where horses live a stable, from the French word “estable”, but other areas seem to call them horse barns.  I don’t know it that terminology is old, or maybe it’s just from the time of “freedom fries”.  LOL!  The little girl definitely looks happy!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google