Jumble Solved – 02/28/23

Visual Description:  Popular gym.

LYSET  =  STYLE,  TOPAI  =  PATIO,  ALFTUN  =  FLAUNT,  GHRIEH  =  HIGHER   —   Giving us:  YLEPTOFATHIHR

Clue/Question:  The owner of the successful fitness center was making a – – –

Answer:  HEALTHY PROFIT

(Boy, I need to get back to the gym!  I just shoveled about 5 inches of wet snow today, for the first time all winter, and my back is killing me.  I did work up one heck of a sweat though.  Lemme tell ya, I was plenty stinky when I finished.  But, I did have a nice sense of accomplishment.  This has been the freakiest winter I can remember.  No snow . . . until today!  Well, there was one time where we got just about an inch, back in November, but that’s still autumn.  Usually, I have to shovel at least five or six times each winter.  Very strange.

We’ve seen all of these clue words in previous Jumbles.  Only on of the jumbles is coming up as new, as we’ve definitely seen “lyset”, “topai”, and “alftun” in past Jumbles.  None of them tripped me up.  The answer letter layout was a thrilling thirteen letter jumble.  I thought it was wonderfully cryptic.  Nothing given away.

Great gym scene from our buddy Jeff.  I really like the name of the place on the window:  SWEAT SHOP!  Fun Jumble.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.  On this date in 1708 there was a slave revolt in Newton, Long Island.  In 1932, Richard Spikes invented/patented the automatic gear shift.  In 1943 “Porgy and Bess” opened on Broadway.  In 1945 NFL Hall of Famer Charles “Bubba” Smith was born.  In 1977 comedian Eddie “Rochester” Anderson died.  And in 1984 Michael Jackson won eight Grammy awards.  Celebrate Black History Month!   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Solved – 02/28/23

“Despite everything, no one can dictate who you are to other people.”   —   Prince

(What an awesome, multi-talented musician Prince was!  They say he could play at least 27 instruments!  He also composed songs made famous by other artists, like: Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U”, The Bangles’ “Manic Monday”, Alicia Keys’ “How Come You Don’t Call Me Anymore?”, and Tom Jones’ “Kiss”.  And he accompanied various artists, on guitar, like Madonna, Chaka Khan, and Cyndi Lauper.  Such a shame that he died so young.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Solved – 02/27/23

“Gentleness clears the soul, love cleans the mind and makes it free.”   —   David Bowie

(Definitely not a lyric from one of his many songs.  At least not one that I know of.  It must be from an interview that he did.  I miss Bowie.  He was always one of my favorite Rock Stars!  A cutting edge performer.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Solved – 02/27/23

Visual Description:  Seventies sitcom situation.

EDROO  =  RODEO,  KOPRE  =  POKER,  PSACET  =  ASPECT,  SGNIRT  =  STRING   —   Giving us:  ROESPSN

Clue/Question:  She still had a lot of clothes left to iron but would – – –

Answer:  PRESS ON

(A Classic stinky Jumble pun!  From a semi-classic television show.  “The Brady Bunch”  was about as corny a TV show could get, but many/most of us watched it anyway.  My primary interest was Marcia, because she was a cutie/hottie, around my age.  She’s only a year older than me.  But I also had my eye on Carol Brady.  Hey, if Barry Williams – aka Greg – had a crush on her, why not me???  I mean she was no Shirley Partridge – I always loved Shirley Jones – but Florence Henderson was still a looker.

As you’ve probably guessed, there were no new clue words today.  Three of the jumbles are coming up as new, for me.  However, we have definitely seen “kopre” in an earlier Jumble.  I got them all without a struggle.  The answer letter layout was a slight seven letter jumble.  But it was decently cryptic.  I saw ON first, then warmed up to PRESS.

Great cartoon!  But, at first glance, I though that Alice was John Mellencamp!  Or, possibly Willem Dafoe!  Of course, this was before I read the dialog or clue/question, but those were my first impressions.  LOL!  Great Carol Brady haircut and ’70s blouse!  That Alice had a lot of responsibility in the Brady house, although I can’t remember Carol working.  I know that Mike was an architect, but what the heck did Carol do?  Especially, with Alice doing all the housework!  Strange.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.  On this date in 1872 Charlotte E. Ray became the first Black female lawyer in the U.S.  And on this day in 1902, opera singer Marian Anderson was born.  In 1964 civil right champion Anna Julia Cooper died.  And in 1988 Debi Thomas became the first African American woman to win a medal at the Winter Olympics!  Celebrate Black history Month, folks!   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Sunday Jumble Solved – 02/26/23

Visual Description:  The clock is ticking!

NUOLEG  =  LOUNGE,  PATRUB  =  ABRUPT,  SFEUER  =  REFUSE,  CANUNE  =  NUANCE,  NYWETT  =  TWENTY,  PIMIRA  =  IMPAIR   —   Giving us:  ONGAUTRSNUETWNIMI

Clue/Question:  She’d need to hurry to buy a new sports watch while it was 50% off because – – –

Pre-Answer:  Four Words  (4-letters)  (3-letters)  (7-letters)  (3-letters)

Answer:  TIME WAS RUNNING OUT

(A good stinky pun.  Kind of new, so I guess it’s a running gag without being a running gag . . . if you know what I mean.  I don’t want to advertise for any specific company, but isn’t there at least one watch out there that syncs with your cellphone, that does all that and more?  And I think that Dick Tracy foretold this some 60-70+ years ago!  For you young’uns, Dick Tracy was a popular, square-jawed detective in the funny papers . . . back in the day.  Kinda like Batman without the cowl and cape.  He had a slew of repeating villains that he had to contend with, like Pruneface, Flattop, Tiger Lily, The Blank, The Mole, and Mumbles, just to name a few.  I suppose it could still be an active comic strip, but I haven’t seen it in a number of years.

All six of today’s clue words are on the ralis95 clue word database.  Four of the jumbles are coming up as new, for me.  But we’ve definitely seen “canune” and “pimira” in previous Jumbles.  I was able to see them all immediately.  The answer letter layout was a spectacular seventeen letter jumble!  As a jumble I thought it was brilliantly cryptic.  But with all of the clues, from the salesman’s line, to the countdown clock behind the woman, to the urgency in the clue/question, I knew the final answer in an instant.  I didn’t even need to check off any of the letters.

Fine cartoon of the jogger shopping for a sports watch, in a sporting goods store.  The other sports equipment are fairly subtle, but you can make out the basketball backboard/hoop/net, some kind of a net/goal, and some golf clubs.  And the salesman dressed like a referee was a nice touch.  Fun little Sunday Jumble.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.  On this date in 1869 the 15th Amendment guaranteeing the right to vote – for Black men at least, not sure about Native Americans or Asians – was sent to the states for ratification.  No women had the right to vote until the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920!  And voter suppression all over the country made – and still makes – it difficult for minorities and women to actually vote.  And in 1926 Carter Woodson started Negro History week, the forerunner of Black History Month.  In 1933 actor/comedian Godfrey Cambridge was born.  And in 1966 Andrew Brimmer was appointed the first African American governor of the Federal Reserve Board, by President Lydon B. Johnson.  Celebrate Black History Month!   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Solved – 02/25/23

“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.“   —   Theodore Roosevelt

(Bully!  Yeah, this sounds like a Teddy-ism to me.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Solved – 02/25/23

Visual Description:  Poker pals.

WAVEE  =  WEAVE,  NPHUC  =  PUNCH,  GARNDO  =  DRAGON,  PRSUBE  =  SUPERB   —   Giving us:  EAPUHDNIPR

Clue/Question:  After getting a royal flush the hold ’em player felt like he had the – – –

Answer:  UPPER HAND

(I can’t argue with that!  Nothing beats a royal flush in the game of poker.  It’s been a bit since we’ve had a poker themed Jumble.  I guess we were due.

No new clue words today.  Three of the jumbles are coming up as new, but we’ve definitely seen “garndo” in a previous Jumble.  I always have trouble coming up with “dragon”.  The answer letter layout was a nifty nine letter jumble.  I thought it was cryptic as all get out!  But the leading nature of the clue/question, and the four letter final answer slot screamed out HAND.  The remaining letters were looking UP.

Some different looking faces in this poker party.  I don’t recognize the royal flush guy, and I’m pretty sure that David L. Hoyt isn’t a regular.  The lower part of the panel folk look familiar.  Decent Jumble.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.  On this day in 1870, Hiram R. Revels was sworn into the Senate, becoming the first African American in Congress.  In 1948 Martin Luther King was ordained a Baptist minister.  And in 1964 Cassius Clay – later Muhammad Ali –  defeated Sonny Liston for the heavyweight boxing championship, in Miami, FL.  Celebrate Black History month, folks.   —   YUR

Belated Cryptoquote Solve – 02/24/23

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time.”   —   Barack Obama

(The time is always now!  For a number of years, I used to receive Christmas cards from the Obama family!  I always thought that was pretty cool.  Surprisingly, I never received a Christmas card from the Trumps!  LOL!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Belated Jumble Solved – 02/24/23

Visual Description:  Strange set up.

RDOWL  =  WORLD,  CLOLA  =  LOCAL,  EILGSH  =  SLEIGH,  FWLEAF  =  WAFFLE   —   Giving us:  WOLLOLSLEWFFE

Clue/Question:  The two men competing in the golf tournament were – – –

Answer:  FELLOW FELLOWS

(Not sure why this had to be a golf tournament, but I guess they just had to make up something to set up the pun.  Being grad school alums makes them fellow fellows whatever they’d be doing.  Maybe this Jumble was created as a favor to one of the guys’ friends.

Miracle of miracles!  This day has brought us a brand NEW clue word to be added to the world famous ralis95 Jumble clue word database, in the form of “LOCAL”.  The word “LOCALE” is on the database, but not “LOCAL”.  It seems weird that the more common of the two words has evaded being used up until now, but these things DO happen.  All of the jumbles are coming up as new, for me.  None tripped me up.  The answer letter layout was another thrilling thirteen letter jumble.  All the repeating letters made for a quick solve though.

Decent cartoon of three middle-aged guys standing around, waiting to golf.  The one guy is wearing Jumble-wear, but other than that a fairly unremarkable scene.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

PS.  On this date in 1811 Bishop Daniel A. Payne was born.  He was an early leader of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church.  In 1864 Rebecca Lee Crumpler became the first African American women to receive an MD degree.  In 1940 heavyweight boxer Jimmy Ellis was born.  And in 2020 NASA Mathematician Katherine G. Johnson – featured in the movie “Hidden Figures” – died.  Celebrate Black History Month, folks!   —   YUR

Jumble Solved – 02/23/23

Visual Description:  Cat scratch fever!

SACEE  =  CEASE,  DGYID  =  GIDDY,  SOLTEC  =  CLOSET,  SMOUTT  =  UTMOST   —   Giving us:  CEAIDDSETTMOS

Clue/Question:  The overly sloppy and destructive house cat was – – –

Answer:  “DOMESSTICATED“

(I’m thinking the intent with this one was for hyphens to go between DO and MESS and TICATED, but someone decided that that would make the final answer too long.  This gag is actually more ironic than punny.  This cat looks positively feral, and the furthest from domesticated.  I don’t think that this cat belongs in any apartment, or house.  Some people think you can easily tame a feral cat!  Good luck with that!  Once they outgrow the kitten stage they are as wild as any lynx, or bobcat, or cougar.  One of my buddies has a bunch of house cats, and he has a box on his porch for some feral cats that he, and his wife, feed.  They’ve learned, from experience, that never the twain shall meet!

All four clue words should be very familiar to all of us.  It’s definitely been a while since we’ve seen “giddy” though.  Two of the jumbles appear to be new, but we have seen both “sacee” and “soltec” in previous Jumbles.  None of them tripped me up today.  The answer letter layout was a thrilling thirteen letter jumble.  I thought it was ferociously cryptic.  I don’t think the quotation marks were really much of a help though.

Fun cartoon of the fierce feral cat destroying this couple’s apartment.  I had to print out the Jumble from my online newspaper, so the detail is a little off, but it looks like this puddy has trashed the blinds, broken a vase, opened a table drawer, shredded a pillow, and is working on clawing the crap out of their couch.  With the look in that cat’s eyes, I would not try to go to sleep with that hellspawn in the room!  Just leave the door open, folks.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

PS.  On this date in 1868 historian/sociologist/writer W.E.B. Du Bois was born!  In 1929 12X All-Star and 6X World Series Champion catcher Elston Howard was born.  And in 1965 Constance Baker Motley was elected Manhattan Borough President!  At that time that was the highest elective office held by a black woman in a major U.S. city.  Celebrate Black History Month!   —   YUR