Jumble Spoiler – 05/28/21

Visual Description:  Backyard junior Olympics.

AVEEL  =  LEAVE,  EGMIA  =  IMAGE,  VLYTIE  =  LEVITY,  DCLDOE  =  CODDLE   —   Giving us:  LAIMLECD

Clue/Question:  They weren’t made of gold, silver or bronze, but the top three awards were – – –

Answer:  “MEDALLIC“

(I completely get the play on metallic.  This makes for a great Jumble punswer.  But, what I don’t get is why – when you Google “medallic” – do a decent number of dictionary definitions come up for the *word*?  I don’t ever remember seeing this as a word before, but they all say:  adj. “of or pertaining to medals”.  I usually complain that WordPress is a stodgy Limey bastard when it comes to some misspelled words.  But this time I’m in complete agreement with them.  And, for once, I disagree with Merriam-Webster!

No new clue words today.  But some we haven’t seen in a while.  I almost got suckered into writing ALEVE . . . again!  The persuasive power of marketing!  All of the jumbles are coming up as new though.  The answer letter layout was an easy-going eight letter jumble.  Definitely not obvious though.  Once again, it was the combination of the cartoon and the quotation marks that led me to the final answer.

Great cartoon of some imaginative kids.  When I was a kid one of the big kids organized this kind of track and field competition.  It wasn’t exactly the Olympics, but there were a lot of different events.  I was actually pretty fast back then too.  I remember back then I could run barefoot in the street.  My feet were nicely calloused, and we never worried about broken glass, or anything, because our neighborhood was so clean and safe.  Nowadays, when going outside barefoot, if I step on the tiniest pebble, on my sidewalk or driveway, I see friggin’ stars!  The only thing I don’t miss about walking around barefoot is stubbing my big toe!  I did that all too often.  Ouch!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google

Happy birthday to John Fogerty!

Jumble Spoiler – 08/31/20

Visual Description:  Ticket counter trouble?

HMUTP  =  THUMP,  LOICC  =  COLIC,  SINWUE  =  UNWISE,  CATEPK  =  PACKET   —   Giving us:  THMCOIUNEPAC

Clue/Question:  When there weren’t enough business-class seats, the baseball player said – – –

Answer:  PUT ME IN COACH

(You can never go wrong with sports related puns, in my book.  Well, some of them are definitely overdone, but this one felt kinda fresh.  And, at least it’s a seasonal Jumble/pun.

None of today’s clue words are coming up as new.  They are all pretty recognizable.  However, all of their jumbles are coming up as new.  I think Hoyt is aiming to give us different jumbles, because the clue words are pretty much completed.  The answer letter layout was a surprising twelve letter jumble, for a Monday.  The final answer did not come to me immediately, but I didn’t exactly struggle to get it.  I was looking for something a little more baseball specific, as this phrase is pretty universal to all sports.  Every player on the bench, or the sideline, wants to get in the game.  So, this is a very common request.  Of course, John Fogerty’s song, “Center Field”, kind of cemented it into baseball lore.  The song is so full of baseball idioms.

Swell airport ticket counter cartoon!  I like how the clerk is kind of blasé, the manager is trying to be the tough guy, and the player just wants to get on the darn plane!  I was at JFK on Saturday, and it was kind of surreal.  I was at an international terminal, it was the middle of the afternoon, but it was like a ghost town.  The COVID-19 pandemic has really shut down leisure travel, and most countries are only allowing essential travelers.  I can fully appreciate why they’re doing it, but it just looked so strange.  Enjoy the song, folks.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Images courtesy of Google