P! SLICES: OVER (5 + 4) x 3 x 21 SERVED
(Thanks, PC)
I am still
working on trying to figure out the biggest puzzle of all lately… In the wake
Tuesday’s election I am experiencing flashbacks from 18 years ago, in
Minnesota, and 18 years before that, nationally: 1980, 1998, 2016… I guess
every generation elevates its Bonzos, bone breakers or Bozos via the electoral
process. But that’s not a very satisfying solution.
We feature this
week an appetizing conundrum composed by a legend of puzzletry, Sam Loyd,
author of the “Cyclopedia of 5000 Puzzles.”
PlannedChaos,
unearthed this timely gem and brought it to our attention. It involves tallying
votes, albeit on a smaller scale that our recent national vote count. It is
titled “Counting On Popular Vote Appetizer: No rigging
aLoyd!” PlannedChaos also contributes a four-pack of puzzles in his Ripping Off Shortz Slice titled “Captions, Clues, Currency and Kryptonite.”
Thanks, PC.
What you need
today is comfort food for the brain.
Tuesday’s Dead.
Think Good, It’s Friday!
Thank a veteran for his or her service.
And, enjoy our
puzzles, please.
Hors d’Oeuvre
Menu
Evil A-Rod?
A-Edd? E.T.? Naw!
Spell a musical
instrument backward. The result, given the addition of appropriate spacing and
punctuation, is a musician’s surname and first name’s initial, followed by an
indication of whether he/she is dead or alive, as it might appear on a
document.
(Even though the musician
is not dead yet, the document may be incorrect... Remember Abe Vigoda.)
Spell a synonym
of “marauder” backward. The result, given the addition of appropriate spacing
and punctuation, is the acronym by which an armed European nationalist/separatist
organization is known, followed by an indication of the “death” of the
organization, as it might appear on a tombstone.
(The
nationalist/separatist organization in 2011 announced its cessation of armed
activity, effectively “putting an end to” its marauding status.)
Spell an
obsolete Spanish letter backward. The result, given the addition of appropriate
spacing and punctuation, is a brand-name weight loss drug, followed by an
indication of whether the drug still exists, as it might appear on a document.
(The Food and
Drug Administration has not, as yet, deep-sixed this drug... but again, the document may be wrong.)
Name this
musical instrument and musician, this synonym and organization, and this
obsolete letter and brand-name drug.
Morsel
Menu
Alma, Ed,
Gabe and Abel
Alma DeBlog,
while reviewing her personal voting history, notices something curious about
the first letters of the surnames of the last four presidential candidates for
whom she has voted, beginning with the most recent and ending with her choice in the 2004
campaign. Her four letters spell out a word that is a profession.
Alma urges her
neighbor, Ed LaGambol, to do the same. Ed comes up with a word containing five
letters, not four, because in the 2012 election he voted for the Democratic
candidate in Wisconsin, then voted for the Republican candidate in Minnesota. (He
owns residences in both states.) The word Ed spells out is a pejorative term that
one 2016 candidate used to tar another candidate.
Ed challenges
his hunting buddy, Gabe Omdall, to do the same. Gabe alters the rules somewhat,
reviewing the past six presidential elections in which he voted, and using the
first letters of his candidates’ first, not last, names in the 2004 and
2000 elections. Also, Gabe did not vote in the 1976-through-1996 elections
because his residence during those years was in Leavenworth, Kansas. So the
election years from which Gabe’s words are formed, are in order: 2016, 2012,
2008, 2004, 2000 and 1972. The word Gabe spells is a brand name of a product
that a 2016 candidate might keep on his person, along with his tic tacs.
Gabe encourages
his bookie, Abel Magold, to try the challenge. Able also modifies the rules,
using the past six elections, from 2016 to 1996, using four surnames and
two first names. What’s more, for some reason, Abel inserts the initial letter of the first name of his 1992 candidate selection between
his 2004 and 2008 candidate selections. The result spells the name of an implement
associated with a person who was a Civil War veteran, New England insurance and sports executive enshrined in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, and Republican mayor, U.S. senator and governor of his home state.
(Interestingly, Abel alternated between Democratic and Republican candidates in his seven presidential votes, beginning in 1992.)
(Interestingly, Abel alternated between Democratic and Republican candidates in his seven presidential votes, beginning in 1992.)
What are the
profession, the pejorative term, the brand-name product, and implement
associated with the New England politician? And, who is the politician?
Appetizer
Menu
No rigging
aLoyd!
The one-L Loyd,
he builds conundrums,
The two-L
Lloyd, he builds condominiums,
And if there is
a three-L Llloyd
We ought
declare him null and void!
At a recent
election, 5,219 votes were cast for four candidates. The victor exceeded his
opponents’ totals by 22, 30 and 73 votes.
At another
recent election, 125,543,759 votes were cast for four candidates. The victor
exceeded her opponents’ totals by 337,636 votes, 56,172,389 votes and
59,457,124 votes.
Alas, this
victor lost the election... perhaps because they just renamed the Electoral
College. It’s now called Trump University.
MENU
Captions,
Clues, Currency and Kryptonite
This week’s NPR
Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle, created by Ken Stern and presented by
puzzlemaster Will Shortz reads:
Think of a sign
that’s frequently seen around this time of year – two words of four letters
each. Among these eight letters are all five vowels: A, E, I, O and U – appear
once each, along with three consonants. What sign is it?
PlannedChaos’s
Ripping/riffing Off Shortz And Stern Slice reads:
Supply a
caption for each of the two images shown here (one of which might have appeared
on election maps this past week, but did not). Then supply a phrase for the
first clue below, and fill in the blanks in the second clue:
1. Superman,
To Ms. Lane.
2. The ____
currency of the EU is the ____.
Each caption
and each answer to the clues consists of two words of four letters each. Among
these eight letters are all five vowels: A, E, I, O and U (each appearing
once), along with three consonants.
LegoLambda’s
Ripping/riffing Off Shortz And Stern Slice:
A, E, I, O, U (but why not Y?)
Two of the
three segments of this puzzle slice involve the letter “y” in some way.
Supply a
caption for the image shown here. Then supply a phrase for each of the two
clues below:
1. Name a
sitcom character and the first word of what one of his/her caretakers was
called. (The first names of his/her other caretaker and that caretaker’s
coworker end in “y”.
2. Name what
most Americans do in early November, including this past weekend.
The caption and
the answer to the first clue each consists of two words of four letters each.
Among these
eight letters in the answer to the first clue are all five vowels: A, E, I, O,
and U (each appearing once), along with three consonants.
Among these
eight letters in the caption are all six vowels: A, E, I, O, U, and this
time Y (each appearing once), along with two consonants.
The answer to
the second clue each consists of two words: a six-letter verb and four-letter
noun. Among the ten letters in the caption are all five vowels: A, E, I, O, and
U (each appearing once), along with five consonants.
Dessert
Menu:
November
victors
Name a two-word
phrase that is synonymous with a “quick temper.” Say the phrase aloud after
removing the consonant sound that begins the second word. The result describes
phonetic features of the names of two November-of-2016 victors.
Who are the
victors? What is the two-word synonym?
Every Friday at
Joseph Young’s Puzzleria! we publish a new menu of fresh word puzzles, number
puzzles, logic puzzles, puzzles of all varieties and flavors. We cater to
cravers of scrumptious puzzles!
Our master chef, Grecian gourmet puzzle-creator Lego Lambda, blends and bakes
up mysterious (and sometimes questionable) toppings and spices (such as
alphabet soup, Mobius bacon strips, diced snake eyes, cubed radishes, “hominym”
grits, anagraham crackers, rhyme thyme and sage sprinklings.)
Please post
your comments below. Feel free also to post clever and subtle hints that do not
give the puzzle answers away. Please wait until after 3 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesdays to post your answers and explain your hints about the
puzzles. We serve up at least one fresh puzzle every Friday.
We invite you to make it a habit to “Meet at Joe’s!” If you enjoy our weekly
puzzle party, please tell your friends about Joseph Young’s Puzzleria! Thank
you.
Do I have the distinction of posting before Word Woman this week? Once again a man gets a title that was supposed to go to a woman.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday, everyone! Or, barring that, happy "working their way out of depression Friday" everyone!
I wondered why I wasn't getting posts from Puzzleria! Spaced out the Friday greetings so how about "Wow! It's Wednesday. Just a week later."
DeleteDoes it feel like a month to anyone else?
Planned Chaos, thanks for your kind words.
DeleteDo you suppose DT's moniker is Chaotic Planner?
I have yet to say or write P. E. T. Maybe I'll just stick with Chaotic Planner!
6 and 3 quarters
ReplyDeletemiles up (or down) Hipity Hop's hill.
DeleteDepression indeed! It helps some to know there is PLENTY of dissent out there (not that actual RIOTING is helping any), and that a Million WOMAN March is being discussed for the day after Inauguration. Also, Michael Moore (who predicted Trump's victory) is now predicting that DJT's own tendency to break the law via his inbuilt greed and/or narcissism will get him thrown out of office before his four years are even up! Let us HOPE Moore is correct!
ReplyDeleteVIolinTedditor at work: In the Morsel, which I've been working on successfully, there is a problem with the ABEL's word set-up. 2016 back through 1996 is only SIX elections, not SEVEN, as stated. Thus, the last letter for the 'associated word' is missing. [I know what the word is, having successfully googled, and so I've been working backwards, as is so often the case.] As far as I can tell, the 1992 election isn't going to work. Need 1984, which also makes irrelevant the direction that THREE first names must be used.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWonderful ViolinTedditing, as usual, VT. I believe I have corrected my glitch. Thank you very much.
DeleteLegoWhoIsTheGlitchWhoStoleChristmas(AndLikelyTheElectionWhichAppearsToHaveBeenRigged!)
Well, the only trouble with that 'fix' is that the person's 'implement' I'd come up with HAS SEVEN letters.....the first six of which work out just fine with all the instructions, otherwise, so I'm left stumped, as is so often the case.
DeleteVT,
Delete"Able also modifies the rules, using the past six elections, from 2016 to 1996, using four surnames and two first names. What’s more, for some reason, Abel inserts the initial letter of the first name of his 1992 candidate selection between his 2004 and 2008 candidate selections."
So, your initial letters come from the candidates' names from:
2016
2012
2008
1992
2004
2000
1996...
Seven letters: First names used in 1996, 2000 and 1992. Surnames used in 2016, 2012, 2008 and 2004.
LegoSaysSixLettersPlusThe1992SeventhLetter=SevenTotalLetters=AnImplement
Ohhhh, was that part about 1992 there before, and I just missed it? Or did you add it when you fixed the other stuff?
DeleteI've got it all worked out now, thanks, but I could swear that pre-fix, you had Abel putting 1996's relevant 'initial' in between 2008 and 2004, not 1992's.
DeleteVT,
DeleteYou are correct, as always.
LegoofProne
I have 2/3 of the Hors d'Oeuvre, the Appetizer and about half of the s=Slice.
ReplyDeleteI'd been doing pretty well, getting the whole H. D.O, the whole Morsel (until the above confusion, that is), the Appetizer (which was easy when one has a facility with math), PC's RIp Off slice, except for the Superman part, and the first 1/3 of Lego's Rip Off (but his second two-thirds has me lost), as well as the dessert. Hurrah.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's the election and all, but I'm not even feeling like wanting to even attempt the things this week. I will need all the hints I can get.
ReplyDeleteHow any female [not to mention all sorts of ethnic groups] can look at Trump-ola with anything other than disgust and disrespect is beyond me. You have LOTS of company (have read you read all the news reports?) in being demoralized, pjb.
DeleteOoh, joy of joys, the sitcom character and caretaker (Lego's slice) just came to me out of the blue. That leaves me only the six-letter verb (I suspect I know the noun), as well as PC's Superman phrase unsolved.
ReplyDeleteStill waiting for hints for this week's diabolical puzzles. Saw SNL a few hours ago with Dave Chappelle hosting. He did a good job, but I was really stunned by the opening with Kate McKinnon as Hillary singing Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". In a word, beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThat show can really surprise you sometimes.
ReplyDeleteWill have to try to find that opening online, pjb, since I was watching PBS and missed SNL completely (which mostly is the case anymore.)
DeleteWith this Sunday's two-week creative challenge, I am reminded of Lewis Carroll's riddle "Why is a raven like a writing desk?" Although no answer was intended, in the Cyclopedia of Puzzles Sam Loyd offered these observations: Edgar Allan Poe wrote on both; and bills and tales (tails) are among their characteristics.
ReplyDeleteGreat links, PlannedChaos. Thanks.
DeleteI am a fan of Will Shortz's two-week NPR challenges, and today's challenge is no exception. As I posted earlier today on Blaine's Comment page, Puzzleria! will feature many Ripping Off Shortz Slices of these "verbal transpositions" (or "switcheroos," as PlannedChaos has dubbed them) this coming Friday and on the day after Thanksgiving.
In my post I predicted that patjberry has a good shot at winning the challenge , or at worst being submitting one of Will's favorite answers. pjb is great at these creative challenges. But PlannedChaos and others have been posting many excellent examples of "switcheroos" over at Blainesville. So I believe PC has a shot also... but you other Puzzlerians! are no slouches either when it comes to being creative. It would be great if some of your submissions are chosen. I'm pulling for you.
Here is a "switcheroo" riddle that I plan on submitting (if I cannot think of three better ones) before the deadline submission date, Wednesday, November 23.
What is the difference between what a guy is likely to do after buying an engagement ring, and is well-advised to do before buying it?
LegoWhoHopesWillFindsHisSubissionEngaging
Hurrah, I finally, finally figured out the Superman words. Only one more to go (which I might never solve)....the six-letter verb in Lego's Rip-Off.
ReplyDeleteVT,
DeleteThe six-letter verb contains the first three vowels, alphabetically. A more common 4-letter/4-letter mnemonic phrase that contains 6 consonants and two-of-the-same vowels conveys the same thing as the 6-letter/4-letter phrase I am asking for.
LegoSaysDoNotGiveUpAndCongratsOnSolvingPC'sSupermanRipOff(IDidNotSolveIt)
Thanks for the congrats in your sign-off, Lego.....does that mean you STILL don't know the Superman answer, or just that PC had to tell you before you listed it this past Friday?
DeleteThe "more common" mnemonic two-word phrase finally came to me...now I just have to figure out how to make it into your requirements...which has/have NOT yet hit me. Hopefully, your hint will eventually work!
I'm sure I have the NOUN (I had it wrong before, as it turns out; somehow, I immediately had thought of 'VOTE"...HA), now it's the puzzling verb that's left.
DeleteI HAVE IT! : O )
DeleteGood solving, VT. My hint was going to be: "The article 'an' could be placed between the 6-letter and 4-letter words.
DeletePC gave me his Superman solution before I uploaded last Friday. When trying to solve it I was hung up on thinking one of the 4-letter words was probably "hero."
LegoWhoWasPrettySureOneOfPC'sSupermanWordsWasNot"Kent"
Yeah, Lego, "hero" that had been MY initial thought, too..., but fortunately, the way PC phrased the puzzle later clued me in to another word to try.
DeleteThanks for the vote of confidence, Lego. I've already sent in two different sets of three possible entries that sounded good enough (out of two pagefuls). Hope I at least get honorable mention if I don't win!
ReplyDeleteI'm no good at this kind of challenge, so you'll get no competition from ME, at least, pjb. Doesn't the puzzle state, though, that you can send in ONLY three entries? So they will probably count your first set of three, and ignore your second one. Hope you sent the best three in FIRST!
DeleteAnyone as shrewd as pjb might have multiple identities.
DeleteThat's an absurd idea, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteYes it is, Patrick.
Thank you, Patrick.
Um, multiple identities even if you have to play under a false name if they phone you? I dont' get it....I don't have a 'criminal mind,' clearly!
DeleteI'm kidding. There is a Patrick Berry who makes his home in Athens, GA. A favorite puzzle of his that my mother and I like to do together is "Rows Garden", which occasionally shows up in GAMES/World of Puzzles. It's a great two-person puzzle. I think his middle initial is D. If he posted here regularly, he'd be "pdb".
DeleteI don't know what it is about guys named Patrick, but a lot of us seem to be into puzzles. A few Christmases back my brother gave me a book of crosswords by four guys named Patrick: The other Patrick Berry, Patrick Jordan, Patrick Merrill, and Patrick Blindauer. Although to be honest I just skimmed it for those of my namesake. BTW I still haven't received any hints for this week's puzzles, and I still have nothing to go on with any of them. Hello? Lego?
ReplyDeleteHmm, that IS interesting. Perhaps 'Patrick' being a rather Irish name, the Irish are just smart at creating and solving puzzles? (I can say that, because I'm a tiny bit Irish, I believe, on my father's side.)
DeleteActually, while I was out walking in the rain just now (limping, due to recent knee surgery), I came up with three relevant entries to submit to NPR...much to my surprise. They're probably nothing to compete with what else will come in from the likes of you, pjb, and PC, but I was pleased with myself for thinking up SOMETHING at all!
ReplyDeleteWhat's the difference between this blog's author and a British boxer? One is Joseph Young, and the other is Young Joseph.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the difference between this blog's author and that mutton over there? One is LegoLambda, and the other is da leg o' lamb.
Another ripping off Shortz and Stern: A journalistic request to release documents (four letters, three vowels) might be provided in this digital format (four letters, two vowels).
ReplyDeletePC,
DeleteI know the first word, a kind of pronounceable acronym, but I am uncertain of the second word. Is it something you might use at a restaurant?
pjb,
Hints will be forthcoming on Tuesday afternoon. In the meantime, please try not to be moody, try not to be blue.
LegoWhoWishesHeCouldOrderAnAppetizerOfSomePateDeFoiaGras
I have it, PC, thanks to Lego's guess above; assume we wait and add this solution to the general answers published tomorrow?
DeleteHints:
ReplyDeleteWUDHO:
The musical instrument is one of 76 that ends in a body part.
The synonym is associated with a city that begins with a body part that is sometimes shaved.
The obsolete Spanish letter nowadays mollifies "seas."
VHM:
Alma: Something some people do to books.
Ed: What you might call on of the "some people," above
Gene: USC
Abel: "I don't mean topry but... okay, maybe I do."
COPVA:
Loyd's solution involve a simple addition followed by a simple division.
PCROSASS::
I defer to PlannedChaos to give hints to his Rip-Offs.
LLROSASS:
1. patjberryRFD
2. I have a fallback position in giving this hint.
3. Hope this image lifed your spirits.
QTD:
One is a collective victor. The other is a defective victor.
LegoWhoCanBeADefectiveHinter
A few good hints, a few bad hints. I have the musical instrument/name puzzle, and all of the words from Presidential initials(though I don't know who used the implement in the last puzzle). Got the image with the AEIOU and Y, but nothing else. How am I a clue all of a sudden?!
ReplyDeleteHints, Chapter 2:
DeleteWUDHO:
The synonym is associated with a “Trivial” city beginning with a body part that is sometimes shaved.
The obsolete Spanish letter plays a role in “façade” and “limacon.”
VHM:
Abel: The guy that pried was a “Connecticut Yankee” who is enshrined in the HOF in Cooperstown.
COPVA:
Lego’s “old-school” solution is to let x be the # of votes the victor got, set up an equation, and solve for x.
PCROSASS:
I still defer to PlannedChaos to give hints to his Rip-Offs.
LLROSASS:
1. “Is that a bullet in your (shirt) pocket, or are you just trigger-happy to see me?”
2. This puzzle made no sense whatsoever to Hawaiians and most Arizonans.
I actually did have a “notion” this image might “lift” your spirits.
QTD:
One member of the collective victor, spelled backward, is a short nickname of a player on the team associated with a “Trivial” city in the WUDHO. Behead the collective victor to form a good noun to characterize him. Another beheading yields a noun associated with the collective victor.
LegoWhoAspiresToBeALessDefectiveHinter
Let's see, what hints to give. Uh, for the Superman one, the word with two vowels is a proper name, and the word with three vowels sounds like the First Dog. For the currency one, the first blank is also the name of an automobile by Chrysler, and the second blank has three vowels. And a video clue for one of the images.
DeleteI must mention, that if I didn't already have an answer for the Lego RIp Off #1 (for which 'pjbRFD' and now 'bullet' hints have been given), I would have NO idea how it leads to the character I came up with.
DeleteLIkewise, I have no idea what you mostly are talk about re the Dessert. Perhaps I have one wrong person (but the person won, and he meets the condition.)
PC: re the hint for the currency puzzle: HUH? I had a word that makes sense that has nothing to do with a Chrysler vehicle. You have me duly bewildered now.
DeleteVT: According to Wikipedia, the word is Latin for "let it become".
DeleteCompendious.
DeleteNow, there's a word.
Ah, okay, PC, that indeed is one of the now three words I came up for your first currency puzzle word. However, I will include my original word tomorrow, because it continues to make sense to me.
DeleteHORS D'OEUVRE: 1. TROMBONE -> ENO B, MORT [Brian ENO]; 2. PIRATE -> ETA, RIP; 3. CEDILLA -> ALLI, DEC.
ReplyDeleteMORSEL: Alma: COOK; Ed: CROOK; Gabe: TROJAN; Abel: CROWBAR [Clinton, Romney, Obama, William, Bush, Al, Robert]; Politician: MORGAN BULKELEY
APPETIZER:
1. Simple algebraic equation, where X = the victor: 5219 = X + (X-22) + (X - 30) + (X - 73) -> 5219 = 4X - 125 -> X = 1336; others got 1314, 1306 and 1263.
2. I hadn't found the final vote total, despite looking on Wednesday, along with Hillary's popular vote victory margin, so thanks, PC, for providing that info.
PC'S RIPPING OFF SHORTZ and STERN SLICE: Captions: "BLUE IOWA" and "AUTO FIRE"; 1. "LOIS' BEAU" 2. " "FIAT" [But I originally had "MAIN"] and "EURO"
LEGO'S RIPPING OFF SHORTZ and STERN SLICE: Caption: "BUOY IDEA"; 1. "OPIE" and "AUNT" Bea [Caretakers: Andy and Barney] ; 2. "REGAIN HOUR" = FALL BACK
DESSERT: SHORT FUSE -> SHORT U's, i.e. the dreaded TRUMP, and BLUNT (Senator from Missouri)
PC's in COMMENTS SECTION: FOIA and MENU
Intended answer: FOIA EPUB.
DeleteI never even heard of the term 'epub', but I guess it makes sense.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteTROMBONE, ENO, B.(Brian)MORT.(not really dead)
ReplyDeleteCLINTON, OBAMA, OBAMA, KERRY;COOK
CLINTON, ROMNEY, OBAMA, OBAMA, KERRY;CROOK
TRUMP, ROMNEY, OBAMA, JOHN(Kerry), AL(Gore), NIXON;TROJAN
CLINTON, ROMNEY, OBAMA, WILLIAM(Clinton), BUSH, AL(Gore), ROBERT(Dole);CROWBAR
BLUE IOWA
AUTO FIRE
LOIS' BEAU
FIAT, EURO
BUOY IDEA
AUNT(Bee)
OPIE
ANDY(Taylor)
BARNEY(Fife)
"Hallelujah, hallelujah..."
This week's official answers for the record, Part 1:
ReplyDeleteHors d’Oeuvre Menu
What’s Up Document Hors d’Oeuvre:
Evil A-Rod? A-Edd? E.T.? Naw!
Spell a musical instrument backward. The result, given the addition of appropriate spacing and punctuation, is a musician’s surname and first name’s initial, followed by an indication of whether he/she is dead or alive, as it might appear on a document.
(Even though the musician is not dead yet, the document may be incorrect... Remember Abe Vigoda.)
Spell a synonym of “marauder” backward. The result, given the addition of appropriate spacing and punctuation, is the acronym by which an armed European nationalist/separatist organization is known, followed by an indication of the “death” of the organization, as it might appear on a tombstone.
(The nationalist/separatist organization in 2011 announced its cessation of armed activity, effectively “putting an end to” its marauding status.)
Spell an obsolete Spanish letter backward. The result, given the addition of appropriate spacing and punctuation, is a brand-name weight loss drug, followed by an indication of whether the drug still exists, as it might appear on a document.
(The Food and Drug Administration has not, as yet, deep-sixed this drug... but again, the document may be wrong.)
Name this musical instrument and musician, this synonym and organization, and this obsolete letter and brand-name drug.
Answer:
trombone, Eno, B., mort
pirate; ETA, R.I.P.
cedilla; alli, dec.
Lego...
This week's official answers for the record, Part 2:
ReplyDeleteMorsel Menu
Voting History Morsel:
Alma, Ed, Gabe and Abel
Alma DeBlog, while reviewing her personal voting history, notices something curious about the first letters of the surnames of the last four presidential candidates for whom she has voted, beginning with the most recent and ending with her choice in the 2004 campaign. Her four letters spell out a word that is a profession.
Alma urges her neighbor, Ed LaGambol, to do the same. Ed comes up with a word containing five letters, not four, because in the 2012 election he voted for the Democratic candidate in Wisconsin, then voted for the Republican candidate in Minnesota. (He owns residences in both states.) The word Ed spells out is a pejorative term that one 2016 candidate used to tar another candidate.
Ed challenges his hunting buddy, Gabe Omdall, to do the same. Gabe alters the rules somewhat, reviewing the past six presidential elections in which he voted, and using the first letters of his candidates’ first, not last, names in the 2004 and 2000 elections. Also, Gabe did not vote in the 1976-through-1996 elections because his residence during those years was in Leavenworth, Kansas. So the election years from which Gabe’s words are formed, are in order: 2016, 2012, 2008, 2004, 2000 and 1972. The word Gabe spells is a brand name of a product that a 2016 candidate might keep on his person, along with his tic tacs.
Gabe encourages his bookie, Abel Magold, to try the challenge. Able also modifies the rules, using the past six elections, from 2016 to 1996, using four surnames and two first names. What’s more, for some reason, Abel inserts the initial letter of the first name of his 1992 candidate selection between his 2004 and 2008 candidate selections. The result spells the name of an implement associated with a person who was a Civil War veteran, New England insurance and sports executive, Republican mayor, U.S. senator and governor of his home state.
(Interestingly, Abel alternated between Democratic and Republican candidates in his seven presidential votes, beginning in 1992.)
What are the profession, the pejorative term, the brand-name product, and implement associated with the New England politician? And, who is the politician?
Answer:
COOK: Clinton, Obama, Obama, Kerry;
CROOK: Clinton, Romney, Obama, Obama, Kerry;
TROJAN: Trump, Romney, Obama, John (kerry), Al (gore), Nixon;
CROWBAR: Clinton, Romney, Obama, William (jefferson clinton), Bush; Al (gore), Robert (dole).
Lego...
This week's official answers for the record, Part 3:
ReplyDeleteAppetizer Menu
Counting On Popular Vote Appetizer:
No rigging aLoyd!
At a recent election, 5,219 votes were cast for four candidates. The victor exceeded his opponents’ totals by 22, 30 and 73 votes.
Can you give a simple rule for determining the exact number of votes received by each?
At another recent election, 125,543,759 votes were cast for four candidates. The victor exceeded her opponents’ totals by 337,636 votes, 56,172,389 votes and 59,457,124 votes.
Alas, this victor lost the election... perhaps because they just renamed the Electoral College. It’s now called Trump University.
Answer:
The a simple rule for determining the exact number of votes received by each of the four candidates, according to Sam Loyd, is:
Add the pluralities of the total vote (22 + 30 + 73) to the total vote (5,219) and divide by the number of candidates.
The quotient will be the vote of the successful one, from which the votes of the others can be ascertained by subtraction.
Thus, 22 + 30 + 73 + 5,219 = 5,344; 5,344/4 = 1,336 = the victor's vote total, followed by totals of 1,314, 1,306 and 1,263.
Or, you can solve it the old-fashioned way, as I did, and assign the variable x to the total votes the victor received, construct an equation, and solve for x:
x = (x - 22) + (x - 30) + (x - 73) = 5,219.
4x - 125 = 5,219
4x = 5, 344
x = 1,336.
(In the other recent election, the "victor" who lost the election was Hillary Clinton.)
Lego...
This week's official answers for the record, Part 4:
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Planned Chaos Ripping Off Shortz And Stern Slice:
Captions, Clues, Currency and Kryptonite
Supply a caption for each of the two images shown here (one of which might have appeared on election maps this past week, but did not). Then supply a phrase for the first clue below, and fill in the blanks in the second clue:
1. Superman, To Ms. Lane.
2. The ____ currency of the EU is the ____.
Each caption and each answer to the clues consists of two words of four letters each. Among these eight letters are all five vowels: A, E, I, O and U (each appearing once), along with three consonants.
Answer:
Caption #1: BLUE IOWA
Caption #2: AUTO FIRE
Clue #1: LOIS' BEAU
Clue #2: FIAT; EURO
LegoLambda’s Ripping/riffing Off Shortz And Stern Slice:
A, E, I, O, U (but why not Y?)
Two of the three segments of this puzzle slice involve the letter “y” in some way.
Supply a caption for the image shown here. Then supply a phrase for each of the two clues below:
1. Name a sitcom character and the first word of what one of his/her caretakers was called. (The first names of his/her other caretaker and that caretaker’s coworker end in “y”.
2. Name what most Americans do in early November, including this past weekend.
The caption and the answer to the first clue each consists of two words of four letters each.
Among these eight letters in the answer to the first clue are all five vowels: A, E, I, O, and U (each appearing once), along with three consonants.
Among these eight letters in the caption are all six vowels: A, E, I, O, U, and this time Y (each appearing once), along with two consonants.
The answer to the second clue each consists of two words: a six-letter verb and four-letter noun. Among the ten letters in the caption are all five vowels: A, E, I, O, and U (each appearing once), along with five consonants.
Answer:
Caption: BUOY IDEA
Clue #1: OPIE; AUNT (Bee)
Clue #2: REGAIN HOUR
Dessert Menu:
QuickTempura Dessert:
November victors
Name a two-word phrase that is synonymous with a “quick temper.” Say the phrase aloud after removing the consonant sound that begins the second word. The result describes phonetic features of the names of two November-of-2016 victors.
Who are the victors? What is the two-word synonym?
Answer:
Cubs, Trump; Short fuse
Short fuse >> short u's
Both the words "Cubs" and "Trump" contain short u's.
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