Friday, August 20, 2021

Oman is no island, but No man is... Above the belt? Below the belt? Say it with a song and a spray; Winged and wingless things; Pledge, prime mover, Polynesia, postwomen, plus...

PUZZLERIA! SLICES: OVER 6!π SERVED

Schpuzzle of the Week:

Say it with a song and a spray 

Name a flower one may give to to another to express loving emotions. 

A number of consecutive letters in the flower, in order, spell a type of song to which people may have an emotional attachment. 

The remaining letters can be rearranged to spell, in two words, what one may call his or her beloved. 

What flower is this?

What is the type of song to which people may have an emotional attachment?

What may one call his or her beloved?

Appetizer Menu

Worldplayful Appetizer:

Pledge, prime mover, Polynesia, postwomen, plus...

The demonymic Euro-Auto shop Service Pledge

1. 🚗🚘We ____ all your Euro-auto needs. Each mechanic’ ____ his/her work. We never ____ to ____to a job, ____ every bolt to factory ____ equivalent spec, and ____ all our work. We ____  joints, put ____ your tires, and ____ your ____ other fluids. We always wax and ____ your ____ to a glossy ____. We even use a patented ____ technique to clean the interior gently! Even _____ pleased with our work! You can say ____; ____ you not. While waiting, have a ____ on us if you are ____ and refer us to your ____!

Note: Each blank is a demonym (or its adjectival form) of a country partially or wholly in Europe, or an autonomous province or territory within Europe. With one exception (used twice), each term appears exactly once (demonyms and adjectival forms are taken as separate, if different). Two countries’ names are used in place of their respective demonyms. Some of the blanks are “groaners” (non-exact puns). 

A Polynesian puzzle

2. 🍍A certain American product has become a staple food in the islands of Polynesia and Micronesia in the Pacific, as a result of its introduction to those regions during World War II. Spell the name of this product backwards to give another place where you may see these same islands.

Postwomen

3. 📭Think of a rather common, historic female name. It consists of the postal abbreviation for a US state, followed by an
article and the postal abbreviations for two other US states. What is the female name?

Prime Mover

4. 🍹Name a prime mover of the 19th century. Drop its first and last letters. Split the result into three words: who most likely operated it, and two beverages they might have consumed: one alcoholic, and one not. What is the prime mover? Who operated it, and what did they drink?

Rx for golfers  

5. 💊🏌Take the European name for a familiar medication. Split to obtain two golf scores, an alternate version of a musical note, and an
abbreviation for a fundamental unit in chemistry. What is the medication?

Long, medium, short 

6.👪 Think of a familiar noun in 13 letters. The first two letters are frequently used to denote the same item. The first six letters are also used to denote this same item in certain settings. What are this word and its two shortened synonyms?

MENU

Anatomic Bombast Slice:

Above the belt? Below the belt?

Name two body parts, one above the belt and one below the belt. 

Rearrange the letters of the lower part. 

Double a letter in the upper part and rearrange. 

You’ll get a pair of synonyms meaning “to cry out.” 

What are these body parts and synonyms?

Hint: An anagram of one body part appears in the puzzle’s text.

Riffing Off Blaine Slices:

Oman is no island, but No man is... 

Blaine’s August 8th puzzle, posted on his puzzle blog in lieu of an NPR puzzle being broadcast, reads:

Take the name of an island. Shift the first letter two later in the alphabet (e.g. A would become C). Read the result backwards and you’ll have the name of another island. What are the two islands?

Note: Two of Puzzleria!s finest puzzle-makers have contributed riff-offs of Blaine’s puzzle: Entree #1 was created by geofan (whose Worldplay feature is this week’s Appetizer). And Entree #2 was created by Plantsmith (whose Garden of Puzzley Delights feature will be Puzzleria!s August 27th Appetizer). 

Puzzleria!s Riffing Off Blaine Slices read:

ENTREE #1

Name a country. Move the first letter two places later in the alphabet (e.g. A would become C). The result, read backwards, is a notable geographic point in another country. 

What are the country and notable point?

ENTREE #2

Name an island. Change the second letter to the letter that is 14 places “downstream in the alphabetic flow” (e.g. A would become O). 

Then move this new letter to end of the name to get the name of a second island.

The first island is a territory of a bean-shaped nation. The second island is itself bean-shaped.

What are these two islands?

Hint: Reverse the second and third letters in the second island, add an “s” to the beginning and spell the result backward to get the name of a subject of several Ancient Greek plays and myths. 

ENTREE #3

Take the possessive form of the one-word name of a maker of a recent puzzle about a pair of islands. After it, write a four-letter service he provides weekly. The result is an alliterative two-word term.

Rearrange the 11 letters in this term to form a
two-word term that describes the following phrase:

“Fight Truth-decay; brush up on your Good Book.”

What are these two two-word terms? 

ENTREE #4

Take the name of an island that is also the name of a beverage. Shift the first letter two later in the alphabet (e.g. A would become C). 

Read the result forwards and you’ll have the
name of a substance that many islands, including Hawaii and the Galapagos, are formed from. 

What are this island and this substance?

ENTREE #5

Take the name of a landlocked country. 

Shift the first letter two earlier in the alphabet (e.g. C would become A). 

Read the result backwards and you’ll have the
name of a kind of pin. 

What is the landlocked nation? 

What is the kind of pin?

ENTREE #6

Take the third word in the name of a promontoryChange its penultimate letter to a different vowel. 

Rearrange these nine letters to spell an informal two-word term that describes Queen Elizabeth or Prince William or Prince Charles.

What is the promontory?

What is the two-word term?

ENTREE #7

Take the name of an Asian island with a population of almost two million, an island that may not exist in the future; large parts of this island, with a peak elevation of only six feet, have already been inundated by a rise in sea level. 

Shift the first letter one place earlier in the alphabet (e.g. B would become A). 

Read the result backwards and you’ll have a word associated with a United States island. 

This word is a contronym (like “sanction” or “overlook”). 

What are this vanishing island and this contronym?

ENTREE #8

Take the name of a bean-shaped island in eastern Canada. 

Remove the first letter and read the result backwards and you’ll have the name of another island – one associated with a famous person from history and a famous palindrome. 

What are the two islands?


Dessert Menu 

Spoonerific Dessert:

Winged and wingless things

Name a wingless creature in two syllables. 

Spoonerize the two syllables – that is, switch
their beginning sounds – to name two winged creatures. 

What are these three creatures?

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.

62 comments:

  1. Working backward:
    z
    Mick Jagger
    George Harrison
    Yoko Ono ???

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. o no okoy???
      No sir! Rah! Egro egreg. Gaj. K.
      Cimz.

      LegoAsUsualShallAwaitWednesdayTheDayThatPaulRevealsThe"Solutions"ToHisComments

      Delete
    2. As I often do, I started with the Dessert and scrolled up.

      Z refers to "ZED", Bobcat Goldthwaite's character in the Police Academy movies.
      Mick Jagger sang about Wild Horses. Sable Island is famous for its feral equine population.
      George Harrison did a concert for Bangladesh. Bhola is the largest island of Bangladesh.
      Yoko Ono married John Lennon "in Gibraltar, near Spain."

      I decided to take a break when I hit the spelling anomaly.

      Then, from the top down:
      CHRYS(ANTHEM)UM / MY CRUSH

      SERB / SLAVS / SIKH / RUSSIAN / ERIN / CZECH / HUNGARY

      SPAM / MAPS

      CA THE RI NE

      S[TEA M_EN GIN]E

      ELBOW, KNEE / BELLOW, KEEN

      And I think maybe I got a couple others before I ran out of steam.

      Delete
  2. Hello, all.
    Have solved all the puzzles :)

    For the Anatomical Slice, my answers assume "typical" body orientation (e.g a standing person). In some cases such as athletics or yoga, either body part could be above or below the belt. For the "above" answer, there is also an equivalent answer with a body part that typically straddles the belt.


    For Entrée #6, to get the answer I must make a common spelling error in the name of the promontory for it to work.

    I hope all enjoy the "groaners" in the Service Pledge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your heads-up on Entree #6 in the riff-offs, geofan. I have tweaked the text correctively.
      Your "Demonymic Euro-Auto shop Service Pledge" (Worldplay #1) is a true joy. The easiest blanks for me to fill in were:
      "put ____ your tires" and "...to a glossy ____." The fist "groaner," I believe, occurs in the very first blank: "We ____ all your Euro-auto needs."
      Congrats on your solving.

      LegroanLambda

      Delete
    2. I think i was not far from you last week in Westpoint,Va. at a VRBO on the Manniponi?sp- Mannicotti river.at a beautiful private home on the river. I hear there is great seafood in Virginia- soft shell crabs, oysters, shrimp etc. Unfortunately we missed out on these, but did get some nice fish and ships and good ice cream at Laughing Cow ice cream in downtown Westpoint.

      Delete
  3. Happy end-of-the-week to you all!
    Pretty much same old, same old around here. Bryan's been over to put in our kitchen cabinet doorknobs last night. Brought Harry and Annie, two of their dogs. One of their turtles, Mater, is lost, though. Was good to see the dogs. Both of them lay on the couch with me, Harry then Annie. Bryan really got into "The Hustler" by the show's end, but he thinks "When Nature Calls" is stupid. Not Mom and I. We love it! Late last night I managed to get geofan's #3 and #5, the Bombast Slice, and Entrees #3, #4, and #8. Bear in mind I wasn't too crazy about Blaine having to make up a whole other Sunday Puzzle in the first place, for obvious reasons. The one with all the demonyms may definitely require many hints, as I could only figure out Greece and Polish, and perhaps even Erin, would be likely answers. If I knew of a great website for demonyms, that might help a lot. Unfortunately, I haven't found one, much as I'd like to find a lot of "groaners" in that puzzle! I do love me some bad puns! Tonight I've done almost all my other puzzles and listened to "Says You", and we've had a delicious meal of "Creamy Dill Chicken", with potatoes and asparagus, for supper.
    Good luck in solving to all, don't forget those hints Lego, please let's all stay safe, and if you're vaxxed relax, if not take that shot! Cranberry out!
    pjbSaysSave"AskMeAnother",TheSundayPuzzle,AndPossiblyEven"SaysYou"!NPR'sLike"EverythingMustGo"AllOfASudden!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am not sue what to make of that show, "When nature calls." The photography is drop dead gorgeous. Sometimes the narrative is a little annoying- especially the sexual innuendo. I prefer David Attenborough- "Planet Earth."
    What is an Erin??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erin as in Ireland. I saw "_____ your tires" and just assumed that was the answer.
      pjbSaysThatWholePuzzleMayBeTough,ButYouCan'tBlameAGuyForTrying,IfThatAnswer'sWrong

      Delete
    2. Why are you giving away answers, pjb? Was it last week, you got on me about asking "are both answers the same word."

      Delete
    3. Sorry, he asked about Erin, and I...you have a point, VT. A very valid point.
      pjb'sLipsAreSealedFromHereonIn

      Delete
    4. I was glad to see the word Twerk did not fit any of the blanks. From the land of the Twerkers-Twerksville. or also known as Twerkistan.

      Delete
  5. Being of Italian heritage i understand Italians are sometimes called Ities.---Among other things.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm 1/4 Italian myself, but never heard of "Ities".

      Delete
    2. I don't know where i first heard that. ITIE. i was trying to link it to the tie-rods on a car. Oh well.

      Delete
  6. In Spanish It could be my gatita- my little cat. I like it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sunday/Monday Hints:

    Schpuzzle of the Week:
    The type of song to which people may have an emotional attachment is often sung while standing.

    Worldplayful Appetizer:
    (All hints courtesy of geofan, aka Ken Pratt. We thnak him.)
    1. The demonymic Euro-Auto shop Service Pledge
    Hint: Twenty countries/autonomous regions are represented. The autonomous regions are related to separate Scandinavian countries. Ten of the answers are “chuckles” – non-exact fill-ins that may elicit a “pun-ishing” groan.
    2. A Polynesian puzzle
    Hint: The product has been faulted in part for the high incidence of obesity and diabetes in these same populations. In recent years, the word has acquired an unrelated meaning.
    3. Postwomen
    Hint: Was she Russian? No, actually she was German. But many of her descendants were murdered in a Russian city then (and now, but not in between) named after her.
    4. Prime Mover
    Hint: The operators and their drinks each have 3 letters. Most think of the prime mover in a transportation sense. More generally, it powered industry and gave rise to classical thermodynamics.
    5. Rx for golfers
    Hint: Either of the golf scores is far better than what I could ever achieve. The alternate note is also the symbol for a chemical element used in electrolytic capacitors. The unit is also an animal.
    6. Long, medium, short
    Hint: It's partially British.

    Anatomic Bombast Slice:
    The two body parts perform the same function, essentially.

    Riffing Off Blaine Slices:
    ENTREE #1
    The notable geographic point in another country is also a reptile. (hint courtesy of geofan)
    ENTREE #2
    The island that is a territory of a bean-shaped nation sounds like a "moveable feast."
    ENTREE #3
    The 11 letters in the 2-word term can also be rearranged to form "Gobble snail!"
    ENTREE #4
    The name of an island is the name of a hot beverage.
    ENTREE #5
    It's the kind of pin you get if you "get the call."
    ENTREE #6
    Iberia!
    ENTREE #7
    The isle is on the Bay of Bengal.
    ENTREE #8
    The island associated with a famous person from history and a famous palindrome, in some portraits, seems to be feeling his coat to determine if the pin he received after "getting the call" (see the ENTREE #5 hint) is still there!

    Spoonerific Dessert:
    The wingless creature is the stage name of a comedian who been a regular panelist on the NPR radio-quiz show "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!"

    LegoWhoSaysWaitWaitDon'tTellMeYou'reGonnaNeedMoreClues!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think I have a riff for geo's #3, which I thought I'd solved, but haven't...when I re-read the instructions.

      So: name a historic female name that consists of a roman numeral, followed by the postal abbreviations of THREE states.

      Delete
    2. I remain utterly defeated by Entree 2. Also, I'm not at all sure of the answer to GEo's #6, as the 'six letter' part of the word I chose, I can't confirm anywhere as being a synonym.

      Delete
    3. The first island in two is also a Holiday.

      Delete
    4. It is a holiday not associated with cranberries- if i remember correctly.

      Delete
    5. the second Island rhymes with - well nothing really.

      Delete
    6. Wait it rhymes with a car model..

      Delete
    7. VT, in Entrée #2, think BIG heads.

      Your (VT's) Appetizer riffoff was (or will be -- I forget) used as a separate puzzle. But the first two letters I phrased as a US territory postal abbreviation, not a Roman numeral.

      In Appetizer #6 the 6-letter short form is used in the UK.

      Delete
    8. Lego,
      For the Anatomical Slice I had a somewhat lame alternate answer, but it anagrams to a noun, not a verb. The verb in the intended answer was totally unfamiliar to me (though the adjectival meaning is familiar).

      Delete
    9. Oh, geo, so I should NOT give the answer to my Riff tomorrow, then, as you want to use it in future (having already thought of it yourself.). Do I have that correct?

      Thanks for the other hints to both geo and PLSMTH.....will digest them later.

      Delete
    10. Thanks for the holiday hint, PS. Turns out there is such an island.
      pjb'sNeverBeenThere,ButHeHasBeenInThatArea

      Delete
    11. Yes, thanks for the holiday hint, PTSH....I never would have gotten your Entree #2 without it.

      Delete
    12. VT, it is OK to reveal your riff, as my puzzle was (I believe) already used in 2020.

      Delete
  8. Got the Schpuzzle, geofan's #4, Entrees #5 and #6.
    The demonym puzzle is going to be the hardest to accomplish, IMHO. I may have to give up prematurely on that one.
    pjbMightHaveSaid"One(s)"AtTheEndOfThat"One"

    ReplyDelete
  9. Just got the Dessert!
    pjbWonderingHowComeHe'sAlwaysSolvingAnotherOneJustAfterPostingHisCurrentList?

    ReplyDelete
  10. E4 . I once vacationed on MOcha Island.

    ReplyDelete
  11. If anyone does need a nother hint for the Dessert, this particular "Field of Dreams" image is a hint. A homonym of one of the winged creatures appears and homomyns of several of the other winged creatures also appear, albeit less blatantly.

    LegoWhoNotesThatIsAFieldOfCornAndNotAFieldOf"Hominy(m)"AndNotReallyAFieldOfDreamsEither

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One is reminded of the letter jacket shown in the opening credits of "Welcome Back, Kotter". Does that carbon date one?

      Delete
    2. Yes, moi aussi! 'Twas penned and sung by the wonderful singer/songwriter John Sebastian (albeit no Bach).

      LegoSpoonFeedingPuzzlerian!s

      Delete
  12. Great hint, GB.

    LegoWhoIsAFanOfPeachesAndWhoAlwaysSecretlyHopedHeWasInSomeWayRelatedToThatOtherShort-FirstNamedHallOfFamerButAlasHeWasLikelyNotRelatedSigh!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Now i have to ask where are the Cranberry Islands??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I believe they are near Turkey, Plantsmith...

      LegoWhoReasons"AtLeastThat'sWhereTheyAreOnMyThanksgivingTable"

      Delete
    2. I hope that comment is NOT addressed to me, PS.
      pjbWillPointOut,However,ThereIsAnIslandInHisKitchen

      Delete
  14. No- it is from Blaine's blog. Crito was there last week. Somewhere near Arcadia park- wherever that is. But i thought you might be amused and not bemused. We don't have an island in our kitchen.
    Think i have a postwoman alt. Perhaps an imposter.Hope it is not a groaner.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't worry, PS. I'm not bemused. Just surprised my screen name(not really of my own choosing, BTW)came up.
      pjbIsOnlyBemusedByHowTrickyAndLengthyTheDemonymPuzzleIs(IDon'tTrustAnyPuzzleWithTheWord"Demon"InIt!)

      Delete
  15. Great puzzles by the way Kenneth. I just wish the Car talk boys were still around.

    ReplyDelete
  16. My imposter name is State postal code, a verb, and an abbreviation for those who are movers and shakers.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Schpuzzle: Chrysanthemum; Anthem; My Crush

    Appetizers:

    [A 1 entries are wild guesses only]

    1. We SERB all your Euro-auto needs. Each mechanic' SLAVS his/her work. We never RUSSIAN to _____ a job, every bolt to factory _____ equivalent spec, and CZECH all our work. We GREECE joints, put ERIN your tires [shouldn't that be "tyres" in the Old Country?], and CZECH your _____other fluids. We always wax and POLISH your _____ to a glossy FINNISH. We even use a patented SCOTCH technique to clean the interior gently. Even KOSOVAR pleased with our work! You can say _____; _____ you not. While waiting, have a DANISH on us if you are HUNGARY and refer us to your CAMPANIANS!

    2. Spam & Maps
    3. Catherine (CA, The, RI, NE)
    4. Steam Engine; Men; Tea & Gin
    5. Paracetamol (Par, Ace; Ta; Mol)
    6. Advertisement; Ad; Advert (in British setting)

    ABS Slice: Bowel & Knee; Bellow & Keen

    Entrees:
    1. Brazil & Lizard (Point), Cornwall, England, U.K.
    2. Easter Island & Estero Island (FL)
    3. Blaine's Blog & Bible Slogan
    4. Java & Lava
    5. Nepal & Lapel
    6. Rock of Gibraltar (change "a" to "e" and rearrange = Regal Brit
    7. Bhola (Island) & Aloha (Hello & Goodbye)
    8. Sable (Island, NS) & Elba

    Dessert: Bobcat; Cob; Bat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. GB - Several good alternates there. I did not think of SCOTCH for (Scotchgard). And who are the Kosov (though I know who the Kosovars are)?
      Agree that it should have read "tyre."

      Delete
    2. The Kosovar entry came from the plural sounding "ar(e)" being a possible fit. As I said, wild guesses all 'round.

      Delete
  18. Schpuzzle: CHRYSANTHEMUM → ANTHEM + CHRYSUM → MY CRUSH

    Appetizers:
    1. SERB(serve), SLOVENE ('s loving), DANE (deign), RUSSIAN (rush in), TURK (torque), ANDORRAN (and/or an), CZECH (check), GREECE (grease), EIREANN or ERIN (air in), CZECH (check) , ÅLAND (oil and), POLISH (polish), CROATIAN (creation), FINNISH (finish), SLOVAK (slow-vac[uum]), FAROESE (Pharoah is), VATICAN (that again), ICELANDER (I slander), DANISH (Danish [pastry]), HUNGARY (hungry), FRENCH (friends).
    The ÅLAND Islands are an autonomous region of Finland. The FAROE Islands are an autonomous territory of Denmark.

    2. SPAM
    3. CA, THE, RI, NE → CATHERINE
    4. STEAM ENGINE – S, E → TEA, MEN, GIN
    5. PARACETAMOL → PAR, ACE, TA, MOL
    6. AD, ADVERT, ADVERTISEMENT

    Anatomic Slice: ELBOW or BOWEL → BELLOW; TOENAIL → ELATION (but not a verb); post-Mon-hint: KNEE → KEEN (not a familiar meaning of this word)

    Entrées
    #1: BRAZIL, change B to D → LIZARD
    #2: NEPAL, change N to L → LAPEL
    #3: BLAINE'S BLOG → BIBLE SLOGAN
    #4: JAVA → LAVA
    #5: EASTER, change A to O → ESTERO (Island, FL) hint: ORESTES
    #6: GIBRALTER (misspelled) → REGAL BRIT
    #7: BHOLA, change B to A → ALOHA
    #8: SABLE – S → ELBA

    Dessert: BOBCAT → COB, BAT

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Indeed, geofan, I agree with Plantsmith. Your entire "demonymic Euro-Auto shop Service Pledge" was devilishly clever.
      And your entire Worldplay set of puzzles was up to your usual "above par" standard (in the non-golfing sense).

      LegoWhoIsAwareThat"TrompeL'Oeil"Means"TrickTheEye"ButgeofanIngeniouslyPerformedAn"Oeil"ChangeAndCreatedATremendouslyTricky"TrompeL'Oreille!"

      Delete
  19. 8/23/21
    Demononym challenge
    🚗🚘We __Serb__ all your Euro-auto needs. Each mechanic’ ____ his/her work. We never ____ to ____to a job, _Turk___ every bolt to factory ____ equivalent spec, and _Czech___ all our work. We _Greece___ joints, put _Erin___ your tires, and _Czech___ your ____ other fluids. We always wax and Polish ___ your ____ to a glossy Finnish____. We even use a patented ____ technique to clean the interior gently! Even _____ pleased with our work! You can say ____; ____ you not. While waiting, have a _Danish___ on us if you are ____ and refer us to your ____!

    2. Spam-Maps

    3. Alt- Alberta, Al (Alabama post code, Be-verb, RTA- regional transit authority.

    5. Paracetamol, Par, ace, Ta, Mol- (ab. For mole)


    Slice.-Alt.

    Elbow+L= Bellow
    Mouth- M-S + 5 in Alp. stream. South- shout
    (Michael Phelps elbows may be below his beltline.)

    Entrees:

    2. Easter Island & Estero Island (FL)
    3. Blaine's Blog & Bible Slogan
    5. Nepal & Lapel

    8. Sable Island, Elba

    Dessert: Bobcat Goldwaithe, Cob, Bat

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Forgot to add the schpuzzle- where i probably spent most of my time allotment.
      Chrsyanthemum- Anthem/ my crush.

      Delete
  20. SCHPUZZLE: CHRYSANTHEMUM => ANTHEM. & “MY CRUSH”. [Pre-hint]

    GEOAPPETIZERS:

    1. We SERB all your Euro-auto needs.
    Each mechanic DUTCH his / her own work.
    We never __ to __ to a job, __ every bolt to factory __ equivalent spec, and CZECH all our work.
    We GREECE joints, put ERIN your tires, and CZECH your __ other fluids.
    We always wax and POLISH your __ to a glossy FINNISH.
    We even use a patented __ technique to clean the interior gently!
    Even SWEDE(?) are pleased with our work! You can say __ ; __ you not.
    While waiting, have a DANISH on us if you are HUNGARY, and refer us to your FRENCH!

    Demonyms assembled, but so far, no use: Scot Slav. . Swiss. Turk. Briton. Welsh. Manx. LETT, Slovene. German. Italian. Belgian. Romanian. Bulgarian. Austrian Spaniard

    2. SPAM => MAPS

    3. CA/THE/RI/NE [My riff: assume Geo doesn’t want me to give it away.]

    4. STEAM ENGINE => TEA, MEN, GIN

    5. PARACETAMOL => PAR, ACE, TA, MOL

    6. BACCALAUREATE? = B.A.

    SLICE: ELBOW => BELOW => BELLOW; KNEE => KEEN

    ENTREES:

    1. BRAZIL => DRAZIL => LIZARD; LIZARD POINT, CORNWALL [Needed the hint]

    2. EASTER => EOSTER => ESTERO [Hint was very much needed! I never heard of Estero Island.]

    3. BLAINE’S BLOG => BIBLE SLOGAN. [Pre-hint]

    4. JAVA => LAVA. [Pre-hint]

    5. NEPAL => LAPEL. [Pre-hint]

    6. GIBRALTAR => GIBRALTER => REGAL BRIT. [Pre-hint, altho I had thought for sure that it was going to be BLUE BLOOD.]

    7. BHOLA => ALOHA [Pre-hint]

    8. SABLE => ELBA [Pre-hint]

    DESSERT: BOBCAT => COB & BAT

    ReplyDelete
  21. Schpuzzle
    CHRYSANTHEMUM, ANTHEM, MY CRUSH
    Appetizer Menu
    2. SPAM, MAPS
    3. CATHERINE(The Great), California, THE, Rhode Island, Nebraska
    4. STEAM ENGINE, TEA, MEN, GIN
    5. PARACETAMOL(acetamenophine), PAR, ACE, TA, MOL(e)
    6. ADVERTISEMENT, AD, ADVERT
    Menu
    Anatomic Bombast Slice
    ELBOW, KNEE, BELLOW, KEEN
    Entrees
    1. BRAZIL, LIZARD(Point, Cornwall, England)
    2. EASTER ISLAND, ESTERO ISLAND(in Florida)
    3. BLAINE'S BLOG, BIBLE SLOGAN
    4. JAVA, LAVA
    5. NEPAL, LAPEL
    6. (Rock of)GIBRALTAR, REGAL BRIT
    7. BHOLA ISLAND(in Bangladesh), ALOHA
    8. SABLE ISLAND(in Canada)
    Dessert
    BOBCAT, COB(swan)and BAT
    Sorry about the demonym puzzle. Seemed like way too much work in one puzzle.-pjb

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    Replies
    1. Forgot to mention ELBA ISLAND in #8. Sorry.
      pjbSaysAbleWasIEreIOmittedElba!

      Delete
  22. This week's official answers for the record, part 1:

    Schpuzzle of the Week:
    Say it with a song and a spray
    Name a flower one may give to to another to express loving emotions.
    A number of consecutive letters in the flower, in order, spell a type of song to which people may have an emotional attachment.
    The remaining letters can be rearranged to spell, in two words, what one may call his or her beloved.
    What flower is this?
    What is the type of song to which people may have an emotional attachment?
    What may one call his or her beloved?
    Answer:
    Chrysanthemum; Anthem, "My Crush"

    Appetizer Menu
    Worldplayful Appetizer:
    Pledge, prime mover, Polynesia, postwomen, plus...
    1.
    The demonymic Euro-Auto shop Service Pledge
    We ____ all your Euro-auto needs. Each mechanic’ ____ his/her work. We never ____ to ____to a job, ____ every bolt to factory ____ equivalent spec, and ____ all our work. We ____ joints, put ____ your tires, and ____ your ____ other fluids. We always wax and ____ your ____ to a glossy ____. We even use a patented ____ technique to clean the interior gently! Even _____ pleased with our work! You can say ____; ____ you not. While waiting, have a ____ on us if you are ____ and refer us to your ____ !
    Note: Each blank is a demonym (or its adjectival form) of a country partially or wholly in Europe, or an autonomous province or territory within Europe. With one exception (used twice), each term appears exactly once (demonyms and adjectival forms are taken as separate, if different). Two countries’ names are used in place of their respective demonyms. Some of the blanks are “groaners” (non-exact puns).
    Hint:
    The demonymic Euro-Auto shop Service Pledge
    Hint: Twenty countries/autonomous regions are represented. The autonomous regions are related to separate Scandinavian countries. Ten of the answers are “chuckles” – non-exact fill-ins that may elicit a “pun-ishing” groan.
    Answer:
    1.
    SERB(serve), SLOVENE ('s loving), DANE (deign), RUSSIAN (rush in), TURK (torque), ANDORRAN (and/or an), CZECH (check), GREECE (grease), EIREANN or ERIN (air in), CZECH (check) , ÅLAND (oil and), POLISH (polish), CROATIAN (creation), FINNISH (finish), SLOVAK (slow-vac[uum]), FAROESE (Pharoah is), VATICAN (that again), ICELANDER (I slander), DANISH (Danish [pastry]), HUNGARY (hungry), FRENCH (friends).
    The ÅLAND Islands are an autonomous region of Finland. The FAROE Islands are an autonomous territory of Denmark.
    2.
    A Polynesian puzzle
    A certain American product has become a staple food in the islands of Polynesia and Micronesia in the Pacific, as a result of its introduction to those regions during World War II. Spell the name of this product backwards to give another place where you may see these same islands.
    Hint:
    A Polynesian puzzle
    Hint: The product has been faulted in part for the high incidence of obesity and diabetes in these same populations. In recent years, the word has acquired an unrelated meaning.
    Answer:
    Spam; Maps

    Lego...

    ReplyDelete
  23. This week's official answers for the record, part 2 (Worldplay, continued):
    3.
    Postwomen
    Think of a rather common, historic female name. It consists of the postal abbreviation for a US state, followed by an article and the postal abbreviations for two other US states. What is the female name?
    Hint: Was she Russian? No, actually she was German. But many of her descendants were murdered in a Russian city then (and now, but not in between) named after her.
    Answer:
    CA, THE, RI, NE => CATHERINE
    4.
    Prime Mover
    Name a prime mover of the 19th century. Drop its first and last letters. Split the result into three words: who most likely operated it, and two beverages they might have consumed: one alcoholic, and one not. What is the prime mover? Who operated it, and what did they drink?
    Hint: The operators and their drinks each have 3 letters. Most think of the prime mover in a transportation sense. More generally, it powered industry and gave rise to classical thermodynamics.
    Answer:
    STEAM ENGINE – S, E => TEA, MEN, GIN
    5.
    Rx for golfers
    Take the European name for a familiar medication. Split to obtain two golf scores, an alternate version of a musical note, and an abbreviation for a fundamental unit in chemistry. What is the medication?
    Hint: Either of the golf scores is far better than what I could ever achieve. The alternate note is also the symbol for a chemical element used in electrolytic capacitors. The unit is also an animal.
    Answer:
    PARACETAMOL => PAR, ACE, TA, MOL
    6.
    Long, medium, short
    Think of a familiar noun in 13 letters. The first two letters are frequently used to denote the same item. The first six letters are also used to denote this same item in certain settings. What are this word and its two shortened synonyms?
    Hint: It's partially British.
    Answer:
    AD, ADVERT, ADVERTISEMENT

    MENU
    Anatomic Bombast Slice:
    Above the belt, below the belt
    Name two body parts, one above the belt and one below the belt.
    Rearrange the letters of the lower part.
    Double a letter in the upper part and rearrange.
    You’ll get a pair of synonyms meaning “to cry out.”
    What are these body parts and synonyms?
    Hint: An anagram of one body part appears in the puzzle’s text.
    Answer:
    Elbow, Knee; Bellow, Keen
    Hint: "Below" is an anagram of "elbow."

    Lego...

    ReplyDelete
  24. This week's official answers for the record, part 3:

    Riffing Off Blaine Slices:
    Oman is no island, No man is...
    ENTREE #1
    Name a country. Move the first letter two places later in the alphabet (e.g. A would become C). The result, read backwards, is a notable geographic point in another country.
    What are the country and notable point?
    Answer:
    Brazil; Lizard Point in Cornwall, Great Britain
    Hint (for subsequent posting, not in original): it is also a reptile
    ENTREE #2
    Name an island. Change the second letter to the letter 14 places “downstream in the alphabetic flow” (e.g. A would become O).
    Then move this new letter to end of the name to get the name of a second island.
    The first island is a territory of a bean-shaped nation. The second island is itself bean-shaped.
    What are these two islands?
    Hint: Reverse the second and third letters in the second island, add an “s” to the beginning and spell the result backward to get the name of a subject of several Ancient Greek plays and myths.
    Answer:
    Easter Island; Estero Island
    Hint: Orestes (ESTERO=>ETSERO=>SETSERO=>ORESTES
    ENTREE #3
    Take the possessive form of the one-word name of a maker of a recent puzzle about a pair of islands. After it, write a four-letter service he provides weekly. The result is an alliterative two-word term.
    Rearrange the 11 letters in this term to form a two-word term that describes the following phrase:
    “Fight Truth-decay; brush up on your Good Book.”
    What are these two two-word terms?
    Answer:
    Blaine's Blog; Bible Slogan
    ENTREE #4
    Take the name of an island that is also the name of a beverage. Shift the first letter two later in the alphabet (e.g. A would become C). Read the result forwards and you’ll have the name of a substance that many islands, including Hawaii and the Galapagos, are formed from.
    What are this island and this substance?
    Answer:
    Java; Lava
    ENTREE #5
    Take the name of a landlocked country.
    Shift the first letter two earlier in the alphabet (e.g. C would become A).
    Read the result backwards and you’ll have the name of a kind of pin.
    What are the landlocked nation?
    What is the kind of pin?
    Answer:
    Nepal; Lapel (pin)

    Lego...

    ReplyDelete
  25. This week's official answers for the record, part 4:
    Riffing Off Blaine Slices (continued):

    ENTREE #6
    Take the third word in the name of a promontory. Rearrange its nine letters to spell an informal two-word term that describes Queen Elizabeth, Prince William and Prince Charles.
    What is the promontory?
    What is the two-word term?
    Answer:
    (Rock of) Gibralter; Regal Brit
    ENTREE #7
    Take the name of an Asian island with a population of almost two million that may not exist in the future; large parts of this island, with a peak elevation of only six feet, have already been inundated by sea level rise.
    Shift the first letter one place earlier in the alphabet (e.g. B would become A).
    Read the result backwards and you’ll have a word associated with United States island.
    This word is a contronym https://www.rd.com/list/contronyms-words-opposites/ (like “sanction” or “overlook”).
    What are this vanishing island and this contronym?
    Answer:
    Bhola Island; Aloha (which means both "Hello" and "Good-bye")
    ENTREE #8
    Take the name of a bean-shaped island in eastern Canada. Remove the first letter and read the result backwards and you’ll have the name of another island – one associaterd with a famous person from history and a famous palindrome.
    What are the two islands?
    Answer:
    Sable Island; Elba Island (Napoleon might have said: "Able was I ere I saw Elba.")

    Dessert Menu
    Spoonerific Dessert:
    Winged and wingless things
    Name a wingless creature in two syllables.
    Spoonerize the two syllables – that is, switch their beginning sounds – to name two winged creatures.
    What are these three creatures?
    Answer:
    Bobcat; Cob, Bat

    Lego!

    ReplyDelete