Button heads; Teatime Proustries; What is the number of the twelfth... man?

Welcome!

This is Puzzleria XXXIX!

(Otherwise known as “The Big Puzzle Blog Game.”)

Yes, this is our XXXIX^th kick-off of Joseph Young’s Puzzleria!, that super deep-dish-pizza-pan full of puzzle slices served up piping-hot and fresh every week…

Warning: The words “Joseph Young’s Puzzleria!” or “Puzzleria!” or its lego/legotype cannot appear in ads at all unless it is an officially sponsored event, or otherwise an advertisement, event or promotion that will, without charging us any fee whatsoever, shamelessly plug “Joseph Young’s Puzzleria!” or “Puzzleria!” or its lego/legotype. It is permissible to make written reference only to “The Big Puzzle Blog Game,” “Super Puzzle Slices,” “The Big Puzzle Game,” and “Super Friday.” 

As for that other “Big Game” that many fans will be stalking this Sunday (Shhh! It’s called Super Bowl XLIX), all we know is this: Ex-Lax is not an official sponsor of Super Bowl XLIX (although it would would be fantastic if it were!)...

Cris Collinsworth: New England is overplaying in their nickel package, Al, by stacking their coverage and flooding the strong side of the field with their weak safety and weak-side linebacker. That should make it easier for the Seahawks to go to the weak side.
Al Michaels: Good point Cris. And speaking of making it easier to go...
Michele Tafoya: Sorry to interrupt, Cris and Al, but while you two were jabbering up there in the booth, down here on the field Seahawks’ tailback Marshawn Lynch just broke off a Super Bowl-record-tying 75-yard rushing touchdown from scrimmage, one of the most amazing runs we have... er, well I anyway, have seen all year.
Al: Thanks Michele, for that report from down in the trenches. And, speaking of runs... 

...Nor is Joseph Young’s Puzzleria! the official puzzle blog of Super Bowl XLIX. We want to state that clearly and on the record.

But we also have heard that one of the big players in The Big Game is New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. He is six-and-a-half feet tall and weighs 265 pounds. His legs are brawny and his arms are lanky, with each arm extending about two inches shy of a yardstick. Some say he may be the best tight end ever.

But our question is: “What is more responsible for Gronk’s success? Is it his natural athletic ability? Is it his large physical frame? 

In other words: Is he just…

__  __  __  __  __  __  __  __ ,

__  __  is his success instead just a function of his…

__  __  __  __  __  __  __  __ ?

Fill in the blanks with the re-arranged letters of the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS.

Now try re-arranging the letters of SEATTLE SEAHAWKS… oh wait, we’ve already done that, two weeks ago.

Which reminds me, I am resolving to ease up a bit on puzzles that involve re-arranging letters, or anagramming. On Blaine’s blog this past week, commenter Lorenzo made an interesting comment about how refreshing he found puzzles that do not “involve tedious lists, anagrams and google searches.” It was also an astute comment.

And so, no unscrambling of letters is required in this week’s menu of puzzles below: 

Menu

The Big Game Slice:
What is the number of the twelfth... man?

Name the twelfth number in the following sequence:

4, 9, 55, 60, 70, 80, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, ___

Explain your answer.

Hint: There is a small connection between this puzzle and the Big Game.

Specialty Of The Teahouse Slice:
Teatime Proustries

Think of a word that is a girl’s name and also the name of a delicacy that may be served at teatime. The name can also mean something that evokes a memory.

Embedded in the word are consecutive letters that spell out a proofreading symbol used in editing manuscripts or news copy. Perform the procedure indicated by the consecutive letters on those letters themselves. The result is a word we ought to remember, apparently.

What are the two words and the editing mark?

Political Slice:

Button heads

Change one of the letters on the first word of a U.S. campaign button. In the midst of the second word add  a block of three letters and split that result in two. The resulting three words name a topic discussed during one of the debates leading up to the election. 

What are the words on the button and the issue?

 
 

 While been preparing this edition of Puzzleria! Thursday PM/Friday AM, I have been enjoying, from the corner of my eye, Turner Classic Movies’ tribute to Rod Taylor, who died January 7: The Time Machine; The Birds; Sunday in New York; Young Cassidy; The Glass Bottom Boat. (Two of those five movies featured robots! And I am not even counting robotic actors.)

Taylor’s wisecracking puckish rogue persona in many of his movies reminded me a bit of Mel Gibson. (Both had Australian connections; Taylor was a native Aussie.) But something about Taylor’s style reminded me even more of Spencer Tracy.

Every Friday at Joseph Young’s Puzzle -ria! 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 Tuesdays 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 Puzzle -ria! Thank you.