Vertically Symmetrical Vexations; “A round of Guinness, Barkeep!” “Fishy side-by-side synonyms” “Out, damned stained sinful spot!” “Old King Alf’s rambling wager” Hifalutin makes and models;

PUZZLERIA! SLICES: OVER 5πe² SERVED

Schpuzzle of the Week:

“Fishy side-by-side synonyms”

Write side-by-side words for two things that lure or attract fish. Remove a spelled-out letter
(like “dee” or “em,” for example). 

The remaining letters spell a noun that has a
synonym that begins with that now-absent letter. 

What are these two lures, noun and synonym?

     Appetizer Menu

“Mirror, Mirror” Appetizer

Vertically Symmetrical Vexations

(Reflections from “Tim Axoy”)

(Note: “Timothy Axoy is a pseudonym Bobby Jacobs occasionally uses. 

He likes it because when TIMOTHY AXOY is written in UPPERCASE the letters are all vertically symmetrical, as you can see in the image at the right. The “A” and “X” in AXOY are also vertically symmetrical)

1. 🐦What name of a famous pop singer has the property that all of the letters in the first and last name are vertically symmetrical in uppercase?

2. 🎸What name of a famous string instrument player has the property that all of the letters in the first and last name are vertically symmetrical in uppercase?

3. ⚽What name of a famous soccer player has the property that all of the letters in the first and last name are vertically symmetrical in uppercase?

MENU

Riffing-Off Timothy Axoy Hors d’Oeuvre:

Hifalutin makes and models

(Note: This (three-part) Hors d’Oeuvre is inspired by the Appetizer above created by Bobby Jacobs, who is also known as “TIMOTHY AXOY,” a pseudonym he uses that contains nothing but vertically symmetrical letters when printed in uppercase. (See the
“Mirror, Mirror” Appetizer, “Vertically Symmetrical Vexations,” just above.) This Hors d’Oeuvre serves as a tribute to young Mr. Jacobs, who has been contributing his creative puzzles to Puzzleria! since September of 2020.

1. Find the names of three motor vehicles manufactured in Japan that have this “uppercase vertically symmetrical” quality:

one: a make (like Ford, for example... as opposed to a model, like Focus or Thunderbird; or like Chevrolet, as opposed to a model, like Corvette or Camaro);

two: a model made by the make Mazda;

three: a model made by the make Nissan.

What are this make and two models?

Extra credit: Name a Japanese minivan model that possesses this “uppercase vertically symmetrical” quality. It was developed for the Japanese market, but is also sold in limited Asian markets.

2. Name a rhyming hyphenated adjective with this “vertically symmetrical” quality. It means “highfalutin” or “flighty.”

3. Solve the following clues with words that possess this  “vertically symmetrical” quality:

a. _____ grin (6 letters)

b.  Three sandwich ingredients, and where you put the sandwich (6, 4, 3, 5)

c. The ____ Radio Hour, heard on the NPR station where you hear Will Shortz on Sunday (4)

d. Desmond, or dancer’s attire (4)

e. an abbreviation of a “Cherished” rock group, anagrammed, then translated into English from the French (7)

Baptismal Slice:

“Out, damned stained sinful spot!”

Anagram a synonym of “stain” to get something that, according to Catholic Church tradition, reputedly helps to remove the stain of original sin. What is this synonym of “stain”? What may augment the removal of original sin’s stain?

Riffing Off Shortz And Fecho Slices:

“A round of Guinness, Barkeep!”

Will Shortz’s May 26th NPR Weekend Edition Sunday puzzle, created by Bob Fecho of New York City, reads:

Think of a well-known actor of the past whose last name is also a brand name.
Remove the last letter of the actor’s first name and you’ll have a product produced by that brand. What is it?

Puzzleria!s Riffing Off Shortz And Fecho Slices read:

ENTREE #1

Take the name of a puzzle-maker and his hometown. Rearrange the letters to form a kind of prize, a kind of toast and a political slang adjective derived from African-American Vernacular English originally meaning alertness to racial prejudice and discrimination but has now come to encompass a broader awareness of social inequalities such as racial injustice, sexism, and denial of LGBTQ rights.

Who are this puzzle-maker and hometown?

What are the prize, toast and political slang adjective?

(Note: Entrees # 2 and #3 were created by a valued friend of and contributor to Puzzleria!)

ENTREE #2

Think of a well-known actor of the past. Remove the next-to-last letter of the actor’s first name.

The remaining letters in the first name, in order, spell a popular line of items found in the grocery store and made in a variety of flavors under a variety of brand names by a variety of producers. The last name of the actor is the same as that of a company which once produced that line of items but which is best known for another product brand name found in the same section of the grocery store. 

Who is the actor? What is the line of grocery items?  

 ENTREE #3

 Think of a well-known actor of the past. Remove the last letter of the actor’s first name. The remaining letters in the first name, in
order, spell a major event. 

The remaining letters in the first and last names, in order, spell a two-word product created to support such an event.  

Who is the actor? What is the event? What is the product? 

(Note: Entrees # 4 through #9 were created by our friend Nodd, whose “Nodd ready for prime time” appears regularly on Puzzleria!)

ENTREE #4

Think of a well-known actress of the past whose first name is also a car brand. Remove the first two letters of her last name and you’ll
name a car once produced by a different car brand. Who is the actress and what is the name of the car?

ENTREE #5

Think of a well-known actor of the past whose last name is a brand of personal care products. 

Remove the last two letters of his first name and you’ll name an article of clothing you might be wearing around the time you use one of the products. Who is the actor, and what are the product and the article of clothing?

ENTREE #6

Think of a well-known actor of the past. Change the last letter of his surname to an “A” to get a brand name for a line of beauty products. Remove the first letter of the actor’s
first name and read the name backward to get a word for a person who probably would use beauty products. Who is the actor, and what are the brand name and the person likely to use the products?

ENTREE #7

Think of a well-known actor of the past. His last name is also the name of a company that produces health care products. The company
makes a test that detects a substance suggested by the actor’s first name. Who is the actor, and what are the company and the substance?   

ENTREE #8

 Think of a well-known actor of the past whose last name is also a car brand. Remove the last two letters of his first name and you’ll have an item that is likely to be found in a car. Who is
the actor, and what are
the car brand and the item?

ENTREE #9

Think of a well-known actress of the past whose last name is also a former brand of computer products.  

Use three letters of her first name to spell a different brand of computers.  

Who is the actress, and what are the two brands of computers?

(Note: Entree #10 was created by our friend Plantsmith, whose “Garden of Puzzley Delights” appears regularly on Puzzleria!) 

ENTREE #10

Take an actor whose surname is also a brand name. 

Drop the last four letters of the first name and switch the order of the names to get something made by the brand. 

Who is this actor?  

ENTREE #11

Think of a well-known actor of the past, first and last names. Delete a conjunction from the interior of the last name and the last letter of the first name. Transpose the fifth and sixth letters of the result to spell a brand-name product that, beginning in 1971, was no longer advertised on U.S. radio or television.

Who is this actor. What is the brand name?

Dessert Menu

Iambic Dessert:

“Old King Alf’s rambling wager”

What is somewhat interesting about this ramblingly iambic verse?

Hint: It involves something heard in each of the lines.

“Old King Alf’s Wager”

“The king’s away, away with awe!

For royalty shan’t be the law...

The law, you see, is simply you,

Red blood decrees to blood that’s blue.”

These Cockneys cried, “Our Monarch, ’e

Doth reign with such effrontery!

While we expend our energy

And meagre paychecks. Let ‘im flee!”

King Alf proclaimed, “I oft leave town

Lest I become a jaded crown.

My kingdom sits in grim decay.

‘It’s gone to ’ell’ the Cockneys say!”

Who wouldn’t empathize with them,

Enthralled within his diadem.

All subjects must obey his rules,

Act happy – a kingship of fools!

Alf takes his cue and calls his shot

But pockets bare are all they’ve got.

Thus Alf’s esteem came tumbling down.

One day at tea he staked his crown:

"I’ll bet you if I abdicate

I’ll still be envied, ’tis my fate.

And if I’m right I’ll double you

That nothing doth exist that’s true.

If this be so then why exist?

I must be crazy, wager-kissed!”

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.