Frannie and I did this one sitting side-by-side on the couch today, which was a nice throwback to the old days when we used to work on puzzles together more often. Just one more nice thing about the stay-at-home situation, I guess. Others have included getting our digital photo collection a bit more organized, working on projects around the house, and finding some new dinner and snack recipes. And maybe this isn't true for some people, but I've seen more of my immediate family during the past two months than I have in the past five years. We're a far-flung bunch, and often I see my brothers only once or twice per year. Lately, it's been every weekend for at least an hour.
And speaking the family, I think they would all (except my sister, maybe) enjoy the "country guessing game" that is today's theme. Mr. Fromm has found hidden words when two countries from the same region are put end to end, and he has clued for this found word, while also giving the region. As in, "What subjects and verbs must do [Europe]" (BULGARI(AGREE)CE), or the slightly less interesting "T-shirt size [South America]" (BRAZI(LARGE)NTINA).
I think it would have been slightly more interesting if the central words were somehow all related, or if it seemed like there was more of a reason for doing this other than just that it can be done at all. I mean, it's fine, and everybody likes geography quizzes, but ... well ... maybe I'm just an OLDCOOT.
Our favorite entry was probably "Forest ranger" (DEER), which we only got and understood through its related entry "Male 91-Acrosses" (HARTS). "Ranger" as in, one who wanders. Very nice.
Today's "Black pie crust component" clue for OREO was new to me, so that was interesting, and "Group seen in gathering clouds?" was a clever way of getting at the vowel string AEIOU. Yesterday we had the "oblate" clementine, and today we learn that a PEAR is "obovate." One can only wonder what shape will come next?! If there is one, it will be Frannie who tells you about it, as she starts up her reviewing again tomorrow. See you in a few weeks!
- Horace
38:16 (FWOE)
ReplyDeleteI entered FRoG at 104D without looking at the cross, which would have saved me, as ONoS doesn't work at all, but ONUS sure does. I'm not really up on '60s dance crazes, and the FRUG is a new one to me. I'm with Horace, in that this would've been a little nicer if there was some underlying connection between the words, but it's pretty impressive nonetheless. This took me a little longer today than a typical Sunday because I was hung up in the SE. I was thinking Duke where DOGE belongs, meld or meSh where FUSE goes, and I was thinking of a Bible person's name where [LEPER] goes, so ____PERU wasn't coming to me, even though I had CHILE___ early on and how many other four-letter countries are in South America? Zero, that's how many. POPE had a nice clue, and I tried aflcio where THENEA belongs, which didn't help with too many crosses, but also didn't stay in there for long. I never heard of a SWORDDANCE, but as it is probably performed while wearing kilts, I probably don't want to see it. I always think of "The Piranha Brothers" sketch ("...the audience were bemused by his high-pitched Welsh accent and intimidated by his abusive ad libs.") when I see the word BEMUSED and the phrase [ADLIB]. DOESKIN could have gone a whole other way, but I'm glad it didn't.
Today (May 10) is the feast day of Saint Father Damien of Molokai 1840-1889), who died ministering to people in a Hawaiian leper colony.
ReplyDeleteOn an "I Love Lucy" rerun, I saw a SWORD DANCE which took place in a nightmare Lucy had. Yes, it was performed in kilts. :-)
I didn't realize it was his feast day. While on Moloka'i, my wife and I visited both the Saint Joseph's church, which is located along "highway" 450 if I remember correctly, and the Saint Philomena church, which is accessible only by visiting Kalaupapa, the leper colony, which we did.
DeleteI enjoyed the theme, which I related to because of all the geography quizzes I've done on Sporcle. The hardest to get was AUS(TRIAGE)RMANY. I really wanted arranGE, which simply didn't fit in the circles.
ReplyDeleteAlso, in case you missed it, all the pairs of countries actually share a border.
DeleteI did miss that, and it does make the theme quite a bit stronger. Thanks!
DeleteI discovered the hard way that hUnGARyand BULGARIA share some letters. Although one is a letter longer..... I guess this was before I had GREECE? Or it took a while to notice the extra square?
ReplyDelete