POINTS TO PONDER CXXIX

Beginnings are usually scary and endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts. You have to remember this when you find yourself at the beginning. 

Sandra Bullock

 

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It may be popular to point out that the sun is merely one star among a myriad of stars, and perhaps merely an average one, but it is nonetheless supremely important to everyone on earth.

Author Unknown 

 

QUOTES CCLXVIII

Money talks, but it mumbles.

R. Eric Thomas 

"Asking Eric" newspaper advice column

 

Those with fine teeth are quick to laugh.

Author Unknown 

 

It takes more courage to change your opinion than to stick to it.

Author Unknown

 

It's all right to complain sometimes, but complain to the right people.

Author Unknown 

 

Children who are one of many siblings will usually become good at fractions.

Author Unknown 

 

Revenge leads to retaliation. Resist it, and you will be beyond the reach of your enemies.

Author Unknown

 

It says a lot about your character whether you lament a lost chance to do good or to be bad.

Author Unknown

 

I am human and I make mistakes. Therefore my committment must be to truth and not to consistency.

Mahatma Gandhi 

 

If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.

Roald Dahl 

 

Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it but can describe it only from the vantage point of distance.

Charles Lindbergh 

 

 

 

  

GAMES/World of Puzzles

April, 2026

Alan Arbesfeld 

 

PRINTER'S DEVILRY

 

In this very challenging puzzle, each clue is a passage (one or two sentences) from which the name of a European country has been removed: closing the gap between words, taking liberties sometimes with punctuation and spacing, but not disturbing the order of the letters. 

 

Ex: Pete seeth ink is sounder; appreciated as an artist (7)

Ans: Pete SeeGER, MANY think, is so under appreciated as an artist.

 

Note that when complete, the passage makes sense, and the clue is full enough to hint at the overall idea without giving away the actual name of the country. The number of letters in the missing country is indicated in ( ) after each clue. Can you match each clue with the correct country listed below the clues? 

 

1. I once wanted to be an artist, so museums make me misting (5)

 

2. Astronauts are a great source - O', for barns! (5)

 

3. Can't rue grit? Beth oughta mine film. (6)

 

4. Shameful acts? Could be, Theon! Ey, do in G (6) 

 

5. I'd like to know to what Dell phones distract students in classrooms (6)

 

6. The bread shop: pee behind the counter! (7)

 

7. The former educator turned corporate chi enters fort raining. (6)

 

France         Italy          Hungary

Greece        Norway

Spain          Sweden

 

HINTS:

Where the name of the missing country should be entered:

1. after the s in misting

2. after the b in barns

3. after the i in minor

4. after the E in Ey 

5. after the e in Dell

6. after the first e in pee 

7. after the first e in enters   

 

(BIG) HINTS:

The names of the missing countries:

1. Spain

2. Italy

3. Norway

4. Sweden

5. Greece

6. Hungary

7. France    

 

Answers:

 

1. I once wanted to be an artist, so museums make me misS PAINting.

 

2. Astronauts are a great source of orbITAL Yarns.

 

3. Can True Grit be thought a miNOR WAYne film? 

 

4. Shameful acts could be the oneS WE DENy doing. 

 

5. I'd like to know to what deGREE CEll phones distract students in classrooms.

 

6. The bread shoppe HUNG A RYe behind the counter.

 

7. The former educator turned corporate chieF RAN CEnters for training.

 

Note from JA: I did not include three other clues that were in the puzzle because I felt their solutions required specialized knowledge. 

                                                                    

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzles 

May 3, 2026

Will Shortz

 

Each of the words and phrases below can be anagrammed into a German word that has been adopted into English. For example, GNATS could be anagrammed into ANGST.

 

1. PILES

2. ELIDES

3. MUTUAL 

4. WE'RE IN

5. POSTAGE 

6. GET LAST 

7. BENT OVER

8. ADULT WRENS 

 

Answers:

 

1. PILES - SPIEL

2. ELIDES - DIESEL

3. MUTUAL - UMLAUT

4. WE'RE IN - WIENER

5. POSTAGE - GESTAPO

6. GET LAST - GESTALT

7. BENT OVER - VERBOTEN

8. ADULT WRENS - WANDERLUST  

What do the following words have in common?

Muffin

Curling

Bomb

Wire

Foot

Balloon

Siding

Standard

Tank

Sign 

Spoon

Liquid 

 

Answer:

 

Each word can be either preceded or followed by the name of an element to make a common phrase:

 

Muffin tin

Curling iron

Hydrogen bomb

Copper wire

Lead foot

Helium balloon

Aluminum siding

Gold standard

Oxygen tank

Neon sign

Silver spoon 

Liquid nitrogen   

NY Times Crossword

May 3, 2026

Mark Diehl

WHAT ARE THE ODDS? 

 

In each pair of clues below, the second clue has a punny relationship with the first. Can you determine what it is. 

 

1. PLASTIC SHEETS

    Gives a darn

 

2. NO EASY TASK

    Sticky pads

 

3. BRIDGET JONES

    Low digit

 

4. KEN KESEY

    Child support

 

5.  ACCOUNT REP 

    Not quite right 

 

6. BARBARIANS

    Scarecrow's lack 

 

HINT:

The puzzle title is a hint. 

 

Answers:

 

In each pair of clues, the odd letters in the first clue spell out the answer to the second clue:

 

1. PlAsTiC sHeEtS = patches (gives a darn)

2. No EaSy TaSk = nests (sticky pads) 

3. BrIdGeT jOnEs = big toe (low digit) 

4. KeN kEsEy = knee (child support) 

5. AcCoUnT rEp = acute (not quite right) [angle]

6. BaRbArIaNs = brain (scarecrow's lack) [in The Wizard of Oz]  

     

WHO'S THE MAN? III 

GAMES/World of Puzzles 

October, 2021

Edward Mooney

 

Can you fill in the names of the people and characters below whose middle name is THE? The names are listed in alphabetical order. 

 

Robin the Boy Wonder

________ the Riveter

________ the Red-Nosed Reindeer

________ the Teenage Witch

________ the Sham and the Pharaohs

________ the Sailor

________ the Bear

________ the Man

________ the Tiger

________ the Impaler

________ the Conqueror

________ -the-Pooh 

________ the Turtle

________ the Greek

 

Answers:

 

Rosie the Riveter

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Sabrina the Teenage Witch

Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs

Sinbad the Sailor

Smokey the Bear

Stan the Man (Musial)

Tony the Tiger

Vlad the Impaler

William the Conqueror

Winnie-the-Pooh

Yertle the Turtle

Zorba the Greek