Sunday, September 23, 2018

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 23, 2018): Caesar Cipher Time

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 23, 2018): Caesar Cipher Time:
Q: Think of an affliction in five letters. Shift each letter three spaces later in the alphabet — for example, A would become D, B would become E, etc. The result will be a prominent name in the Bible. Who is it?
This puzzle is driving me batty.

Edit: Bats are believed to be the original carriers/reservoir of the Ebola virus.
A: EBOLA --> HEROD

235 comments:

  1. Here's my standard reminder... don't post the answer or any hints that could lead directly to the answer (e.g. via a chain of thought, or an internet search) before the deadline of Thursday at 3pm ET. If you know the answer, click the link and submit it to NPR, but don't give it away here.

    You may provide indirect hints to the answer to show you know it, but make sure they don't give the answer away. You can openly discuss your hints and the answer after the Thursday deadline. Thank you.

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  3. Much better puzzle than last week's!
    (At least a little easier, anyway)

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  4. If you take the biblical name and perform that same operation on the letters, you get a character in a famous game.

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    1. I’ve never played that, so thought it was nonsense word until a Google©️ search.

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    2. LOL! I've never played, either; only a Google search got me that result.

      But am I the only one who tried to find the character Wuxps in the Bible?

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    3. Good one, Rob... as I recall he talked about the suggestive word in the anonymous op-ed as a lobestar.

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    4. Wuxps, not a biblical character but might cause disasters of biblical proportions.

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  5. Spare the rod, spoil the child ~ Prov 13:24

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    1. I see you've horsed around with that one...

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  6. Actually there are at least four biblical characters that present a solution to this puzzle.

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    1. Maybe you have a COLD and that would produce that biblical creature: a FROG.

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    2. Nice find, but that's still only four letters.

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  7. I hope not. I found what I think is the intended answer, and stopped looking after that. I sure hope I'm right.

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  8. A laugh can be infectious, but laughter is the best medicine.

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  9. I’ve got it - Who knows how many will solve this week’s puzzle!

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  10. I am still conflicted about this puzzle.

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. I did not see a clue in that post. At least not a clue for the answer I have.

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  12. Fitting, given how difficult the search was for the correct answer last week.

    This name is given to 6 different people mentioned in the Bible.

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  13. Well, last week's puzzle stumped me...I went ape. I didn't get a chance to listen this AM. How many answers were sent in?

    Yup, I got this weeks.

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  14. It's surprisingly revealing for him.

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  15. This week’s clue is kind of disturbing. A “condition” and a “biblical name”? That’s putting a way too positive a spin on these two.

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  16. May a flock of grasshoppers feed on your wheat field.

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  17. Only the name is Biblical, not the "affliction".

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  18. I'll go with a baseball clue as well.

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  19. I had to leave the last puzzle unresolved so it feels good to say I nailed this one pretty quickly!

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  20. No unused clues from this week's On Air Challenge.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. But that shouldn't stop us from making our own. Same rules as on-air challenge, two 4-letter words. The first word can be found in consecutive letters inside the first name of a famous person (past or present). The second word can be found in consecutive letters inside that person's last name.

      Example: POLE PART --> NAPOLEON BONAPARTE

      1) abet over
      2) bell sell
      3) cent rice
      4) char mire
      5) cola cope
      6) dele brig
      7) elan riff
      8) gare itch
      9) live tone
      10) lore ting
      11) nest hack
      12) moth alto
      13) rank pier
      14) rest urge
      15) step till
      16) stop itch
      17) urge edit

      Clues welcome, please hold off on answering until Thursday.

      Delete
  21. Great puzzle. Or at least bloody good.

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  23. A particular superhero comes to mind and it's not me.

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  24. Natasha:

    Yesterday afternoon I attended the Pacific Northwest Ballet performance of works choreographed by Jerome Robbins.

    The ballet was excellent and you would have love it, but there was a lot of dancing. Ballet is a demanding profession and for many it is a major Balanchine act.

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    1. SDB: Thank you for thinking of me about the ballet. I will look it up to see video of the PNB to see preview if possible. I have not gone to ballet performances lately. One of my favorite dancers Maria Kotchekova left the company. Glad you enjoyed the performance.

      Delete
  25. There is something about this "puzzle" that is homophonically reminding me of our Idiot In Chief.

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    Replies
    1. Uh Oh! A second woman has come forward alleging sexual misconduct by embattled Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh...

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    2. I knew there were more women who I hoped would have the courage to come forward. This guy is a disgusting piece of excrement of the lowest order and deserves all the retribution he receives. Now, what about Clarence and Donnie?

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    3. And that's on his better days! I want to see who rushes to defend him, if these new accusations are credible.

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    4. They are far more credible than a presidential swearing in ceremony.

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    5. There’s much more. Kavanaugh will likely withdraw, imho.

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    6. I can't wait to hear what Trumpy will tweet next. Be careful what you wish for you Republican traitors, you just may get it.

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    7. I wish I had a signed copy of the year book. I could retire in luxury.

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    8. Kavanaugh should back out now before things get worse.

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    9. Many times I've said I can't imagine how things can get worse. Every time this administration has proven the limits of my imagination.

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    10. ecoarchitect: Same thing happens to me too. Why has this been allowed to continue so long? My friends say voting them out is the only solution. Not sure that will work either though.In the movies the good people win. I believed that...lol.

      Delete
  26. This whole puzzle is rather dodgy, I'd say. Let's go shopping!

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  27. The ROT13 of the affliction is the stage name of a singer.

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  28. With such a limited number of five-letter afflictions and five-letter biblical names, in no sense did I find this challenging.

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    1. Herod the Great ordered the Massacre of the Innocents and innocents sounds a bit like "in no sense."

      Delete
  29. I do not see a connection with my answer and the baseball clues on here. I know my answer is correct.

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    1. Наташа: не отвлекайтесь на эти глупые американские игры. Нам нужна ваша помощь в эти трудные времена, чтобы наша повестка дня шла вперед. Можете ли вы написать письмо о том, что вы никогда не видели, как наш кандидат напал на женщину?

      Delete
    2. Trumptransition: Нет, мне жаль, но я не хочу, чтобы этот человек был на верховном суде. Он не квалифицирован и не стоит за то, что я хочу. Мне не нравится администрация и их глупое поведение.

      Delete
  30. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. No! No! No! Welcome to the blog but please read the rules again.

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    2. Thanks, Colie Marie. I want the time back I wasted looking for an affliction.
      And thanks for Blaine's hint and reaction.
      "Caesar's Cipher" puzzles leave me nearly as disinterested as anagrams.

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    3. Mendo Jim, thanking the new poster for the answer sends a conflicting message about blog rules.

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    4. I got the answer but did not recognize a clue in that post. I wonder if more than one answer.

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    5. Natasha, the original new poster posted the answer (since removed).

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    6. Yes, it is sending the wrong message.

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    7. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    8. I was thinking about a different post that was TMI. Sorry.

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    9. Natasha, yes that was my post which I’ve deleted because Jan thought it was TMI. Am struggling to provide subtle clues (yes, there was a hint buried in there).

      Delete
    10. Renople: Thanks for letting me know. I do not give hints anymore as may give answer away.

      Delete
  31. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  32. Did anyone notice that Kavanaugh's name is partly naughty?

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    1. I never saw it that way, pretty funny! SNL might be able to do something with that!

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    2. 68: Yes. Guess I should tell them..lol

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    3. To me, “naughty” trivializes the charges against Kavanaugh, a la “boys will be boys.”

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    4. Agreed, naughty was going to the drive through window at the cheap liquor store that never asked for ID for Night Train Express & Thunderbird, though they did for beer.

      I lived not too far from Georgetown Prep and Holton Arms. There was definitely a culture of drinking among the privileged preppies. And I suppose the rest of us too, though my gang never drank when girls were around, and certainly never assaulted them.

      In my junior and senior public HS years (just a few years ahead of Blasey Ford) I dated a Holton Arms student; she said the boys at GP and Landon were all jerks.

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    5. Eco & WW: Yes, you're right, good catch on all counts. I'm sure we didn't mean to trivialize his behavior, we do need to keep our focus on this guy and those like him!!

      Delete
    6. I am reminded of this movie about rich boys at Oxford:

      The Riot Club (2014) - IMDb
      https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2717860/

      Delete
  33. If Kavanaugh's accuser is the only one, that is troubling. Her odds of being believed go way up if others come forward. I am hoping others come forward.

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  34. Assuming the correct answer was revealed in the kerfuffle above, then it should be reiterated that "affliction" is not the right clue word.
    The usage, nuance and connotation of that useful term are misunderstood by the creator and the broadcaster of the challenge as well as those who so easily solved it.
    I never would have.

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    1. Affliction noun,

      1 : a cause of persistent pain or distress.

      2 : great suffering.

      3 : the state of being afflicted by something that causes suffering

      Will be interested to hear on Thursday why this definition doesn't apply.

      Delete
    2. I dunno Jim - seems to me that affliction is a decent word to use in this context. And I am not sure that everybody saying they have the answer, actually have the desired answer. Or maybe its just that some of the clues that have been given are way outside of my wheelhouse.

      Delete
    3. Affliction is a fine word to describe the first part of the puzzle.

      TomR, folks try hard to give obscure clues so as to not give away the answer. I’d imagine most, if not all, clue-givers have the correct answer.

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    4. Blaine's near record vehemence must have been a red herring.

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    5. “Near record vehemence?” The new poster revealed the answer flat out well before the Thursday deadline.

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    6. I believe what was revealed is the intended answer, but that doesn't mean there can't be other equally valid answers.

      As for "affliction", we can argue semantics but it wouldn't be the first time Mr. Shortz picked a possibly less specific term to avoid being too revealing.

      Delete
    7. Then I guess I did see the right "word which must not be seen or spoken."
      And I still think "affliction" poorly defines it.
      Risking deletion or otherwise being rubbed out or accused of sending conflicting messages*: Six days?

      *I can't find the rule against that, BTW.

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    8. I did not see Blaine's post before making my last one.

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    9. Mort: Thanks for definition #1.

      Blaine says:
      "...we can argue semantics but..."

      I wonder what better place to do so.

      I also have to wonder if Mr. Shortz might not have known any better.

      Delete
  35. Why is anyone surprised that a serial philanderer, who bragged about forcefully kissing and grabbing women, would select and defend a candidate with a similarly checkered past?

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    1. Good thing he's oblivious and didn't understand that the UN General Assembly was laughing at him, otherwise this on a global scale.

      Delete
  36. Herman Melville penned Moby Dick. Vladimir Nabokov penned Lolita. Now Judge Steven O'Neill penned Bill Cosby, America's Cad.

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  37. If Blaine's opening illustration truly represents the allowed letter substitutions, then this puzzle would not have permitted the exclusion of most of the biblical names on sight - so many in fact that this puzzle is trivial if worked from name to affliction.

    So, what name is most definitely excluded?

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  39. Wow! Just seeing the latest Kavanaugh accuser's charges and I keep thinking that this week will be a defining moment in history. Careers will come to an end soon in Washington D.C. when the dust settles.

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    1. Julie Swetnick's legal declaration here. Shocking. And she claims additional witnesses. But they must vote on Friday.

      Of course according to tЯump: Investigation isn't what the FBI does.

      Delete
  40. I suspect if Brett Kavanaugh were to rape Melania Trump on the streets of Fifth Avenue in New York City in broad daylight while Trump was shooting someone who was filming the crime the Republicans would still confirm him to the Supreme Court.

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    1. And the title of the film would be:
      The Aristocrats

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    2. “I’ve had numerous accusations about me. They made false statements about me knowing they were false,” Trump said. When a reporter asked why the president always seemed to give the benefit of the doubt to men accused of sexual misconduct, he acknowledged the allegations against him colored his response to the claims made against Kavanaugh. “It does impact my opinion because I’ve had a lot of false charges made at me.”

      Delete
    3. Dr. Blasey Ford’s opening statement:

      https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/09/read-christine-blasey-fords-opening-statement-brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court/571366/

      Delete
    4. Did you actually listen to his press conference? If so you deserve a Red Lapel Pin of Courage.

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    5. I heard perhaps the first 2 minutes and could not take it any more. I walked around the lake and returned to find it still going on. I heard the last couple of questions and still feel sick. Listening to even that little of it makes me feel like I've also been sexually violated.

      Delete
    6. I'm afraid I watched the whole thing. I was waiting for a) his head to explode from rage or b) him to stick his foot in his mouth with him his usual lies. I had to settle for "b".
      Between his B.S., it all centered around him, too!

      Delete
    7. I did listen. What struck me most was his lumping all women (as accusers) together, never saying Dr. Blasey Ford’s name. It is clear how little he thinks of women.

      He cut off one female reporter who asked to ask her question saying she had spoken for 10 minutes. In reality, it was 46-1 who was speaking all that time.

      I’ll take that Red Lapel Pin of Courage now please, eco.

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    8. IF it is such a conspiratorial con job, why didn't they do this to Gorsuch? Because it's not!

      Delete
    9. From his interview with Geraldo (my emphasis): "If you had people like the mayor of San Juan, whatever her name may be, she is a horror show."

      WW, This is the closest I could find. Pink seems a better color.

      Delete
    10. 68C: If I had watched the whole thing I think my head would have exploded from rage.

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    11. eco, Thanks for the virtual pin.

      Women are she and her only. I am surprised he remembers Ivanka’s name. Tiffany? Another she/her.

      Delete
    12. Eco: I can't believe I watched the whole thing, either but I really did, mainly because I thought I might be able to watch him throw a real temper tantrum!!! At times I thought he might but, alas, he didn't.
      One thing that kept me interested during the Q & A's was that some of the press people started pushing back on his attempts to cut them off. His microphone always over rode them but for the most part, they stood their ground.

      Delete
    13. DJT: "Women are very angry. You know, I got 52 percent with women. Everyone said this couldn't happen. 52 percent. Women are so angry." Which is truly amazing since he didn't win the popular vote. Oh wait, only white women matter.

      Delete
    14. This transcript with the Judiaciary committee reps from 9/25/18 is long but fascinating:

      https://www.washingtonpost.com/apps/g/page/politics/read-kavanaughs-interview-with-the-senate-judiciary-committee-on-sept-25/2334/

      In it, BK brings up an allegation of sexual misconduct from 1985 that allegedly happened on a boat in RI with BK and Mark Judge. He also refers to Dr. Ford as Ms. Ford; better than she, I suppose, but still disrespectful.

      Delete
  41. Speaking of Trump, he will be texting you a Presidential Alert next Wednesday, at 2:18 p.m. EDT.

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    1. This is what the message will contain:
      “THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Trump Tower System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission and The Trump Foundation to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. You would then be instructed to head for Ivanka's gift shop at Trump Tower & max out all of your credit accounts. Debit accounts are always welcome.
      Thank you for your cooperation!"

      DJT

      Delete
  42. Today's polls show 66%, over one third, of Americans approve of Trump.
    Those are the ones that will admit it to pollsters, I guess many more do so secretly.
    If they vote and we don't, the result will be unthinkable.

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  43. I propose a small wager. I am not sure how we should go about this, but my idea is that we bet on who has the better nights sleep tonight. Will it be Brett Kavanaugh or will it be Bill Cosby?

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    1. I'll wager on who will have a worse night's sleep tonight: Brett Kavanaugh, Bill Cosby, or people with a conscience. All bets are off if you add small children forcibly separated from their parents. Remember them? It seems so long ago....

      I'm guessing a certain Vladimir sleeps well, Mission Accomplished!

      Delete
  44. Still don't have the answer? Go to mass.

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    1. Herod Antipas got a shout-out in this today's Gospel. I'm not a daily mass attendee, but noticed a Jim Martin, SJ, tweet about it this morning.

      Delete
  45. I can't wait to hear Kavanaugh testify with the alt facts.

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    1. Were I a Dem on the committee I would consider having a different prosecutor come in to question Kavanaugh. It seems odd to have one person asking both sides.

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  46. Heck, they are all there, just substitute Ford for Kavanaugh and be done with it.
    The talking heads jabbering in between make the mute button one's best friend.

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  47. Herod > Ebola

    My Hint:

    “There is something about this "puzzle" that is homophonically reminding me of our Idiot In Chief.” Hair odd = odd hair.

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  48. EBOLA >>> HEROD

    “Taylor Swift” refers to The "Coventry Carol" dating from the 16th century. The carol was performed in Coventry, England, as part of a mystery play, The Pageant of the Shearmen and Tailors (Taylor). The carol refers to the Massacre of the Innocents, in which HEROD ordered all male infants two years old and under in Bethlehem to be killed (Swiftly, if that had to be, I suppose).

    “John Morris” >>> Olympic Curler >>> curler >>> hair rod >>> HEROD

    “Bugs Bunny” refers to “What’s Up, Doc?”and then to the 2015 documentary Affliction which refers to the Doctors Without Borders treatment of EBOLA. This documentary title may well be the source of Will’s wording in this puzzle.

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    1. I thought the BB referred to his titles including "The Fair Hared Hair" and "The Long Haired Hare".

      Or that he was a hero(d) to us all.

      Delete
    2. Hare apparent. He was a hero to us all.

      Clearly, documentary makers considered Ebola to be an affliction. . .

      Delete
  49. EBOLAHEROD

    My hint: “horsed” around. Drop the “s” and rearrange to yield “herod.”

    Ebola is certainly an affliction...

    ReplyDelete
  50. "I'm not sure my creed can be succinctly stated."

    ALICE portrayed HEROD in a recent live telecast. Run ALICE through this week's transmogrifier and you get DOLFH. Now you have a choice; you can treat it phonetically, with the H being silent, or you can change the F to a P. Or maybe you'd rather return to ALICE and change the C to an M before transmogrifying. Just don't get distracted by any inverted apocalyptic imagery. Remember that IM is NOT 999 (CMXCIX is). Anyway, DOLPH Lungren plays Ivan DRAGO in CREED II, due to be released in November.
    And that's the tortuous route (Exodus 13:17) from HEROD to CREED.

    ReplyDelete
  51. EBOLA -> HEROD

    > I'm very happy with my answer.

    Overjoyed

    >> Blaine’s clue is rather dark.
    > It's surprisingly revealing for him.

    Googling "diseases from bats" brings up Ebola right away. Why do you think "batty" wasn't a giveaway, Blaine?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Might you have also said you were "ebullient"?

      Delete
  52. Ashley Kavanaugh looks pissed walking into the hearing.

    Brett Kavanaugh is yelling in his powerful tones at all of us. I would back away from him. . .

    I believe Dr. Blasey Ford.

    I do not believe sneering, screaming Brett Kavanaugh.

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    1. This sad, excruciating 40 minutes gives a clue about the next 40 years if he is confirmed.

      Delete
    2. I can't stand Kavanaugh's "nose squinting" and his wife looks like she has the look of defeat.
      Oh yeah, will someone please refill his glass of water!

      Delete
    3. Such a saint! Jesus would be jealous.

      Delete
    4. I'm afraid it's time to get back to the "Paint Drying Channel", it's about the only one not superseded by this broadcast.
      I'll be looking forward to the recaps of this hearing a little later on.

      Delete
    5. I've been listening on the radio (my "EVIL" boss doesn't let me watch TV). His statement came across as political, combative, and a bit whiny. Sounds like it could have been written by tRump.

      But I have my biases.

      Delete
    6. I have no idea what he keeps doing with his tongue, but it sure is getting a workout. Very strange whatever it is.

      Delete
    7. I can't see this on the radio, but many lizards and chameleons use their tongues to moisten their eyes.

      Delete
    8. BK’s demeanor is such that, if I would give most people 3 feet of personal space, I would give him 300’.

      Delete
  53. I hate to lose a good, accurate word.
    To me, leprosy, gout and bipolar disorder are examples of afflictions and the word tells me something about them.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. How would you differentiate a disease from an affliction?

      Delete
    2. A good place to start might be that most afflictions are diseases, but not all diseases are afflictions.
      Duration plays an important part.

      Delete
  54. "The scoundrel doth protest and snuffle too much, methinks"

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  55. "I am still conflicted about this puzzle." Two meanings here:
    - the earliest cases of Ebola happened in South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo, both conflict zones.
    - Herod was known for large building projects for temples, fortresses, water works, etc. As an architect I have to endorse this, but I am always conflicted when my clients massacre innocents. Sometimes I even send them tepid emails saying I don't agree with that behavior.

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  56. So much to think about re. This hearing today. I think I know the vote result.

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  57. Our Brett came close to melting down in the first round and may well do so in the second.
    A couple of more quick lines at the break may or may not help.
    Jack Nicholson can play him in the movie.

    ReplyDelete
  58. And since you've all been eagerly awaiting the answers to the bonus on-air challenges:

    1) Elizabeth McGovern
    2) Isabella Rosellini
    3) Vincent Price
    4) Richard Ramirez
    5) Nicolaus Copernicus
    6) Madeleine Albright
    7) Melanie Griffith
    8) Margaret Mitchell
    9) Oliver Stone
    10) Florence Nightingale
    11) Ernest Shackt leton
    12) Timothy Dalton
    13) Franklin Pierce
    14) Preston Sturges
    15) Stephen Stills
    16) Christopher Hitchens
    17) Burgess Meredith

    ReplyDelete
  59. The two opening statements could be seen by some as equaling each other out, but the answers to the questions were quite another matter. She was eager to provide direct and clear answers. He refuses to answer questions and simply filibusters. He is now showing himself to be a snake.

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    1. I'd call him a mean sober.

      So far who are the winners and losers?
      - Grassley sounds like the grumpy old codger I hope I never become.
      - Lindsay Graham was so unhinged he sounded like he was auditioning for the tRump cabinet.
      - Interesting that Kavanaugh is trying to turn the questions back on the Dem senators. They aren't on the witness stand, their drinking is irrelevant (for the moment). No one has asked whether the 6 (or 8, or 200) FBI background checks even went into his high school years. I doubt they would.
      - Kavanaugh also won't ask for investigations, which any innocent person would do, as would a reasonable judge or lawyer.
      - I think the Repubs have decided they didn't like the questioning from Rachel Mitchell, and since they can't work with the facts (or even ask that the facts be checked) all they can do is attack the Dems.

      Historically atrocious.

      Delete
    2. I was not impressed with any of the questions or the senators today. Disappointing.

      Delete
  60. I say, take away his water bottle & glass and he'll crack like an egg!

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  61. Man, BK drinks a lot of water, especially before a tough question.

    Water, beer? So much liquid, so much diversion.

    Kavanaugh did not even listen to Dr. Blasey-Ford’s testimony. Wow.

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    1. I couldn't believe I heard that! And he said he was preparing his case at the time!!

      Delete
    2. I suspect he had to replace liquids from sweating so much, isn't that one of the signs of lying?

      He and Lindsay Graham and Grassley need a door contractor to fix how unhinged they became.

      Delete
    3. Kavanaugh’s daughter has much more wisdom than her father. She asked to pray for Dr. Ford. BK could not even be bothered to listen to Dr. Ford’s testimony.

      He was too busy creating a speech showing 46-1 how much they are alike.

      Disgusting.

      Delete
    4. I doubt BK did not watch BF's testimony this morning. How could he not want to know what she said?

      Delete
    5. BK said in his testimony he did not listen to Dr. Ford’s testimony.

      How could he not want to know what she said? Because angry,
      power-hungry, sexual predators do not care about their victims.

      Delete
    6. I think he did watch it. I cannot imagine him not having watched it.

      Delete
    7. Natasha and sdb, we can agree to disagree.

      The latest from the American Bar Association:

      http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/09/american-bar-association-delay-kavanaugh-confirmation.html

      Delete
    8. I think it's great to see that we have the potential to reaffirm the three co-equal branches of government.

      There will be equally no respect for Congress, the Presidency, AND the Supreme Court.

      Delete
    9. Either he watched it or someone told him what happened or he listened to it. He said he did not watch it. He did not say he did not listen to it.

      Delete
  62. If you didn't think the Supreme Court had become an embarrassment to the rule of law before, you would have to be a total fool not to believe it now.

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  63. EBOLA, HEROD
    I couldn't even think of a good(but obscure)clue for this one. Now that I think of it, David Spade once portrayed Jeff Foxworthy on Weekend Update to explain how one might have the EBOLA virus in the style of the "You Might Be A Redneck" jokes, but I only just remembered it now. It's just as well I didn't use it.

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  64. Who could possibly object to only 23% of the Supreme Court being known sexual deviates?

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  65. I would have no objections to taxpayer funds going to purchase a double bed that would be shared by Brett Kavanaugh and Bill Cosby.

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  66. “Who knows how many....” was reference to World Health Org given its dealings with Ebola.

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  67. "Her odds" in one of my previous posts was my clue. And today, Kavanaugh was belligerent and obnoxious, and "supposedly" sober. Imagine this guy after four or five beers.

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  68. Herod is a family name and there are at least four members of the family that went by the title Herod who significant played roles in the bible.

    Herod the Great - Famous from the Christmas story.
    Herod Antipas - had John the Baptist beheaded.
    Herod Agrippa I - had the apostle James, the brother of John and son of Zebedee, put to death by the sword.
    Herod Agrippa II - was instrumental in saving the Apostle Paul from being tried and imprisoned in Jerusalem by the Jewish authorities.

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  69. Something tells me that when a sequel to John Kennedy’s book, “Profiles in Courage,” is written, neither the tRump Administration nor its congressional enablers will get a chapter.

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    1. It already has been, and they don't. (Oddly, Nixon's pardoner and skydiveboy's friend, John McCain, do.)

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    2. [I should've been clearer: Oddly, Nixon's pardoner, Gerald Ford, and ...]

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    3. And I should have said, ... when the next sequel...

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  70. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  71. Using my blog title, I must reveal that in my preretirement life, I psychiatrically interviewed well over 5000 alcoholics most of them for forensic reasons.
    The comments that they only drank beer were common as were other attempts to minimize intake. I haven't seen tap dancing around questions of intake in a long time until yesterday, when Diane Feinstein tried to address the issue with Brett Kavanaugh. Six 12 0z bottles of beer contain the the same amount of alcohol as six 1.5 0z shots of whiskey, or six 5 oz glasses of wine. The whole circus is an outrage.

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    Replies
    1. Interesting, Clark a pseudonym. BK’s dancing around that question, minimizing his drinking as just beer, and asking his questioners if they ever blacked out was frat boy privilege extraordinaire, just aged 30+ years.

      Think any beer companies will look for BK endorsements?

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  72. Concerned that Dr. Ford said she was afraid to fly and yet flew to Hawaii and other places and yet did not want to fly to DC.

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    1. There is nothing unusual about her not being comfortable flying, yet flying when she needs to. Obviously she tries to limit her flying to the minimum she can.

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    2. Yeah, that was a pretty weak line of questioning on the part of Rachel Mitchell, and fortunately it didn't go anywhere.

      Before takeoff I like to recite the lines from this song, just to see who's a nervous flyer.

      Isn't it great that DJT is so magnanimous and intent on the rule of law that he's now calling for the FBI to investigate? /s

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    3. I think likely most people are not comfortable flying, in more than one way. Especially now.

      Ask yourself who has more motivation for lying.

      I hope the FBI investigation is thorough (though I am not holding my breath).

      eco, Simon Says. . .

      No /s here.

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  73. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. Natasha: please don't spread the right-wing conspiracy garbage.

      Feinstein's husband, Richard Blum, is one of 26 members of the Regents of the University of California, which is the governing board of UC. He was first appointed by Gray Davis to a 12 year term in 2002, and then re-appointed in 2014 by Jerry Brown. He is also very wealthy, though I'm sure that has nothing to do with it. /s

      Palo Alto University is a private non-profit university, and has nothing to do with the UC system. In fact they partner with Stanford (as does Dr. Blasey-Ford), and of course Stanford and UC hate each other. Or so it would seem by the drunk privileged frat boys who go to football games.

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    2. Thanks, eco. I was about to write something similar.

      I suggest two articles:

      https://truthout.org/articles/blasey-ford-white-male-privilege-and-the-reckoning-to-come/

      https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a23499571/brett-kavanaugh-hearing-republicans-white-male-rage/



      Delete
  74. I should have researched before posting. So sorry. Will delete. Thanks so much. By the way, Dr. Ford did not know the meaning of the word exculpatory. That surprised me as she has a PhD.

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  75. I saw that the FBI will look carefully at the Calendar BK brought yesterday. Will check for handwriting and age of ink etc. Would be a stupid move if BK just made up the calendar lately.

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    1. And, wouldn’t it be wonderful irony if BK’s 1982 calendars lead directly to pinpointing the gathering of Dr. Blasey Ford, BK, and Mark Judge, among others.

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  76. I have a brother-in-law who is very stressed out by flying. He passes on some family events, yet flying to Ireland from Portland Oregon sometimes,for work, he takes pills to cope. It's weird - he did not want to do the tram in Albuquerque either.

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