What is the worst gift you have ever received? I can think of a few: boxes of chocolates that I didn't need when trying to lose weight; a coin sorter; and a silk flower arrangement. There was also the Flexible Flyer sled, which was a cool gift, but I actually had to share it with my siblings. I was not (and still not) good at sharing, lol. However, I think the worst gift I ever got one Chanukah was a personalized snow shovel (with my initials). This meant that I would actually help shoveling the driveway and sidewalk, along with cleaning off the cars. I am so glad I don't have to do either now.
20A: YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE
37A: THIS CAN"T BE FOR ME
48A: JUST WHAT I WANTED (which crosses with JEWELS (45D: Stones in crowns)!
Of course, for those who don't like their gifts or have too many of the same thing, there is the art of regifting. In fact, the third Thursday in December has been officially declared as National Regifting Day. You should only regift new and unused items. Don't give anything that is engraved with your name (or someone else's). Partially-used gift cards are tacky, too.
For more bad gifts, please go to Why Did You Buy Me That? Some of the gifts are hilarious compared to my pathetic snow shovel.
Other comments: LAMA (11D: Tibetan Priest) crosses with LAVA (16A: Liquid rock)
ABHOR (26D: Can't stand) crosses with ABASH (34D: EMBARRASS)
Alphabet soup:
23A: Tax form agcy.: IRS
43A: Timecard stats: HRS.
53D: Sgts. and cpls.: NCOs
Today's cryptoquote is by Jean Giraudoux:
The flower is the poetry of reproduction. It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life.
Jean Giraudoux (1882-1944) was a French diplomat, novelist, essayist, and playwright. I couldn't find much about him, but many of the themes in his works concern man reaching for the unattainable fantasy. He was considered one of the most prominent dramatists between World War I and World War II. The quote is from a play called The Enchanted (1933).
Finally, we have the JUMBLE. The picture is of a foolish man about to go swimming. Both his wife and the captain of the boat warn him that he shouldn't go in the water. The caption reads "He didn't think he would be eaten by a crocodile, but he was _______.
Word list:
ECINE = NIECE
DARUF = FRAUD
DILNAS = ISLAND
GEEERM = EMERGE
Scrambled solution: NIDILNEE
Soulution: IN "DE-NILE."
I didn't know there were sharks in the Nile. But there are plenty of other dangerous animals: crocodiles, poisonous snakes, and pirahnas.
On that note, it's time to go. I hope my boys survived the exterminator, who was coming for the annual routine treatment for bed bugs.
Till tomorrow. . . .
Signing off,
The Puzzlechick
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