How Low Can You Go?

Welcome Spring! It's so nice to see you after a long and harsh winter!

This is also to time for people to cure their cabin fever and explore the world again. This brings us to today's puzzle by David W. Cromer called 'Low Places." Here are the theme answers:

Ichabod Crane

20A: Ichabod Crane's home (SLEEPY HOLLOW). I'm sure most of you read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow when you were young. The classic short story by Washington Irving takes place in Tarrytown, NY. It is the story of the conflict between the teacher Ichabod Crane and the town rowdy Brom Bones for the hand of the wealthy Katrina Van Tassel. Young Mr. Crane has a vivid imagination and is haunted by the ghost of the British spy Major Andre. After failing to win Katrina's hand in marriage, he runs away and encounters a cloaked rider known as The Headless Horseman. I will not give away any spoilers so you will have to read the ending yourself. Many towns and streets across the U.S. are named Sleepy Hollow and have streets that reflect characters fro m the story. The story has also been retold in countless movies, film, and TV adaptations, including the current Fox series Sleepy Hollow.



37A: Utah national park (BRYCE CANYON): Bryce Canyon National Park is not actually a canyon but a collection of natural amphitheaters and sedimentary rocks. I've never been to the park, but it looks really beautiful.

Originally inhabited by Native Americans (the Paiute tribe), Bryce Canyon was first explored by European Americans in the late 18th/early 19th century. The Mormons settled here because the land provided potential for agricultural development The park contains 13 viewpoints and at least eight well-maintained hiking trails. This is one of the favorite places in the U.S. for landscape photography.


53A: Big name in ranch dressing (HIDDEN VALLEY). I have a package of Hidden Valley Italian in my fridge, which I got as a freebie at the gym. I haven't had it yet since there is 140 calories in the packet. When you are counting calories like I am these days, I can find better uses for high-caloric content, such as chocolate.

The name "Hidden Valley" is a popular name for various places such as golf parks, ski resorts, campgrounds, and, of course, towns.

One clue that perplexed me was 3 Down: Question mark/exclamation combo (INTERROBANG). I've never heard this term before, but it was apparently popular during the late '60s and early '70s. I'm apparently too young to remember. Although not used as widely anymore, it still exists. Here's what it looks like in the Palatino typeface.


Alphabet soup:

36A: Network covering the NYSE (CNBC)
40A: Tax pros, for short (CPAS)
13D: Sp. woman (SRA)
58D: Web address, for short (URL)

The Canadian novelist Margaret Atwood is the author of today's cryptoquote and celebrates the new season:

In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.

Margaret Atwood is the author of one of my favorite novels, Cat's Eye. In the novel, artist Elaine Risley reflects on her childhood and teenage years. Her strongest memory is of the three girls--Cordelia, Carol, and Grace--her "best friends" who bullied her constantly. As she enters her teenage years, Elaine comes into her own, and Cordelia--the leader of the trio--is overweight, gets lousy grades, and no longer the most popular girl in school. As an adult, she is afraid of forming close relationships with other women because of her past. At a retrospective of Elaine's work, she faces her past and gets closure on the events of her childhood. I related to this book because similar situations happened to me in middle school. To this day, I still don't trust women and I feel more comfortable talking to guys. 

Today's JUMBLE contains a picture of a couple meeting with a funeral director. Of course, the couple is griping about the high costs of arranging a funeral. The caption reads: "The cemetery raised its burial fees and blamed it on the ____.

Word list:

BOIRT = ORBIT

MOVEN = VENOM

CESNIK = SICKEN

LUGRAF = FRUGAL

Scrambled solution: OITVNMSICFGL

Solution: COST OF LIVING

I believe this is true since many Americans are living longer lives. There are many ways one can cut funeral costs; you need to shop around and remain firm with negotiating. After all, the funeral director is running a business.

Enough about death and dying as we are also celebrating the International Day of Happiness today. Enjoy!

Until tomorrow. . . .

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick