Spring Fever

Spring hit NYC today, at least temporarily. The thermometer hit 65 degrees today. The warm weather always makes me think of boats, which is the theme of today's puzzle by Billie Truitt. These are the theme answers to her puzzle "Shipshape."

20A: Poker Pack (DECK OF CARDS). The standard deck, of course, has 52 cards. When I was younger, I used to like looking at decks of cards that were created as promotional items, as well as those in "tourist" shops. Some of the face-value pictures were very interesting. I also was into doing paper crafts until I went back to work full-time. Here is an interesting craft project using a deck of cards on the blog Little Gray Fox. Of course, there is also the classic casino scene from the movie "Rainman" (see below). Finally, dating back to the 1300s, playing cards are a very popular collectible, whether they relate to another interest or part of a gambling memorabilia collection.

11A: Emulate a hen (HATCH AN EGG). There is a classic Porky Pig cartoon when a crooning competition begins between "Bing" and "Frankie," and the egg production on Porky's farm up to the wazoo. The cartoon is called "Swooner Crooner." Unfortunately, the video was taken off You Tube because WB owns the copyright. But I did find a picture of our crooning heroes (see below).

29D: Cooped-up restlessness (CABIN FEVER). This is what I've been feeling all winter, one of the coldest in my lifetime. We had about 50 inches of snow, along with several days below freezing. It took a toll on streets, on cars, and the economy. I promise I will NEVER complain about the humidity again!

58A: Start to pray, perhaps (BOW ONE'S HEAD). 

Alphabet soup:

1D: Military school (ACAD) 

6D: Grab-bag category (MISC)

15A: Figure on a driver's license (ID NO)

23A: Corporate money manager (CFO)

24A: Promissory note (IOU)

Today's cryptoquote by G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) reads: "Art consists of limitation. The most beautiful part of every picture is the frame." I never heard of this writer until I found out he was the author of the Father Brown series, which was about a priest-detective. Although he was English, there is a society in the U.S. devoted to his work. They publish a magazine called The Gilbert. 

JUMBLE: "The pioneer go so excited after seeing the homestead that his wife said. . . ." The man's name is Herschel. I didn't know there were Orthodox Jews on the prairie. 

Word list: WETIN = TWINE

PWEST = SWEPT

PORYTH = TROPHY

RADELY = DEARLY

SCRAMBLED SOLUTION: WNESTTODEL

ANSWER: SETTLE DOWN

That sounds like a good idea. Till tomorrow. . . 

Signing off,

The Puzzlechick