TOLAT = TOTAL

RHODC = CHORD

PANIDU = UNPAID

HESBLU = BUSHEL

CARTOON ANSWER:

TTCOIDBHE = BOTCHED IT

Happy Thursday everyone!  I finally encountered the challenge that I was waiting for all week.  David chose excellent clue words, and it was the last two that had me stumped for quite some time.  I managed to get BUSHEL before UNPAID and they always look so easy after you solve them.  I’ve never played bocce so I was behind the eight ball before I even started to solve the cartoon.  Reading the dialogue and sentence I wasn’t too sure what the answer might be.  I wrote down CRACKED IT on a whim hoping that CRACKED was bocce lingo.  With all of the clue letters written down, I figured IT was the 2-letter word leaving BOTCHED to be deciphered in a snap.  Jeff drew a sign for PALM CAY prominently in the upper right hand corner of the cartoon so I did a quick web search.  It looks like Palm Cay is a development in the Bahamas so perhaps “Russ” is a friend or relative that resides there.  Looking at the master plan of the community, I found tennis and basketball courts but no mention of bocce.  Have a great day my friends and I’ll see you tomorrow.  🙂