MSCOUT – CUSTOM
TALYNE – NEATLY
CLOLEA – LOCALE
RNHUCC – CRUNCH
FISYTH – SHIFTY
LONEOD – NOODLE
CARTOON ANSWER: MANY OF THE COMMUTERS HEADING INTO THE STATION HAD COLDS. TOGETHER THEY RODE THE – – –
CO AT OCA RNH HI OO = “ACHOO-CHOO” TRAIN
Good Morning, Everyone! 🚉 A RAIL OF WOE? 🚉
🎶 Pardon me, Boy…Is that the Chattanooga CHOO CHOO?…Yes, yes track twenty-nine, Boy, you can gimme a shine? …Can you afford to board the Chattanooga CHOO CHOO? I’ve got my fare…And just a trifle to spare…🎶 “Chattanooga Choo Choo” – The Andrew Sisters – 1940’s
🚉 Commuting can be stressful to those who ride the rails,
You’re often crowded into cars…congestion’s what prevails.
You feel yourself within the CRUNCH, it’s usually the norm,
You go in dressed so NEATLY, but you easily transform.
Think wet NOODLE and you will get an idea of the woes…
A SHIFTY guy you’re watching just stands there and blows his nose.
While CUSTOM’s no eye contact, no matter your LOCALE,
Just being packed so tightly most times this does not allow…
So when cold season’s upon us and it now becomes our bane?
You’re destined to be boarding what we call “ACHOO-CHOO”TRAIN! 🚉
We’ve often spoken here about the various ways we all go about solving our puzzles. And there are many…No one way is correct, just as no other way is wrong…Lately, I’ve fallen into the habit of immediately ZEROING in on the cartoon and the answer CIRCLES first…So this morning, as soon as I saw our conductor, TYPHOID GARY, SNEEZING , and noted the quotation marks, I thought RAILS and CHOOs…”A” CHOOS of course, because of the sneezing, and Rails because you only see a Conductor on the Rail LINES, not the Subway TRAINS. A quick glance at the words, showed an “L” in 3 of our words, but just a sole “R”. Figuring I was on the right TRACK, my first STOP was CRUNCH…So FAR so good. But by then, with 🎶Chattanooga Choo Choo🎶 already playing in my head, I’m thinking..Choo Choo Rails? STOP, that’s not right…And then I realized what I needed was a different TRAIN of thought…Oh, I CAUGHT IT! CLANG! CLANG!! …Oh, wait…That was the Trolley…Anyway…With the solution now in hand, I turned to our words…Mascot? Hmm, a little TICK…ET’s CUSTOM. NEATLY, ✔️..LOCALE, ✔️, FISHY? Not to a “T”…So I stared for a second..SHIFTY, ✔️NOODLE, ✔️. Done! NEXT STOP? I checked and besides our words all being Sweet Repeats, I saw that two of them, NEATLY and LOCALE both previously appeared together, on March 26th of 2017. I just thought I’d EXPRESS that fact…So, just to RED CAP…I mean Recap…A TRAIN full of Sneezing Passengers? They’re riding the …“ACHOO-CHOO” TRAIN! Ding! Ding! Good one, David! RAIL good one!
Ok, eye candy…With all of the Passengers CONDUCTing themselves in pretty much the same manner, there’s not much to CHOOS from.. Crazy seeing all these people spreading germs like this though, right? Riding this LOCOmotive? I’m RAILy aFREIGHT of how this may TURN out…But besides the two other cars in the background, with little people visible through the windows, the scenery doesn’t give me much to CHOO on…I think I’ll just CHUG it off for today…So, There you have it Folks, the END OF THE LINE! Have a great day, Everyone! And remember…Being dishonest can only harm your STATION in life…Always looking over your SHOULDER, needing to cover your TRACKS all the TIME..Better to walk a straight LINE and EXPRESS yourself truthFULLy…Yea, That’s the TICKET! 🚉🙋🏻
Jumble Answers 
There was nothing SHIFTY about the patrons at the NOODLE eatery and the LOCALE was NEATLY maintained by the CUSTOM of never leaving containers to CRUNCH underfoot.
CUSTOM had me pause for a while and when I cannot get the first word immediately, I am often flummoxed with others. Today, I had to skip around and solve the scrambled words out of order. But when I looked at the cartoon and saw all those “Os” the solution came easily.
An old song Angela, but one I remember well ,, thanks for dredging up that memory.
Haven’t been on a train in many, many years but I sympathize with those who share a limited space with strangers and all their peculiarities—including germs and odors.
Great poem and I am always impressed with your ability to put the solution at the end—cannot be easy but you make it appear a snap.
Have a restful Sunday and smile at those you see—strangers or those you see everyday.
Good Morning, Earl. Kudos! LOL…The Noodle Factory is brilliant! Your statement regarding skipping over CUSTOM lends credence to what I was saying in my opening about the different means to an end. Paul often mentions the scrambled order in which he solves. There’s nothing etched in stone when it comes to doing the Jumble..It all depends on what catches your eye…And I agree, the solution, in light of what was seen and “heard” in the cartoon was a give-away. The song…TBT? Anytime someone sneezes with an exaggerated “ACHOO” sound? The song starts “playing”! 😂😂 I know…I’m weirdly-wired! 😉Thanks for the Shout Outs..As for the poem? You know I’m all about the punch line, and it’s the only way to truly wrap up the puzzles’ theme. Sometimes I even write the closing before I compose the poem itself, because if anything, it’s going to be the toughest fit. And I thank you for noticing…it’s not easy, but that weird wiring I mentioned? It comes in handy with rhymes…For some reason they always just came very easily to me…Earl, I’m curious…Your weather up there? We’re deluged here..Local weatherman last night phrased it as..”The “monsoons” we’re having today”. It’s been insane. .We were forced to call off two parties we had planned y’day, and with all the food cooked, scrambled to find enough room to freeze what we could. And then all crossed our fingers that we wouldn’t have power failures, which would deem it all moot! 😂 And my friends and family out in Jersey are faring way worse…I read something last night, I don’t remember where…”West Coast burning, Midwest bone dry, East Coast flooding, record high temperatures. Get used to it. This is the future man has helped create.” Serious food for thought, huh? Anyway, I apologize..This is longer than usual…But I’ve extra time, since I don’t have to worry about that “Sunday” cooking this morning…we have so much from y’day…😉 (There’s that “food” again)! 😂 I wish you a restful Sunday too, Earl, and thanks again for your kind words..Ciao! 🚉 🙋🏻
Quick reply because I have to shepherd two nephews at a water park.
Weather up here has been delightful for the last four days. Today I believe is the last of the “gems”. Next week– some of the coastal weather you have had.
If you get a chance, check out the Sodus Point Lighthouse and park on Google that I mentioned yesterday. Some great photos.
Hope your food gets eaten, rather than the alternative. 😱 😭 👍🏽
Earl…I did check it out. I went through a ton of stuff. There was a wealth of information, besides the pictures…I replied to you about it last night. When you get a chance, look at yday’s page. Enjoy the weather and the park…Your nephews are blessed to have you…and vice versa! Talk to you later! 😘🙋🏻…
PS: Oh, and as for the food? Eating it’s NEVER a problem around here! 😂 It’s the storing that sometimes causes concern..But we got it all in! …Now as I said, we’re just praying we don’t get any power failures! 🙋🏻
Good morning. Thanks Angela for the good laugh you gave me seeing your song choice. “Perfect” Loved your poem as well. Earl,you always come through. A noodle restaurant would peak my interest. Today’s words from 1-6 were solved in this fashion 6,1,5,2,3,4. I too had trouble with Custom as you can see. As I said before if the word does not come to me in a minute or so,I move on to the next and so on. I almost always never look at the cartoon until I solve the words. If I’m stuck on a word then I’ll try to solve the cartoon to get the letters for the word I missed. Until tomorrow stay well.
Good Morning, Brooklyn! Always happy when I get you to laugh! You know you do so for me…And yes, I know the method to your madness with solving..which is why I pointed it out to Earl…But here’s my question…Custom couldn’t have given you that much trouble, if you solved it second. Or am I not following? I do remember last time you gave me some convoluted mathematical anomaly…that only a Brooklynite could understand…And yet I failed at it! Is it happening again? Maybe I’ve been away too long??!! 😂😂 Thanks for the Shout Outs, you know I always appreciate it..😘 Have a good one, Bud…Oh.. How are you doing with the rain? 🚉🙋🏻
You read it wrong. #1 was 6th,#2 was 1st,#3 was 5th and so on. Ever since the house behind me let me have their tree taken down I haven’t been flooded in the basement to much. It was well worth the expense to have it removed. That’s that much leaves I have to worry about. I also have to worry about my neighbor to my right because if his drain is clogged the water runs to my side and it can’t handle all that rain. It pours down my basement steps like Niagara Falls. The drain down there can’t handle all that water and it builds up and spills over a 8″ wall and goes in the basement door. Thank God it happened only one so far since that tree was taken down. Came close but that wall gives me enough time to hook up my pump and send the water elsewhere.
Paul…LOL..After I sent the reply, I was sitting here doing Kakuro, and for some reason the numerology of it made me think of your rundown..and I went back and looked at it again, and remembered your “system”! It makes sense when you explain it…but I don’t know..there’s just something about it that makes me SMH’ LOL…You definitely invested wisely removing that tree…Sounds like a nightmare…We don’t get flooded here where I am like they do on the South Shore. It’s a disaster there every time it rains…going on for years…And they’re all stuck, because where are they going? Who’d buy the houses there? It’s sad…I’m on a slab here, so basement flooding isn’t an issue…The streets do look like rivers though when it comes down like it did y’day, but thank God we have good drainage from the sewers…I never remember this much rain though, in this short a period of time…And it’s not “rainy” season yet! …Anyway, I’m glad you got over…Now the sun’s out …for a change of pace…Lets see if it lasts so we can get both games in today…Maybe I shouldn’t have said it, huh??? 😷😷😂! ⚾️🙋🏻
Hi, all! Today’s Jumble puzzle reminded me of me. With my violent cough and allergies, I use a whole box of 230 Kleenex every 24 hours. While I was teaching, we bought them by the case. Now we buy the 10 packs at Costco, 4 packs at a time. My “beautiful” spare bedroom looks like a Kleenex warehouse.
I “knew” the last word in the answer would be TRAIN, but had to solve all the words and write the circled letters in a row before being sure of the cute pun answer.
When I began feeling better and with daughters back to teaching school and not around to hound me to rest, I overdid and got back down to 95 pounds. It frightened me and made me cry, so now I am taking it easy again but I surely do miss getting to comment more here.
O.K., I’ll tell you one adorable thing that happened this week in our younger daughter’s 2nd grade classroom on the first day of school. One of her students raised her precious little hand and said, “I just LOVE 2nd grade!” That was quite a tribute to how our daughter treats her little ones and loves teaching them.
Hi Lelia…I had to read your last paragraph over, because I thought I was misunderstanding..You mentioned first day of school…We don’t go back until 3 days after Labor Day..Big difference..but I forgot about the different climates involved across the country…Although everything seems to be changing lately…Yes, it was a very cute pun in today’s answer…and one I’m sure many commuters are smiling at today! Well maybe not smiling…but commiserating! Have a good one! 🚉🙋🏻
Thanks, Angela. We used to begin school when you do. I wish that just one of the “powers that be” who decided we’d begin the first of August would be required to strap on a heavy backpack and walk to and from the school closest to his/her home 3 days in a row during the blistering heat & debilitating humidity of the first of August in Arizona.
Leila..Real quick. I think it has to do with the number of school days required…the kids here go to school until the very end of June, I’m guessing by you the school year ends earlier…Lelia, you mention humidity..I thought there wasn’t any out there…Or is that just a joke, the dry heat comments? The humidity’s a killer! Must the kids walk? How about Uber? Gotta run…Talk to you later 🙋🏻
Hi Lelia – Yes, it looks like the schools in Oakland start tomorrow.
I hope one of your new doctors can help with the allergies and you’re feeling better soon.
Hi, Steve! Thank you for your encouraging words hoping that our new doctors do a better job and that I feel better soon. Finding a comment like that from you to me is like receiving a much-appreciated present wrapped in pretty paper & topped with a big pink (my favorite color) bow. If you missed the comment I made to you day before yesterday about your song from the ceiling in Safeway, take a look. I liked the rendition that I found on Google. How miserable weather wise is it for the Oakland youngsters that walk to & from school this time of year?
Lelia, the words ‘miserable’ and ‘weather’ don’t go together here near the bay. The kids here have it so easy. It’s been highs in the mid 70’s and overnight lows in the low 60’s for weeks here now and the humidity is never noticeable. 30 miles east, you could be talking 80’s and 90’s.
Thanks for the heads up about your comment – I did miss that somehow. Dire Straits had a string of good videos then (check out “Money For Nothing”).
Hi All –
Only crunch and shifty came easily to me, and I needed the answer before being able to solve neatly and custom.
My uncle used to do the crossword puzzle on the train along with some fellow commuters. They had different handicaps in terms of time.
Unfortunately, Angela, this does seem to be the new normal for weather.
Hi Caroline…..How’re you? The new normal is right…(I think there was a TV show, wasn’t there)? ..You know I thought of you when I read that sound byte I sent Earl. Too true…and too disheartening …I used to do my puzzles on the train also, but I would be on there so early in the morning.. 20 to 6, that there were hardly any other people to “play” with! Maybe just a handful..spread out through the car…I would have loved the interaction…Only good thing about commuting so early? …I always got a seat! I’m glad you got the puzzle solved..it definitely was a cute one today…Have a great day, Caroline. Take care. 🚉🙋🏻
I’m good, thanks. We actually have had some really nice weather here, as Earl said.
Boy, that was an early commute you had. Wishing you and everyone a great day, too.
Caroline…I’m sorry, I never saw this. The weather cleared up and we decided to put the party back on…A lot of scrambling! It’s beautiful out now! Yea, it was early…I opted for the 7 o’clock start so I could get out early enough to take care of my Mother. By 5:30 I was on that platform, hoping that the train pulled in a little early…and once in a blue moon it did! LOL…Hope you’re enjoying your day! Ciao! 🚉🙋🏻
Hi all – Got NOODLE more quickly than I would have otherwise by using the trick of putting the double letters together. Then I saw CHURN before CRUNCH, got SHIFTY after putting the Y at the end, and LOCALE took the longest. The best I could do was A CELLO, but saw it just before I had to write it down. Thought “Take the A Train” at first, but reading the clue made it obvious.
Two contrasting views of taking the train:
🎵”Downtown he’s just one of a million guys
He don’t get no breaks
And he takes all they got to give
‘Cause he’s got to live🎵 “Uptown”, The Crystals, 1962
🎵”The lights are much brighter there
You can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares
So go downtown, things’ll be great when you’re
Downtown, no finer place for sure
Downtown everything’s waiting for you”🎵 “Downtown”, Petula Clark, 1964
Hope you have a great Sunday!
Another good choice Steve. Do you know that today on CBS channel 2 from the 9:00-10:30 show they did piece on her life. She was the Shirley Temple of Britain. I never knew she was that good and well loved. She is in her 80s and still doing singing tours from her bus.
Paul..I caught that piece this morning…And she looks totally amazing for 85, right? Hard to believe…Unreal!! God Bless her! 🎶🙋🏻
Thanks for the info Paul! I’ll,have to see if they have the clip online.
Hey, Steve…A CELLO made me LOL..Only you! G, you do realize that as cool as both these songs are, and 🎶Uptown🎶 was a big score here in NY,…neither has anything to do with trains, right? They’re both life style songs…the big difference between living uptown and down..I’m trying to remember if the word train was even mentioned in either one…TBT? I may need to Google it! 😂 I’m a little sketchy on the complete lyrics…But what made you CHOOse these 2 songs? Party’s back on…Just taking a break..Never saw these last emails. Junk folder…Pauls brought me to them…Hope you’re having a good one…Talk to you later…🚉🙋🏻
The puzzle said ‘commuters’ so I figured they were going downtown. 🙋🏻♂️
LOL…Hmm! 😉🙋🏻
A CELLO fit better than OCELOT! 🙋🏻♂️
Yes, it did! 🤦🏻♀️