CLUHG = GULCH

ZUGEA = GAUZE

POLFYP = FLOPPY

SACWEH = CASHEW

CARTOON ANSWER:

COMPARED TO OTHER BIRDS, WHEN IT COMES TO RESTING, THE FLAMINGO – – –

GH AU LP ASE = HAS A LEG UP

🦩 A nap on one knee, as calm as can be 🦩

🦩 Good Morning, Jumble Friends! 🦩

Today’s Jumble has us wading into the shallows with one of nature’s most flamboyant nappers—the flamingo. While most birds need both feet on the ground to get comfortable, this fellow prefers to stand tall on just one. It’s balance, it’s style, and it’s the perfect setup for a puzzle that proves sometimes the best rest is just a leg up.

🔍 Clue Word Breakdown 🔍

GULCH (CLUHG) – This one came quickly once you spot the “-ULCH” ending.
Last used – 11/14/2024 as CHLUG. Also used: 1/30/2002, 8/13/1997, 10/17/1984, 5/19/1981, 3/26/1965.

GAUZE (ZUGEA) – The Z threw a little curve, but “-AU-” in the middle locked it down.
Last used – 2/10/2025 as ZUEGA. Also used: 1/30/2020, 8/23/2018, 3/16/1996, 9/26/1990, 11/16/1984, 2/07/1979, 5/29/1974, 8/22/1969.

FLOPPY (POLFYP) – Not often we see this one—wanted to start “PLY-” but landed better with “-PPY.”
Last used – 6/08/2020 as PLYOFP. (New scramble today.)

CASHEW (SACWEH) – The C/S shuffle slowed it down, but once you hear “-CHEW,” you’re there.
Last used – 7/09/2025 as ASCWEH. (New scramble today.)
If I had to pick one as the toughest of the set, this would be it—though none really gave much trouble today.

🌊 Puzzle Analysis — Setting & Setup 🌊

The cartoon sets us by a quiet lagoon, where a flamingo demonstrates its signature one-legged stance. Two smaller birds look on in curiosity, trying to understand how anyone could nap this way. The dialogue is light, the setting simple, and the visual gag points us straight to the solution.

💎 Jeff’s Gems 🦩

• The flamingo’s one-legged stance stays center stage, clear and unmistakable.
• The weight-bearing foot creates small ripple rings and a soft shadow, grounding the pose at the water’s edge.
• Half-lidded eyes plus the relaxed “S”-curve in the neck sell the nap.
• Palm fronds and shoreline frame the scene without crowding the flamingo—negative space keeps that single leg easy to spot.

✅ Final Solve ✅

Our final anagram was GHAULPASE, which resolved to HAS A LEG UP. The gag works because the flamingo quite literally rests on one leg, while the phrase also means to have an advantage. Just another reminder that humor—like balance—keeps us all upright.

✒️ Puzzle Poetry ✒️

Limerick

One flamingo stood tall in the sun,
On one leg while its nap had begun.
The ducks seemed confused,
By the stance that it used,
But a leg up can make sleeping fun.

Haiku

Soft shoreline whisper;
the posture nature rehearsed—
rest on simple trust.

Acrostic: FLAMINGO

F lamingos don’t flop,
L ift one leg and rest easy,
A trick they all know.
M ost birds couldn’t try it,
I t’s baffling to see.
N aps come with balance,
G iving a leg up,
O n all of the flock.

🦩 Flamingo Facts — Click to Reveal 💡🦩

1) What part of a flamingo’s leg is really its “knee”?

What looks like the knee is actually the ankle joint. (Wikipedia)

2) Why do flamingos often stand on one leg?

Thanks to a passive locking mechanism, it actually takes less effort than standing on two. (Wikipedia)

3) Where do flamingos get their pink color from?

From the carotenoid pigments in shrimp and algae they eat. (Wikipedia)

4) What color are young flamingos when they’re born?

They start out gray and gradually turn pink as they age. (Wikipedia)

5) What’s the name for a group of flamingos?

A flamboyance of flamingos. (Wikipedia)

🎂 Celebrity Birthdays Today 🎂

• Warren Buffett (95) – Investor & philanthropist, born in Omaha, Nebraska (Wikipedia) 💰
• Cameron Diaz (53) – Actress (There’s Something About Mary), born in San Diego, California (Wikipedia) 🎬
• Van Morrison (80) – Singer-songwriter (Moondance), born in Belfast, Northern Ireland (Wikipedia) 🎶
• Richard Gere (76) – Actor (Pretty Woman), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Wikipedia) 🎥
• Andy Roddick (43) – Tennis champion, born in Omaha, Nebraska (Wikipedia) 🎾

🍴 National Food Holiday Today 🍴

National Toasted Marshmallow Day – A day to celebrate the gooey, golden treat that’s been a campfire favorite for generations. Whether you like them lightly browned or charred to a crisp, it’s the perfect excuse to enjoy a sweet bite of nostalgia. 🔥🍫

And with Labor Day weekend upon us, here’s wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday. Take a well-earned rest — you’ve earned a leg up! 🇺🇸🦩