GHIMT = MIGHT

RTIDH = THIRD

DEEDLP = PEDDLE

FISHIN = FINISH

CARTOON ANSWER:

THE TOURISTS THOUGHT THEY’D BE ABLE TO VISIT BIG BEN, BUT THEY COULDN’T – – –

MITTIEDEFNH = FIND THE TIME

Happy Thursday, Jumble players! I think I might have achieved a new solve-time record with today’s game. All of the clue words jumped right out at me with only a slight hiccup on FISHIN. Very rarely does David have part of an anagram spell out an actual word, so to see FISH was a reel treat! With the F in the front and IN in the rear, FINISH came quickly into view allowing me to sail on over to the cartoon.

The setting for today’s panel appears to be a tourist attraction located somewhere in England. We see a man and woman at the gate of a landmark and they have that “not from around here” look about them. The man, who is sporting a fanny pack and camera, can be seen referencing a map while his partner snaps a picture with her cellphone camera. The subject of her photo is a rifle-toting guard who is in full uniform dress and wearing a tall bearskin hat. Reading the dialogue and sentence we learn that the location for this piece is the entrance to Big Ben and if these tourists don’t hurry, they just might miss their train!

Big Ben is actually the nickname for the Great Bell of the clock located at the north end of Westminster Palace. The official name of the tower in which it’s located is the Elizabeth Tower. Big Ben is the largest of five bells and weighs a whopping 13 tons! If you’re planning a visit anytime soon, you’ll surely be disappointed to learn that Big Ben has gone silent. The tower is going through a four-year renovation with an expected completion date in the 2020’s.

The letter layout for the surprise answer managed to keep the solution well hidden making for an impressive Jumble. Although the cartoon was well drawn and entertaining, the solve flowed naturally from the sentence that we were given making it no trouble whatsoever. Have a terrific Thursday, and I’ll see you tomorrow!