It's Valentine's weekend! What could be more romantic than "There's A Kind of Hush", as performed by Herman's Hermits...
Personally, I think the version performed by Karen Carpenter (see the top of last night's warm-up diary) is more romantic.
But the Sunday Puzzle gremlins disagree! They insist the most romantic song ever is... well, you'll have to read tonight's diary for the answer to that.
Welcome to Sunday Puzzle, a weekly series for people who enjoy light mental exercise spiced with politics, humor, and odd bits of trivia.
On tap tonight: a brand new JulieCrostic, and the solution to the One-Off puzzle the gremlins contributed to the potluck puzzle party 2 weeks ago.
I expected to be away last night, but there was a last minute complication and I had to cancel my planned trip. The verticals in last night's warm-up JulieCrostic spelled out where I had intended to be yesterday; the verticals in tonight's JulieCrostic will spell out why I wanted to be there.
Before we get to tonight's JulieCrostic, though, here are some NOTES FOR NEWCOMERS REGARDING JULIECROSTICS:
JulieCrostics are a special kind of acrostic puzzle, named in honor of Julie Waters who started the Sunday Puzzle series here a little over 7 years ago. If you're not familiar with how JulieCrostics work you can find a detailed explanation in last night's Sunday Puzzle Warm-Up.
If you're new you should be warned that we have some mischievous gremlins who like to tamper with the Sunday night puzzle clues. In particular you should keep in mind:
* you can't trust the clue capitalization;
* you can't trust the clue punctuation;
* sometimes you can't even trust the word spacing.
The gremlins also like bundling the clues into tidy little groups of 3, regardless of how many answers there actually are per row. If the number of clues doesn't divide evenly by 3, they add a space-filler clue or two at the end to fill out the final bundle.
A small request: please don't put any any spoilers in the comment subject lines. Use the subject line of comments to identify what your comment will be about but keep any guesses as to clue answers or the verticals confined to the comment itself. That way folks who are still trying to crack a clue for themselves won't inadvertently see the answer before they're ready to see it. Thanks!
Okay, I think that covers all the basics. Here are the clues for tonight's puzzle. Have fun, and I hope to see you in comments!
1. comparable
2. anonymous
3. kind of reader
4. spinning tank
5. put forth
6. decks
7. short pin
8. variety
9. a fine girl, reputedly
10. flees
11. trials location
12. riding animals
13. maverick
14. comic butler (currently a bartender)
15. what it's often said children should know
16. bluff
17. a bond
18. a kind of bulb
19. encourage
20. race prize
21. mushes
22. wear out
23. worn out
24. kind of end
25. hurricane I like
26. raises
27. butcher bird
28. allows
29. bible money
30. dinner times
31. body wave
32. like 29 or 31
33. allow
34. rescue
35. boisterous gatherings
36. changes
47. often follows a high
38. tests
39. Messina's clients
40. fascinated by
41. make a pass
42. without a clue
At the top of tonight's diary is a YouTube of Herman's Hermits singing "There's a Kind of Hush". Here are the complete lyrics to what they sing. (The ellipsis a little past halfway down is where they simply sing a lot of
La La La.)
There's a kind of hush
All over the world tonight
All over the world
You can hear the sound of lovers in love
You know what I mean
Just the two of us and nobody else in sight
There's nobody else and I'm feeling good
Just holding you tight
So listen very carefully
Get closer now and you will see
What I mean
It isn't a dream
The only sound that you will hear
Is when I whisper in your ear
"I love you
forever and ever"
There's a kind of hush
All over the world tonight
All over the world
You can hear the sound of lovers in love
...
So listen very carefully
Get closer now and you will see what I mean
It isn't a dream
The only sound that you will hear
Is when I whisper in your ear
"I love you
forever and ever"
There's a kind of hush
All over the world tonight
All over the world
People just like us are falling in love
Two weeks ago the gremlins contributed their version of a romantic One-Off puzzle to the potluck puzzle party, which they updated last week to make (they say) even more romantic. Here's their song:
"Asshole Variety Exists"
by Cain's Talking Frogs
Asshole variety exists,
Sex partner. Everything this evening,
Sex partner -- everything.
Noise from Britney Spears and Rush Limbaugh is audible.
The definition of cruelty is something you're aware of.
Simply you, me, plus an awareness only we have.
We're alone; moreover, my fingers are touching something sticky.
Simply having your body in my grip could be.
Therefore, enumerate males with great attention to detail.
Position yourself very near, else rod won't be visible.
Define average!
(Ointment doesn't match the definition.)
Sole noise henceforth causing panic
Occurs at time of my crying softly into puzzle-solver's hearing organ,
"French coin makes me very happy
In favor of Medgar-Carradine pairing!"
Asshole variety exists,
Sex partner. Everything this evening,
Sex partner -- everything.
Listener's ears are capable of detecting noises made by Romney and Palin, who care deeply about each other.
.....
Therefore, enumerate males with great attention to detail.
Position yourself very near, else rod won't be visible.
Define average!
(Ointment doesn't match the definition.)
Sole noise henceforth causing panic
Occurs at time of my crying softly into puzzle-solver's hearing organ,
"French coin makes me very happy
In favor of Medgar-Carradine pairing!"
Asshole variety exists,
Sex partner. Everything this evening,
Sex partner -- everything.
Humans exactly identical to you and me do romantic relationships poorly now.
What the gremlins did was take the lyrics to "There's a Kind of Hush" and make them (they insist) more romantic. Here are the conversions:
There's a kind of hush
(h to R): There's a kind of Rush
Asshole variety exists,
All over the world tonight
(- l): A lover, the world, tonight
Sex partner. Everything this evening,
All over the world
(- l): A lover, the world
Sex partner -- everything.
You can hear the sound of lovers in love
(v to s): You can hear the sound of losers in love
Noise from Britney Spears and Rush Limbaugh is audible.
You know what I mean
(I to s): You know what's mean
The definition of cruelty is something you're aware of.
Just the two of us and nobody else in sight
(+ s): Just the two of us and nobody else's insight
Simply you, me, plus an awareness only we have.
There's nobody else and I'm feeling good
(- d): There's nobody else and I'm feeling goo
We're alone; moreover, my fingers are touching something sticky.
Just holding you tight
(t to m): Just holding you might
Simply having your body in my grip could be.
So listen very carefully
(+ m): So list men very carefully
Therefore, enumerate males with great attention to detail.
Get closer now and you will see
(+ o): Get close or no wand you will see
Position yourself very near, else rod won't be visible.
What I mean
(I to s): What's "mean"?
Define average!
It isn't a dream
(d to c): It isn't a cream
(Ointment doesn't match the definition.)
The only sound that you will hear
(h to f): The only sound that you will fear
Sole noise henceforth causing panic
Is when I whisper in your ear
(s to m): Is when I whimper in your ear
Occurs at time of my crying softly into puzzle-solver's hearing organ,
"I love you
(y to s): "I love sou
"French coin makes me very happy
Forever and ever"
(+ s): For Evers and Ever"
In favor of Medgar-Carradine pairing!"
There's a kind of hush
(h to R): There's a kind of Rush
Asshole variety exists,
All over the world tonight
(- l): A lover, the world, tonight
Sex partner. Everything this evening,
All over the world
(- l): A lover, the world
Sex partner -- everything.
You can hear the sound of lovers in love
(v to s): You can hear the sound of losers in love
Listener's ears are capable of detecting noises made by Romney and Palin, who care deeply about each other.
...
So listen very carefully
(+ m): So list men very carefully
Therefore, enumerate males with great attention to detail.
Get closer now and you will see
(+ o): Get close or no wand you will see
Position yourself very near, else rod won't be visible.
What I mean
(I to s): What's "mean"?
Define average!
It isn't a dream
(d to c): It isn't a cream
(Ointment doesn't match the definition.)
The only sound that you will hear
(h to f): The only sound that you will fear
Sole noise henceforth causing panic
Is when I whisper in your ear
(s to m): Is when I whimper in your ear
Occurs at time of my crying softly into puzzle-solver's hearing organ,
"I love you
(y to s): "I love sou
"French coin makes me very happy
Forever and ever"
(+ s): For Evers and Ever"
In favor of Medgar-Carradine pairing!"
There's a kind of hush
(h to R): There's a kind of Rush
Asshole variety exists,
All over the world tonight
(- l): A lover, the world, tonight
Sex partner. Everything this evening,
All over the world
( - l): A lover, the world
Sex partner -- everything.
People just like us are falling in love
(l to i): People just like us are failing in love
Humans exactly identical to you and me do romantic relationships poorly now.
The first version the gremlins came up with was adapted from the cover of the song done by the
Floor Coverers (i.e. The
Carpetters). Their improved version was adapted from the cover done by
Cain's Talking Frogs (i.e.
Herman's Kermits).
But the song was actually written by Not As Much Stick [aka Les(s) Reed] and Dismount from King and Colbert [aka Ge(t)off Stephens].