Puzzle #613

[Pinot's Mom]

Sorry - kind of forgot about it - PM sent.

[Steve Arnold]

One x - and that's the last consonant on the board!

Now to check Pinot's Mom's answer ...

Th- d-g d-dn’t m-v-. - scratch-d h-s ch-st wh-r- Band-t l-k-d t- b- scratch-d. Th-s d-g l--k-d -p at m- w-th h-s -ars la-d back and th- sadd-st l--k
- hav- -v-r s--n -n a d-g’s fac-. -f d-gs c--ld cry, th-s d-g w--ld b- cry-ng hard.
“C-m- -n, d-g,” sa-d Barry. Th- d-g wagg-d h-s d-ck-d ta-l. -t wasn’t a happy wag. D-gs can say a l-t w-th th--r ta-ls, -r what p--pl- l-t th-m k--p -f th--r ta-ls. -f h- st-ll had a ta-l, -t w--ld b- b-tw--n h-s l-gs.
“S--ms l-k- s-m-b-dy t-ld h-m t- stay, s- h-’s stay-ng. -f h- s-ts m-ch l-ng-r, th- d-g ja-l-r w-ll c-m- al-ng and ha-l h-m -ff t- th- d-g bast-ll-.”
“C-m- -n, b-y, “ - c-ax-d. Th- d-g d-dn’t b-dg-.

Fr-m Str-d-r
by B-v-rly Cl-ary

Karen: T (42), M (12), L (29), P (6), D (39), V (4) = 132
Felicia's Mom: N (16) = 16
Pinot's Mom: S (34), H (33), W (11), B (13), A (78) = 169
Asiel: R (20), Y (12), G (20) = 64
cassiesmom: C (18), K (7), F (8), X (1) = 34
Killearn Kitties J (1) = 1

Letters left to guess:

EIOQUZ

[Steve Arnold]

Oh dear ... one missing letter in the last guess ... we're still open for the correct solution ...

[Pinot's Mom]

OK -since I was kicked off the island (so to speak) with an incorrect guess....

E, please!! There, I did it - I guessed the E!!

[Steve Arnold]

E, now that's rich! 59 of them!

Sorry I'm so late getting to this today, I had a long play rehearsal this afternoon and them company in the evening, so I'm just getting to this. Thanks for your patience.

The d-g d-dn’t m-ve. - scratched h-s chest where Band-t l-ked t- be scratched. Th-s d-g l--ked -p at me w-th h-s ears la-d back and the saddest l--k - have ever seen -n a d-g’s face. -f d-gs c--ld cry, th-s d-g w--ld be cry-ng hard.
“C-me -n, d-g,” sa-d Barry. The d-g wagged h-s d-cked ta-l. -t wasn’t a happy wag. D-gs can say a l-t w-th the-r ta-ls, -r what pe-ple let them keep -f te--r ta-ls. -f he st-ll had a ta-l, -t w--ld be between h-s legs.
“Seems l-ke s-meb-dy t-ld h-m t- stay, s- he’s stay-ng. -f he s-ts m-ch l-nger, the d-g ja-ler w-ll c-me al-ng and ha-l h-m -ff t- the d-g bast-lle.”
“C-me -n, b-y, “ - c-axed. The d-g d-dn’t b-dge.

Fr-m Str-der
by Beverly Clearly

Letters left to guess:

IOQUZ


Karen: T (42), M (12), L (29), P (6), D (39), V (4) = 132
Felicia's Mom: N (16) = 16
Pinot's Mom: S (34), H (33), W (11), B (13), A (78), E (59) = 297
Asiel: R (20), Y (12), G (20) = 64
cassiesmom: C (18), K (7), F (8), X (1) = 34
Killearn Kitties J (1) = 1

Come on, somebody should be able to get this now!

[Pinot's Mom]

OK - this one has gone on way too long!! I can't guess - someone who's eligible - GUESS!!!!

[Karen]

I cannot guess either! Now I see the word I got wrong, though!

[Catty1]

Gosh, I guess the vowels first. I, please! And I started too late so I am not in the running.

[Steve Arnold]

Hey, anyone's still in the running that can solve this and get me off the hook! I had a show open Thursday night (I'm directing) and I've been so busy I haven't even logged in here, but I check three times a day without logging in to see if there's been any action. Thanks for guessing!

There are 39 I's. Surely this will give someone the answer!


Th- d-g didn’t m-v-. I scratch-d his ch-st wh-r- Bandit lik-d t- b- scratch-d. This d-g l--k-d -p at m- with his -ars laid back and th- sadd-st l--k I hav- -v-r s--n -n a d-g’s fac-. If d-gs c--ld cry, this d-g w--ld b- crying hard.
“C-m- -n, d-g,” said Barry. Th- d-g wagg-d his d-ck-d tail. It wasn’t a happy wag. D-gs can say a l-t with th-ir tails, -r what p--pl- l-t th-m k--p -f th-ir tails. If h- still had a tail, it w--ld b- b-tw--n his l-gs.
“S--ms lik- s-m-b-dy t-ld him t- stay, s- h-’s staying. If h- sits m-ch l-ng-r, th- d-g jail-r will c-m- al-ng and ha-l him -ff t- th- d-g bastill-.”
“C-m- -n, b-y, “ I c-ax-d. Th- d-g didn’t b-dg-.

Fr-m Strid-r
by B-v-rly Cl-ary

Letters left to guess:

OQUZ

Karen: T (42), M (12), L (29), P (6), D (39), V (4) = 132
Felicia's Mom: N (16) = 16
Pinot's Mom: S (34), H (33), W (11), B (13), A (78), E (59) = 297
Asiel: R (20), Y (12), G (20) = 64
cassiesmom: C (18), K (7), F (8), X (1) = 34
Killearn Kitties J (1) = 1
Catty1: I (39) = 78

Come on, can't someone figure this out now?

[Catty1]

Steve - are you sure you got all the E's?

PM sent

[Steve Arnold]

Oops! I accidentally pulled up the solution that I'd had before the e was guessed. I save it each time I add a letter, but at this point it doesn't matter since WE HAVE A WINNER! Congratulations, Catty1!

Here's the complete solution -


The dog didn’t move. I scratched his chest where Bandit liked to be scratched. This dog looked up at me with his ears laid back and the saddest look I have ever seen on a dog’s face. If dogs could cry, this dog would be crying hard.
“Come on, dog,” said Barry. The dog wagged his docked tail. It wasn’t a happy wag. Dogs can say a lot with their tails, or what people let them keep of their tails. If he still had a tail, it would be between his legs.
“Seems like somebody told him to stay, so he’s staying. If he sits much longer, the dog jailer will come along and haul him off to the dog bastille.”
“Come on, boy, “ I coaxed. The dog didn’t budge.

From Strider
By Beverly Cleary


Strider is the sequel to Beverly Cleary's novel Dear Mr. Henshaw, which won the 1984 Newbery award, one of my all time favorite kids' novels. Strider was published in 1991. The two books focus on young Leigh Botts as he adjusts to his parents' breakup, and each features a dog - Bandit in the first, and then Strider. Both are beautiful, poignant, funny stories.

Thank you for solving the puzzle, Catty1!

[Catty1]

Steve, as I scrolled back through the last few posts I saw that the wrong one was copied in. No matter.

I will host the next one - stay tuned!