First, pick a quotation, then figure out the possibilities for your starting letters.
janet (0 or 1 or 5) evanovich (9), visions of sugar plums (19)
so multiples of 28, 29, or 33
280, 290, 330
252, 261, 297
308, 319, 363
336, 348, 264
I glanced down at my watch. It was two-thirty. And I only had one present. I’d gotten a pair of gloves for my dad. That was a no-brainer. I got him gloves every year. He counted on it. I was at a loss for everyone else. I’d given Valerie all my good gift ideas. And the mall was a mob scene. Too many shoppers. Not enough clerks at registers. Picked-over merchandise. Why did I let this go to the last minute? Why do I go through this every year? Next year I’m getting my Christmas presents in July. I swear, I am.
I glanced down at my watch. (21)
It was two-thirty. (14)
And I only had one present. (21)
I’d gotten a pair of gloves for my dad. (29)
That was a no-brainer. (17)
I got him gloves every year. (22)
He counted on it. (13)
I was at a loss for everyone else. (26)
I’d given Valerie all my good gift ideas. (32)
And the mall was a mob scene. (22)
Too many shoppers. (15)
Not enough clerks at registers. (26)
Picked-over merchandise. (21)
Why did I let this go to the last minute? (31)
Why do I go through this every year? (28)
Next year I’m getting my Christmas presents in July. (42)
I swear, I am. (9)
389
CUT: I’d given Valerie all my good gift ideas. (32) = 357
CUT: I swear, I am. (9) = 348
THIS WILL WORK WITH “jevanovichvisionsofsugarplums” (29 X 12)
I glanced down at my watch. (21)
It was two-thirty. (14)
And I only had one present. (21)
I’d gotten a pair of gloves for my dad. (29)
That was a no-brainer. (17)
I got him gloves every year. (22)
He counted on it. (13)
I was at a loss for everyone else. … (26)
And the mall was a mob scene. (22)
Too many shoppers. (15)
Not enough clerks at registers. (26)
Picked-over merchandise. (21)
Why did I let this go to the last minute? (31)
Why do I go through this every year? (28)
Next year I’m getting my Christmas presents in July. (42)
SO, 348 USING 12-LETTER WORD LIST IS: I glanced down at my watch. It was two-thirty. And I only had one present. I’d gotten a pair of gloves for my dad. That was a no-brainer. I got him gloves every year. He counted on it. I was at a loss for everyone else. … And the mall was a mob scene. Too many shoppers. Not enough clerks at registers. Picked-over merchandise. Why did I let this go to the last minute? Why do I go through this every year? Next year I’m getting my Christmas presents in July.
WELL, THAT WOULD WORK, BUT UNLESS I WANT TO SAVE THE PUZZLE FOR DECEMBER 2003, THERE MAY NOT BE TIME TO FILL IT WITH 12-LETTER WORDS, SO LET US SEE IF WE CAN DO ANOTHER DECREASE TO SOMETHING EASIER.
CUT: I glanced down at my watch. (21) = 327
CUT: That was a no-brainer. (17) = 310
CUT: He counted on it. (13) = 297,
WILL WORK FOR “janetevanovichvisionsofsugarplums” (33 X 9)
SO, 297 USING 9-LETTER WORD LIST IS: It was two-thirty. And I only had one present. I’d gotten a pair of gloves for my dad. … I got him gloves every year. … I was at a loss for everyone else. … And the mall was a mob scene. Too many shoppers. Not enough clerks at registers. Picked-over merchandise. Why did I let this go to the last minute? Why do I go through this every year? Next year I’m getting my Christmas presents in July.
OKAY! A 9-LETTER WORD LIST SOUNDS A LOT EASIER. WILL GO PUT IT IN SUE’S PROGRAM & START ON THE WORD LIST.
NOTE: I USUALLY FIGURE ALL THIS OUT IN SUE’S PROGRAM. IT DOES ALL THE MATH FOR YOU. JUST MAKE A TEXT FILE OF YOUR QUOTE AND CUT AND PASTE FROM IT UNTIL YOU HAVE A COMBINATION THAT COMES OUT TO A NUMBER OF LETTERS THAT FITS ONE OF YOUR MULTIPLES, AS DETERMINED IN THE BEGINNING. OBVIOUSLY THE FINAL PARAGRAPH MUST MAKE SENSE, LOL.
Started out by picking a few names & characters to put in. Wanted something from Lord of the Rings, and needed to use some Ys & have a few nice entries with very few vowels. My percentage of vowels is low. I need to be careful. HLMENCKEN looks good.
First list:
jerseyite
algorithm
nectarine
emilypost
TEHNOOOTT
estuaries
vegetates
agitators
newlyweds
ownership
vasectomy
impeached
carygrant
hlmencken
visigoths
ideograph
shorthand
itsybitsy
overdrawn
netweight
stonedeaf
onethirty
foxmulder
sometimes
unsightly
galadriel
aggressor
rayofhope
poisonivy
levitated
unworldly
makemyday
shoehorns
Second List:
jerseyite
algorithm
noneother
emilypost
TACITNOTE
estuaries
vegetates
agitators
newlyweds
ownership
vasectomy
impeached
carygrant
hlmencken
visigoths
ideograph
shorthand
itsybitsy
overdrawn
netweight
stonedeaf
onethirty
foxmulder
sometimes
unsightly
galadriel
aggressor
rayofhope
poisonivy
levitated
unworldly
makemyday
shoehorns
Tacitnote & algorithm make agronomic & thattitle
almartino & techgotit
alongtime & throattic
alongtime & tricothat
americano & tightlott
athintime & tractlogo
attaching & toiler tom
attaching & tooltimer
Tacitnote & agitators make agitation & toscatter
agitation & treatcost
agitators & tonictate
agonistic & tarttoeat
attesting & tocroatia
attrition & togacaste
Tacitnote & carygranttottering & canaryact
trattoria & ctnagency
Tacitnote & aggressor maketearsinto & actorsegg
tattering & as scrooge
testators & arcing ego
testators & aggie corn
testators & aging core
testators & a nice grog
tottering & as corsage
tottering & as cargoes
tottering & across age
tottering & as cares go
I DECIDE TO GO WITH TOTTERING & WORK WITH THE NINE LETTERS LEFT, SO NEW LIST IS: (I know TO SCATTER is legit, but it would be very hard to clue).
Third List
jerseyite
algorithm
noneother
emilypost
tottering
estuaries
vegetates
agitators
newlyweds
ownership
vasectomy
impeached
carygrant
hlmencken
visigoths
ideograph
shorthand
itsybitsy
overdrawn
netweight
stonedeaf
onethirty
foxmulder
sometimes
unsightly
galadriel
ASCARESGO
rayofhope
poisonivy
levitated
unworldly
makemyday
shoehorns
Fourth List
jerseyite
AHOTCLAIM
noneother
emilypost
tottering
estuaries
vegetates
agitators
newlyweds
ownership
vasectomy
impeached
carygrant
hlmencken
visigoths
ideograph
shorthand
itsybitsy
overdrawn
netweight
stonedeaf
onethirty
foxmulder
sometimes
unsightly
galadriel
aggressor
rayofhope
poisonivy
levitated
unworldly
makemyday
shoehorns
Fifth List
jerseyite
AIRMAILED
noneother
emilypost
tottering
estuaries
vegetates
agitators
newlyweds
ownership
vasectomy
impeached
carygrant
hlmencken
visigoths
ideograph
shorthand
itsybitsy
overdrawn
netweight
stonedeaf
onethirty
foxmulder
sometimes
unsightly
GOTCHAALL
aggressor
rayofhope
poisonivy
levitated
unworldly
makemyday
shoehorns
ARIMATHEA & GOLDLILAC??
ARMADILLO & GAELICHAT??
Take a break, some of these idiot phrases are starting to sound good. Need to distance myself because I don’t think they are really any good.
Ok, let’s try to get rid of STONEDEAF.
Sixth List
jerseyite
airmailed
noneother
emilypost
tottering
estuaries
vegetates
agitators
newlyweds
ownership
Vacantlot
impeached
Cataclysm
hlmencken
visigoths
ideograph
shorthand
itsybitsy
overdrawn
netweight
SONGFOYER
onethirty
foxmulder
sometimes
unsightly
Gasheater
aggressor
rayofhope
poisonivy
levitated
unworldly
makemyday
shoehorns
OK, got rid of stonedeaf & vasectomy, never really liked them all that much, but somehow songfoyer just won’t do, LOL. Time to play anagrams some more. Let’s see what other word I don’t like…
SONGFOYER & ESTUARIES MAKEeagerness & suitor foy
egression & safety our
egression & sayer tofu
egression & sea of yurt
egression & seato fury
egression & suety afro??
engrosser & safety oui?
engrosser & seat you if (don’t have a tie)???
entourage & sir fossey
erogenous & satisfy er
erogenous & safety sir
erogenous & sister fay
erogenous & stays fire
SONGFOYER & SOMETIMES MAKEseemstome & signoryof
Started playing around some more with more than two words at a time & came up with the following list:
Seventh List:
jettisons
airmailed
noneother
emilypost
TOOHEARTY
estuaries
vegetated
agitating
newlyweds
ownership
Vacantlot
impeached
Cataclysm
hlmencken
varieties
ideograph
shortages
itsybitsy
overdrawn
netweight
synergism
onethirty
foxmulder
smothered
unsightly
Goesforth
aggressor
rayofhope
poisonivy
levitated
unworldly
makemyday
shoehorns
This one looks like it might work, if I can validly clue toohearty.
Okay, a google search showed me that “too hearty” is indeed a legitimate phrase, especially in “I partied too hearty” so I will go with this list. I think you all know how to clue, so we will skip that part. I know Sue will probably kill me for this, but I started it before I knew she really didn’t want holiday puzzles. This particular quotation turned out spectacularly easy compared to most of the others I have done, but it was great for demonstration. Good luck to all of you.
