A quick solve, an admirable puzzle. I smiled when I saw the town going across the middle. At first I thought the idea of the repeated clue was that the second was the shadow of the first. Now I realize that it's the same clue over and over again. Are there other Easter eggs? I kept looking for Lamont Cranston, but he was nowhere to be found.
How nice to pay umbrage to your wife. Turns out it was my Mom’s birthday too and we never let her go outside that day in case. Loved the phonetic Pennsylvania phrase. Between you and Ben we have been show how much wood a woodchuck can chuck, but I won’t badger you
I should explain the "umbrage" perhaps? Obviously it was a homonym of sorts for homage, but since many know UMBRAGE means "offense" I'm sure you were wondering, "Why would he say that Cap took offense to his wife's birthday". Well I was also doing a French pun since UMBRE in French means shadow and UMBRAGE means shading....so appropriate for Feb 2. Hope nobody thought otherwise.
Well well - must say grid had superb Phil. Saw shadow leaving sunny Turks & Caicos this afternoon and arrived to mini snow squalls in Newark late evening, so there may be something to all this madness…. Thanks again, Cap’n!
Thanks, Meta! Glad you got a chance to solve this one.
Qmark 5s · 2025-04-29T14:24:30.053Z
This puzzle sat unsolved for a few months...needed the first 2 nudges to help see the other repeated clues to find my way to the answer. Still wanted to solve on Crosshare so I could thank you and read the other comments. Thanks as always Cap'n Rick!