Memories …
As the end of the year approaches, we often spend time both looking forward (resolutions, anyone?) and indulging in reminiscences. A fitting time, then, for a puzzle with a quote about memories. In Haruki Murakami’s novel “Kafka on the Shore,” the characters have varying and fascinating relationships with memory. Murakami, in the quote we chose, uses a library metaphor to imagine how our mind might organize fragments of our past. We ended up deciding that both memory and libraries make for rich themes.
Sometimes we have fun taking an unthemed answer and figuring out a way to clue it thematically. The word “hottie” initially appeared on the word list Dave generated as a way to help use up those pesky t’s and h’s and e’s that crop up so often in quotes (thank you, “the”). While Jane was free-associating on books and libraries, the phrase “checked out” popped into her head, and—voilà!—a themed clue was born (“one often checked out”). We hope nobody took offense at the clue “more partial to puzzles than people, perhaps” for “nerdy.” Let’s wear our word-nerdiness proudly into 2025 and beyond.
Being partial as well to musical theater, we knew we’d want to reference (!) Marian the Librarian. Here’s a clip of an exuberant dance number that unfolds, mostly but not entirely to her chagrin, in the River City Library. It’s worth watching through to the end.
Feel free to share any puzzle-related memories.
Happy 2025 to all! Dave and Jane
This Acrostic, for me, merges references that range from the Ivy League to the Little League; from outer space to inner space; from remembrance to forgetfulness; from oral tradition to electronic publishing. Happy New Year to all!
Always a joy to solve your acrostics…especially wonderful that feeling when it begins to dawn on you that you know and love the quotation and it’s from your favourite author. Thank you.
I loved this acrostic. I inadvertently discovered the theme at the first answer by making a mistake. I live near Widener University and thought that students there would do research in the library. I confess to not knowing that Widener is also the library at HARVARD, although I figured it out as the puzzle took shape. I also tried Grinch before HORTON. I saw Kafka pretty quickly in the initial letters which clued me in to the author and title, and the puzzle came together fairly smoothly after that. I had no idea who Marion Paroo was, and got a great chuckle when I realized that, of course, she must be Marion the Librarian from the MUSICMAN. My favorite answer though was MUSTINESS for basement property typically.
Many thanks to B and S for salvaging the puzzling year after the abrupt retirement of Cox and Rathvon. Best wishes to them and all my fellow acrostimaniacs, and happy puzzling in 2025.
I was led to REMINISCE about the many hours surrounded by the MUSTINESS of the WIDENER, and also delightful FLASHBACKs of watching MUSIC MAN many times with my family. Those clues gave a kickstart to a delightful puzzle that fell quickly with the appearance of “library”. A lovely Christmas/Hanukkah gift to end a strange year and look forward to a better one. Thanks!
I vaguely remember a comment by Hex at some point that they didn’t think making acrostics was that difficult, which I was very surprised by. It seems like an impossible task to me, and I am wowed when so many themed answers are involved. Kudos and thanks to those who do it! I love doing them (and especially so electronically).
Is it possible that there is an error at B 14? If that is an “S” then the third word would read “hears” rather than “heart”. A wonderful puzzle nonetheless.
We’re glad you enjoyed the acrostic, and thanks for your question. B 14 is indeed an S. The letter before is a D, such that the quote begins “Inside our heads …”
This acrostic was fun – and which one of us word-nerds doesn’t love libraries? “Hottie” was surprising but enjoyable. However, I have to say I find “unworthier” unworthy of you!
Was away so just finished. Also got into the theme with word A as library, not knowing HARVARD’s Widener. Also knowing “Marian the Librarian.” Guessed KELLOGG, got KNOW-HOW, and knew HORTON. Didn’t know the quote source, but looks like a good one to put on my list. Found the quote for the clue of word G very apropos for our times. I think for many in our society, remembrance will return soon, sadly it didn’t return soon enough.
Having just completed, printed and bound my seven year endeavor to capture some of my memories, this quote was incredibly timely. The analogy was spot on. Over these last few years, I found myself repeatedly going through my stack of memories. I really enjoyed this acrostic which was relatively straightforward. But who knew Marian, Madam Librarian’s surname was Paroo? Many thanks for adding the You Tube clip of the song with the incomparable Robert Preston.