Well, howdy there! Let’s chew the fat about this “sign off from an admirer” thing, like them fancy crossword folks are always goin’ on about. I reckon it ain’t as hard as milkin’ a cow with three teats, once you get the hang of it.
So, what in tarnation does “sign off” mean? It’s just how you finish somethin’, like sayin’ “yours truly” at the end of a letter, you know? Only, this here’s from an admirer. That’s someone who fancies you, like a rooster eyein’ a plump hen. Admirer, that’s the word you gotta remember, city slickers might call ’em a “beau” or a “sweetheart” but it all boils down to the same thing.
- Sign: Like a mark, a note, or a little somethin’ to show who it’s from. Not like them fancy road signs, more like your mark on a legal paper, if you ever seen one of them.
- Admirer: A fella or a gal who’s got a crush on ya, plain and simple.
- Oral: Now, this here’s a fancy word, but it mostly just means spoken, not written down. Like whisperin’ sweet nothin’s, I reckon. But for this here crossword, it ain’t that important, so don’t go frettin’ over it.
- Pretend: Sometimes, an admirer might pretend, you know? Act like they don’t care, but they’re just a-feignin’ it. Like a fox playin’ possum. They might “affect” a certain way, or “assume” a different personality, but it’s all just a show. They might even “counterfeit” being someone else completely, or put on a big “sham”, all to get your attention.
Now, the crossword fellas, they like to play games. They give you a clue, like “sign off from an admirer,” and you gotta figure out the word that fits. It’s like guessin’ how many beans are in a jar, only with words. They might say it’s a “quick one,” but don’t let ‘em fool ya, sometimes them quick ones are the trickiest!
So, what kinda words would an admirer use to sign off? Well, it depends on how smitten they are, I reckon. Could be somethin’ simple like “Yours,” or somethin’ a little more gushy like “Lovingly yours.” Or maybe somethin’ old-fashioned like “Your devoted.” You gotta think like a love-struck fool, and then you might just crack the code. Them crossword puzzle books, they say there’s lots of answers, maybe 30 or even 40! Makes a body spin, it does.
I heard tell that this “sign off from an admirer” clue showed up in the LA Times crossword puzzle, not once, but a few times! Seems like them city folk like this kinda thing. They even say it was seen as recent as June 28th! Imagine that, printed in a big ol’ newspaper for everyone to see. They also had clues like “I’m ___ from way back”, which is kinda the same thing, just backwards, I guess. Like sayin’ “yours truly” instead of “truly yours”. Same beans, different pot.
And these crossword solver fellas, they got whole lists of possible answers. They keep track of when and where these clues pop up. Sounds like a lot of fuss over a few words, if you ask me. But I guess it keeps them busy, and out of trouble, maybe. They even got tags for it, like “sign-off” and “crossword”. Like brandin’ cattle, only with words.
So, next time you see that “sign off from an admirer” clue, don’t go throwin’ your hands up in the air. Just think like a lovesick fool, remember them words like “admirer” and “sign,” and you’ll be fillin’ in them squares faster than a chicken peckin’ corn. And if you get stuck, just remember what I told ya. It ain’t rocket science, it’s just words, and words are just like chickens – sometimes they’re easy to catch, and sometimes they’re slippery as a greased pig. But with a little bit of thinkin’ and a whole lot of luck, you’ll figure it out.
And that’s all I gotta say about that. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go feed them chickens. They’re gettin’ mighty restless, and a hungry hen is a force to be reckoned with, let me tell ya!
