Feb.23

electoral-vote.com

Dem 51

   

GOP 49

I Read the News Today, Oh Boy: The Big Break

Readers were all over last week's headline theme. We'll let reader F.Y. in Ann Arbor, MI, do the honor of laying it out:

Each headline contains a chess term, hence the "Black and White" and "Russian" clues.

• Trump Legal News: Desperado—A last-ditch move of a piece that is doomed.
• Trump Presidency v2.0: Kushner Will Be Too Busy Working for His Arabian Mate—End the game with a king's capture.
• RNC News: So That's Why McDaniel Is Going to Resign—A player does this upon realizing that the game is lost.
• GOP Conference News: Rosendale Won't Seek a Promotion, After All—Moving a pawn to the final row and replacing it with piece of higher rank.
• Foreign Affairs, Part I: Putin's Gambit(s)—Giving up a piece early in the game, to gain advantage elsewhere.
• Foreign Affairs, Part II: Labour Voters Seize the Initiative—Taking control in mid-game.
• I Read the News Today, Oh Boy: Move It on Over—The simple moving of a piece.
• This Week in Schadenfreude: Moms For Liberty Is Getting Crushed—Being at a huge disadvantage, usually late in a game.
• This Week in Freudenfreude: A $32.43 Check, a 30,835% Tip—The king is threatened!

This one seemed impossible for a while, but thanks in large part to both clues, things fell into place. My wife and I were making noises about a re-watch of that wonderful Netflix series The Queen's Gambit. This may just do the trick. Even though I'm at a loss for things to do on this Sunday, I'm glad you two took a probably much-needed day off.

Thanks, F.Y.! The only thing we'd add is that when a king is checkmated in an Arabian Mate, the rook is involved, too.

Here are the first 25 readers to send in the solution:

• D.M. in Madeira, OH
• B.F. in Madison, WI
• S.C. in Deerfield, NH
• R.D. in Cheshire, CT
• B.M. in Chico, CA
• N.H. in London, England, UK
• M.P. in Chapel Hill, NC
• M.J. in Oakdale, MN
• R.H.O. in Portland, ME
• H.K. in Berlin, Germany
• D.D. in Carversville, PA
• M.H. in Ottawa, ON, Canada
• M.T. in Wheat Ridge, CO
• G.A. in North Bay, ON, Canada
• S.G. in Durham, NC
• J.S. in Germantown, OH
• R.C. In Eagleville, PA
• G.G. in Nottinghamshire, England, UK
• R.L. in Concord, MA
• N.O. in Lancaster, PA
• K.G.W. in Lafayette, IN
• E.S. in Cincinnati, OH
• M.W. in Frederick, MD
• R.R. in Lancaster, PA
• J.M. in Eagle Mills, NY

As to this week's theme, it relies on some (but not all) words on the right side of the colons, it fits in the Trivial Pursuit category Arts & Entertainment, and boy is it appropriate on a day where we have a lot of items about Donald Trump. If you have a guess, send it to comments@electoral-vote.com with subject line "February 23 Headlines." (Z)