Mar.15

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GOP 49

I Read the News Today, Oh Boy: Hair of the Dog

We did not have a headline theme last week, because of the State of the Union Address, so this is from two weeks ago. Answer, courtesy of reader M.H. in Ottawa, ON, Canada:

The theme this week: Every headline contains a word that forms another word with the suffix "-ball".

• "Shutdown?: Nope, Government Will Kick the Can Down the Road (Again)": kickball (There's also downball, an Australian schoolyard game, and CanBall, a board game made in Saskatoon, but given your aversion to us 'Nades, I'm guessing that wasn't your intent.)
• "IVF Bill: Well, That Was Fast": fastball (Though WellBall is a manufacturer of stainless steel ball valves...)
• "State of the Union: Britt Will Serve up This Year's Red Meat": meatball (And Serveball is a manufacturer of throwable cameras.)
• "Un-Retirement: Once Your Foot Is in the Door...": football
• "News From Across the Pond: Gaza War Is Wrecking British Politics": wrecking ball (Warball is a gym game, though.)
• " I Read the News Today, Oh Boy: Forged in Fire": fireball
• "This Week in Schadenfreude: A Fool and Their Money?": Moneyball
• "This Week in Freudenfreude: Strong Medicine": medicine ball

You're exactly right, M.H.; we Americans have no use for games created by Canadians. Well, unless it's basketball. Or hockey. Or Trivial Pursuit. Or Pictionary. Wait a minute...

And though it was not our intent, we also have to give credit for this solution from P.A. in Allentown, PA:

Answer: Movies with a single word for the title

• "Shutdown?: Nope, Government Will Kick the Can Down the Road (Again)": Nope (2022)
• "IVF Bill: Well, That Was Fast": Well (2016)
• "State of the Union: Britt Will Serve up This Year's Red Meat": Meat (2016)
• "Un-Retirement: Once Your Foot Is in the Door...": Foot (2021)
• "News From Across the Pond: Gaza War Is Wrecking British Politics": Politics (1931)
• " I Read the News Today, Oh Boy: Forged in Fire": Forged (2010)
• "This Week in Schadenfreude: A Fool and Their Money?": Money (2016)
• "This Week in Freudenfreude: Strong Medicine": Medicine (2017)

Very impressive!

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

1. E.M. in Jersey City, NJ
2. J.N. in Zionsville, IN
3. B.M. in Chico, CA
4. D.L. in Springfield, IL
5. D.D. in Carversville, PA
6. I.H. in Washington, DC
7. M.J.S. in Cheshire, CT
8. P.A. in Allentown
9. S.K. in Drexel Hill, PA
10. D.E. in High Springs, FL
11. M.D. in Rochester, NY
12. M.H. in Ottawa
13. L.W. in Los Angeles, CA
14. G.O. in New York City, NY
15. D.F. in Vancouver, BC, Canada
16. K.P. in Tampa, FL
17. H.E. in Shoreline, WA
18. P.W. in Tulalip, WA
19. F.Y. in Ann Arbor, MI
20. T.P. in Woodland Hills, CA
21. B.U. in St. Louis, MO
22. D.W.B. in Waynesville, NC
23. D.M. in Oakland, CA
24. T.C. in Phoenix AZ
25. E.P. in Long Beach, CA

D.D. in Carversville notes that "I base this on the fact that I had to knuckle down, dodge other possible answers, and find all eight possible responses. Like butter!" For our part, we must admit that we tried mightily to find a way to write a headline with "Lucille" in it, but couldn't make it work. Maybe if B.B. King had died that week.

As to this week's theme, it requires some words to the right of the colon, but not all of them. It would be in the Trivial Pursuit category Sports and Leisure. And for a hint, we'll note that just because there's no Risk doesn't mean there's no reward. If you have a guess, then send it to comments@electoral-vote.com, with subject line "March 15 Headlines." (Z)