A Turn of Phrase - Ella Baron's TLS cartoon.
April 25, 2020 4:15 AM Subscribe
Baron's latest full-page cartoon for the Times Literary Supplement incorporates 57 British figures of speech. I think I've identified about 45 of them (plus a few long-shot guesses), so don't venture below the fold if you want to avoid spoilers.
The young lady here is a blue stocking (1) who’s on her uppers (2). She’s got bees in her bonnet (3), a feather in her cap (4) and more than one chip on her shoulder (5). One of her sharp elbows (6) seems to be smeared with elbow grease (7). At the eleventh hour (8) she’s been caught red-handed (9) killing two birds with one stone (10). Those two birds (but not the lame duck (11)) are now pushing up daisies (12). Now she’s gone and killed the goose that lays the golden egg (13).
It’s been a hair-raising experience (14) all round, but no stab in the back (15) can stop our belt & braces (16) heroine from rolling up her sleeves (17) to put lipstick on a pig (18). The fact that pigs might fly (19) has made her so happy she’s on the pig’s back (20). Has the pig buttoned its lip (21) about her making a pig’s ear (22) of its make-up? In a pig’s eye (23) it has! I smell a rat (24) but it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie (25).
This outing’s going to be no picnic (26), as the tumbling sandwiches and spilt milk (27) suggest our young lady’s already lost her lunch (28). That’s a nice basket of fruit if you like(29), because those sandwiches were the apple of her eye (30) (and another of the basket’s apples is rotten to the core (31)). Someone here has pulled a rabbit out of the hat (32) – quite an old hat (33) as it happens – and that rabbit has its heart in its mouth (34). As magic tricks go, this one’s the bee’s knees (35) (and perhaps also the cat’s whiskers (36)?).
The pot’s calling the kettle black(37) here, and that kettle of fish (38) has blown its top (39). No wonder the pig had butterflies in its stomach (40). There’s always a spanner in the works (41) when cutting corners (42) like this or throwing down the gauntlet (43) when the cat’s out of the bag (44) about your approaching swan song (45). We’re nearing the tail end (46) now, so I’ll spread my wings (47) no further. I’m just a cat’s paw (48) in all this anyway.
[I realise some of my suggestions here are a stretch at best, and I’m clearly still a long way short of the full 57. The three elements which baffle me most at the moment are the ribbon heart, the blue cape and the snake round her neck.]
The young lady here is a blue stocking (1) who’s on her uppers (2). She’s got bees in her bonnet (3), a feather in her cap (4) and more than one chip on her shoulder (5). One of her sharp elbows (6) seems to be smeared with elbow grease (7). At the eleventh hour (8) she’s been caught red-handed (9) killing two birds with one stone (10). Those two birds (but not the lame duck (11)) are now pushing up daisies (12). Now she’s gone and killed the goose that lays the golden egg (13).
It’s been a hair-raising experience (14) all round, but no stab in the back (15) can stop our belt & braces (16) heroine from rolling up her sleeves (17) to put lipstick on a pig (18). The fact that pigs might fly (19) has made her so happy she’s on the pig’s back (20). Has the pig buttoned its lip (21) about her making a pig’s ear (22) of its make-up? In a pig’s eye (23) it has! I smell a rat (24) but it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie (25).
This outing’s going to be no picnic (26), as the tumbling sandwiches and spilt milk (27) suggest our young lady’s already lost her lunch (28). That’s a nice basket of fruit if you like(29), because those sandwiches were the apple of her eye (30) (and another of the basket’s apples is rotten to the core (31)). Someone here has pulled a rabbit out of the hat (32) – quite an old hat (33) as it happens – and that rabbit has its heart in its mouth (34). As magic tricks go, this one’s the bee’s knees (35) (and perhaps also the cat’s whiskers (36)?).
The pot’s calling the kettle black(37) here, and that kettle of fish (38) has blown its top (39). No wonder the pig had butterflies in its stomach (40). There’s always a spanner in the works (41) when cutting corners (42) like this or throwing down the gauntlet (43) when the cat’s out of the bag (44) about your approaching swan song (45). We’re nearing the tail end (46) now, so I’ll spread my wings (47) no further. I’m just a cat’s paw (48) in all this anyway.
[I realise some of my suggestions here are a stretch at best, and I’m clearly still a long way short of the full 57. The three elements which baffle me most at the moment are the ribbon heart, the blue cape and the snake round her neck.]
I’m only looking on my phone, but the most obvious one is the “swan song” at the top.
posted by transient at 5:10 AM on April 25, 2020
posted by transient at 5:10 AM on April 25, 2020
The snake might be a viper in her bosom.
posted by zamboni at 5:19 AM on April 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by zamboni at 5:19 AM on April 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
The heart ribbon might be the dog’s leash. Following your heart?
posted by zamboni at 5:36 AM on April 25, 2020
posted by zamboni at 5:36 AM on April 25, 2020
I think she's had to tighten her belt.
And the fish is green around the gills.
posted by pipeski at 5:48 AM on April 25, 2020
And the fish is green around the gills.
posted by pipeski at 5:48 AM on April 25, 2020
That is definitely a viper in her bosom, zamboni. Thanks for the post, Paul Slade!
posted by Bella Donna at 5:51 AM on April 25, 2020
posted by Bella Donna at 5:51 AM on April 25, 2020
The falling sandwiches are "butty-fall sadness" (central Devon)
The butterflies are "venging the clunch" (Northumbria, but only in the south)
The pig the young woman is riding is "Cameron's girlfriend" (Westminster)
Hope that helps.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 6:02 AM on April 25, 2020 [9 favorites]
The butterflies are "venging the clunch" (Northumbria, but only in the south)
The pig the young woman is riding is "Cameron's girlfriend" (Westminster)
Hope that helps.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 6:02 AM on April 25, 2020 [9 favorites]
She also has green fingers, and the fish is out of water.
posted by kwartel at 6:40 AM on April 25, 2020
posted by kwartel at 6:40 AM on April 25, 2020
More:
The blue fish is a "cobalt mine yipper" (Cornwall, but only east of Penzance. Do not use this phrase west of Penzance or you will be arrested)
The knife in her back is "edged like a slinthed toban" (Isle of Mull, except in Pennyghael where you will be killed if you say this)
posted by thatwhichfalls at 6:48 AM on April 25, 2020 [3 favorites]
The blue fish is a "cobalt mine yipper" (Cornwall, but only east of Penzance. Do not use this phrase west of Penzance or you will be arrested)
The knife in her back is "edged like a slinthed toban" (Isle of Mull, except in Pennyghael where you will be killed if you say this)
posted by thatwhichfalls at 6:48 AM on April 25, 2020 [3 favorites]
thatwhichfalls: made-up stuff is less strange than reality
posted by scruss at 7:27 AM on April 25, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by scruss at 7:27 AM on April 25, 2020 [4 favorites]
I'm muddying the waters. You know very well we're not supposed to tell the Yanks what these things mean.
posted by thatwhichfalls at 7:30 AM on April 25, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by thatwhichfalls at 7:30 AM on April 25, 2020 [4 favorites]
With the sandwiches falling out, isn't she now a few sandwiches short of a picnic?
posted by Hactar at 7:31 AM on April 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by Hactar at 7:31 AM on April 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
I’m beginning to think the blue cloak isn’t a standard English idiom, but a nod to Bruegel’s Netherlandish Proverbs.
posted by zamboni at 7:33 AM on April 25, 2020
posted by zamboni at 7:33 AM on April 25, 2020
This is really great, but I have nothing to add, idiom-wise.
posted by SoberHighland at 8:34 AM on April 25, 2020
posted by SoberHighland at 8:34 AM on April 25, 2020
Well done, folks - that's a good few more ticked off. I've deleted some of my own more unlikely guesses and updated my little summary as follows:
The young lady here is a blue stocking (1) who’s on her uppers (2). She’s got bees in her bonnet (3), a feather in her cap (4) and more than one chip on her shoulder (5). One of her sharp elbows (6) seems to be smeared with elbow grease (7). At the eleventh hour (8) she’s been caught red-handed (9) killing two birds with one stone (10). Those two birds are now pushing up daisies (11). The lame duck (12) got away, but now she’s killed the goose that lays the golden egg (13). The whole thing’s a viper in her bosom (14). It’s toe-curling (15). With her finances hanging by a thread (16) like this, she’ll have to tighten her belt (17) for sure.
It’s been a hair-raising experience (18) all round, but no stab in the back (19) can stop our belt & braces (20) heroine from rolling up her sleeves (21) to put lipstick on a pig (22). The fact that pigs might fly (23) has made her so happy she feels like she’s on the pig’s back (24). Has the pig buttoned its lip (25) about her making a pig’s ear (26) of all this? In a pig’s eye (27) he has! I smell a rat (28) but it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie (29).
The cat’s among the pigeons (30) now and it’s no good crying over spilt milk (31) just because she’s two sandwiches short of a picnic (32) Those sandwiches were the apple of her eye (33) and now even one of her real apples is rotten to the core (34). Her green fingers (35) have pulled a rabbit out of the hat (36) – quite an old hat (37) as it happens – and that rabbit has its heart in its mouth (38). As magic tricks go, this one’s the bee’s knees (39).
The pot’s calling the kettle black (40) here, and that kettle of fish (41) has blown its top (42). No wonder the pig’s got utterflies in its stomach (43) and the fish out of water (44) looks green around the gills (45). You'll always find a spanner in the works (46) when cutting corners (47) like this or throwing down the gauntlet (48) when the cat’s out of the bag (49) about your approaching swan song (50). We’re nearing the tail end (51) now, so I’ll spread my wings (52) no further.
I'm still a bit doubtful about items 18 and 52, but confident we've hit the 50 mark at least.
posted by Paul Slade at 8:39 AM on April 25, 2020
The young lady here is a blue stocking (1) who’s on her uppers (2). She’s got bees in her bonnet (3), a feather in her cap (4) and more than one chip on her shoulder (5). One of her sharp elbows (6) seems to be smeared with elbow grease (7). At the eleventh hour (8) she’s been caught red-handed (9) killing two birds with one stone (10). Those two birds are now pushing up daisies (11). The lame duck (12) got away, but now she’s killed the goose that lays the golden egg (13). The whole thing’s a viper in her bosom (14). It’s toe-curling (15). With her finances hanging by a thread (16) like this, she’ll have to tighten her belt (17) for sure.
It’s been a hair-raising experience (18) all round, but no stab in the back (19) can stop our belt & braces (20) heroine from rolling up her sleeves (21) to put lipstick on a pig (22). The fact that pigs might fly (23) has made her so happy she feels like she’s on the pig’s back (24). Has the pig buttoned its lip (25) about her making a pig’s ear (26) of all this? In a pig’s eye (27) he has! I smell a rat (28) but it’s best to let sleeping dogs lie (29).
The cat’s among the pigeons (30) now and it’s no good crying over spilt milk (31) just because she’s two sandwiches short of a picnic (32) Those sandwiches were the apple of her eye (33) and now even one of her real apples is rotten to the core (34). Her green fingers (35) have pulled a rabbit out of the hat (36) – quite an old hat (37) as it happens – and that rabbit has its heart in its mouth (38). As magic tricks go, this one’s the bee’s knees (39).
The pot’s calling the kettle black (40) here, and that kettle of fish (41) has blown its top (42). No wonder the pig’s got utterflies in its stomach (43) and the fish out of water (44) looks green around the gills (45). You'll always find a spanner in the works (46) when cutting corners (47) like this or throwing down the gauntlet (48) when the cat’s out of the bag (49) about your approaching swan song (50). We’re nearing the tail end (51) now, so I’ll spread my wings (52) no further.
I'm still a bit doubtful about items 18 and 52, but confident we've hit the 50 mark at least.
posted by Paul Slade at 8:39 AM on April 25, 2020
None so far have used the crow/raven/black bird on the left, have they? Or the array of bird species (notably not birds of a feather flocking together)?
posted by janell at 9:38 AM on April 25, 2020
posted by janell at 9:38 AM on April 25, 2020
Twist in the tail, already mentioned. The black bird on the left seems as though it should be something, also the heart on a leash/lead (heart on a string?). The flying insect at top right and devil/imp on the gauntlet at bottom right? She has fingers crossed as well. Is she too big for her boots?
I can't see finances hanging by a thread or elbow grease.
posted by epo at 10:11 AM on April 25, 2020
I can't see finances hanging by a thread or elbow grease.
posted by epo at 10:11 AM on April 25, 2020
Janell:
"Fingers crossed" is good - I hadn't noticed that. Answers 40 & 41 require it be a kettle rather than a teapot, however, and I'm still convinced that's right. I agree the black bird must be significant and that the elbow grease is questionable - though there does seem to be something dark staining her left elbow. Or maybe it's just a shadow...
Epo:
Isn't the phrase "a twist in the tale" rather than "tail"? In any case, we've already got "tail end" from the specific word the tail is spelling, and I doubt there'd be two different answers embedded in that one element of the picture. Good call on "too big for her boots", though.
The heart and the insect must both mean something but, as with the black bird Janell mentions, I'm damned if I can figure out what. The thread confusion is my fault: it's the rat that's actually doing the hanging in the picture. I used the word finances there simply as a linking word in my little narrative.
posted by Paul Slade at 11:04 AM on April 25, 2020
"Fingers crossed" is good - I hadn't noticed that. Answers 40 & 41 require it be a kettle rather than a teapot, however, and I'm still convinced that's right. I agree the black bird must be significant and that the elbow grease is questionable - though there does seem to be something dark staining her left elbow. Or maybe it's just a shadow...
Epo:
Isn't the phrase "a twist in the tale" rather than "tail"? In any case, we've already got "tail end" from the specific word the tail is spelling, and I doubt there'd be two different answers embedded in that one element of the picture. Good call on "too big for her boots", though.
The heart and the insect must both mean something but, as with the black bird Janell mentions, I'm damned if I can figure out what. The thread confusion is my fault: it's the rat that's actually doing the hanging in the picture. I used the word finances there simply as a linking word in my little narrative.
posted by Paul Slade at 11:04 AM on April 25, 2020
Well, the crow is flying, as the crow flies. The heart is on a leash, that egg is cracked, the girl is, in my opinion, a bleach blond as well as a blue-eyed girl, and the kettle's letting off steam, on which the lid is being lifted. The the butterflies are fading away while the bees are buzzing off. The duck appears to be lame and the cat's among the pigeon(s). I reckon that girl is two sandwiches short of a picnic, and there's the apple of somebody's eye in there. I thought the picnic was for her elevenses but you're right, it must be at the eleventh hour. She's having a really toe-curling experience and not a fun one neither. The fly at top right is flying off the handle. The water in the kettle is heading for a splashdown. Is anything here, perhaps ... top hat? Which has another broken bit, where there's not a patch on it. And ... will there be a twist ending?
Too big for her boots, brilliant. (mumble mumble mark of Cain, the devil's mark whatever...)
Thanks for this Paul Slade and well done with your puzzle solving. Don't see any elbow grease though.
posted by glasseyes at 11:06 AM on April 25, 2020
Too big for her boots, brilliant. (mumble mumble mark of Cain, the devil's mark whatever...)
Thanks for this Paul Slade and well done with your puzzle solving. Don't see any elbow grease though.
posted by glasseyes at 11:06 AM on April 25, 2020
I should learn to read previous answers more thoroughly!
posted by glasseyes at 11:14 AM on April 25, 2020
posted by glasseyes at 11:14 AM on April 25, 2020
"Flying off the handle"! Of course!
I like "as the crow flies" too. But isn't the phrase "blue-eyed boy" rather than "blue-eyed girl"? It doesn't quite seem to ring right without that alliteration.
posted by Paul Slade at 11:18 AM on April 25, 2020
I like "as the crow flies" too. But isn't the phrase "blue-eyed boy" rather than "blue-eyed girl"? It doesn't quite seem to ring right without that alliteration.
posted by Paul Slade at 11:18 AM on April 25, 2020
In the interests of equality girls should have equivalent access to being someone's spoilt darling. And blue-eyed besom sounds just a little undermining.
posted by glasseyes at 11:49 AM on April 25, 2020
posted by glasseyes at 11:49 AM on April 25, 2020
that egg is cracked
Would that make the golden egg also a bad egg?
posted by zamboni at 1:06 PM on April 25, 2020
Would that make the golden egg also a bad egg?
posted by zamboni at 1:06 PM on April 25, 2020
We might also be comparing apples and oranges.
posted by zamboni at 1:08 PM on April 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by zamboni at 1:08 PM on April 25, 2020 [2 favorites]
Three more thoughts, only one of which I'm at all confident about:
As well as cutting a corner, the scissors at top right sever the tips of the pig's feathers. They're "clipping its wings" in fact.
Looking at that heart on the ribbon again, I think the heart itself is gold rather than red. "A heart of gold", perhaps?
There's something very odd about the texture of the girl's knee. It looks almost as if it's supposed to be an artificial leg, and I think there's a small hole drawn in it. Is she a big enough drinker for people to be saying she's "got hollow legs"? Probably not ...
We're looking for 57 answers altogether. For what it's worth, my personal list now looks like this:
1. Blue stocking
2. Too big for your boots
3. Bees in your bonnet
4. A feather in your cap
5. A chip on your shoulder
6. Sharp elbows
7. At the eleventh hour
8. Caught red-handed
9. Killing two birds with one stone
10. Pushing up the daisies
11. A lame duck
12. The goose that lays the golden egg
13. A viper in your bosom
14. Hanging by a thread
15. Tighten your belt
16. Stabbed in the back
17. Belt & braces
18. Rolling up your sleeves
19. Putting lipstick on a pig
20. Pigs might fly
21. On the pig’s back
22. Button your lip
23. Making a pig’s ear of it
24. In a pig’s eye
25. I smell a rat
26. Let sleeping dogs lie
27. The cat’s among the pigeons
28. No good crying over spilt milk
29. Two sandwiches short of a picnic
30. The apple of your eye
31. Rotten to the core
32. Green fingers
33. A rabbit out of the hat
34. Old hat
35. Your heart in your mouth
36. The bee’s knees
37. Pot calling the kettle black
38. A different kettle of fish
39. Blowing your top
40. A fish out of water
41. Green around the gills
42. A spanner in the works
43. Cutting corners
44. Throwing down the gauntlet
45. Swan song
46. Tail end
47. Butterflies in your stomach
48. Flying off the handle
49. Fingers crossed
50. Clipping your wings
51. Letting off steam
52. Apples & oranges
Plus (maybe)
52. On your uppers
53. Buzzing off
54. Blue-eyed girl
55. As the crow flies
56. Spreading your wings
57. Elbow grease
58. A twist in the tail
59. No picnic
60. Hair-raising
61. Losing your lunch
62. A cat’s paw
63. Hollow legs
64. A heart of gold
65. The cat's out of the bag
I still can't account for the crack in the goose's egg, the red ribbon, the blue cape or the devilish symbol on that gauntlet, but I'm convinced they must all mean something.
posted by Paul Slade at 11:26 PM on April 25, 2020
As well as cutting a corner, the scissors at top right sever the tips of the pig's feathers. They're "clipping its wings" in fact.
Looking at that heart on the ribbon again, I think the heart itself is gold rather than red. "A heart of gold", perhaps?
There's something very odd about the texture of the girl's knee. It looks almost as if it's supposed to be an artificial leg, and I think there's a small hole drawn in it. Is she a big enough drinker for people to be saying she's "got hollow legs"? Probably not ...
We're looking for 57 answers altogether. For what it's worth, my personal list now looks like this:
1. Blue stocking
2. Too big for your boots
3. Bees in your bonnet
4. A feather in your cap
5. A chip on your shoulder
6. Sharp elbows
7. At the eleventh hour
8. Caught red-handed
9. Killing two birds with one stone
10. Pushing up the daisies
11. A lame duck
12. The goose that lays the golden egg
13. A viper in your bosom
14. Hanging by a thread
15. Tighten your belt
16. Stabbed in the back
17. Belt & braces
18. Rolling up your sleeves
19. Putting lipstick on a pig
20. Pigs might fly
21. On the pig’s back
22. Button your lip
23. Making a pig’s ear of it
24. In a pig’s eye
25. I smell a rat
26. Let sleeping dogs lie
27. The cat’s among the pigeons
28. No good crying over spilt milk
29. Two sandwiches short of a picnic
30. The apple of your eye
31. Rotten to the core
32. Green fingers
33. A rabbit out of the hat
34. Old hat
35. Your heart in your mouth
36. The bee’s knees
37. Pot calling the kettle black
38. A different kettle of fish
39. Blowing your top
40. A fish out of water
41. Green around the gills
42. A spanner in the works
43. Cutting corners
44. Throwing down the gauntlet
45. Swan song
46. Tail end
47. Butterflies in your stomach
48. Flying off the handle
49. Fingers crossed
50. Clipping your wings
51. Letting off steam
52. Apples & oranges
Plus (maybe)
52. On your uppers
53. Buzzing off
54. Blue-eyed girl
55. As the crow flies
56. Spreading your wings
57. Elbow grease
58. A twist in the tail
59. No picnic
60. Hair-raising
61. Losing your lunch
62. A cat’s paw
63. Hollow legs
64. A heart of gold
65. The cat's out of the bag
I still can't account for the crack in the goose's egg, the red ribbon, the blue cape or the devilish symbol on that gauntlet, but I'm convinced they must all mean something.
posted by Paul Slade at 11:26 PM on April 25, 2020
"devilish symbol on that gauntlet"
There is an uncommon phrase "hand in glove with the devil", but it's a glaive, not a glove.
The water is hitting the pig's ear, which makes me think of the phrase 'wash your ears out!' (i.e. listen properly)
posted by NoiselessPenguin at 1:27 AM on April 26, 2020
There is an uncommon phrase "hand in glove with the devil", but it's a glaive, not a glove.
The water is hitting the pig's ear, which makes me think of the phrase 'wash your ears out!' (i.e. listen properly)
posted by NoiselessPenguin at 1:27 AM on April 26, 2020
Some of the water appears to be going around the ear, making the pig wet behind the ears.
posted by zamboni at 6:16 AM on April 26, 2020
posted by zamboni at 6:16 AM on April 26, 2020
She's wearing a belt and suspenders/braces
posted by current resident at 8:45 AM on April 26, 2020
posted by current resident at 8:45 AM on April 26, 2020
I think there are two birds being hit by one stone near the bottom of the picture.
posted by The Outsider at 9:29 AM on April 26, 2020
posted by The Outsider at 9:29 AM on April 26, 2020
Her heels aren’t obviously round- they look like standard boot heels. Even so, round heel is both archaic and gross enough that I don’t think it’d be intended.
posted by zamboni at 8:55 AM on April 27, 2020
posted by zamboni at 8:55 AM on April 27, 2020
Baron posted an animation of the cartoon being drawn. If we go through it in order of discrete appearance:
- Pig
- Lipstick on a pig
- Wings
- Pigs might fly
- Rider
- On the pig’s back / piggyback
- shirt
- Rolling up your sleeves
- shorts
- arms & hands
- Caught redhanded
- Green fingers
- Fingers crossed
- Sharp elbows
- stocking
- blue stocking
- foot & boot
- Too big for your boots
- belt & braces
- Tighten your belt
- Belt & braces / suspenders
- watch
- At the eleventh hour
- eyes, nose, mouth, ear
- Until you're blue in the face
- bonnet
- feather
- A feather in your cap
- ribbon / bow
- hair
- cloak
- I think this is a reference to Netherlandish Proverbs, or The Blue Cloak
- snake
- A viper in your bosom
- chips
- A chip on your shoulder
- dog, snoring
- Let sleeping dogs lie
- heart leash
- Lead by your heart
- dagger
- Stabbed in the back
- basket
- checkered sheet
- two sandwiches falling
- Two sandwiches short of a picnic
- Losing your lunch
- milk bottle, milk spilling
- No good crying over spilt milk
- apple (rotten)
- Rotten to the core
- bad apple
- orange, half, apples (with one eye)
- The apple of your eye
- Apples & oranges
- bee on knee (first appearance, not actually shown being drawn)
- The bee’s knees
- pot
- fly
- Flying off the handle
- kettle
- faces on pot and kettle
- Pot calling the kettle black
- water spilling from kettle in and around pig's ear, eye
- In a pig’s eye / ear
- wet behind the ears
- fish leaping from kettle
- A different kettle of fish
- A fish out of water
- fish features, gills
- Green around the gills
- steam from kettle
- Letting off steam
- lid flying off kettle
- Blowing your top
- button on pig's lip
- Button your lip
- hat in pig's mouth
- patch with stitches on hat
- Old hat
- rabbit in hat, holding a heart in its mouth
- A rabbit out of the hat
- Your heart in your mouth
- noose from stitch on hat
- Hanging by a thread
- rat, stink lines from rat
- I smell a rat
- butterflies from pig's chest
- Butterflies in your stomach
- downward lines from rider's left hand
- goose
- dead pigeon (?)
- egg, cracked, afterimage of spinning egg
- The goose that lays the golden egg
- Bad egg
- blood from goose and pigeon
- stone underneath pigeon and goose
- Killing two birds with one stone
- daisies from goose and pigeon
- Pushing up the daisies
- duck, cast on duck's leg
- A lame duck
- pigeon
- cat leaping towards pigeon from basket
- The cat’s among the pigeons
- darker bird - crow?
- As the crow flies
- swan above pig
- music notation from swan
- Swan song
- bees from bonnet
- Bee in your bonnet
- cut lines in top right corner across wingtips, scissors
- Cutting corners
- Clipping your wings
- spanner in bottom right near work details
- A spanner in the works
- gauntlet with devil's mark
- Throwing down the gauntlet
That's 54, I think. The devil's mark thingy is another, whatever it is. I think there might be something about the spinning egg, and the red shorts. Maybe the cloak as well, although I like my Bruegel theory.
Some of these are possible, but draw a slightly long bow:
Making a pig’s ear of it
Cat's out of the bag
Tail end
Marked by the devil
Another stretch, given the amount of crimson splashing around the bottom of the page:
Blood from a stone
posted by zamboni at 11:09 AM on April 27, 2020
Blood from a stone
posted by zamboni at 11:09 AM on April 27, 2020
I like "blood from a stone" and will add it to my list of maybes. Wonder if Baron and the TLS are going to give us a list of what they consider to be the 57 correct answers?
posted by Paul Slade at 11:36 PM on April 27, 2020
posted by Paul Slade at 11:36 PM on April 27, 2020
.... and now I'm looking at that area of the picture again, I see there's a little blue-grey fragment flying loose from the stone. Could that be "a chip off the old block", do you think?
posted by Paul Slade at 3:53 AM on April 28, 2020
posted by Paul Slade at 3:53 AM on April 28, 2020
Baron posted the answers for A Figure Of Speech a week after the cartoon went up - this one will probably have a similar timeline.
I feel that
posted by zamboni at 7:07 AM on April 28, 2020
I feel that
chip off the old blockis a very soft maybe. The stone isn't that block-like, and the chip is very small.
posted by zamboni at 7:07 AM on April 28, 2020
I've just found Baron's earlier Figures of Speech cartoon with the 27 answers for that one.
posted by Paul Slade at 4:13 AM on April 30, 2020
posted by Paul Slade at 4:13 AM on April 30, 2020
Apart from
posted by zamboni at 9:09 PM on May 1, 2020
birds of a feather flock together, which was considered but dismissed, I think we mentioned everything except
devil in the detail,
birds and bees,
cloak and dagger,
beeline, and
take under your wing. (Pondering what
take under your wingis supposed to refer to.)
posted by zamboni at 9:09 PM on May 1, 2020
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