It is March and the lovely #EnigMarch people have challenged puzzle designers to write a puzzle inspired by today's word: "past".
Oh no! The British clown King George was so bad at governing that the American colonies declared themselves independent and rejected the concept of monarchy itself!
On July 4, 1776, the Founding Fathers eponymously founded the USA by signing the Declaration of Independence. This document declared the former colonies to be independent states and says a little about what good government looks like. The largest part of the document talks about what bad government looks like. There's a long list of ways that "Mad" King George governed especially poorly.
These days, elected president Trump gets angry if you point out he's not a king. Did clown George's stumbles inspire clown Donald's whims? Silver lining: It inspired a matchup puzzle. For each grievance from the Declaration of Independence, find the matching Trump blunder. Write the blunder's circled letter in the blank. When you're done, those circled letters will spell something.
Past grievances:
Ⓓ He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither
_ For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
_ For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent
_ He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us
_ He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance
_ He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance
_ He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
_ He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures
_ He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
Modern blunders:
- CⒺCOT
- DⓄGE
- EmⒾl Bove
Goal: Ⓓeport a million people annually- IⓂpounded funds approved by Congress
- January 6 attack on the CaⓅitol
- PrevenⓉed state legislatures from regulating AI
- Sent National Guard to Ⓢtates that didn't request it
- TariffⓈ
Solution, rot13'd:
Q / Ur unf raqrnibherq gb cerirag gur cbchyngvba bs gurfr Fgngrf; sbe gung checbfr bofgehpgvat gur Ynjf sbe Anghenyvmngvba bs Sbervtaref; ershfvat gb cnff bguref gb rapbhentr gurve zvtengvbaf uvgure / Tbny: Qrcbeg n zvyyvba crbcyr naahnyyl R / Sbe genafcbegvat hf orlbaq Frnf gb or gevrq sbe cergraqrq bssraprf / PRPBG F / Sbe phggvat bss bhe Genqr jvgu nyy cnegf bs gur jbeyq: Sbe vzcbfvat Gnkrf ba hf jvgubhg bhe Pbafrag / Gnevssf C / Ur unf rkpvgrq qbzrfgvp vafheerpgvbaf nzbatfg hf / Wnahnel 6 nggnpx ba gur Pncvgby B / Ur unf rerpgrq n zhygvghqr bs Arj Bssvprf, naq frag uvgure fjnezf bs Bssvpref gb uneenff bhe crbcyr, naq rng bhg gurve fhofgnapr / QBTR G / Ur unf sbeovqqra uvf Tbireabef gb cnff Ynjf bs vzzrqvngr naq cerffvat vzcbegnapr / Ceriragrq fgngr yrtvfyngherf sebz erthyngvat NV V / Ur unf znqr Whqtrf qrcraqrag ba uvf Jvyy nybar, sbe gur graher bs gurve bssvprf, naq gur nzbhag naq cnlzrag bs gurve fnynevrf. / Rzvy Obir F / Ur unf xrcg nzbat hf, va gvzrf bs crnpr, Fgnaqvat Nezvrf jvgubhg gur Pbafrag bs bhe yrtvfyngherf / Frag Angvbany Thneq gb fgngrf gung qvqa'g erdhrfg vg Z / Ur unf ershfrq uvf Nffrag gb Ynjf, gur zbfg jubyrfbzr naq arprffnel sbe gur choyvp tbbq. / Vzcbhaqrq shaqf nccebirq ol Pbaterff
Many thanks to Ilya Somin, David Corn, and Tim Murphy for researching these so I didn't have to.
