Yes! Well done. :)

And since there are eleven clues (or minus eleven ...) ;)

Something which there are eleven of?

MELKOR: The Spanish alien is in turmoil for him.
???I???: Impolite? It's the opposite! A way of walking, a pronoun ... all mingled!
LORD OF THE RING: Rocky?
???U???: Mess it up, but for something warm?
BAGGINS: Huge drawback to him, but it sure turns out OK!
WATER: 'Tis rare in Mordor.
BALROG: Behold ... seize ... spin ... it's there!
???E???: Batman has one!
???V: Sounds like a pub, or pub's speciality - this trifle of Sauron's, according to Galdor.
???E???: One vowel-shift away from a palindrome! See it. Wear it!
SAURON: Sounds like a disrespectful name for the Professor in a particularly tart mood.

I originally thought rings of power, but there are twenty, not eleven.

Well, the password gives 11 examples of it. There are probably more in the books.

My comment won't really help with the clues. It's just my justification for trouncing Huinesoron back and linking the password to the theme. ;)

10. Nenya?

Nenya is more than one vowel-shift away from a palindrome. ;)

It *could* fit the theme, actually! But it isn't one of my chosen answers.

So could Vilya and Narya (also not answers). Kicking myself a little now. ;)

Now, think of the context in which I just used 'Narya on Gandalf's hand' as my latest riddle .... (Riddles thread).

Well, you said that it was the first time Narya and Vilya were mentione, and it was to honor the Ringbearers.

'Mention' is the key ... go on ...

How is that related to the palindrome?

No it nem is 'mention' backwards.

It isn't. It's related to the theme.

Unmentionables?

Near enough.

Unspoken names?

MELKOR: The Spanish alien is in turmoil for him.
???I???: Impolite? It's the opposite! A way of walking, a pronoun ... all mingled!
LORD OF THE RING: Rocky?
???U???: Mess it up, but for something warm?
BAGGINS: Huge drawback to him, but it sure turns out OK!
WATER: 'Tis rare in Mordor.
BALROG: Behold ... seize ... spin ... it's there!
???E???: Batman has one!
???V: Sounds like a pub, or pub's speciality - this trifle of Sauron's, according to Galdor.
???E???: One vowel-shift away from a palindrome! See it. Wear it!
SAURON: Sounds like a disrespectful name for the Professor in a particularly tart mood.

PASSWORD: MINUS ELEVEN

THEME: In relation to the password, the number of things above that are permitted to be mentioned or expressed at absolutely all times in every single work of Tolkien.

Or ... things/names someone forbids to be said/named/expressed/mentioned at least once in Tolkien's works.

Can I get hints for remaining clues or is it too much to ask for?

8. Name?

You'll find three of them in one sentence, if you re-read a little of 'The Hobbit,' where Gandalf is preparing them to meet Beorn.

So 10 is Tippet and 8 is Cape

MELKOR: The Spanish alien is in turmoil for him.
???I???: Impolite? It's the opposite! A way of walking, a pronoun ... all mingled!
LORD OF THE RING: Rocky?
???U???: Mess it up, but for something warm?
BAGGINS: Huge drawback to him, but it sure turns out OK!
WATER: 'Tis rare in Mordor.
BALROG: Behold ... seize ... spin ... it's there!
CAPE: Batman has one!
???V: Sounds like a pub, or pub's speciality - this trifle of Sauron's, according to Galdor.
TIPPET: One vowel-shift away from a palindrome! See it. Wear it!
SAURON: Sounds like a disrespectful name for the Professor in a particularly tart mood.

PASSWORD: MINUS ELEVEN

THEME: In relation to the password, the number of things above that are permitted to be mentioned or expressed at absolutely all times in every single work of Tolkien.

Or ... things/names someone forbids to be said/named/expressed/mentioned at least once in Tolkien's works.

They are.

What about the third one?

Third one is furrier, which is number 4 on your list.

What about 2 and 9, though?

No, not a furrier.

'Mess it up' is *not* an anagram indicator here.

Muff? Rug?

Please give me hints for these clues.

MELKOR: The Spanish alien is in turmoil for him.
???I???: Impolite? It's the opposite! A way of walking, a pronoun ... all mingled!
LORD OF THE RING: Rocky?
MUFF: Mess it up, but for something warm?
BAGGINS: Huge drawback to him, but it sure turns out OK!
WATER: 'Tis rare in Mordor.
BALROG: Behold ... seize ... spin ... it's there!
CAPE: Batman has one!
???V: Sounds like a pub, or pub's speciality - this trifle of Sauron's, according to Galdor.
TIPPET: One vowel-shift away from a palindrome! See it. Wear it!
SAURON: Sounds like a disrespectful name for the Professor in a particularly tart mood.

PASSWORD: MINUS ELEVEN

THEME: In relation to the password, the number of things above that are permitted to be mentioned or expressed at absolutely all times in every single work of Tolkien.

Or ... things/names someone forbids to be said/named/expressed/mentioned at least once in Tolkien's works.

To muff something up is to mess it up.

For the V clue, you need to find a phrase used by Galdor during the Council of Elrond. If you're familiar with British pub names, I've always thought it sounds rather like one.

Galdor is referring to something that it is wise at that point in time not to mention. (Although at the Council it wouldn't matter).

And for I clue?

9. Halfling's trove?

MELKOR: The Spanish alien is in turmoil for him.
???I???: Impolite? It's the opposite! A way of walking, a pronoun ... all mingled!
LORD OF THE RING: Rocky?
MUFF: Mess it up, but for something warm?
BAGGINS: Huge drawback to him, but it sure turns out OK!
WATER: 'Tis rare in Mordor.
BALROG: Behold ... seize ... spin ... it's there!
CAPE: Batman has one!
THE HALFLING'S TROVE: Sounds like a pub, or pub's speciality - this trifle of Sauron's, according to Galdor.
TIPPET: One vowel-shift away from a palindrome! See it. Wear it!
SAURON: Sounds like a disrespectful name for the Professor in a particularly tart mood.

PASSWORD: MINUS ELEVEN

THEME: In relation to the password, the number of things above that are permitted to be mentioned or expressed at absolutely all times in every single work of Tolkien.

Or ... things/names someone forbids to be said/named/expressed/mentioned at least once in Tolkien's works.

It was the only way I could get a V - because I didn't think of the Three Rings. But it's such a lovely phrase, I'm glad I didn't think of Vilya first.

If you want a hint for the last one, it's based on this piece of text:

FRODO: The Ring is enough. This extra weight [of the orc mail-shirt] is killing me. It must go. But don't think I'm ungrateful. I hate to think of the foul work you must have had among the bodies to find it for me.
SAM: Don’t talk about it, Mr Frodo! Bless you! I’d carry you on my back, if I could. Let it go then!

So bless+carry+it?

No.

What is Sam telling Frodo not to express?

Not to talk about the Ring? Or not to express gratitude?

GRATITUDE it is!

RUDE (impolite) + GAIT (way of walking) + I (pronoun).

MINGLED: An anagram of the above three elements.

OPPOSITE: Gratitude is kind of the opposite of rudeness.

MELKOR: The Spanish alien is in turmoil for him.
GRATITUDE: Impolite? It's the opposite! A way of walking, a pronoun ... all mingled!
LORD OF THE RING: Rocky?
MUFF: Mess it up, but for something warm?
BAGGINS: Huge drawback to him, but it sure turns out OK!
WATER: 'Tis rare in Mordor.
BALROG: Behold ... seize ... spin ... it's there!
CAPE: Batman has one!
THE HALFLING'S TROVE: Sounds like a pub, or pub's speciality - this trifle of Sauron's, according to Galdor.
TIPPET: One vowel-shift away from a palindrome! See it. Wear it!
SAURON: Sounds like a disrespectful name for the Professor in a particularly tart mood.

PASSWORD: MINUS ELEVEN

THEME: In relation to the password, the number of things above that are permitted to be mentioned or expressed at absolutely all times in every single work of Tolkien.

Or ... things/names someone forbids to be said/named/expressed/mentioned at least once in Tolkien's works.

MELKOR – Name forfeited – now Morgoth. (Most Elves – and some others?)
GRATITUDE – ‘Don’t talk about it, Mr Frodo! Bless you! I’d carry you on my back, if I could. Let it go then!’ (Sam).
LORD OF THE RING – ‘Hush! Evil things do not come into this valley, but all the same we should not name them. The Lord of the Ring is not Frodo, but …. (Gandalf)
MUFF/CAPE/TIPPET – ‘Don’t be a fool Mr Baggins if you can help it, and don’t mention furrier/muff/cape/tippet until you are a hundred miles from [Beorn’s] house.’ (Gandalf).
BAGGINS – ‘The name of Baggins must not be mentioned. I am Mr Underhill, if any name must be given.’ (Frodo).
WATER – ‘If Shagrat himself were to offer me a glass of water, I’d shake his hand.’ ‘Don’t say such things! It only males it worse.’ (Sam, then Frodo).
BALROG: ‘Name him not!’ (Gandalf).
THE HALFLING’s TROVE – A way in which Galdor refers to the One Ring at the Council – and the One Ring shouldn’t be mentioned – Frodo fears Pippin might at the Prancing Pony when he is telling the story of Bilbo’s farewell speech, and Sam accidentally blurts it out to Faramir – ‘Sam!’ cried Frodo aghast.
SAURON – As Huinesoron said in his last password (or should I say ‘password?’ ;) ) – Sauron does not allow his servants to say or speak his name.

The record stood at: Urwen: 2 clues. Pervinca: 1 clue. Huinesoron: 0 clues.
The only way I could beat that was with a minus number ….



Over to you.

Thanks for the hints, and as a token of my gratitude, I give you this:


1. Note a house covering in the muddle for him
2. A spinning car? Add a vowel for him.
3. Victual is a mess. Path in the middle. See him.
4. She is a doctor, or is it him?
5. Briefly, French note, with a vowel in the middle, unearths him.

1. ROOF + D (note) = FRODO.
2. FORD (spun) + O = FRODO.
3. FOOD (in a mess) + R (path/direction) = FRODO.

I've written a fair few Frodo clues in my time, and haven't thought of these!

FRODO: Note a house covering in the muddle for him
FRODO: A spinning car? Add a vowel for him.
FRODO: Victual is a mess. Path in the middle. See him.
4. She is a doctor, or is it him?
Briefly, French note, with a vowel in the middle, unearths him.

I didn't highlight, because you said it's not to be done if the password is diagonal.

Oh … (I tend to write it 'DOH' (the note).

5. FR (a brief bit of 'French') + DO (note) + O in the middle = FRODO.

Not sure about 4. DR is doctor, but she?

...

Sometimes we didn't highlight at all, in the old days. The use of red is a relatively new thing in this thread (datewise). But it looks so pretty!

I think it might have begun when we started doing the random letters. I had already written dozens of first letter ones before resorting to random ones, though. And when we started doing themes, first-letter became harder to stick to.

FRODO: Note a house covering in the muddle for him
FRODO: A spinning car? Add a vowel for him.
FRODO: Victual is a mess. Path in the middle. See him.
4. She is a doctor, or is it him?
FRODO: Briefly, French note, with a vowel in the middle, unearths him.



The doctor thing is something I've found by googling this.