Having successfully set Spiny Norman on his way to a new career as a Top Gun pilot, I have returned to my regular life as a distinguished professor of archeology at the university. I had planned to resume my work of encouraging young minds to think and ask questions, but little did I know that I would soon be embroiled in a vast and dark conspiracy the likes of which the world had never seen before …
The first whispers of this latest mystery reach my ears as I give a lecture on the many shades of meaning to be found in religious and cultural symbology.
After the lecture, as I return to my office, I am accosted by Professor Teabing, a notoriously eccentric instructor in the university’s division of puzzles and mysteries. He asks me to accompany him to his office, where he reveals that his research supports the theory that the famous painting of the dogs playing poker does in fact contain coded information about some sort of ancient conspiracy.
He further reveals that, in his estimation, the secrets concealed within the painting would be revealed once he solved a fiendishly difficult puzzle he had been working on since the early 1980s. Despite my skepticism, I agree to accompany Professor Teabing on a flight to France, where, he believes, an expert contact of his will be able to solve the riddle that has baffled him for so long.
Unfortunately, on the way to meet Professor Teabing’s contact, we run afoul of an old enemy of his, a former colleague who dabbled in the mysteries of the Missing Link puzzle and paid a horrible price.
Unable to intervene, I watch in horror as he and his nemesis plunge into the River Seine and are immediately arrested for illegal swimming and taken away by irate French police. I manage to recover Teabing’s cube when it washes ashore. But, as I lack opposable thumbs, this is one puzzle I cannot solve on my own. Instead, I proceed to meet his contact, alone. To my surprise, she is not another stuffy academic, but rather, a young French puzzle-solving champion:
Can she really decipher the mysteries of the cube, and with it, the mysteries of the painting of the dogs playing poker? We will soon find out. If she cannot, I will find someone who can. Because I am Dennis the Vizsla, and I never give up.
The Oceanside Animals 
We will stay tuned! Hugs Joey and Kealani
LikeLike
We can’t wait to see if the puzzle will be solved! Oh, yeah, and you’re absolutely right about the cable company! A fat lot of good deregulation did for us! Hey! I said that with NO HBO words!
Aire-hugs,
Poppy, Penny & Patches
LikeLike
I am scairted of what might happen to the world if the puzzle is solved….
LikeLike
I am scared the dog’s poker game will get busted, because it has been running continuously since 1926.
Kisses,
Stella
LikeLike
Ah Dennis, how I love your Saturday posts! 🙂
This post was particularly good, because now I don’t have to go see the movie. Or the new sequel, either.
Oh wait. I wasn’t going to, anyway!
LikeLike
I’m staying tuned!!! Don’t fail us now, Dr. Dennis!
LikeLike
It does not look too promising with that girl you have trying to figure things out~~~~
Like you said though….you are the champ and you will find someone who can….Mama????
LikeLike
Hmm…interesting.
Mochi
LikeLike
I can’t wait to see what new adventures unfold.
LikeLike
Wow.. I don’t know if I can sleep.. worried about the albino coming at you. That french lady never did figure out the cube -did she?
Norwood
LikeLike
TRIXIE!
I thought woo would take khare of things SOON!
Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
LikeLike
Beware Dennis, some things in this universe are just not meant to be tampered with…..
I like the VW & Alfred E Newman included in the religious symbols. I used to own an old ’66 Beetle years ago & was an avid reader of MAD Comics as a teenager. Might this mystery have some special meaning for me perhaps????. Do you think that the MAD Comic’s Black Spy VS White Spy may be involved by any chance in the riddle of the Dogs Playing Poker mystery??? Just wondering….
LikeLike
Maybe Tucker TMBTDV could solve it by applying the “Ancient Wisdom of the Mormon like Ancestral Heritage Pedigree”
Just sayin’
LikeLike
Aw…what a brilliant story! Such a creative post! My humans really enjoyed it because they just went to watch “Angels & Demons” in the big screen place this weekend!
Can’t wait for the next installment!
Slobbers,
Honey the Great Dane
LikeLike
ooooh, this is exciting!
LikeLike
Dennis
Thank goodness you are at work on solving this puzzle! Watch out for Professor Teabing – we dont think he is gone for good. We were also worried about his lack of eye contact when he was speaking with you – we dont think he is a human although mascarading as a professor!
love
Martha & Bailey xxx
LikeLike
I’m sitting on the edge of my seat. What’s next? That was great!
LikeLike
HOWLarious!! 🙂
LikeLike
That puzzle cube is amazingly difficult for sure, but she can figure it out just because she is French??! Who knew?!
LikeLike
Speaking for all the other foodies out here, did you choose the breath mint or the sugar substitute? We must know!
My brother used to solve those cubes in less than 2 minutes. Perhaps you could visit him?
LikeLike
Is Sir Ian on your blogroll? I bet he’d get a chuckle out of this post!
LikeLike
LOL!!! That post just made my day. Too funny!! 🙂
LikeLike
Fan-vizsla-tastic! Loving it 2 bits, but can’t believe any1 else knows Spiny Norman??? did you 2 experience the joy of ‘The Chicken Shack’, Bitez 1985/86? xxx BP n Boo xxx
LikeLike