Crankshaft by Tom Batiuk and Dan Davis for December 30, 2024

“Uh, Grandpappy, what’s this box-and-lid thing for? And why doesn’t Mr. Keisterman have one on his house?”

With the cheap screws they make now, it’s all too easy to strip screw

Okay, plusses and minuses:

PLUS: No Dinkle (or Lizard Lil)MINUS: No discernable jokePLUS: Ed’s backMINUS: Mitch’s Guy Gardner haircutPLUS: No Dinkle in Panel Two, either

Well, the plusses win in a squeaker, 3-2. Can’t wait to see how the year climaxes.

Something Something screw loose ?

Yay!

Ed becomes a stripper??

do not do that last twist

Slaps the top on my laptop “Be more funny!”

The old German torque specification known as “Gutentight” can get you into a lot of trouble if you’re not careful…

The screw head didn’t snap off? You didn’t turn it hard enough!

Looks like Mitch is about 6 today. I wonder if he’ll be the same age in January, or will he be a toddler again, or in middle school?

Yes, Yes & Yes.

Sounds like something you do on a regular basis, Ed.

Saw that coming!

And in the last panel, when Ed’s stripped the screw and wrecked his little project, do we actually see anything, like the mailbox dangling at an angle from the one properly installed screw? Of course not; Ed’s got to tell us what happened. Ya just gotta admire Batty’s commitment to the philosophy of “tell don’t show”!

We’re not told (let alone shown) why Ed’s replacing the mailbox. My guess is that Keesterman took a job as a city bus driver…

The shop that sold me my snow tires stripped 3 studs on one wheel. Repairs cost $130, and they won’t pay it.

read todays loose parts i bet dawn quinn bought all the prints

@ Kitty Queen – Thanks for not blaming Cranky!

who’s the new guy?

Luck is very overrated…….

…….bad luck……..vocational training by the ’crankest"!!!!

I guess that explains Dinky … someone gave one last twist for luck and stripped the screw.

He should use his left hand, it’s easier.

Screw from China. Lesson learned.

Tip: never buy aluminum screws.

Ed screwed the mailbox, Batty screwed the pooch.

Since Batty gave us a setup (“one last twist for luck”) and then declined to deliver a punch line, let’s see how many “luck” related punch lines we can come up with. I’ll start…

Mitch: “you just broke the screw.”

Ed: “I didn’t say that last twist was for good luck.”

Y’all’s turn…

Who’s that old guy with the red-and-white cap? : )

so that would be bad luck then