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Diabolically Arcane

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Emmy Outcome

28 September, 2013

Modest number of claimants this week, but not less intense, or splendid, pretty much like the Emmy shortlist. As that was the game, converting any of the Outstanding Actresses into wordplay, with the ultimate winner scoring a cream-o-crop US crossword volume.

As a grand final looms, I won’t dilly-dally. Here are the results. With three red-hot clues among a mosh of notables:

CLAIRE DANESAbout fifty dogs got new Frontline replacement [Morse found pooches in the Great Danes that nobody else could detect, impounding 13 points from 5 votes.]

VERA FARMIGARave review for green grocer? [Dinosaur nerd, Ross Gellar shares the silver medal, also netting 13/5 with a brilliant bit brand placement.]

MICHELLE DOCKERYHell frozen over? Parting joke [Gold must go to Miss Fisher for a stellar double-container that puts Mr Tupper to shame. A fine clue, with a 16/4 return.]

Congratz to the Fish. You schooled us all, including Skylar here. The final ‘scale’ among the starlets, combining both clue scores, sees Buffy 1, Smithers 3, Kojak 4, Skylar 8, Ross G 13, Morse 20 and Miss F 21. Declare yourselves, and the black-and-white bling can be forwarded.

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Rewording The Brain

Focus & memory, lateral leaps & logic - every aspect of cognitive health is lit in Rewording The Brain, a book revelling in how puzzles boost your brain. Part 2 equips your brain to conquer any twisty clue, plus the wild crossword finale. Pop science meets neural gameplay, Rewording is rewarding, and out now.

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Rewording The Brain

Care to renew your noodle? Rewording The Brain explores the latest neural studies, seeing how puzzles (and twisty clues) boost your neurons. Part 2 helps you crack such clues, and prep the grey matter for the crossword showcase to finish. More here

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Gargantuan Book of Words

Sneeze words. Fake pasta. Viking slang. Gargantuan is a jumbo jumble of puzzles & games, mazes & quizzes, tailor-made for that wordy wonderkid in your life. Or anyone in love with letters, secret codes, puns, rhymes, emoji & all things languagey. More here 

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Riddledom Rave

If you missed my riddle chat with Richard Fidler, then feel free to slurp the podcast at http://ab.co/1I9t1x5

Text-speak is creeping into Scrabble. Where do you sit?
OBVS I'm fine with it
Entrenched stuff - like LOL and OMG - but no more.
Words With Friends, maybe. Scrabble, no
Let the 'real' dictionaries decide first
Just the handy stuff, like FAQ and EUW
I mean, WTF?! No way
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