Puzzles, posts, news and general word-chat.

Diabolically Arcane

Bingo. You’ve reached David Astle dot com, a carnival of words, puzzles and more words. Welcome aboard, and have fun.

Loading tweet...

Brand Place/ment

19 September, 2017

On the back of this week's JETTATURA - a Volkswagen model beside a southern NSW beach - this Storm is out to continue the feat. Somewhere, somehow - let me explain.

Showing no shame, and getting parochial, your clue needs to enlist both a brand and a placename. Maybe that's GREECE evacuated, combining with NIVEA to spell GRIEVANCE. Or perhaps it's HAMPSTEAD boycotting AMP to create DEATHS. (Seems I'm tapping my inner Goth this morning...)

Global or local. Big brand or car model. However you can fuse the two elements, using sound or deletion, the whole thing working as a viable clue.

Of course, other wordplay elements may be involved. Or perhaps your answer carries its own place/brand combo, much like JETTATURA. So long as a trademark and something-like-Denmark get a gig.

Tricky? Sure. Here's a few whirls:

Bendigo's ultimate pet food a gem = OPAL

Around outback, IKEA prepared food = I(NT)AKE

Bizarrely Anita defends back in Africa = T(ANZ)ANIA

Maybe US and I brewed this! = BUDWEISER

Start your combine-harvesting, and let's see who wins the brief.

comments powered by Disqus

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.

Medal

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

read more +

101 Weird Words (and 3 Fakes)

From Ambidextrous to Zugwang, this mini-dictionary teems with rare or alluring words, plus bonus riddles, puzzles and fun word-facts. Dictionary detective will also nab the collection's three fakes. Ideal for late primary schoolers, or word-nuts in general.

read more +

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 

read more +

Recent Comments

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
See Results