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Diabolically Arcane

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Clues of Spring 3

31 December, 2010

This batch opens with spring’s easiest clue – but it’s still so lovely it had to be included. So you ready for your next serve? All six stem from UK puzzles, the cream of last season. See how many you can solve, sharing your joys and pains in the Comments. Then mix the LAST LETTERS of each answer to form a new word. If the spirit moves, see who can compose the niftiest clue for this seventh word.

1. Dummy left in baby’s bed (4) [Times 8840]

2. Sailor’s tale reflected rocky manoeuvre (6) [Aardvark]

3. Big brother of Marxism? (7) [Araucaria]

4. Hot pastry rings preserve temperature (7) [Times 8819]

5. Bumbling double agent stupidly ate out in club (8) [Crucible]

6. Somewhat spiritual, is maintaining attention to services (9) [Brendan]

And have a happy, heady 2011. May every charade be worth the pretence.

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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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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.

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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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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
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