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Diabolically Arcane

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Get Plucky

4 September, 2012

A bit late in planting the Storm this week, but a glorious springtime Tuesday is its own excuse. Spring is the principal thing too, as your green-fingered challenge is to clue a flower (wordplay only), and then clue a word (def and wordplay) that’s been plucked from your flower’s letters. Here’s what I mean:

HYDRANGEABury wanderer to his ear (sounds like ‘hide ranger’)
HYENACackler sampling Chaney horror retrospective (reverse hidden)

or…

WARATAHFighting a bowler’s comeback (WAR + A + HAT reversed) THAWWarm fronts tease hedonists all winter (initials T.H.A.W)

Can’t see either winning Best At Flower Show, but they should get you into the spring of things. One flower – or plant – clue (no def), and one word (of three of more letters) plucked from your garden choice, supplied a complete clue. Feel free to prune and try variations, or other’s flowers for that matter. Oh, and choose a vernal alias, planting your two best couplets here before Thursday 9pm. May the greenest thumb win.

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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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