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...

Huh 54

15 March, 2017

Most of you will know how Huh posts work. The deal is to unravel the clues on show, explaining how the wordplay operates. Because I can't - or nor fully. Some elements are graspable, but the overall effect is...well...huh?

See if you can undo my bewilderment, from Barbados to fescue, revealing any clue's mechanics. And then as your Huh bonus, a virtual bag of jelly snakes to the person who can craft the classier clue for any of these same seven solutions. Thanks in advance.

1. Accept just good rating perhaps for holiday destination = BARBADOS  [Times 10,790]

2. Hectic last quarter for Balearic Isle heads = MANIC  [Sunday Times 1018]

3. Where one used to see 7 [EMCEE] or 11 [WEED] in flight? = ON THE WING  [Sunday Times 1039 - those inserted words are the solutions to the potential cross-refs.]

4. Component of world trade? = MERCURY SWITCH  [Times 10,818]

5. Cut maize perhaps and wrap = SWATHE  [Times 10,811]

6. Couple ending up with one letter = PHI [Sunday Times 1038]

7. Iron rod and spade to cut grass = FESCUE [Sunday Times 1038]

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