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Diabolically Arcane

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Number's Up

3 June, 2016

Firstly a conundrum, sustaining the hybrid theme of this week's Storm. The puzzle was sent my way by occasional contributor AC who found a fusion of sudoku and crossword in a mag for actuaries. Here's the link to see if you have the alphanumeric chops. (Thanks Anthony for the nudge.)

Secondly, turning to numbers: a twofold folly for this first Friday of winter. Below is a miscellany of bingo-slang, mainly from the UK callers. If you're up for some mischief can you (a) create some inventive nicknames for other numbers?

Or (b), clue these existing labels, using the actual number in your clue as the definition? Here's your smattering. Good luck all players.

1 - Kelly's eye

10 - David's den (Downing St)

11 - legs

17 - dancing queen

22 - ballerina (tutu)

33 - Sherwood forest (all trees)

39 - Jack Benny (his frequently fibbed age)

44 - Star Wars (may the 4s be with you)

45 - halfway house (midway to 90, the bingo max)

57 - all the beans

58 - Thomas tank engine

76 - trombones (...in the big parade)

80 - Gandhi (ate nothing)

88 - two fat ladies

Love to your some DIY suggestions, even if the number's already labelled. And let's see who can make the best bingo clue to wrap the week in words. 

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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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