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Omission Possible

8 March, 2011

Blame Boniface for this one. (Or sing his praises if the Storm is a blast.) As this week we aim to extend the Cryptic Alphabet in a more reductive way.

What about a Deletions Alphabet, wonders the Bonny one. An omission trick for each letter, such as E could be CUTE (cut+E), or BANE (ban+E), or maybe CLUB DRUG (knock out E). Purists may bridle at the exercise, even Anax voiced concerns about some of our slash-and-turn techniques, but I think we could have a real frolic with this baby.

To submit your stuff, nominate the letter first, then the deletion tool. Should the spirit move, you can also provide a sample clue of the gimmick in action. For instance, here’s a bunch:

T = Tiptop slice

G = gloss (splashed light gloss = hilt)

Q = Q-tip

H = scratched horse (show scratched horse = sow)

So that’s your (o)mission, people – to cull the ABC letter by letter, using sleight-of-hand, single words, seamless phrases, anything to eject one letter from a separate batch. Examples may not be necessary, but they may sometimes help as illustration if your idea is a tad eccentric.

Come Thursday, 7pm, I’ll begin the Grand Sift and name the best 26, with the winner the owner of the greater ‘slice’. Might even be tempted to put some of this week’s brainwaves into active service – and always feel free to send along any other Storm ideas (as PRS and philth have done as well). Away you go.

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Text-speak is creeping into Scrabble. Where do you sit?
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