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Diabolically Arcane

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On The Road Again (Salon 48)

2 December, 2013

Quiet week, on the blog at least. Since your web host is hitting the highway, first in Albury, and later Lake Macquarie, with a radio cameo in Port Jackson as the pavlova’s cherry. I’ll be talking words – the kind of thing I love – and vouching for the allure of both new titles: Cluetopia and the latest summertime pastiche, Puzzles & Words 2.

If this post appears in time, you may even have a chance to snag a copy. I’m diong the year’s last #daplay with Adam Spencer on 702 ABC, in Adam’s final week. The game is simple. Modify a movie, a song or book title by incorporating a Sydney suburb, or a town in the sweep of 702’s listeners. Conjure the title, then add a brief synopsis. For example:

500 Days of Summer Hill18-month lease near Marrickville
Slaughterhouse Five Docksupplier of Leichhardt’s osso buco
For a Few Dollars – Enmorethinking of upgrading from Petersham?
The Bourne UltimoMatt Damon takes on Harris Street traffic

Even if you miss the play on the radio, then add your own below, as there must be Gregory’s gems to craft. And if you like a more orthodox puzzle to prime your solving week: What well-known film can be split into the surname of two movie stars (neither of whom appears in this drama), beside a famed hunter’s anagram?

Share the best of British stuff here. Like a recent charade, which I may presage my looming week on the wallaby: Get lost in middle of massive crowd (5)

Have a wordy week, dabblers.

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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

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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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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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