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Diabolically Arcane

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Wordy New Year

1 January, 2013

This year, we try (with intent) to improve. That’s my anagram clue for TWENTY-THIRTEEN, which just arrived on my porch this morning, along with a labrador frazzled by the fireworks. Hope you all survived your evenings, and have a wonderful, wordy new year.

Some updates:

  • If you haven’t voted for Clue of the Year, then do so soon, as I’ll be crowning the winner later this week. Just head for the poll in the right margin. Pull in other cryptic nuts to bid too.

  • A reminder for radio hounds, I’ll be piloting Learnage, my chat show with Oslo Davis on Triple-R tonight, from 8-10. We’ll be chatting with Carolyn Fraser, a printer of the first water, plus an expert on historic games. If you can’t tune in, podslurp. And suggest some cool tracks for next week.

  • Since when is Andy Capp not a Cockney? Okay, ‘e comes from 'artlepool in NE England, but that’s his only demerit. If a geezer talks like Cockney, walks like a Cockney, drinks 'ard like a Cockney, isn’t he a Cockney?!

  • Konjac is the voodoo lily. Dramality blends drama with reality TV. Green tape is an eco-imbroglio. Citizen science is the lay grasp of Dr Karl issues. Silo mentality and wine flu….six nominees for Macquarie’s Word of 2012. Feel free to suggest more here. And vote onsite from January 7. Or clue them any of the half-duzz for new year kudos.

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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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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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