David Astle
As crossword maker in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, as well as Wordplay columnist with Spectrum, David Astle is a full-time word nerd. You might even catch his words and tangents on ABC Radio Melbourne, most weeknights 7-10pm.
Meantime his latest book - Rewording The Brain - investigates recent neural studies into puzzle-solving, seeing how twisty clues empower your brain. There's also a primer to help you solve such clues, plus the nerve to conquer the book's crossword finale.
Other books include his new kids' dictionary - 101 Weird Words (and 3 Fakes), plus the mind-tripping Riddledom, as well as the crossword's chequered history Cluetopia, plus the manual-cum-memoir, Puzzled. To complete the set are the two pocketbooks: Puzzles & Words – and Puzzles & Words 2.
Other titles for kids includes the verbal revelry of the Gargantuan Book of Words - a party of puzzles, quizzes & stories - as well Wordburger - a quick-snack guide to cryptic crosswords for kids or rookies.
David also composes such diversions as Wordwit and Omega for Fairfax. And of course, you may also recall his face (or flamboyant shirt collection) from the SBS cult show, Letters and Numbers, discontinued by SBS in 2012.
To read more about his books, click the PUBLISHED option. On the same page you’ll also discover a sample from among the 70 feature stories he’s composed, from playground rhymes to senior bikies.
To glean a bit more about the man and his mania – or play a few word games – mouse around the DA domain. You’ll find such distractions as the Word of the Week clue challenge, plus the many Birdbrain posers of the past, and occasional Guest Grids. You can also join his wordiness on Twitter.
If you wish to contact David directly, hit the EMAILDA option on the left, and he’ll do his best to get back to you. Otherwise enjoy your visit and play a few games. Maybe bump into a few new words and feel free to add to the hubbub.
