Puzzles, posts, news and general word-chat.

Diabolically Arcane

Bingo. You’ve reached David Astle dot com, a carnival of words, puzzles and more words. Welcome aboard, and have fun.

Loading tweet...

Hit The Headlice

5 December, 2012

Call this a Storm of sorts, and perhaps a chance to test out our new toys later this week – like polls and leader boards, even the cross-flow of Twitter refugees. We’ll see.

The theme is the typo, and the topic is a news headline from the last year or so. If 2012 feels hazy already, may I recommend this Wiki summary, or our favourite auntie’s house.

Coin a headline for one scandal or another, a notable event, a lamented death, but with a comical or ironical typo embedded. Some kite-flyers:

PETER SLAPPER RESIGNS AS SPEAKER

LIBERAL LANDSLIDE AGAINST ANNA BLIGHT

JK ROLLING DUMPS HARRY

Storm Update: the best typo title before Thursday will win a copy of Drummond Moir’s mishmash of spelling slipups, Just My Typo. This collection of clunkers will make the Christmas hangover vanish in a flesh – a recommended gag-fest for logophiles.

If the new poll is operating, submit your own DIY fave for voting before Thursday 9pm. To be eligible to snag the Moir book, you must cast a vote as well. As you can see, when it comes to mangling, you can apply substitution, omission, or general silly buggers. And may the best Dibbler wan.

comments powered by Disqus

Rewording The Brain

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.

Medal

Rewording The Brain

Care to renew your noodle? Rewording The Brain explores the latest neural studies, seeing how puzzles (and twisty clues) boost your neurons. Part 2 helps you crack such clues, and prep the grey matter for the crossword showcase to finish. More here

read more +

101 Weird Words (and 3 Fakes)

From Ambidextrous to Zugwang, this mini-dictionary teems with rare or alluring words, plus bonus riddles, puzzles and fun word-facts. Dictionary detective will also nab the collection's three fakes. Ideal for late primary schoolers, or word-nuts in general.

read more +

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 

read more +

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
See Results