Earlier right now I launched the Scrabblegram: a type of constrained writing by which you should use all 100 tiles in a Scrabble set, together with the 2 blanks, and no different letters. Lots of you despatched me your Scrabblegrams, and I’ll print just a few under.
However first, the solutions to right now’s puzzle, which I believe is probably the best wordplay puzzle of all time. Written by David Cohen, each the query and the reply are Scrabblegrams.
Right here it’s. The clues are fast crossword clues (the numbers in parentheses are the phrase lengths of the solutions.) Simply to repeat: the clues comprise the 100 letters in a Scrabble set, and so do the solutions. The query clean tiles are H and N, and the reply blanks are L and R.
Resolution PARADISE LOST, KONNICHIWA, FORGIVE AND FORGET, MERCURY, JEZEBEL, SALVAGED, TRANQUILITY, WIPEOUT, AMBIDEXTROUS, A HOLE IN ONE
The above puzzle is a piece of genius. However simply to point out he isn’t a one-hit marvel, David composed one other one. Once more each the clues, and the solutions are Scrabblegrams.
Resolution THIRTEEN, FREE PARKING, JAMBALAYA, DEVOUT, ZOOKEEPER, QUICHE LORRAINE, FAWN, DIVIDED, TOXICOLOGIST, GAUNTLY, BUSINESSWOMAN
Writing a Scrabblegram may be very troublesome, however that didn’t put you off. (If you happen to learn the unique publish you possibly can see Cohen’s suggestions for tips on how to write them.) What is tough within the problem is to make the textual content stream easily and say one thing attention-grabbing that is sensible.
Listed below are three I loved:
No joke! This January I too realized taking part in phrase video games with pals may very well be a beneficial and even fairly thrilling pastime!
(Blanks I, J) By Charmaine Minami
January procuring is sort of stimulating. Each week I get a field of arduous brown treacle, 4 dozen delicate violets, and a limo.
(Blanks L, T) By Chris Jones
The Peak District is wonderful, a rural paradox having fun with inexperienced hills, woods, water, life… quiet however vivid. No worry; you turn out to be one.
(Blanks I, R) By Lesley Caddy.
Thanks everybody who despatched me examples, and likewise to these individuals who posted them under the road within the earlier publish. Please proceed including extra under!
Because of David Cohen for right now’s puzzles. He has simply revealed Scrabblegrams, a e-book of 75 authentic Scrabblegrams on all kinds of matters together with artwork, historical past and science, with a small British writer, Penteract Press, which specialises in constrained and visible poetry. You should purchase it right here.
You possibly can learn extra of Cohen’s Scrabblegrams on his web site.You possibly can observe him on X: @dc_scrabblegram to the place he posts a every day Scrabblegram of the Day.
Scrabble is a registered trademark of HASBRO.
I’ve been setting a puzzle right here on alternate Mondays since 2015. I’m all the time on the look-out for excellent puzzles. If you want to counsel one, e-mail me.
