Extracts from a feature entitled
B is for BWAZI (an African fibre-yielding shrub, also spelt BUAZE)
(a focus on the letter B)
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The 10 most likely sevens with a B NIOBATE ATEBRIN BETAINE EBRIATE AEROBIA BARONET REBOANT BOATIES BORNITE ISOBARE ABORTEE
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The 10 most likely eights with a B BARITONE OBTAINER REOBTAIN TABORINE BARONIES SEAROBIN BOTANIES BOTANISE DEBONAIR LABORITE NIOBATES OBEISANT OBTAINED SABOTIER TAILBONE TENEBRIO
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BEDBUGS
Seven and Eight compound BED and BUG words
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BED WORDS DAYBEDS HOTBEDS SEABEDS SUNBEDS FLATBED OVERBED RAILBED REEDBED ROADBED SEEDBED SICKBED DEATHBED INTERBED RIVERBED WATERBED
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BUG WORDS BEDBUGS DORBUGS HUMBUGS REDBUGS ANTIBUG BILLBUG FIREBUG HORNBUG LADYBUG LOVEBUG GREENBUG MEALYBUG PINCHBUG STINKBUG SUPERBUG
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Can you unravel these anagrams, all of which contain the letter Y in a different position. Several of the solutions are difficult but you may be able to guess them given the available positions for the Y.
YARLIST YALSANT YARGENT YATBANE
YIDLONG YEPTEST YITHLED
For each of these four racks, find the two words such that all the letters are used up. This is very difficult if you're not familiar with some unusual Scrabble words.
(for example if the letters were CILMPQU the words would be CLUMP QI)
YXTSIHG YWLKIHH YUTPJFE YUMLIIF
A Topical Tale by BARRY GROSSMAN
(prompted by the news in December that Mattel were switching their licence from Chambers to Collins )
There was a restive hum going round the assembled crowd. Some were rebellious, revolutionary even; but most had a look of dumb resignation on their faces as they digested their place in the new order of things.
"Twenty-five years service", said OI, spitting on the ground. "And now this."
His close friends IO and OO nodded their heads glumly. "How many times have we got them out of trouble? They pick their vowel-heavy racks and right away they call for us."
"And now it's the scrap-heap."
CH kicked the toe of his working-man's boot in the dust. "I'll never work again", he moaned. "There's no call for obscure South West of England pronouns round these parts."
"We're obsolete, that's our trouble," added NY.
On the platform, someone banged a table and called for quiet. "Comrades", called KY, branch convenor of the UVSW (Union of Valid Scrabble Words). "I know this news comes as a blow to all of us."
"It's all right for you", called OB, who was always a bit OBstreperous. "You've got your other job. Your pharmaceutical sideline."
"That is merely a namesake of mine, as you very well know," replied KY, a little hurt. "I am a Scots word for cattle. My skills are as specialised as all of yours."
"I say we fight 'em", yelled ZEX, his cutting edge gleaming in the winter sun. "I'll give their slates a ruddy good trimming, they won't know what's hit 'em."
"Yeh", shouted DA, jabbing his blade menacingly at anyone within reach. "I didn't come through the Burma campaign for this."
At this point, some of the bigger chaps wandered in. "It's just as bad for us", said NARTJIE, or possibly it was his twin brother JANTIER. "Every job we do, we earn them 70 or 80 at least." Their close friend JANTIES nodded in agreement, as did OTARINE and his cousin OTARIES. "When they're sitting there looking at RETAIN plus an O, they'd better not come crying to me, that's all", said OTARINE bitterly.
"Comrades, comrades", said EUOUAE, "this is getting us nowhere. How about I lead us off in a nice Gregorian cadence, that should calm us all down."
"Aw, shurrup", yelled JUD. "No-one even knows how to pronounce you anyway."
"When I need the opinion of a lump of coal, I'll ask for it, thank you very much."
"Ooh! He's only saying that because I'm black."
"WAY-HAY!" came a cry of frenzy from under a nearby table. "Whose round is it? Whenzestrippercomingon?"
"Comrade EUOI, are you drunk again?" KY asked through pursed lips.
"He can't help it", said EUOUAE. "Life's tough when you've never had a consonant. And we're all getting the boot, same as you lot. AIA, EAU, all of us."
"Actuellement," said EAU, twisting his beret nervously in his hands, "I believe I am being kept on."
"What?" shouted FY. "You mean good old English words like me and old NY here are getting the bullet and that Frenchie's still going to be valid?" An angry buzz went round the crowd.
"Now look, lads." An authoritative voice cut through the hubbub. It was QI. Everyone knew that in the few years he had been a valid word, he had done more work than many of those who had been there for half a century.
"I think we all know how vital I've been to the whole operation since I was taken on. And if I can't survive, well, I'm afraid the rest of you can't be too hopeful&ldots;", he tailed off, his life force seeming to peter out.
Suddenly a cry went up. Someone had spotted a coach driving through the main gate. The words could see the new work-force peering out the coach windows. They could just make out the unfamiliar forms of YAE, JA, CAZ and one or two others.
"Scab, scab, scab," they yelled, as the new words cowered down in their seats.
ST called for everyone's attention. "Hang on," he said, "isn't all this an outdated caricature of a 1970's Union meeting? Shouldn't we be having a postal ballot or something?"
UR hesitated, but then agreed with him. "Come on," he said, making for a nearby coffee-shop, "who's for a cappuccino? They'll probably start a Chambers heritage trail and we'll all get jobs as tourist guides. Cushy number."
And so the words shuffled off, talking among themselves in little groups of two and three. Soon, the only noise that could be heard was the snoring of EUOI, still happily ensconced under the table.
Important Stop Press Footnote
Following a high-level meeting with Collins, Mattel and the ABSP, we now understand from our Labour Relations Correspondent that the redundancy toll will not be as bad as at first feared, and it is hoped that the vast majority of the workers in the above piece will in fact be kept on after all.
SEVEN ANAGRAMS
YODLING TYPESET TRYSAIL ABEYANT ANALYST DIETHYL AGENTRY
SOLUTION TO TWO MOVE CHALLENGE
GHI and XYST HWYL and KHI
UPJET and FY ILIUM and FY