Earlier today I introduced the Scrabblegram: a form of limited script in which you must use all 100 tiles in a Scrabble set, including the two spaces, and no other letters. Many of you sent me your Scrabbgrams, and I’ll print a few below.
But first, the answers to today’s puzzle, which I think is possibly the greatest word puzzle of all time. Written by David Cohenboth the question and the answer is Scrabblegrams.
Here it is. The clues are quick crosswords (the numbers in parentheses are the word lengths of the answers.) Just to reiterate: the clues contain the 100 letters in a Scrabble set, and so do the answers. The blank question tiles are H and N, and the answer boxes are L and R.
Solution PARADISE LOST, KONNICHIWA, FORGIVED AND FORGOTTEN, MERCURIUS, JEZEBEL, REDEMPTED, PEACE, DELETED, DOUBLE STRICT, A HOLE IN ONE
The above puzzle is a work of genius. But just to show he’s not a one-hit wonder, David composed another one. Again, both the clues and the answers are Scrabbgrams.
Solution THIRTEEN, FREE PARKING, JAMBALAYA, DEVOUT, ANIMAL PERS, QUICHE LORRAINE, FAWN, DIVIDE, TOXICOLOGIST, GAUNTLY, BUSINESSWOMAN
Writing a Scrabblegram is very difficult, but that didn’t put you off. (If you read the original post, you can see Cohen’s tips on how to write it.) What is difficult in the challenge is to make the text flow smoothly and say something interesting that makes sense.
Here are three that I enjoyed:
No jokes! This January I also realized that playing word games with friends can be a favorable or even quite exciting pastime!
(Blanks I, J) By Charmaine Minami
January shopping is quite stimulating. Every week I get a box of hard brown syrup, four dozen delicate violets and a limo.
(Blank L, T) By Chris Jones
The Peak District is amazing, a rural paradox enjoying green hills, woods, water, life… quiet but alive. No fear; you become one.
(Blanks I, R) By Lesley Caddy.
Thanks to everyone who sent me samples, and also to those people who put them below the line in the previous post. Please continue to add more below!
Thanks to David Cohen for today’s puzzles. He has just published Scrabblegrams, a book of 75 original Scrabblegrams on a wide range of subjects including art, history and science, with a small UK publisher, Penteract Press, which specializes in limited and visual poetry. You can buy it here.
You can read more of Cohen’s Doodlegrams on his website.You can follow him on X: @dc_scrabblegram to where he posts a daily Scrabblegram of the Day.
Scrabble is a registered trademark of HASBRO.
I’ve been doing a puzzle here on alternate Mondays since 2015. I’m always on the lookout for great puzzles. If you want to suggest one, email me.
