Clay Lane

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New posts, old posts, and a few brainteasers

January 28 January 15 OS

79

Make as many words as you can using the letters of one nine-letter word. Can you beat our score?

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aced acer acid acre acrid acted aerate aerated aide aired arcade arced area aria arid cadet cadre carat card cardie care cared caret cart carted cater catered cedar cede cert cider cite cited crate crated create created cred credit cree creed cried dace dare dart data date dear dearie deceit deer deter dice dicta diet dieter dire direct dirt drat eater edict edit eider eradicate erect iced idea irate race raced radiate raid rate rated react reacted read recite recited reed rice ride rite tare tear teed tiara tide tied tier tiered tirade tire tired trace traced trad trade tread tree triad trice tried
eradicate radiate arcade create credit deceit direct recite tirade acrid acted aired cadet cadre carat cared caret cater cedar cider crate creed cried deter edict erect irate raced react trace trade tread trice tried aced acid acre aide area aria arid acer card care cart cede cite dare dart date data dear deer dice diet dire dirt drat edit iced idea race raid rate read reed rice ride rite tear tide tied tier tire tree
aced acer acid acre acrid acted aerate aerated aide aired arcade arced area aria arid cadet cadre carat card cardie care cared caret cart carted cater catered cedar cede cert cider cite cited crate crated create created cred credit cree creed cried dace dare dart data date dear dearie deceit deer deter dice dicta diet dieter dire direct dirt drat eater edict edit eider eradicate erect iced idea irate race raced radiate raid rate rated react reacted read recite recited reed rice ride rite tare tear teed tiara tide tied tier tiered tirade tire tired trace traced trad trade tread tree triad trice tried

Posted December 6 2024

Tags: Polywords (16) Think and Speak (39)

80

A Ministering Angel

As Lord Marmion lies dying on Flodden Field, there is no one near to tend him but the woman he has wronged.

It is 1513, and Lord Marmion has been mortally wounded on the battlefield of Flodden. As he lies there, his lifeblood ebbing away, a woman kneels beside him. Clare feels no love for him, and the ungoverned passion he feels for her has spread death and dishonour all around. Yet her heart is not as hard as his.

Posted December 5 2024

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Tags: Copy Book (77)

81

The Court of the Past

We should not force ourselves and ‘our values’ onto the writers of the past.

In Sesame and Lilies, John Ruskin warned us not to try to manipulate the great writers of the past into agreeing with us or our times. And if we have so little respect for them as to want to try, we would be better off not entering the ‘court of the past’ at all.

Posted December 5 2024

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Tags: Copy Book (77)

82

Arthur’s Prayers

On his first night in a school dorm, Arthur dared not do anything without seeking approval — with one exception.

Dr Thomas Arnold, the (real life) headmaster of Rugby School, has decided that it would settle Tom Brown down to be given some responsibility; so he has asked Tom to take a rather delicate new boy, thirteen-year-old Arthur, under his wing. Tom is called to action from Arthur’s first night in the dormitory.

Posted December 3 2024

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Tags: Copy Book (77)

83

Use these nouns in sentences of at least ten words.

This exercise was given in Clay’s Think and Speak (1929). “Each questioner calls upon an opponent and sets a noun to be used in a sentence of no less than ten words.” Those who are playing this game on their own may find these nouns useful:

Iwake IIaward IIIbreakfast IVchildhood Vtension VItitle VIImanager VIIIdepth IXheart Xice XIimplement XIIhunt

Be sure to use your word as a noun. In “My initials are the same as my father’s, so the misunderstanding was quite natural”, the word ‘initial’ is a noun; but in “The initial impression given by my visitor was not at all favourable” it is an adjective, and in “Just let me initial these slips and I’ll be ready to leave” it is a verb.

See more Jigsaw Sentences

Posted December 3 2024

Tags: Nouns (1)

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84

Richard Addinsell: Tom Brown’s Schooldays: Overture

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Posted December 3 2024

Tags: Music Video (27)