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Updates from across the site

25 16 May

Hidden Message

‘The Gloria Scott’ is a short story in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In that tale, James Armitage received the following letter, which threw him into a pitiable state of anxiety. See if you can spot the hidden message.

The supply of game for London is going steadily up. Head-keeper Hudson, we believe, has been now told to receive all orders for fly paper and for preservation of your hen pheasant’s life.

Solution

Now see if you can compose another letter, using the same system, for the cable received by Carruthers in ‘The Solitary Cyclist’ (a story in The Return of Sherlock Holmes).

The old man is dead.

Suggestion

26 15 May

The Great and the Good

In 1722 the Duke of Marlborough died, the most celebrated English general of the War of the Spanish Succession, during which he never suffered a defeat. The splendour of the ceremonies, the national mourning, the monuments in his honour, the wealth he had accumulated, Daniel Defoe described them all; and then he reminded us: he is dead.

The Great and the Good

Daniel Defoe wondered whether goodness was not preferable to greatness.

27 15 May

Disappearing Act

N. gives a verb and names one of the three kinds of sentence, viz. Statement, Question, Command. M. uses the word in that kind of sentence. For example:

1 Disappear, in a Question.

2 Bring, in a Command.

3 Keep, in a Statement.

More verbs: IAdmit. IIFry. IIILook. IVPlay. VScrub.

Since commands can be as short as a single word, let’s say that sentences should be seven words or more in length.

Based on an exercise in Think and Speak (1929) by NL Clay.

Statements, Questions and Commands

Choose a word from our list, and then use it in any one of the three basic types of sentence — if possible.

28 14 May

Red Faced

Below are three sentences taken from Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope. The words have been jumbled up: see if you can restore them to the original order.

1 thinking married he’s getting of

2 hair to blushed the of up eleanor her roots.

3 unhappy harding this mr very all made

Sentences from Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope.

Sentegrams

These sentences, taken from English literature, have been jumbled up like an anagram; see if you can piece them back together.

29 14 May

Good Sense

Rewrite the following sentences, keeping the same idea but avoiding the word ‘unless’.

1I don’t know how she managed, unless by good sense and good humour.

Mary Russell Mitford, Our Village

2I don’t mean to believe it unless I have it fairly proved before witnesses.

Anna Sewell, Black Beauty

3Unless a nation is ruled by its best elements it must wither and decay.

Rafael Sabatini, Scaramouche

For Example

“I won’t go unless you all go too,” Alice said.

Edith Nesbit, The Treasure Seekers

“If you all don’t go too,” said Alice, “I won’t go.”

“You’ve all got to come along,” Alice said, “otherwise I won’t go.”

“I’m not going without you, all of you” said Alice.”

30 13 May

The Coronation of Anne Boleyn

On Saturday afternoon, May 31st, 1533, Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, was taken from the Tower of London to Westminster Hall, to be crowned in the Abbey next morning. The wider public was disgusted by the way Henry had jilted Catherine, by a two-year affair, a secret marriage, and a controversial divorce (in that order); yet crowded streets were hung with bunting, and the cavalcade was magnificent.

The Coronation of Anne Boleyn

The weight of the crown that Anne Boleyn wore proved too heavy to bear.

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