Monday Miscellany: Numbers in Titles

I’ve been working on a crossword puzzle lately that uses a lot of titles in the grid. With that on my mind, here’s today’s challenge:

Can you think of 20 titles (of books, movies, songs, television shows, you name it), that contain every number, from 1 to 20 (one number per title)? As an example for 0, Less than Zero would work. My only restriction is that the number must stand on its own, so “Three’s Company” wouldn’t count, because of the apostrophe and the s. Oh, and please don’t use Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels.

I may even go above 20, if I’m inspired. I’ll post my answer list on Wednesday.

Monday Miscellany: Five-Letter Anagrams

While I was walking today, I stared at a STOP sign for a bit and it occurred to me (not for the first time) that the letters in “stop” can be rearranged four times (or, I guess, three more times), so that each word begins with a different letter (stop, tops, opts, and post). Then I wondered: What five-letter word has four anagrams, in which each word begins with a different letter?

I don’t have an answer yet, but I’m sure there are several. I’ll see if I can think of one by Wednesday, when I’ll post what I found. Note: Try to find a five-letter word that doesn’t repeat any letters.

Happy Labor Day!

Friday Miscellany: Rorschach Cuties

I’ve  been trying to open my Cuties lately so the peel is in one piece. The resulting rind, I think, is often suggestive of various human, animal, and other forms.

So, here for your psychological pleasure: Three Cutie peels that you may use as personal Rorschach tests. What leaps to mind when you first look at each of these images?

copyright 2010 Karen Richards

copyright 2010 Karen Richards

copyright 2010 Karen Richards

I hope you are now inspired to create your own entertaining shapes the next time you peel a mandarin.

Friday Miscellany: The Puzzlist

Here is another installment of The Puzzlist. Note, the links for “submit” and “link to our answers” do not work; this is just a prototype. I will, however, list my answers over the weekend.

If you’re playing, try not to use the Internet to search for answers. Search in your own head for a while. Then come back to it later, and think of a few more. It’ll be more fun that way. Trust me.

Friday puzzle: Another experiment

Here’s another format I’m experimenting with for an ongoing puzzle:

Your thoughts? Does it need more art? More detailed directions?

And yes, I do have 25 answers. I’ll post them tomorrow.

Cartoon: So Close

This is a new cartoon / puzzle hybrid that I’ve been working on. What’ I’m pasting below is a sketch, so I hope to have better art, to refine the title / subtitle, and resolve whether to have instructions, etc..

I would appreciate any comments: Do you think the puzzle needs directions? Are the boxes and arrows self explanatory, or are they confusing?

Friday Miscellany: The Puzzle-list

Help, I’m listing!

Many of the puzzles that I like to muddle on involve coming up with lists. The Initial Inclinations, Constant Consonants, and Three-Peat puzzles are all list-based. For today’s Friday puzzle, here are two more listy puzzles.

1. Name an occupation that begins with every letter of the alphabet.

2. List as many reasons as you can for wearing goggles (after a few obvious choices, see how creative you can be).

I will name my results over the weekend.

Friday Miscellany: Photo Cartoon?

I had to take a picture of this today:

Shelly always did have a sweet tooth

It seems to be asking for a comic caption. And probably one better than mine. Any suggestions?

Friday Miscellany: Six Guesses

Here’s a quick quiz for today. If you can guess the mystery word by the fourth guess, that’s better than most; by the third guess, that’s amazing. If you guess on the first guess, you’re probably Dutch or Japanese.

Friday Miscellany: History Mystery

Here’s a fact-based logic puzzle for your Friday:

History Mystery

Put on your brainy beanie (your cogitation cap?), and see if you can sort out these facts about United States history:

 Of the three former presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Calvin Coolidge, one was born on July fourth and two died on July fourth.

 If Adams was born on the day before Halloween, and Coolidge died four days after the new year, which two presidents died on July fourth, and which one was born on that day? 

Answers this weekend.