Call Your MP

Before we start it is my sad duty to say that Jackie passed away suddenly on Saturday. We will all miss both her and the enthusiasm she had for the game of scrabble.

Two words from last week. One I knew, and should have found, and one that would have won a game for Val on her final turn, but neither of us knew it, so she couldn’t have found it.

In my case I had HEATERS on my rack, which also makes REHEATS and AETHERS. Unfortunately, 7 letter words wouldn’t fit, but there was a T in the top right-hand corner of the board. and I spotted THEATRES or the American spelling THEATERS. I was too quick to grump to myself that this great rack wasn’t going to get played anywhere as it had to end with a T. It was only later that I realised there was a 3rd anagram that would have fit -- EARTHSET. A neat word that means the earth disappearing over the horizon when you are standing on the moon. EARTHRISE is good as well, but unlikely to be played as it is 9 letters. MOONRISE and MOONSET might be easy words to miss as well

Val’s word was BASELARD. A short sword or dagger worn in the 15th century. It was only found when using an anagrammer after the game. Neither of us knew it, and when 2 other A graders who had just finished a game were asked, it was an unknown word for them as well

A Grade Challenge

A big challenge for the A graders this week with 18 words to find, although some of them are very easy. Did you realise how good PRIMES is? It makes at least 2 words with every vowel

P     R     I     M     E     S     +     A     (2 words)

P     R     I     M     E     S     +     E     (8 words)

P     R     I     M     E     S     +     I     (2 words)

P     R     I     M     E     S     +     O     (3 words)     

P     R     I     M     E     S     +     U     (3 words)

Maybe M and P go well together. Certainly, that is the only combination that has 8 anagrams and includes two letters of 3 points.

B and C Grade Study List

Here are some unusual words. They all have 4 letters and include an M and a P. Not an exhaustive list. Just some words that not everybody knows

DIMP – A cigarette butt

GAMP – An umbrella

GIMP – A kind of yarn with a hard core

GYMP – A kind of yarn with a hard core

IMPI – A regiment of Zulu warriors

JIMP – Slender. Takes Y for JIMPY but not S.

MOOP – To nibble or munch

MOUP – To nibble or munch

PIMA – A strong high grade cotton

PIUM – A Brazilian biting fly

POMO – An abbreviation of post-modernism

TYMP – The plate on a blast furnace

YMPE – An archaic word meaning acting like an imp.

YOMP – To march with heavy equipment over rough terrain

YUMP – To leave the ground in rallying when going over a crest

Answers to A Grade Challenge

A = IMPRESA – SAMPIRE

E = EMPIRES – EMPRISE – EPIMERS – IMPRESE

PERMIES – PREMIES – PREMISE – SPIREME

I = PISMIRE – PRIMSIE

O = IMPOSER – PROMISE – SEMIPRO

U = RUMPIES – SPUMIER – UMPIRES