Here you'll find a variety of puzzle themed items and pieces of information to hold your interest. Learn about some of the wonderful words and phrases in our everyday language, find out about the health benefits of crosswords and puzzles, be entertained by Christine's Hello column… and there's much more on offer. The latest submissions appear below. Thanks for dropping by and we hope you enjoy your visit.
According to one superstition that goes back to ancient Roman times, when your ears are burning you are subconsciously aware of being talked about or criticised. The historian Pliny the Elder believed that if a person’s right ear burns they are being praised, but a burning left ear indicates that they are the subject [more…]
Surprisingly, quite a few sayings that include the word colour relate to naval terminology.
To sail under false colours is to pretend to have a different view or identity in order to conceal one’s true purpose. This tactic was used by pirates who preyed on ships by flying a ‘friendly’ flag to lure in vessels [more…]
“It is a wise child that knows its own father, and an unusual one that unreservedly approves of him.” – Mark Twain (1927).
Mark Twain is often acclaimed for being an insightful novelist and humourist and his observations of children’s relationships with their fathers are no exception. Like many children contemptuous of the generation gap, [more…]
If everything in the garden is rosy, it means all is well, but be careful you don’t dig up any dirt that would be better left unearthed! Life as a bed of roses is thought to be a good thing, although you would have to think the thorns would make it a bit prickly.
The [more…]
Luck is a popular theme for proverbs – that is, a short, memorable statement that contains advice, predictions, or a warning. According to one Italian proverb, ‘Fortune comes to him who strives for it’. Another says ‘if you’re lucky enough to be Irish, then you’re lucky enough’. This comes from the fact that Irish [more…]
Basic scanning
Look at the grid, bearing in mind the fundamental rule that each row, column and 3×3 box must contain one instance only of each of the digits from 1 – 9. The other side of this is that if a digit is already in a row, column, or 3×3 box, it can’t appear [more…]
Crosswords, logic puzzles, and sudoku have long been cherished pastimes, captivating minds and challenging even the sharpest intellects. For Annette T, from New South Wales, these puzzles became more than just a hobby; they became the gateway to an unexpected and thrilling victory. In a delightful surprise, Annette has emerged as the winner of the [more…]
Since the ancient times of the Greeks, owls have been perceived as being wise. Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, is often depicted with an owl perched on her head or on one of her shoulders, symbolising knowledge and scholarship. Athena and her ‘Little Owl’ appear on opposite sides of ancient Athenian coinage. The [more…]
It’s not clear whether the game started in Scotland or was adapted from the Dutch who frequently traded on the east coast of Scotland. The evidence for this is the word golf, which came from the medieval Dutch term kolf, meaning club or stick. However, most other golfing terms are Scottish, and it was [more…]
