Anagrams and Other Puzzles
by Harold Fox
Last time I left you with the following teaser from one of the websites from Richard Lederer’s list of language sites:
The letters of the phrase CORRECT ANSWERS can be rearranged to make two words, each of which names a vegetable you might find in the produce section of a supermarket. What are they?
The answer is CORN and WATERCRESS (from Puzzability: Teaser of the Week for January 5–11, 2009. This teaser is one example of the type of word game called "anagram(s)." In other words, CORN WATERCRESS is an anagram of CORRECT ANSWERS.
The word "anagram" comes from the Greek "anagramma," meaning "letters written anew." (Wikipedia) An anagram is the result of rearranging the letters of a word, phrase, sentence, (or even more) to form a new word, phrase, or sentence, using the same letters, each once only. Examples given by Wikipedia include the following:
orchestra = carthorse
eleven plus two = twelve plus one
a decimal point = I’m a dot in place
In the example I used for the puzzler above, CORN WATERCRESS is an anagram of the subject CORRECT ANSWERS. The construction of anagrams is a very old form of wordplay, probably dating from the classical Greeks. (Ibid.)
If you google the word "anagram," you will find hits, in addition to the Wikipedia entry "Anagram", that let you sample this ancient amusement in a variety of ways. There are sites that will provide you with one or more anagrams for any subject you supply. One such is Internet Anagram Server, an anagram of which is "I, rearrangement server." When I asked it for anagrams of the subject "Harold Fox," it returned 36 anagrams, the most flattering of which is "Ha, Lord Fox." I invite you to sample one or more of these anagram providers for yourself, to find anagrams of your name or any other subject you choose.
If you would prefer to be a more serious player at anagrams, you can attempt "to produce anagrams that, in some way, reflect or comment on the subject," as the Wikipedia entry puts it. (Op. cit.). Note these examples from the Wikipedia entry:
George Bush = He bugs Gore
Madonna Louise Ciccone = Occasional nude income
William Shakespeare = I am a weakish speller
At whatever level you may involve yourself, anagrams can provide entertainment, distraction, challenge, or all of the above. Enjoy!
I should not leave the subject of anagrams without noting that all semordnilaps are anagrams. I have discussed semordnilaps at some length in earlier numbers of this column, but in case you did not happen to see that I shall briefly recap what that odd word means. Begin with something that is probably more familiar to you. A palindrome is a word, phrase, sentence, or number that is the same when read backward. Simple examples are "bob," "noon," "radar," "2002," and "Madam, I’m Adam." You might regard a semordnilap as the opposite of a palindrome. Instead of reading the same backward and forward, a semordnilap is a word that makes a new word when read backward. For example, a word I used a few lines above is one. "Recap," when read backward is "pacer." You may have noticed that "semordnilap" is "palindromes" read backward. I know, there is a discordance of number there, but things are rough all over. Semordnilaps are like peanuts, you can’t have just one. If you have one, you have two, by definition. I have been collecting English semordnilaps for a few years now, and I have chosen to represent them in their paired state, as in "recap – pacer." My collection now numbers an even 400, including "are – era," "fires – serif," "newer – renew," and "redrawer – rewarder." I hereby renew the offer I made in the column that dealt with semordnilaps. If you are curious and/or interested enough to request the list, I will be happy to e-mail it to you in a Word document. Just e-mail me your request to the address below.
Let’s end this episode with a stumper from Will Shortz, the Puzzlemaster. I shall provide the solution and citation of the source in the next number of "Calling All Verbivores."
Take the word SURE. If we asked you to add two pairs of doubled letters to it to make an eight-letter word, you would add P’s and S’s [sic] to make SUPPRESS. Can you add two pairs of doubled letters to RATE to make a common eight-letter word?
Until next time, send me your solutions (or suggestions or complaints or stumpers) at hfox@juno.com or 2005 Burroughs Drive, Dayton, Ohio 45406.