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Trickle Down Linguonomics I

K͡Parul K͡Brugmann

This month The SpecGram Puzzle Elves™ are pleased to introduce a new puzzle type—Trickle Down Linguonomics—which combines the best elements of English’s nearly arbitrary orthography with the worst ideas from the Dismal Science. This TDL puzzle was originally created by K͡Parul K͡Brugmann, a time-travelling chimeric multi-clone of an American Nobel Prize–winning economist and a German Neogrammarian Indo-Europeanist.

A small batch of TDL puzzles has been dropped off at our offices, and the Elves are publishing each in turn as they are transcoded out of AutoGrammatikon Atemporal Normal Form ΦIV::ʔ¿/42!π (Part B). The first is presented below.

E A R
T _ _ _
_ _ X _
M _ _ _ _
_ _ _ C _
S _ _ _ _ S _
L _ _ N _ _ _
_ _ _ Y _ G _ _ _
_ _ _ _ O _ O _ _
_ _ _ _ P H _ H _ _ _
_ _ _ J U _ A _ I _ _

For each word with blanks, use letters from the word or words above to fill in the blanks, repeating as necessary (and it will be oh-so-necessary). For example, blanks on the second line can be filled with any number of A’s, E’s, or R’s. Those on the next line with A’s, E’s, R’s, or T’s; etc. When multiple words are possible—and with English, there’s always some more- or less-obscure option available—the more linguisticky option is best.

If you think you’ve figured out the answers, submit your solution to the editors of SpecGram by May 15, 2015, and you could win a prize.* Solutions and winners will be announced in the July issue.


The answers to last month’s Συυιτχεροο—Βῆτα puzzle are: dual/tree, mood/read, close/front, blend/modal, innate/module, burr/cant, onset/tripe, bracket/tonemic, fronting/postpose, distal/medium, glide/thine.

The following puzzlemeisters were chosen from among all correct submissions and will receive a SpecGram prize of their choosing (while supplies last).

Adam Bernard • Adam Hesterberg • James Campbell

Numerous additional puzzlers have been selected for honorable mention status; they receive no material prizes, but glory is theirs!

Keith Slater • Suze Marsupial • Thomas Brasdefer • Virginia Bouchard


* Note that SpecGram Anti-Hoarding Guidelines stipulate that puzzle-related prizes cannot be won by anyone who has won a puzzle-related prize in the last three months—though honor, fame, and glory may still be seized† on the metaphorical field of puzzle-related battle.

† Except where taxed, prohibited by law, or otherwise restricted, constrained, limited, regulated, controlled, hindered, impeded, hampered, obstructed, checked, curbed, shackled, confined, or otherwise subject to thesaural interference.

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SpecGram Vol CLXXIII, No 1 Contents