Our Quiz Guy John Chaneski offers a quiz called Take-Offs. For each clue, remove the first letter of a word to get the second (or third) word in the puzzle. For example, in the first chapter of Moby Dick, Ishmael had to screw up his courage and join...
Grant offers examples from his latest words of the year list, including Crankshaft (the code name for the Osama Bin Laden), and basketbrawl, referring to the fight that broke out between the Georgetown Hoyas and the Chinese National Team. This is...
When it comes to language, a listener from Dallas wants to know, as a fellow Texan might put it, “who’s the decider”? Grant explains that nobody makes the rules about language, and everybody does. For those seeking professional guidance, a whole...
In honor of the 2011 Academy Awards, Quiz Guy Greg Pliska offers his own puzzle version, The Oxcars. The trick is that the nominees for Best Picture at the Oxcars have the same titles as this year’s real nominees for the Oscar, but with one letter...
Quiz Guy John Chaneski offers a word puzzle about portmanteau words called “Say Can You See.” This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Say Can You See Puzzle” You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Martha Barnette. And I’m Grant...
Martha offers excellent writing advice from the former editor of People magazine, Landon Y. Jones. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of “Writing Advice from an Editor” You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Grant Barrett. And I’m...
