“Congratulations to Nigel Richards from New Zealand on winning the Spanish-language Scrabble world championship,” declares George Zivkovic of Northmead. “He has also won five world championships in English, two in French and dozens of other tournaments, and tried the Spanish competition as a ‘new challenge’. I say if he’s so bored, let’s see how he’d go in Serbian, using the Cyrillic alphabet.”
“Here’s a thought to ponder on over the Christmas/New Year period,” offers Ted Richards of Batemans Bay. “Why isn’t the word for ‘palindrome’ itself a palindrome? My suggestion is ‘palinilap’.”
Helen Hyatt-Johnston of Kings Cross is more than happy “to help Richard Stewart with his rhyme scheme” in the Putin poetry (C8) stakes. There once was a lad named Vlad Putin
Who was keen on poison and shootin’
He’d invaded Ukraine.
Again and again.
So he could dabble in lootin’
Meanwhile, Paul Taylor of Winston Hills has another oppressor in the crosshairs.
Enough with these poems about Putin
It’s Granny who deserves the full boot in
A capricious despot
Who says what’s published or not
Without question, challenge or disputin’
“When I got my licence in 1965 you were actually required to put your arm out (C8) when indicating: straight out when turning right, and a right-angle upwards when turning left or stopping,” says Herman Beyersdorf of Bangalee. “Luckily, there was no ’arm done.”
Continuing the dangling debate, Seppo Ranki of Glenhaven notes that “the change of rules on hand signals in the 1960s undoubtedly saved many arms, but also completely killed off a thriving industry manufacturing and installing weather shields for drivers’ windows.” Not to mention those retractable hand signals on trucks. Granny recalls you’d see the odd one lying busted on the road.
Speaking of Seppo, Meri Will of Baulkham Hills asks “How does he know it was Tiffany and not Santa and Rudolph who ate the biscuits and drank the milk (C8)? Was he having his cold beer while waiting up to see?”
“There’s no mystery about the proliferation of drones or mysterious flying objects in the USA,” claims Nola Tucker of Kiama. “The word has gone out about the incoming administration and aliens are either leaving or arriving, depending on their sympathy or alienation with the bizarre values being promulgated. Makes sense.”
“As a follow on to Ruth Turner’s ‘trumpery’ (C8), should female Trump supporters be known as strumpets?” inquires Jeff Evans of Cambewarra.
Column8@smh.com.au
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