''Susie Dent is a one-off. She breathes life and fun into words and language'' Pam Ayres '' Susie Dent is a national treasure'' Richard Osman Welcome to a year of wonder with Susie Dent, lexicographer, logophile, and longtime queen of Countdown''s Dictionary Corner. From the real Jack the Lad to the theatrically literal story behind stealing someone''s thunder , from tartle (forgetting someone''s name at the very moment you need it) to snaccident (the unintentional eating of an entire packet of biscuits), WORD PERFECT is a brilliant linguistic almanac full of unforgettable stories, fascinating facts, and surprising etymologies tied to every day of the year. You''ll never be lost for words again. Lire la suite Fermer

The story of the arcane table-top game that became a pop culture phenomenon and the long-running legal battle waged by its cocreators.

When Dungeons & Dragons was first released to a small hobby community, it hardly seemed destined for mainstream success--and yet this arcane tabletop role-playing game became an unlikely pop culture phenomenon. In Game Wizards, Jon Peterson chronicles the rise of Dungeons & Dragons from hobbyist pastime to mass market sensation, from the initial collaboration to the later feud of its creators, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. As the game's fiftieth anniversary approaches, Peterson--a noted authority on role-playing games--explains how D&D and its creators navigated their successes, setbacks, and controversies.

Peterson describes Gygax and Arneson's first meeting and their work toward the 1974 release of the game; the founding of TSR and its growth as a company; and Arneson's acrimonious departure and subsequent challenges to TSR. He recounts the Satanic Panic accusations that D&D was sacrilegious and dangerous, and how they made the game famous. And he chronicles TSR's reckless expansion and near-fatal corporate infighting, which culminated with the company in debt and overextended and the end of Gygax's losing battle to retain control over TSR and D&D.

With Game Wizards, Peterson restores historical particulars long obscured by competing narratives spun by the one-time partners. That record amply demonstrates how the turbulent experience of creating something as momentous as Dungeons & Dragons can make people remember things a bit differently from the way they actually happened.
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'Brilliantly inventive and entertaining questions from the bookworm's bookworm' Mark Mason, author of Walk the Lines , Question Time and many more This is a literary quiz book with a difference. Rather than basic sets of questions, The Book Lover's Quiz Book mirrors the format of Gary's live quizzes, at the Betsey Trotwood in London and elsewhere. So, there are lots of multiple-choice questions, some amusing answers, clever red herrings, little-known facts about authors and some of the much-loved Say What You See picture round. Also, there are fixed and variable rounds - fixed ones include 'Blankety Books' (one word missing from the title - always with a theme), 'Literary Links and lists' (what connects/next in the list etc.) and '2 of a Kind' (name the character and the author that share the same initials). The changeable rounds keep the quizzes fresh and include 'What the Dickens?' (real or made-up Dickens names), 'RomeNo or JuliYess' (real or made-up Shakespearian insults) and 'Book Bingo!' (identify the correct number). There are also more standard rounds such as 'First Lines', 'Working Titles' and 'Banned Books'. The aim of all Gary's quizzes, and this book, is that people should have fun and be able to guess (if they don't know) as much as possible.
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Settle family disputes this Christmas with a Scrabble dictionary!

NEW AND FULLY UPDATED IN 2019 The latest official Scrabble word list, endorsed by governing body WESPA for use in tournament and club play from 1st July 2019, contains all valid Scrabble words. Check which words you can play with this authority on Scrabble and settle any disputes with the official list from Collins.
Based on Collins English Dictionary, this is the most comprehensive Scrabble word list ever, including World English from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, UK, and USA brought together in a single list.
With more than 279,000 permissible words, including inflected forms, this is the ideal training and adjudication tool for everyone playing Scrabble.
Endorsed by Mattel and WESPA (the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association) this is the essential reference for all Scrabble players.
SCRABBLE is a registered trademark of J. W, Spear & Sons Ltd., a subsidiary of Mattel, Inc. © 2019 Mattel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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____ *THE STRATEGIES BEHIND A SUCCESSFUL LIFE FROM THE LEGENDARY GRANDMASTER AND ADVISOR FOR THE QUEEN''S GAMBIT , NOW WITH A NEW FOREWORD* ''In this book, chess is a teacher, and I aim to show it is a great one.'' For over twenty years, Garry Kasparov dominated the world of chess. As the youngest ever undisputed World Champion, known for confounding his opponents at every move and breaking record after record, Kasparov was asked the same question time and time again: what makes a champion? The truth is that success in chess demands many of the same qualities as success in life. A good strategist who can think ahead will always have the advantage, no matter what they''re trying to do. The lessons of chess are universal. Drawing on a wealth of revealing and instructive stories, from the most intense moments of his greatest games to the world-changing decisions of history''s greatest strategists such as Winston Churchill and Steve Jobs, Kasparov reveals the strategic ways of thinking that always give a player - in the game of life as well as chess - the edge. Lire la suite Fermer

Celebrating 30 years of broadcasting, Classic FM returns with a new collection of mindful puzzles to de-stress and unwind with. Blending together basic trivia, complex wordplay and a range of visual teasers, the book calls on the knowledge of the Classic FM experts to provide hours of music-themed brainteasers. With three difficulty levels for classical novices, adepts, and experts to choose from, The Classic FM Puzzle Book 3 will entertain from the first bar until the very last note.

Do you love playing wordle? Do you wish you could do more than one puzzle a day? If you do, then you will love this collection of 500 puzzles to do anytime, anywhere.

Wordle Challenge presents a fun, interactive collection of brain-teasing puzzles, that can be played offline and will entertain for hours and hours.

These stimulating puzzles are graded from Easy to Expert level. Puzzlers must guess what the correct word is, deducing from previous words in the grid what letters go where. A clue means there is only one correct solution to each puzzle, and answers can be found at the back of the book.

Whether you are looking for puzzle practiceto train your brain, or seeking a screen-free offline alternative to online puzzles, this collection will have you enthralled.

Perfect for commuters, keen puzzlers and all ardent wordle fans, and suitable for children and adults, this book is the perfect gift for anyone who can't get enough of the sensation puzzle game and wishes they could do more! Lire la suite Fermer