A Book of Puzzlements

Fülszöveg

'This is the most varied, ingenious, informative, and alto-
gether delightful collection of word games and puzzles that
I have seen. Ideal for (among others) families teaching
children at home (or anywhere). A treasure house for all
ages.".
—John Holt, author of Teach Your Own and
editor of Growing Without Schooling
4Puzzlements is a quickening of the mental life. This won-
derful collection of linguistic and rhetorical puzzles, old
and new, gleams in the light of Kohl's technical logical skills,
practical teaching experience, exuberant wit and immense
good humor. If most schoolteachers knew how to play with
language this lovingly, joyfully and, hence, seriously, the
schools might work better."
—John Hollander, editor of Poems of
Our Moment and Modern Poetry


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from A Book of Puzzlements
There are some words that have interesting combinatorial
characteristics. For example, there are certain words (or sen-
tences) that read the same backward and... Tovább

Fülszöveg

'This is the most varied, ingenious, informative, and alto-
gether delightful collection of word games and puzzles that
I have seen. Ideal for (among others) families teaching
children at home (or anywhere). A treasure house for all
ages.".
—John Holt, author of Teach Your Own and
editor of Growing Without Schooling
4Puzzlements is a quickening of the mental life. This won-
derful collection of linguistic and rhetorical puzzles, old
and new, gleams in the light of Kohl's technical logical skills,
practical teaching experience, exuberant wit and immense
good humor. If most schoolteachers knew how to play with
language this lovingly, joyfully and, hence, seriously, the
schools might work better."
—John Hollander, editor of Poems of
Our Moment and Modern Poetry


s


s -
L

from A Book of Puzzlements
There are some words that have interesting combinatorial
characteristics. For example, there are certain words (or sen-
tences) that read the same backward and forward. They are
called palindromes. An old joke claims that Adam's first words
to Eve were in the form of a palindrome. He was supposed to
have said, "Madam, I'm Adam." The word "eve" is another
palindrome. Going beyond Dick and Jane simplicity, here are a
few classical palindromes:
WAS IT A RAT I SAW?
LIVE NOT ON EVIL.
A MAN, A PLAN, A CANAL—PANAMA!
NO LEMONS, NO MELON.
NO EVIL, LIVE ON!
Did you notice the two palindromes on the front of this book?
For puzzle fans and game players, here
are more than 300 games, puzzles, con-
tests, and other challenges of language—
all calculated to exercise the mind,
stretch the imagination, and provide
hours of fun for everyone.
Herb Kohl has collected word games
and puzzles from today and yesterday.
Illustrated throughout, they range from
comic alphabets and nonsense sentences
to concealed messages, pictograms,
codes, and ciphers; from proverbs, rid-
dles, and fables to songs, poems, and
puzzles about the structure and meaning
of sentences. These "puzzlements" run
the gamut from the simplest kinds of
wordplay games to ones that challenge
the very limits of the language. Herb
Kohl explains the puzzles in a brisk and
witty style, provides lists of sources for
additional games, and concludes with
suggestions on how to use the collection
as a teaching tool. As a special bonus,
Kohl provides strategies throughout the
text to develop your own games and
puzzles. Vissza