Puzzled (Paperback)

Paperback. 'I used to regret not being born Catholic because it meant I'd been denied the joys of self-flagellation. Then I discovered DA and he solved my problem.' - Bill Leak, cartoonist, and anagram of Killable'He's the Sergeant Pepper of cryptic crosswords. A complete mindf**k.' - Geoffrey Rush, actor, and anagram of Gruffy HeroesMany a puzzle solver has battled against the devilish mind of long-time crossword maker and wordaholic David Astle, known to many as DA.In Puzzled he holds out a helping hand to the lost and perplexed taking us on a personal tour into the secret life of words. Clue by clue, chapter by chapter, we step through a central puzzle, uncovering and unravelling word-secrets as we go. The Steve Irwin Fluke, the Swastika Accident, the Abracadabra Pyramid - hidden meanings, anagrams, reversals - all the Dark Arts are finally revealed.More than a how-to manual, more than a memoir, Puzzled enlightens us about cryptics and delights in the quirky realm of wordplay. It is a book for word junkies everywhere. From teenage word-nerd to Australia's pre-eminent (and most fiendish) puzzle-maker, Puzzled is a memoir of a life lost in words as well as a revealing guide to the deepest mysteries of crossword and other word puzzles. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…