Living with the Truth Stranger than Fiction This Is Not About What You Think Milligan and Murphy Making Sense

Thursday 26 March 2009

A plug and a puzzle

 

sink plug I know I said I was cutting back on my posts, and I am but I wanted to let those of you who might be considering attending the Oxford Literary Festival that the writer Guy Fraser-Sampson is giving a talk on April 1st about his novel Major Benjy which as you may recall I reviewed back in September. If you don't remember then you can read the review here.

The novel is set in the world of Mapp and Lucia created by author E. F. Benson. If you're not familiar with them, think of a female Jeeves and Wooster and you won't be too far off the mark. Anyway, I was thoroughly entertained by the book and if he's as good a speaker as he is a writer then I expect you will be too.

Here’s where you can get tickets.

That was the plug. Now for the puzzle.

I have had a long time fascination with word searches, not so much doing them but creating them – much more fun – and so I thought I'd treat you to one with a literary bent. There's no prize as such. It's just a bit of fun.

There are 28 twentieth century authors in the grid (well, 28 writers who were alive in the twentieth century) and, if you're really smart you can tell me the connection between them all. Actually if you work out the connection early on it'll help you finish off the puzzle because there are a couple of hard ones in there.

Oh, and in the interest of full disclosure I used a software package to create this. I have one half-done but I ran out of time so it'll have to wait for another day. If no one can find all twenty eight and the connection I’ll post the answer at the weekend.

 

Puzzle


8 comments:

Dave King said...

I'll have ago at the puzzle, but I'm not sure how much time I'll be able to give it.

McGuire said...

I'm guessing they are either all British or all effected by WW2.

After Rudyard Kipling I gave up, but only for tonight, I will attempt to master this puzzle.

Jim Murdoch said...

Nice to see I've a couple of takers, Dave and McGuire but I can confirm that they are not all British and since Kipling died in 1936 I have to say that your WW2 theory is wrong. Good luck to you both though.

McGuire said...

*affected (can you believe I'm teaching English.)

Plus, I should revise my war history.

Still working on this Jim.

Anonymous said...

hello Jim, well I haven't found them all yet ( I shall try to ) but I know their common link already from the ones I've found...they were all awarded a Nobel prize for literature.

Jim Murdoch said...

What can I say McGuire, I'm sodisappointed.

And, Isabelle, spot on. Well done. Now you have a list to pick from.

Conda Douglas said...

Hey Jim, I love word puzzles so I've been working on the one you posted--thank you! Although I've got to admit I do better with a list of who to look for--I keep going, that's a name, is that a writer (save for Kipling, of course!)

Jim Murdoch said...

Well, Conda, Isabelle's found your list for you so that should make your life a wee bit easier. I think I'll leave posting the answers for a few days yet.

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