Farewell Alex

Our esteemed president suggested that my blog this week could be something to do with Alex Wierzbicki as he is off to Australia to do some urban planning for Melbourne. However, one look at those letters and I have chickened out and given you something on vowels instead. If you are keen for a challenge, I will ask you to find as high scoring a word as you can using any letters you like from:

A L E X W I E R Z B I C K I

It would be easy to find ZAX or ZEX for 19 so the target is to find words that total at least 20 points. There are 5 possible answers. Well done if you find any of them, but particularly if you can find the top answer worth 28 points.

B & C Grade Challenge

I don't normally do a challenge for the B and C Graders. But this is a test to see if you know which letters you can put in front of AE. That is a very common word to see on a scrabble board, usually made when two words are played alongside one another. It does not take any letters after it, but do you know which letters can be played in front of it? Try writing them down before you move on to the study list and see if you know them all.

A Grade Challenge

Some 8 letter words with 5 vowels for you to unscramble.

A     A     E     E     H     I     M     R

A     D     E     E     E    G     U     W

E     E     E     I     M     N     R     U

A     A     B     E     I     N     O     Z

A     A     D     E     F     I     J     O

B & C Grade Study List

This is a list of all the 3 letter words ending in AE. Make a special note of all the hook words. This list was inspired by Alexander and I having a discussion about which of these words could be pluralised. Neither of us would have got them all correct. Almost all of these words have a Scottish origin. The only exception is BAE, which is an American expression

BAE - A sweetheart or lover. bae-L, bae-S

DAE - To do. dae-S

FAE – From. No extensions

GAE – To go. gae-D gae-N gae-S

HAE – To have. T-hae W-hae hae-D hae-M hae-N hae-S hae-T

KAE – To serve. kae-D kae-S

MAE – More. mae-S

NAE – No. nae-S

SAE – So. No extensions

TAE – To toe the line. tae-D tae-L tae-S

VAE – A creek. U-vae vae-S

WAE – Woe. T-wae wae-S

YAE – One. No extensions

All those hooks (both front and back) for HAE are worth remembering. FAE, SAE and YAE are the only ones that can't be pluralised

Answers to Alex’s Challenge

ZEBRAIC – Like a zebra (20 points)

BAILIWICK – Region in which a sheriff has powers (20 points)

WAXLIKE – Resembling wax (22 points)

ZEBECK – Mediterranean sailing vessel (23 points)

ZWIEBACK – Sweet German bread (28 points)

Answers to A Grade Challenge

HAEREMAI – Welcome

AGUEWEED – North American plant

MEUNIERE – Lightly coated in flour and fried in butter

ZABAIONE – Rich Italian custard

FEIJOADA – Black beans, meat, vegetables and rice