Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Licence needed for work use Learn More
Top Scoops

Book Reviews | Gordon Campbell | Scoop News | Wellington Scoop | Community Scoop | Search

 

Eric Shackle: It's A Startling Word Indeed!

It's a startling word indeed!


By Eric Shackle, in Sydney, Australia

For many years our favourite word has been stifle, because it's an anagram of itself, which you must admit is pretty clever. Now we've found another word that is really startling. Just as a cockroach, when threatened by a human predator, sheds one of its parts to save its life, so does startling.
• Take away the l and it becomes starting
• or take away the second t, and it becomes starling
• remove one t from starting, or the l from starling, and you get staring
• remove the a and it turns into string
• delete the r, and you get a sting
• remove the other t, and you start to sing
• deleting the g would be a sin
• ditching the s would see you in
• knock out the n, and I have the last word.

*************

This story will be featured in the August edition of The World's First Multi-National e-Book:
http://bdb.co.za/shackle

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Top Scoops Headlines

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.