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Four-Letter Words: And Other Secrets of a Crossword Insider

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is our appreciation for Michelle Arnot's "Four-Letter Words: And Other Secrets of a Crossword Insider". This guide is truly a must for beginners as well as experienced puzzlers. Arnot is as witty and clever as one might hope every crossword will turn out to be. "Four-Letter Words" would be a wonderful addition for any puzzler's bedside table as it is not only very informative and useful, it makes for delightful reading.
Why people should do crossword puzzles is a subject for the gerontologists and will not be debated here. Suffice to say you may know, as I do, some folks who could benefit from the practice and perhaps don't have all the crossword skills that the more experienced puzzlers have by now internalized. Arnot lays it all out in such an engaging way that by the end of the book one will have learned more than enough to fold the NY Times back to the puzzle page, put on the readers and amaze your friends!
Once you have gleaned some of Arnot's vast knowledge the answer to every puzzler's question, "How smart am I?" will be "Pretty darn smart!"

There is a world of difference between "Four Letter Words" and the usual crossword puzzle dictionaries and how-to guides. As the author herself writes, in order to construct a puzzle, "brain power and a sense of humor are essential." In writing this useful and tremendously entertaining book, Michelle Arnot shows she has both. Although Arnot explains which words correspond to which clues, she also includes crossword puzzle history and first-person encounters with famous puzzlers, most not usually known for their prowess with a pen and copy of The New York Times. For prosepective parents who dream of seeing their offspring's names in the Times puzzle, Arnot supplies a choice of vowel-rich four letter name like Emma, Demi, Desi or, best of all, Oona. Or name your dog Asta or Fala. There are also chapters on three-letter words and four-letter words starting with E: eBay, Este, erne, Erie, elan, etc.).

Ms. Arnot's writing is clear, concise and entertaining. This book is a must-read for crossword solvers of all stripes. Her wit and flow are assets to be envied.

Not just for crossword puzzle mavens, any one who loves words will find this erudite and effervescent book hard to put down.