Category: word games

Jasper Fforde’s Lost Plots rescued at Verbotomy

The Well of Lost Plots is certainly deep. In fact, some literary scientists claim that it is actually “bigger than the internet”. Japser Fforde has denied this suggestion saying that it is only 385 pages long (U.K. paperback edition). Of course, reality has never limited Fforde, or Thursday Next…

The Well of Lost Plots by Jasper Fforde
Is this a plot for word play?

In this book, Thursday is swimming through an ocean of mutating plot lines, full of dangerously ironic characters and sharp word play. It is a sea of words that could spell the end of Thursday Next. That’s why we’re calling on all readers to throw Thursday a rescue line — a few words to pull her back from the novel’s edge. And in this case, as in all of Japser Fforde’s bookworld, nothing floats better than an invented word. Especially if it tied to the reader’s imagination with clever twist. So don’t just sit there. Start typing! Send Thursday a life-line. And win you an autographed copy of the book!

Rescue Thursday Next. Tell your story using “made-up words”. Go to:
https://www.verbotomy.com/verbotomy.php. Win a signed copy of Jasper Forde’s third Thursday Next novel, The Well of Lost Plots.

About the book: “The Well of Lost Plots”

It’s almost impossible to summarize the amazing adventures in which the beguiling (and confused) Ms Next becomes involved, but after she leaves Swindon (and her life inside an unpublished book called Caversham Heights), she becomes involved in the inauguration of a golden age of fictional narrative. But this turns out to be a very dangerous experience…

Reviews: “The Well of Lost Plots”
“This really is an incredibly imaginative and entertaining book that expands Fforde’s BookWorld to unbelievable proportions. It’s left me fervently hoping that there are more Thursday Next stories still to come.” amazon.com

“The novel is a treasure-trove of similar gems: sly little cracks that whiz past almost before you notice them. It is nonsense but, at its best, inspired nonsense…. There is a lightness in the execution which makes the comedy take wing… He is certainly a giggle-aloud author — a rare species.” Daily Telegraph

Invent some words and win a copy of The Well of Lost Plots at Verbotomy
Play Verbotomy. The top player of the week (who has not yet won a Fforde book) starting on October 5, 2009, will win a copy of the book!

Official Stuff:

Prize: Well of Lost Plots (Paperback) by Jasper Fforde (Approximate Retail Value: $15.00 US.)

Note: The book will be awarded to the Top Scoring Player who has not yet won a Jasper Fforde Book contest at Verbotomy.

Contest Start Date: October 5, 2009 at 12:01:00 am EDT
Contest End Date: October 11, 2009 at 11:59:00 pm EDT

For the Jasper Fforde: Well of Lost Plots weekly author ranking see: See: https://www.verbotomy.com/verbotomists.php?week=2009-10-5

For complete contest rules and regulations please see our Verbotomy Contest Rules and Regulations.

Be creative,

James

Tap-tap-tap and my hair falls out.

DEFINITION: n., A wear mark, or shiny spot, which appears on a heavily used computer touch-pad, mouse or keyboard. v. tr., To wear down or erode through repetitive clicking, tapping or poking.

Tap-tap-tap and my hair falls out.

VERBOTICISMS: (Invented words created by the Verbotomy Writers)

Keyrode: /key rode/ When I looked down to hunt and peck my name into the system, I couldn’t tell what I was doing because the letters had been keyroded away. -or- It was obvious the computer had seen heavy use because half of the keyboard and both mouse buttons suffered heavy keyrosion. Etymology: key (from keyboard keys) + rode (from corrode (to wear away through contact over time with chemicals, oils, etc…in the case of keyrosion the oils and ridges of our skin working together to keyrode the plastic finish. Created by: Buzzardbilly.

Comments on Keyrode:

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-20: 16:39:00
Great word: great debut!

Padtina: /pad-teena/ What a lovely padtina you have on your desk remarked a colleague. Etymology: pad + patina Created by: porsche.

Comments on Padtina:

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-20: 16:45:00
Great word!

Keypetitive: /kee-pet-i-tiv/ Because she didn’t own a joystick, the letters ‘s’ and ‘l’ disappeared from her keyboard by the constant keypetitive clicking required by the computer game. Etymology: key + repetitive Created by: Stevenson0.

Comments on Keypetitive:

patrick12345, 2007-11-20: 15:37:00
nice

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-20: 16:38:00
Very good word!

Mouseketear: /mouse-keh-tare/ Sally was so busy scrolling through ebay that she didn’t notice that the mousekewear had swiftly become a mouseketear. Etymology: mouse + tear (rip) + mouseketeer Created by: Jabberwocky.

Comments on Mouseketear:

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-20: 16:41:00
Very clever! Perhaps you need a cybercat!

To see more verboticisms for this definition go to:
https://www.verbotomy.com/verboticisms.php?jid=bald

Be Creative,

James

www.verbotomy.com
the create-a-word game

Definition Comments:

Verbotomy – 2007-11-20: 00:01:00
Today’s definition was suggested by kabloozie. Thank you kabloozie! ~ James

I can read you like a book, baby!

DEFINITION: v. tr., To read a person’s face and correctly interpret what they are actually thinking, even when they are trying to conceal their true feelings. n., The skill of reading people’s faces, especially by observing micro-expressions.

I can read you like a book, baby!

VERBOTICISMS: (Invented words created by the Verbotomy Writers)

Wiseguise: /wise guys/ Carl was no wiseguise. He could never tell what his girlfriend was thinking despite careful study of her expressions. Etymology: wise (knowledgeable) + guise (face/expression) + wise guy (smarty pants) Created by: petaj.

Comments on Wiseguise:

Jabberwocky, 2007-11-19: 12:10:00
good one petaj

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-19: 16:15:00
Nice word!

purpleartichokes, 2007-11-19: 18:14:00
Yup, very creative.

Facecracker: /face + cracker/ There was no use lying to mom. Her skills as a facecracker were beyond compare. Etymology: like a safe cracker – every great team of bankrobbers needs one Created by: bzav1.

Comments on Facecracker:

purpleartichokes, 2007-11-19: 09:58:00
Great word!

yellowbird, 2007-11-19: 10:27:00
very nice

Facerism: /feys-er-iz-uhm/ By studying her facial reaction to every word and movement and observing all her idiosyncrasies from eye to nose to chin to cheeks, he could read and interpret correctly each and every facerism she displayed. Etymology: face + mannerism Created by: Stevenson0.

Espivisage: /ESS-pee-vih-sahzh/ Sue used ESPivisage to successfully conclude that Bob wanted a burger and fries for lunch, and not the leftover tofurkey sandwich she suggested. Etymology: ESP, visage, espionage Created by: purpleartichokes.

Comments on Espivisage:

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-19: 16:16:00
Nice blend with good use of ESP!

To see more verboticisms for this definition go to:
https://www.verbotomy.com/verboticisms.php?jid=face

Be Creative,

James

www.verbotomy.com
the create-a-word game

Definition Comments:

Verbotomy – 2007-11-19: 00:01:00
Today’s definition was suggested by aigle101. Thank you aigle101! ~ James

Verbotomy – 2007-11-19: 00:02:00
If you are interested in learning more about face reading and micro-expressions, check out The Naked Face. It’s an article written by Malcolm Gladwell which originally appeared New Yorker magazine. ~ James

If we buy 100 we’ll save over $7000!

DEFINITION: v. tr., To believe you’re saving money by buying things which are on sale even if you don’t really want or need them. n., A person who believes they are saving their money whenever they buy something on sale.

If we buy 100 we'll save over $7000!

VERBOTICISMS: (Invented words created by the Verbotomy Writers)

Dealusional: /dee-loo-shun-al/ Bart was completely dealusional and continued to stockpile worthless ‘bargains’. Etymology: deal + delusion Created by: Stevenson0.

Comments on Dealusional:

purpleartichokes, 2007-11-16: 18:55:00
Nice!

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-16: 21:41:00
It’s the real deal, Stevo!

Buckschmuck: /buck-shmuck/ Bob is such a buckschmuck – he thinks paying more for a supersized meal is such a bargain, when all it does is empty his wallet AND make him a lard ass. Etymology: Buck: slang for dollar + Schmuck: an idiot or fool Created by: kabloozie.

Comments on Buckschmuck:

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-16: 21:56:00
As Frank Moore Colby said: “The more food there is in the worls, the more fools will be feed.” Like your word heaps!

Gullibuyer: /gull-ih-bye-er / She’s such a gullibuyer, she bought a timeshare where the next Hawaiian island will be. Etymology: gullible + buyer Created by: yellowbird.

Comments on Gullibuyer:

Jabberwocky, 2007-11-16: 12:42:00
good one yellowbird

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-16: 21:39:00
Some are bargain hunters, while others buy the things they need! Good word!

Fubargain: /foo-BAHR-guhn/ Even though Bob explained to Roxie the term, “Let the buyer beware”, she continued to fubargain with imeldacity, believing you couldn’t have too many pairs of shoes. And, despite, bargainasty upon bargainasty piling up at home, her shopping philosophy remained the same. “The more you buy, the greater the saving. And hadn’t Bob told her that she was protected, in law, by “craveat emptor.” Etymology: Fubargain (vb & n):Fubar(failed to understand beyond all reason – in this context) & bargain. Cognates: Fubargainista Created by: OZZIEBOB.

Comments on Fubargain:

Jabberwocky, 2007-11-16: 12:49:00
great sentence as usual

Tigger, 2007-11-18: 21:56:00
Nice word! And a very ‘careful’ etymology, OzzieBob. I found this factoid on wikipedia – “FUBAR may have been influenced by the German word furchtbar, meaning terrible.”

To see more verboticisms for this definition go to:
https://www.verbotomy.com/verboticisms.php?jid=saving

Be Creative,

James

www.verbotomy.com
the create-a-word game

Definition Comments:

Verbotomy – 2007-11-16: 00:07:00
Today’s definition was suggested by joelb. Thank you joelb! ~ James

Did you get the boss’s message?

DEFINITION: v. tr., To grasp the meaning of muddled texts like blog posts, emails and text messages where standard grammatical or spelling conventions have been ignored. n., The ability to read and understand confused or poorly written messages.

Did you get the boss's message?

VERBOTICISMS: (Invented words created by the Verbotomy Writers)

Textcrapolate: /text-cra-poh-late/ Although the message may have been written in Sanskrit, Bob was able to textcrapolate that he was to pk up da kdz aftr wrk. Etymology: text, crap, extrapolate Created by: purpleartichokes.

Comments on Textcrapolate:

Jabberwocky, 2007-11-15: 08:55:00
good one purple

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-15: 17:39:00
Nice bit of cyberdazzle!

purpleartichokes, 2007-11-15: 18:58:00
y, thnk ya!

badsnudge, 2007-11-15: 22:25:00
gets my vote 🙂

Textcavator: /text-cav-ay-tor/ When archaeologists unearth blackberries in the future they will need textcavators to decipher the messages. Etymology: excavator + text Created by: Jabberwocky.

Comments on Textcavator:

dubld, 2007-11-15: 12:46:00
Good Usage.

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-15: 17:36:00
Great word and real cyberwocky!

Texhume: /tex-hume/ His job was to texhume cryptic messages that had been buried in emails. Etymology: text + exhume Created by: Stevenson0.

Comments on Texhume:

OZZIEBOB, 2007-11-15: 17:37:00
K-rad ! c u l8r

Cryptograsp: /krip-tuh-grahsp/ See if you can cryptograsp what I am typing. “You don’t hvae to crroeclty sepll erevyhting jsut hvae all the ltteres, and hvae the fsrit and lsat lteetr in the crreoct poistoin.” Pretty cool. Etymology: crypto from cryptogram, A piece of writing in code or cipher. + grasp, mental hold or capacity; power to understand. Created by: xirtam.

Comments on Cryptograsp:

purpleartichokes, 2007-11-15: 19:00:00
Nice!

To see more verboticisms for this definition go to:
https://www.verbotomy.com/verboticisms.php?jid=blckbrry

Be Creative,

James

www.verbotomy.com
the create-a-word game

Definition Comments:

Verbotomy – 2007-11-15: 00:01:00
Today’s definition was suggested by Tigger. Thank you Tigger! ~ James