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What
is an acrostic?
What
is a quote acrostic puzzle?
Who
would want to receive a custom quote acrostic puzzle as a gift?
How
is a quote acrostic puzzle "customized"?
Can
I choose the quotation for the puzzle?
Show
me some sample quotations.
How
much does a custom quote acrostic puzzle cost and what do I get?
How
do I pay for the Custom Quote Acrostic Puzzle?
How
can I get a free sample?
Sign me up for 5
(Hold on, a questionnaire is on the way. In the meantime, direct
your queries to janelandia@yahoo.com
with 'ACROSTICS' in the subject line ).
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What is an
acrostic?
Acrostics come in various forms, and the example below is one
of the simplest. You start with a word displayed vertically and
use its letters as the initial letters of horizontal words that
generally relate in some way to the vertical word:
What is
a Quote Acrostic Puzzle?
There are 3 components to a quote acrostic puzzle. First there
is a list of clues, each identified with a letter (the first
clue is labeled A; the second, B; and so on. Next to each clue
is a set of long dashes where you can place the letters that
spell out the answer to the clue, like so:
The next component is the grid. It looks
pretty much like a crossword puzzle - without the symmetry -
and the words that fill the grid only read horizontally, and
they spell out a pithy quotation by some notable wordsmith. But
I get ahead of myself: How does the quotation get into the grid?
Once you have answered the clue, you would transfer each letter,
say, the "H" from 8, above, into the grid square labeled
8. Here's a corner of a sample quote acrostic grid:
As you answer the clues and transfer
the answers into the grid, you can be further aided by noticing
that maybe a three-letter grid word starts with a T and ends
with an E. It would be a reasonable guess that the inbetween
letter is an H and you can work backwards into an unanswered
clue. The 3rd component, the acrostic, can also help solve the
puzzle: The initial letters of answers A through W (or A through
Z, as the case may be) will spell, vertically, the quotation
author's name and then the topic of the quotation.
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Who would
want to receive a Custom Quote Acrostic Puzzle as a gift?
Solving a quote acrostic puzzle
can be high entertainment for shut-ins, time-wasters, word-lovers,
librarians, writers, commuters, Mensa folk with 15 minutes on
their hands and many others. In addition to those, count any
number of egoists who delight in being the subject of discussion.
I have made customized acrostic puzzles for wedding presents
and the happy couples have actually worked them on their honeymoons.
No divorces yet. They make unique birthday, anniversary, retirement,
Valentines' Day, Mothers' Day, and Fathers' Day presents, and
if you would like to propose marriage to a librarian, I think
we could compose a compelling acrostic to do the job. You should
be fairly sure that the would-be recipient has an affinity for
words and/or puzzles and does not go into a snit when someone
suggests Scrabble or Charades.
How is
a Quote Acrostic Puzzle "customized"?
At least 75% of the clues relate directly to the solver, his
or her personal history, achievements, hobbies, work, nicknames,
family, schooling, hometown, etc.
I recently created a 60th birthday acrostic
for a fellow (abbreviated 'H' below) who is a baseball fanatic,
works in the music business and is a member of NARAS (National
Association of Recording Arts & Sciences) One of my favorite
clues for him was: "Membership here entitles 'H' to vote
for Weird Al Yankovich." The quotation was a compilation
of Dizzy Dean malapropisms and of the 25 clues, 8 related to
baseball, 5 related to his family, 5 were generic but localized,
4 related to his musical history, and 3 were miscellaneous personal.
In order to create a personally amusing
puzzle that will astound the recipient, I will need to collect
some data from you and ask some follow-up questions.
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Can I choose
the quotation for the puzzle?
Sure. You can write it yourself or choose a passage in the public
domain, that is, not protected by current copyright law. Or,
you can suggest a theme or author and I'll search for an appropriate
quotation. If you provide the quotation or if you choose one
of the sample quotations, I'll give you a 10% discount. Four
things to keep in mind though, if you provide the quotation:
- 1. All of the letters in the author's
last name should appear in the quotation. For example, if you
wanted a quote by Richard Nixon, it might be difficult to find
one with an "x" in the quotation.
2. You will have to count all of the letters in the words of
the quotation and try to keep it between 40 and 240. I charge
by the letter, so that may be a factor for you.
3. If you provide the quotation, that means that you don't get
to have fun solving the puzzle too.
4. No threats. No violence. No nasty words. French and Spanish
languages are fine, but the clues will be mainly in English and
we'll let the tildes and accents graves fall where
they may.
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Show me
some sample quotations.
Okay. Click here to peruse
a growing list of quotations on the topics of love; life, age,
and aging; etc.
How much
does a Custom Quote Acrostic Puzzle cost and what do I get?
There is a charge of $1 (US) per letter in the quotation, with
a $100 minimum. If you provide the quotation (or choose one from
my new and expanding list of quotations), there is a 10% discount.
If you live in California, your local sales tax is added. If
you send a photograph of the gift recipient, I can apply some
artistic license and include that image on the puzzle page too,
for an additional $20. What I will send you is 5 copies of the
finished puzzle on 8.5 inch x 14 inch paper. You may reproduce
it as much as you'd like, so long as you acknowledge my authorship
of the puzzle. I will retain the puzzle solution until you holler
"uncle!" Then I'll forward it on to you at no charge.
How do
I pay for the Custom Quote Acrostic Puzzle?
Presently, by check or money order only.
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How can
I get a free sample?
US residents can send an SASE (self-addressed, stamped
envelope) to Jane Cleveland c/o 4837 Geary Blvd, San Francisco
CA 94118.
What you will receive is 2 quote acrostic
puzzles to solve; one is a "mini" with only 39 letters
in the quotation, and the other is a "mega" with 238
letters. The subject-person of both of these puzzles is George
W Bush and I have to warn you that the clues do not flatter our
bellicose president. There are some embarrassing facts and some
humor. Soon there may also be a friendlier, medium-sized free
sample puzzle directed at Jimmy Carter.
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