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From Prof. Oddfellow's sketchbook:
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Printed collections of Forgotten Wisdom diagrams are available: Volume I from Mindful Greetings and Volumes II, III and IV from Amazon. Selected posters are also available via Zazzle. |
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SexI reached most of my goals, but I didn’t do it in a conventional way. I did it using the oldest trick in the book. Sex.
—Karrine Steffans, Confessions of a Video Vixen (2005)
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| Puzzles and Games :: Letter Grids |
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This puzzle grid contains several big words. Can you find them?
• 7-letter words: 21
• 8-letter words: 1
• 10-letter words: 1
Hint: the 10-letter word is a real headache!
All letters in the word must touch (in any direction), and no square may be reused.
Click to display solutions
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| 7-letter words: |
• admires
• arising
• cassino
• gearing
• ingrain
• ingress
• massier
• massing
• merging
• noisier
• noising |
• quassia
• quassin
• raising
• raisiny
• reusing
• searing
• semiraw
• serging
• sieging
• wairing |
| 8-letter words: |
| • smearing |
| 10-letter words: |
| • migrainous |
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Referring to the Dictionary of All-Consonant Words, Jonathan wrote: I visited Merriam-Webster online just now. Due to browser sluggishness, the consonants in the phonetic display of "bookkeeper" loaded first (presumably because the vowels, which are all represented with accent marks, are special characters). For just an instant, M-W was an all-consonant dictionary! |
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From Prof. Oddfellow's sketchbook:
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Printed collections of Forgotten Wisdom diagrams are available: Volume I from Mindful Greetings and Volumes II, III and IV from Amazon. Selected posters are also available via Zazzle. |
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Set-UpIt’s a set-up, oldest trick in the book.
—Ian Rankin, The Hanging Garden (1999)
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The enchanting artist Apollonia the Red created a marvelous color palette in honor of my Professor Oddfellow persona. Entitled " Hail to the Prof," it is based upon a photo of me playing a version of the strategy game "Cathedral" with miniature architectural landmarks. 
The colors (left to right) of the
Hail to the Prof palette are:
Olive: #787830
Different Path: #786030
Pluto Moss: #001818
Laca China: #E90909
Fruit Kiss: #F0A890
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| Puzzles and Games :: Letter Grids |
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This puzzle grid contains several big words. Can you find them?
• 7-letter words: 25
• 8-letter words: 3
• 9-letter words: 1
The 9-letter word is an act of causing a bruise. All letters in the word must touch (in any direction), and no square may be reused.
Click to display solutions
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| 7-letter words: |
• abasing
• abusing
• backing
• basking
• bousing
• boutons
• bucking
• busking
• casking
• causing
• conking
• jacking
• jacobus |
• nocking
• ouabain
• packing
• pausing
• quaking
• sacking
• snacked
• sucking
• toucans
• tousing
• tucking
• tusking |
| 8-letter words: |
• encasing
• focusing |
• ouabains |
| 9-letter words: |
| • contusing |
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Q: Why does it seem to take forever to drive across New York State? A: Because of the shape and geographical orientation of New York State, time actually slows down north of New York City and makes all travel seem incredibly monotonous. Einstein called this the Upstate Temporal Distortion Effect, which he discovered during a trip from Princeton to Cornell. Note that it also explains the phenomenon of the "New York Minute." Recent studies have suggested that the magnetic field of the earth has a slight "bulge" around New York State, now thought to be related to the type of metal reinforcements used in the structural mass of the Erie Canal locks, and this could explain the time-dilation effect. (Literary humorist Jonathan Caws-Elwitt's plays, stories, essays, letters, parodies, wordplay, witticisms and miscellaneous tomfoolery can be found at Monkeys 1, Typewriters 0. Here you'll encounter frivolous, urbane writings about symbolic yams, pigs in bikinis, donut costumes, vacationing pikas, nonexistent movies, cross-continental peppermills, and other compelling subjects.)
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Piecing together the secret of divine civilization . . .
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* The most profound secrets lie not wholly in knowledge, said the poet. They lurk invisible in that vitalizing spark, intangible, yet as evident as the lightning—the seeker's soul. Solitary digging for facts can reward one with great discoveries, but true secrets are not discovered—they are shared, passed on in confidence from one to another. The genuine seeker listens attentively. No secret can be transcribed, save in code, lest it—by definition—cease to be. This Book of Whispers collects and encodes more than one hundred of humankind's most cherished secrets. To be privy to the topics alone is a supreme achievement, as each contains and nurtures the seed of its hidden truth. As possessor and thereby guardian of this knowledge, may you summon the courage to honor its secrets and to bequeath it to one worthy. |
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The “a” word is “attitude.” —Todd Phillips, “A Whole Lot of Finger Pointing,” Advanced Manufacturing
The illustration of the letter "A" is by Tauba Auerbach and appears here through special arrangement.
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Seduction by a Pretty FaceHe had fallen for the oldest trick in the book: being seduced by a pretty face.
—Kathryn Harvey, Private Entrance (2005)
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| Puzzles and Games :: Letter Grids |
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This puzzle grid contains several big words. Can you find them?
• 7-letter words: 32
• 8-letter words: 7
• 9-letter words: 1
• 10-letter words: 1
The 10-letter word describes the twisting of a snake. All letters in the word must touch (in any direction), and no square may be reused.
Click to display solutions
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| 7-letter words: |
• anteing
• beepers
• beguine
• dentine
• denting
• dreeing
• entires
• entries
• firebug
• peeries
• peering
• perigee
• prebend
• preeing
• preteen
• pretend |
• ranting
• rebegin
• rentier
• renting
• retiree
• retires
• retries
• serpent
• springe
• sprites
• suberin
• subteen
• subtend
• suiters
• teenier
• treeing |
| 8-letter words: |
• entering
• petering
• preteens
• sneering |
• speering
• springes
• subteens |
| 9-letter words: |
| • repenting |
| 10-letter words: |
| • serpentine |
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From Prof. Oddfellow's sketchbook:
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Printed collections of Forgotten Wisdom diagrams are available: Volume I from Mindful Greetings and Volumes II, III and IV from Amazon. Selected posters are also available via Zazzle. |
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SedationOldest trick in the book—keep them sedated so they’re easier to handle.
—Eileen Goudge, Wish Come True (2004)
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Can you guess the nature of this diagram?
Highlight this black bar to reveal answer: It's a proposed widening of a traffic intersection to allow for safe turning movements for long trucks..
A larger and fully labeled version of this diagram is located here.
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A hollowed-out eye in the sand, in the sheer walls of Petra. Source.
Sand in the EyeThen, in desperation, the captain scooped up a handful of sand and flung it at
his enemy. The oldest trick in the book.
—Thomas M. Reid, Forged (2003)
Speaking of sand in the eye, here's a sand sculpture of Argus that could be called "Sand in the Eyes." To be avoided: a giant cloud of sand descending upon a beach.
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| Did You Hear the One I Just Made Up? |
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Have you ever noticed that a person with a mind like a sponge tends to be self-absorbed? Speaking of sponges and brains and dessert, check out this stunning brain cake (and here's the recipe). |
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| Puzzles and Games :: Letter Grids |
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This puzzle grid contains several big words. Can you find them?
• 7-letter words: 14
• 8-letter words: 1
• 9-letter words: 1
The 9-letter word refers to composing 14-line poems. All letters in the word must touch (in any direction), and no square may be reused.
Click to display solutions
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| 7-letter words: |
• antigun
• denting
• fatting
• infante
• infants
• jettons
• ligated |
• notated
• redtail
• renting
• stander
• stanged
• stating
• tzigane |
| 8-letter words: |
| • notating |
| 9-letter words: |
| • sonneting |
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RosesDamn roses! Oldest trick in the book. —Nancy Bartholomew, Film Strip (2001)
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My One-Letter Words dictionary has inspired a new color (and it's not scarlet!). It is entitled, naturally, " One Letter Words." The color was created and named by the New York City artist Linsomnia, who showcases her work on ColourLovers.com. The "One Letter Words" color features in Linsomnia's new color palette named for my " Do-Re-Midi" system of musical notation. I couldn't be more delighted! 
One Letter Words, by Linsomnia
HEX: #DFF76C RGB: 223, 247, 108
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Do-Re-Midi!, by Linsomnia.
The purple is entitled "Wordsmith," the yellow is "One Letter Words," the green is "Verbiage," the light blue is "The Odd Fellow," and the darker blue is "Lexis."
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Piecing together the secret of the crystal skull . . .
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* The most profound secrets lie not wholly in knowledge, said the poet. They lurk invisible in that vitalizing spark, intangible, yet as evident as the lightning—the seeker's soul. Solitary digging for facts can reward one with great discoveries, but true secrets are not discovered—they are shared, passed on in confidence from one to another. The genuine seeker listens attentively. No secret can be transcribed, save in code, lest it—by definition—cease to be. This Book of Whispers collects and encodes more than one hundred of humankind's most cherished secrets. To be privy to the topics alone is a supreme achievement, as each contains and nurtures the seed of its hidden truth. As possessor and thereby guardian of this knowledge, may you summon the courage to honor its secrets and to bequeath it to one worthy. |
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Photographer Eli Shams recalls the story of this portrait of a sun-starer: Pacing small lanes of old Banaras, I followed this sadhu coming back from the river with his traditionnal pot. I liked his steps, and when he stopped to sprinkle Ganga holy water on some children, I asked him for a picture. [He raised his eyes to stare into the sun.] I waited for him to look at the camera, and waited, but he was frozen… So I shot, than he relaxed. I asked why ??? He said : "I am nothing great, so I wanted you to have the sun in my eyes."
Here are some other sun-starers, including this great painting by Edward Hopper. |
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From Prof. Oddfellow's sketchbook:
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Printed collections of Forgotten Wisdom diagrams are available: Volume I from Mindful Greetings and Volumes II, III and IV from Amazon. Selected posters are also available via Zazzle. |
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Reverse PsychologyIn Whispering Lodge (2005), Sabrina Noble calls "reverse psychology" the oldest trick in the book.
Speaking of reverse psychology, here's a funny cartoon about the subject.
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Early 20th-century postcards celebrating the Fourth of July. One from 1908 depicts shooting at cats as part of the celebration. Several address fireworks safety, with one "humorously" offering this advice: "How to prevent your boy being killed on the Fourth of July—kill him on the third." I prefer this cover from the Civil War Harper's Weekly, July 8, 1865, depicting the spirit of peace transforming the battlefield. Meanwhile, what's the best perfume to wear on the 4th of July, considering that no one has yet bottled the combined scent of charcoal, gunpowder, ketchup, beer, apple pie, grass, citronella, lemonade, corn, and ice? |
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 Update on my " Spooky Pagoda" color palette: The artist Reverbe explains how "Spooky Pagoda" inspired the " Spooky Xmas Tree" palette: Prof. Oddfellow's excellent Spooky Pagoda palette lit a fire in my brain as I struggled to remember a spooky pagoda I've seen before. Then I remembered: there's always a fantastic light display in the local botanical garden at Christmastime; unfortunately, in the Japanese themed garden, they forgo the Christmas lights and use large red and green floodlights instead. The result is creepy as all get out. Seeing a bare-limbed Japanese maple under blinding red light gives one the idea what the shrubbery in hell must be like. Anyway, thanks to Prof. Oddfellow for reminding me that interesting colors can be found in creepy photos and not just the "beauty shots."
Re: the "Spooky Pagoda" palette, moonlight and lanterns illuminate the tiles, woods, and metal work of the oldest structure in Los Angeles—the pagoda at the pool of the Hollywood Hills Hotel below the Yamashiro restaurant. This night shot I took inspired the Spooky Pagoda color palette at ColourLovers.com.
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From Prof. Oddfellow's sketchbook:
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Printed collections of Forgotten Wisdom diagrams are available: Volume I from Mindful Greetings and Volumes II, III and IV from Amazon. Selected posters are also available via Zazzle. |
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| Hindpsych: Erstwhile Conjectures by the Sometime Augur of Yore |
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Today's question is dedicated to conspiracy theorists everywhere:Was the Apollo Moon landing a hoax?* With
"hindpsych," the answer is "yes," the moon landing was faked by NASA! The first card in our Tarot spread, the Five of Pentacles, depicts two figures limping past the star-filled stained glass window of a church. The figures are stooped, bandaged, and barefooted; one walks on crutches. The figures suggest that NASA is "handicapped," hobbling along on rudimentary technology. The figures don't notice the warmth offered by the church behind them, suggesting that NASA is unable to find a solution to its technological hardships. The middle card, the Four of Cups, depicts a figure sitting under a tree, looking at three cups before him and not noticing a fourth cup being offered from "on high." This fourth cup in the clouds represents the Moon. NASA is too focused on earthly matters to set its sights on the sky. The third card, the Hierophant, symbolizes power: political, religious, and military force. The Hierophant is making a proclamation, his right hand pointed to the heavens. The powers that be announce a successful Moon landing. Yet we can say
with confidence that NASA, whether hobbling on crutches or sitting cross-legged under a tree, isn't going anywhere. The Apollo mission was a hoax, and we can now move on.
Tarot cards colored by Prof. Oddfellow from Public Domain artwork.
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| * Historians must reconstruct the past out of hazy memory. "Once upon a time" requires "second sight." The "third eye" of intuition can break the "fourth wall" of conventional perspectives. Instead of "pleading the fifth," historians can take advantage of the "sixth sense" and be in "seventh heaven." All with the power of hindpsych, the "eighth wonder of the world." It has been said that those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it. Therein lies the importance of Tarot readings for antiquity. When we confirm what has already occurred, we break the shackles of the past, freeing ourselves to chart new courses into the future. |
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Resorting to EvidenceResorting to evidence, eh? The oldest trick in the book. —Youth Specialties, “Tarzan,” Drama, Skits and Sketches (1997)
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Original Content Copyright © 2025 by Craig Conley. All rights reserved.
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