*Why are ladies like arrows?When is a bird not a bird?What do you call a nun with a washing machine on her head?*Welcome to the weird new word adventure from David Astle, plunging into the realm of riddles, chasing down and prising open 101 curious questions from around the planet. A mindtrip across time and place, Riddledom uncovers relics from over 50 cultures, delving into language and deception, sampling Pompeii walls and Dothraki warriors. Readers can ...

Master wordsmith and crossword guru David Astle shows how cryptic crosswords can boost your brain power and improve your memory and cognitive capacity.Recent studies have shown that puzzle-solving and wordplay are among the most effective ways to boost the power and agility of your brain. A cryptic crossword a day can help keep memory loss at bay.Why? The answer lies in the art of teasing out a clue, a discipline that calls for logic, interpretation, intuit...

Puzzles and Words is a medley of puzzles and surprising word stories in one pocket-sized volume from Australia's best-known wordsmith, David Astle.There are over 170 original brain teasers from anagrams to word pyramids to keep all levels and ages challenged and amused. Accompanying these are some 200 of David's entertaining word stories that unlock the secrets and origins of everything from what a charnie is, to where Google's name came from and how Spanish roosters crow....

Are you sick of the same old tourist spots like the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House? Do you own too many happy snaps of koalas and kangaroos? Offbeat Australia is the guide to the weird and wonderful attractions that most tourists miss.Explore the odd places that make Australia truly offbeat. Find out where you can:sleep with lionsjoin a riverboat postman on his routerent a cave for a nightentertain the kids at gruesome hideouts, quirky mazes and ...

Fun facts about 101 of the weirdest words in the English language from the wordiest guy around, David Astle - plus 3 bonus fake words: can you spot them?101 Weird Words (and Three Fakes) is a mini-dictionary jam-packed with unusual or interesting words, followed by a fun and descriptive definition for each one. Filled with silly pictures and strange wordy facts, this is a book to sweep the reader through the alphabet from AMBIDEXTROUS (no repeated letters)...

How to be a champion word puzzler in 20 quick bites! Packed with word puzzles, tongue twisters and brain teasers, this book will give readers all the ingredients they need to solve cryptic crosswords.Kids of a certain age become obsessed with crossword puzzles: what are they? how do they work? when can I solve one all on my own? Word wizard David Astle has come up with a sneaky way to introduce children to the mechanics of cryptic crossword puzzles, by taking them ...

Puzzles and Words 2 is the second pocket-sized puzzle book from Australia's best known puzzle-maker and word nerd, David Astle.There are over 175 original puzzles from anagrams to riddles and quizzes for all ages and all levels. Accompanying these are some 250 of David's entertaining word stories-What does zemblanity mean? How does cosmic link to cosmetic? Where does a seahorse sleep each night with an almond?Puzzles and Words 2 will keep your brain active...

As a child, David Astle's hero was the Riddler. Figuring out brainteasers like 'Where is a man drowned but still not wet?' (quicksand) and 'How many sides has a circle?' (two - the inside and the outside) became an obsession and, eventually, his life: his cryptic crosswords now appear in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald every week, to the delight and frustration of thousands.In Puzzled, Astle offers a helping hand to the perplexed and the infatuated alik...

Girt. No word could better capture the essence of Australia...In this hilarious history, David Hunt tells the real story of Australia's past from megafauna to Macquarie ... the cock-ups and curiosities, the forgotten eccentrics and Eureka moments that have made us who we are.Mark Twain wrote of Australian history: 'It does not read like history, but like the most beautiful lies ... but they are all true, they all happened.' In Girt, Hunt uncovers these beautiful li...

Five figures gather round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken but the pact had been made. Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood…Years later, a headmistress is found strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders which shock the Black Country. But when human remains are discovered at a former children’s home, disturbing secrets are also unearthed.Detect...

Auckland, the Kauri Coast, the Bay of Islands, Hamilton, Taranaki, the Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Wellington - all and more are covered in depth. All of the detailed information you need is here about the hotels, restaurants, shopping, sightseeing. But we also lead you to new discoveries, turning corners you haven't turned before, helping you to interact with the world in new ways. Written by a native New Zealander, this guide covers every region and town, with in-de...

Plan the trip of a lifetime with expert advice and a full itinerary from Australia's most popular travelling family.In the seven years since the 'Trip In A Van' family set off on their first adventure, they've covered tens of thousands of kilometres and become Australia's most popular travelling family.This complete guide is jam-packed with every lesson they've learned during their four laps of Australia and is a must-read for anyone roadtripping the contin...