Mothagrams!

[James Armstrong]

Seven British Moths from 2,400 plus species are hidden in the following anagrams. There's a theme as well!

1. Fight swots.
2. Think highbrow, mad mum.
3. A well-worn monster's spiel?
4. Lucid megapode.
5. Gee! A crackpot!
6. Pish! Lax lemon.
7. Rats! Brisk slogan.

Good luck!

o:D

james and geraldine

[CJW]

God, I struggled with a couple of these! Especially the last one - which book were you using for the names?

1. Ghost Swift.
2. Hummingbird Hawkmoth
3. Lesser Swallow Prominent
4. Clouded Magpie.
5. Great Peacock
6. Small Phoenix.
7. Blair’s Knotgrass. (I've never heard of this one - but it's all that would fit)

[Michael Frankis]

Originally posted by CJW
7. Blair’s Knotgrass

I've always thought our PM was a bit of a weed!

:-O

[James Armstrong]

Well done CJW! Charles is going to be hacked off again... :storm:
We were quite pleased with the theme - did you spot it? The source we used for all the names was the systematic list in this excellent website discovered tonight:- www.ukmoths.force9.co.uk.
By the way they are looking for lots of photo contributions to complete their pictorial moth galleries - might be of interest to BF moth photographers.
We had to laugh too Michael when we saw our leader's name in the frame.
:t: B (:

james and geraldine

[Charles Harper]

Well done, indeed, CJ. No, I'm not hacked off at all, I would never have attempted them myself, not having collected moths since high school, and knowing zip about British moths anyway. But don't look for anagrammed palindromes until I find out what machinery you guys use to make these. I haven't the time or patience to do it on the back of an envelope....

[CJW]

I'm still not happy with this Blair's Knotgrass, James. There's a Blair's Shoulder knot that I'm familiar with (having written a short paper on the northerly spread of the species back in the 90's), but I can't find any reference to this knotgrass species - it's doesn't seem to be on Ian's website that you used.
Blair's Shoulder knot would have maintained your bird theme though.

[James Armstrong]

Hi Charles,

Try www.anagramgenius.com - I hope I haven't divulged a trade secret. I don't want to be expelled from the BF anagrammers secret inner circle. :brains:
B (:

james

[James Armstrong]

Hi CJW,

You're quite right - many apologies - mixed the species' names up in my excitement. So you get 1,000 bonus points for unscrambling a non-existent species and a zillion points for having written a short paper on the one it should have been! Wow - I'm seriously impressed. You're like the Sherlock Holmes de nos jours - he was always writing monographs in amazingly erudite fashion.

james

[Charles Harper]

Yes you have, and Birdman and Grousemore will vilify you. But we have all sworn a solemn oath to SOLVE the anagrams manually.

[Grousemore]

Damn,another "Secreted Rat" (anag) bites the dust!

[James Armstrong]

Hi Charles,

I've only worked out how to create the anagrams with that programme. I solved Birdman's without artificial aids (discounting pencil and paper) and hereby solemnly swear that I will always keep to that straight, narrow and manual path.

james

[James Armstrong]

Hi Grousemore,

I just typed 'Mr. A.N. Saga' into google and there it was... sorry!

james

[Michael Frankis]

Now that CJ has 'discovered' Blair's Knotgrass, would anyone care to provide a suitable Latin name and species characteristics?

[CJW]

Hmm, suggestions in a PM?
Sorry.

[Charles Harper]

Pardon; to get back to my topic for a moment--

Palindromes make poor anagrams. To wit:

1. A raw, odd crow.
2. Extant axes, so on.

PS: Did you guys buy that software just to do this?

[Dave G]

Hi James,

Knot, I wonder where that idea came from today ;)

AND YOU MEAN there is no moth with Little Gull in it's name 3:-)

Don't Labour the point Chris... sigh

:t::t:

[Geraldine]

I've got a free 'trial' version. Do you think I'm that mad as to buy it!!!!!
1. Draw! O coward
Still working on the 2nd one.

james

[Geraldine]

2. Sex at noon taxes!

These are very good Charles.

[CJW]

Now just hold on a cotton-picking minute here. I sat down with a pen and paper and sweated over them for 15 minutes, when you guys used some computer software to produce the list of 'mothagrams' - and even then you managed to produce a made-up species. Some people have no morals. ;)

[Geraldine]

No-body told me that morals were a prerequisite!

[birdman]

Erm... Looks like I've joined this late.

(Star!)

For anyone using pen and paper... may I suggest "Scrabble" tiles???

[James Armstrong]

Hi CJW,

Even chessmasters play computers. Think of it as you beating the machine! But if you really think it's unethical we'll take another oath to create only 'real' anagrams in future.
:scribe:

james

[Charles Harper]

A wide choice financially, as well. Does Homer ever stand up?

[James Armstrong]

Sort of...

james

[CJW]

Originally posted by James Armstrong
Hi CJW,

Even chessmasters play computers. Think of it as you beating the machine! But if you really think it's unethical we'll take another oath to create only 'real' anagrams in future.
:scribe:

james

I was only kidding James - I enjoyed doing it.

[James Armstrong]

Whew!
:egghead:

[christineredgate]

This Forum really is an education in itself,in 10 mins I have found an anagram site which should help solve the crossword clues ,the answers of which cannot be found in the auto spellcheckers,and moth web site,so I can check the moth pic I was looking for an Id for ,yesterday.
christine.

[James Armstrong]

Hi Christine,

It's a mine of useful information isn't it! Never a dull moment!
:news:

james