Browsing around Half Price Books in Dallas Texas I found "Fabulous FUN with PUZZLES" by Joseph Leeming. (The capital FUN jumped out at me.)

Keeping with my portable and versatile activity theme, here’s some puzzling FUN with the eight letters PLAY TIME. (The picture above is a computer generated set of letters. You can also just write the letters out on eight index cards.) Make multiple sets of PLAY TIME cards for multiple-group play - a little respectful competition is a good thing.

Okay, once you have the eight letter cards ready, puzzle away.

A. Pick and arrange cards to spell the five-letter words that fit these clues:

1. A kind if tree

2. Enough

3. Without any contents

4. A Southern European country

5. Subtly suggest

6. Pants crease

7. Coin material

8. ______-mouthed (wishy-washy)

9. A flower part

10. Having a lot of substance

11. Hair braid

12. A dish




B. Spell these common first names for people:

1. Four (or up to 12) three-letter names (twelve are listed in the answers below.)

2. Two common names that together use all eight cards.




C. Spell the four-letter words that fit these clues:

1. Send out

2. Small news note

3. Device that gives light

4. Brewery grain

5. That which is sent by post

6. Companion

7. Horse-race distance

8. Part of the hand

9. Too of the head

10. Sound, as bells

11. Trapper's prize

12. A feeling of compassion

13. Request for aid

14. Story

15. Race's finish line

16. Sports group

17. Hobbling

18. It's set by a printer

19. An Ivy League university

20. Puppy's cry

21. Heap

22. Ashen

23. Thaw

24. A green fruit



D. And finally, spell the six-letter words that fit these clues:

1. Punctual

2. Pierce with a point


Have fun out there!

Chris Cavert
(Blogger Note: This post was done completely with an iPhone!)



ANSWERS

A. Five-letter words: 
1. Maple   2. Ample   3. Empty   4. Italy   5. Imply   6. Pleat   7. Metal   8. Mealy 9. Petal   10. Meaty   11. Plait   12. Plate

B. Names:  
1. Ali, Amy, Eli, Lea, Mat, May, Mel, Mia, Pam, Pat, Pia, Tim (and others)
2: Emily and Pat

C. Four-letter words:
1. Emit   2. Item   3. Lamp   4. Malt   5. Mail   6. Mate   7. Mile   8. Palm   9. Pate   10. Peal   11. Pelt   12. Pity  13. Plea   14. Tale   15. Tape   16. Team   17. Lame   18. Type   19. Yale   20. Yelp   21. Pile   22. Pale   23. Melt   24. Lime

D. Timely, Impale

He's an activity I've yet to try. It came to me as I was going through my "idea" notes (I consolidate to a computer file all the little notes I scribble down in my paper notebook and iPhone "Notes" App. I revisit these notes from time-to-time to flush out activity ideas I want to work on and try out). Crazy Eights could be considered a variation of the activity "Across" (if you know this one).

Since I tend to work more and more with larger groups I like to find (discover) activities where lots of people can work together and still have some autonomy in the process. I also love activities that are easy to set up, especially with large groups. Crazy Eights might fit the bill.

Directions: Give each person in your group a game spot. (My recent favorite spot is a foam cupboard liner circle - 12 inches in diameter. You can find foam cupboard liner in rolls at department and hardware stores.) Ask everyone to scatter around the playing area so they are at least 3 or 4 feet away from any other person and then set their spot down and step on it with both feet (in the picture the circles shown are the spots - imagine people standing on them). 

Here's the simply put timed challenge. When you, the facilitator says "GO!" (with feeling), you start the time and then every one is free to leave his or her spot in order to travel around two other spots in a figure eight pattern (the lines in the picture indicate two possible figure eight traveling plans). Be sure to emphasize a "figure eight" pattern must be made around two different spots - the spot each person is standing on can not be used in each persons travels. After players circumnavig-eight two spots they return to their original spot. When all players are back on their original spot (all movement stops), the time then stops. Allow for several attempts. 

Considerations:

• Smaller groups (8 to 12 players) could record very low times leaving little room for improvement. I'm thinking at least 20 players for this one?? 
  
• Allow for planning time before the activity begins and before each subsequent attempt. Planning while standing "around" the spots, as opposed to "on" the spots would be interesting. 
  
• If there is any player-to-player contact time (e.g., 3 seconds) is added to the attempt. 
  
• Distance between spots will change to level of challenge and the time it will take. 
  
• Go with a combination of sighted and unsighted players. Maybe if a player is not in contact with a spot his or her eyes need to be closed - this idea would work nicely with smaller groups. 
  

What else? Let us know how Crazy Eights goes for you. Leave us a comment below. 

All the best, 

Chris Cavert