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Product Description
Product Description
Is English an innately playful language? Are word games good for you? Do we divide into number and word players? And could Scrabble have been invented in any other language? In this special programme, Stephen examines many word games, and we'll hear some familiar voices playing unfamiliar games - Sheila Dillon from "The Food Programme" plays "Font or Cheese" against miscellanist Ben Schott. Phill Juptitus talks about his personal word game habits, and we'll remember the late Humphrey Lyttelton's scurrilous account of Una Stubbs on "I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue". We'll travel deep inside the mind of puzzle-setter Chris Maslanka and visit the Comedy Store in London to experience the lightning reflexes of some top word-athletes. Plus, we'll examine an extraordinary claim - that the fashion for increasingly cryptic crosswords helped to defeat Hitler. Stephen Fry celebrates the fun side of the English language in this exclusive extended edition of a BBC Radio 4 special. "It's all great fun". ("Guardian").
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
Ouch - in my opinion Stephen Fry is an engish gentleman with a passion for subjects that others may find difficult to duplicate. It is with a heavy heart that I find myself unable to write many positives for this cd - it is quite heavy going and the sharp ending does feel quite an anticlimax. There are better BBC cd's for you to explore or even better treat yourself to a nice biscuit and an episode of QI. Very tempted to use the cd as a coaster....
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
In this double-length episode of Fry's English Delight, Stephen delves into word games. With comparisons to how word games appear in other languages, he covers crosswords, puzzles, scrabble, and codebreaking, among other topics. As always, Stephen Fry manages to make an interesting topic even more of a delight to hear.
I did feel a bit sorry for the guest that Fry interviewed for the latter half of the programme, the College Enigmatist of St Catherine's, Chris Maslanka. His breathing was very loud and laboured, and he sounded deathly ill while he wasn't speaking. He seemed to spring into life when talking, though, and was clearly very enthusiastic and knowledgable. Concerns about his health were somewhat distracting, all the same.
The show ended rather abruptly, without any apparent wind-down or conclusion. Perhaps it's not the best organised programme, but it is still a very interesting one.
I did feel a bit sorry for the guest that Fry interviewed for the latter half of the programme, the College Enigmatist of St Catherine's, Chris Maslanka. His breathing was very loud and laboured, and he sounded deathly ill while he wasn't speaking. He seemed to spring into life when talking, though, and was clearly very enthusiastic and knowledgable. Concerns about his health were somewhat distracting, all the same.
The show ended rather abruptly, without any apparent wind-down or conclusion. Perhaps it's not the best organised programme, but it is still a very interesting one.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This audio programme starts with very light hearted examples and discussions about language games. Is English the most playful of all languages? You will know the answer to this question and I won't spoil the fun by giving it away. Then the whole debate turns very technical and serious. Interviews with mathematicians, linguists and examples of how world war II enigma code was broken and how all those clever puzzle lovers had to be recruited to help. The second part does get a bit too technical and a bit too academic for my own liking, but if you are into this kind of thing, then this is certainly an interesting bit of radio for you. The programme was recorded for radio 4 originally and is now a stand a lone piece on CD.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not worth £9.25!!
I love Stephen Fry and word games so this was right up my street. Unlike some other reviewers I really enjoyed listening to it. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Tealady2000
A CD of one Radio four program
The most disappointing thing was how short this CD was,it lasts about 1 hour, and just contains one special program by Stephen Fry on Word Games. Read more
Published 6 months ago by JoMaynard
Did anyone actually BUY this audiobook/CD?
Every single one of the 43 reviews appears to have been from people 'gifted' the item on the Amazon Vine programme. Read more
Published 6 months ago by GC
Abrupt ending but entertaining fare
You can sense that this is a topic of interest for Stephen Fry and this certainly piques your own but it is only just getting going and then it ends. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Arkgirl
Short and Sweet
At just an hour long you might ponder the value offered here. It's an enjoyable 60 minutes and full of interesting and funny facts and thoughts about the English language - in... Read more
Published 7 months ago by The Kinniburgh Kid
A poor CD that doesnt delight
I was left feeling quite disappointed after listening to this CD. I love STephen fry and have seen him talk for hours on his love of our language at the cheltenham literature... Read more
Published 7 months ago by K. D. Squire
Fantastic
Stephen Fry is an English treasure whose unquenchable thirst for knowledge is both admirable and inspiring. Read more
Published 8 months ago by HeavyMetalMonty
Fry's Always a Delight
If you have heard Stephen Fry's excellent radio series Fry's English Delight, you may be wondering why there is a single hour long disc released. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Mr. Dk Hamm
Not really what I was expecting
Before a long journey to France this August I decided to get a good slection of BBC Audio CDs for the trip. Stephen Fry is one person who I really enjoy listening to. Read more
Published 8 months ago by B. Smyth
Succulent taste of word games
This is the CD of a 1 hour show, where Stephen Fry talks about the fun side of the English language, why we love word games, and why they may have evolved. Read more
Published 9 months ago by A John
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