The National Puzzlers' League (NPL) was founded in 1883 and is the oldest puzzlers' organization in the world. For over 100 years, crosswords and other word puzzles that appear in the NPL's monthly magazine, The Enigma, could be enjoyed only by NPL members. Now, for the first time, a selection of the league's favorite cryptic crosswords is available in book form for puzzle fans everywhere to enjoy. Unlike regular crossword puzzles, each clue in a cryptic crossword has two parts--one that's straightforward and one that involves one or more types of wordplay--and part of the fun is determining which part is which and what type of wordplay is involved. For example, Shoestring allowances lead to tears (11) is a cryptic clue for LACERATIONS. The straightforward part of the clue is tears, which is a definition for LACERATIONS. The wordplay part of the clue is Shoestring allowances which can be expressed as LACE + RATIONS which lead to LACERATIONS. The number in parentheses tells you the number and length of the answer words--in this case, it's one 11-letter word. Another example, with a different type of wordplay is Rearrange, rearrange ram's front (9) which is a cryptic clue for TRANSFORM. Rearrange is a straightforward definition of TRANSFORM and rearrange ram's front tells you to rearrange, or anagram, the nine letters in ram's front giving you the nine-letter word TRANSFORM. One of most fascinating things about cryptics is that the clues are a combination of tremendous creativity and imagination, on one hand, and strict, formal rules, on the other. This book contains 45 variety cryptics from members of the NPL, many of them by distinguished puzzle authors, as well as a foreword by Will Shortz, the New York Times crossword editor and the NPL's official historian PuzzleMeter: Difficulty--Very Difficult; Style--Contemporary]

Travel to the Lone Star state and meet heroes Sam Houston, Jim Bowie, and David Crockett, and outlaws Billy the Kid, Jesse James, and Doc Holliday. Learn about what makes Texas so special--from its land to its history to its people--all while having fun along the way!

Did you know that the city of New Orleans in Louisiana lies five feet below sea level? Or that animals outnumber people in Montana? Reproducible, easy-to-read information sheets offer these and other remarkable facts about each of the 50 states. Kids will love using what they’ve read to solve fun and easy crossword puzzles. A great way to combine literacy with your study of the great states! For use with Grades 3-6.

This book expands on the argument that spectator sports, despite their problems, have become a central function of American universities.

Join Laura and her family on their journey across the flat Kansas prairie. There are gophers and rabbits to play with in the daytime, and a cozy camp awaits at night. Renée Graef's enchanting full-color illustrations, inspired by Garth Williams' classic artwork, bring Laura and her family lovingly to life in this ninth title in the My First Little House Books series, picture books adapted from Laura Ingalls Wilder's beloved storybooks.

Coach Jackson again takes readers into his program and describes in detail how he and his staff turned around another program. You will be able to follow the steps he implemented from day one to change a culture from selfishness and entitlement to warriors of brotherhood.

Offers twenty-four essays about African American men and women who worked in the Texas cattle industry from the slave days of the mid-19th century through the early 20th century.