"Anagrams hold a special place in the annals of wordplay. Although dismissed by some as "intellectually frivolous" (A. E. Housman) or a mere "trifle" (Ben Jonson), the art of anagramming-rearranging the letters in one word or phrase to form another-has provided plenty of writers with literary inspiration. The metaphysical poet George Herbert, for instance, observed that the letters in MARY can be shifted around to spell ARMY, taking this to be a sign of the Holy Mother's mysterious power."
"For Vladimir Nabokov, who created the alter ego Vivian Darkbloom-see what he did there?-anagrams were metaphors for the unconscious: "All dreams are anagrams of diurnal reality," he wrote. And any genealogy of letter-scramblers must include the poet Jim Morrison, who unforgettably nicknamed himself "Mr. Mojo Risin'." You don't have to be a writer, or on psychedelics, to enjoy the power of the anagram."
Anagrams inspired many writers and range from playful rearrangement to symbolic resonance. Some critics dismissed them as frivolous or a trifle, while others found deeper significance. George Herbert noted that MARY can become ARMY, implying divine power. Vladimir Nabokov called anagrams metaphors for the unconscious, writing that all dreams are anagrams of diurnal reality. Jim Morrison adopted anagrammatic nicknames such as Mr. Mojo Risin'. Puzzle enthusiasts relish discoveries like BRITNEY SPEARS forming PRESBYTERIANS. Shuffalo, a daily New Yorker game, adds a letter after each solved word, building to eight-letter scrambles and a nine-letter bonus; hints affect badge outcomes; a video features Kate Berlant; the game stems from Adam Wagner.
Read at The New Yorker
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