"Leaping letters

Words, a photo by Manchester Monkey on Flickr.

Each of these 2-word phrases contains a letter with flea-like tendencies whose sole aim in life is to leap across to the other word of the phrase! All well and good, but certain rules have to obtain and certain standards uphold in the process. The leap might he from the first word to the second word or from the second word to the first word. Whichever way the leap, the result must be another phrase. If the first word of each 2-word phrase is represented by 1, and the second word by 2; and if the beginning of a word = B; the inside of a word = I; and the end of a word = E, then the passage of the leaping letter (N) in BROW KNIT / BROWN/KIT can be described as 2I to 1E.

A letter which leaps from the first word to the second word falls into one of 9 categories: 1B to 2B; 1B to 2I; 1B to 2E; 1I to 2B, 1I to 2I; 1I to 2E; 1E to 2B; 1E to 2I; 1E to 2E. Likewise, a letter which leaps from the second word to the first word also falls into one of 9 categories: 2B to 1B; 2B to 1I; 2B to 1E; 2I to 1B; 2I to 1I; 2I to 1E; 2E to 1B; 2E to 1I; 2E to 1E.

1B to 2B
PLATE ROOF PLAY ACTS
LATE PROOF LAY PACTS

1I to 2B
BRIDGE ROOM CAST TOOL
BRIDE GROOM CAT STOOL

1E to 2B
RAMS HORN TENT ROPES
RAM SHORN TEN TROPES

2B to 1B
PIN STRIPE LOCK CLOSES
SPIN TRIPE CLOCK LOSES

21 to 1B
LOG TABLES PAYS CAST
BLOG TALES SPAYS CAT

2E to 1B
TAKE BETS OUR LADY
STAKE BET YOUR LAD

1B to 2I
COLD SORE SLAYS AIDE
OLD SCORE LAYS ASIDE

1I to 2I
COLD FEET PLAY BACK
COD FLEET PAY BLACK

1E to 2I
PITH TREE CAN'T SAY
PIT THREE CAN STAY

2B to 1I
CAT SHOOK MOOR TRAIL
CAST HOOK MOTOR RAIL

2I to 1I
GIN PALACE BAR LOUNGES
GAIN PLACE BOAR LUNGES

2E to 1I
BED LINEN CLAP HANDS
BEND LINE CLASP HAND

1B to 2E
ESTATE CAR SASH DOOR
STATE CARE ASH DOORS

1I to 2E
POST HOLE CLOTHES FAD
POT HOLES CLOTHS FADE

1E to 2E
NEWS ROOM WINE MAT
NEW ROOMS WIN MATE

2B to 1E
GO THERE LIVE RAILS
GOT HERE LIVER AILS

2I to 1E
TEA TIME MAD GEORGE
TEAM TIE MADE GORGE

2E to 1E
FREE BOARD CAR FUND
FREED BOAR CARD FUN
The 2 phrases may share a theme or meaning, as is the case in RAMS HORN--RAM SHORN, GO THERE--GOT HERE, SLAY AIDE--LAYS ASIDE etc.

Ultimately the 2 phrases may, together, form a third phrase or sentence:

HE STOCKS THE SOCKS (2I to 1B) HIS SORT IS SHORT (1B to 2I)
ONE SAT ON SEAT (1E to 2I) HOST IS HOT SIS (1I to 2B)
OLD TSAR SOLD TAR (2I to 1B) TOO HOT TO HOOT (1I or 1E to 2I)
SUSAN THORPE

Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire, England

thorpeds@hotmail.com

Thorpe, Susan

Source Citation Thorpe, Susan. "Leaping letters." Word Ways 41.4 (2008): 263. Literature Resource Center. Web. 24 Mar. 2012.
Document URL
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Gale Document Number: GALE|A189832223