Entertainment
Jun 23, 2026
The Guardian's Puzzle Corner: Deception in Data and Language
The Guardian's puzzle corner features three brain teasers and a prize draw, focusing on deception i…
The Puzzle Corner
Today's puzzles and prize draw are about different types of deception.
Super Syllabus
A school cohort has two classes. At the end of year 1, all pupils are graded. When listed in grade order, the median pupil is a C.
For year 2, the school introduces a new syllabus. The median grade drops to a D. Devise a scenario where the new syllabus improves every pupil's grade.
Peculiar Poll
Two market research companies, Smith Surveys and Jones Polls, conduct polls on support for a government policy. Both polls of 125 people show the policy is more popular amongst men.
Data from Smith Surveys: Men (21/25, 84%), Women (80/100, 80%). Data from Jones Polls: Men (22/100, 22%), Women (5/25, 20%). Is the policy more popular amongst men or women?
Anguish Languish
Anguish Languish is an ersatz language created by Howard L Chase. Here's an example: 'Ones her punnet I’m, inner smell vial itch they’re lift a misty verse buoy culled Pitter.'
Said aloud, it sounds like: 'Once upon a time in a small village there lived a mischievous boy called Peter.'
Send in your most amusing Anguish Languish sentence by 4pm today for a chance to win Kit Yates' book, 'You Don’t Know What You’re Missing.'
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