Changelings

For the next few months, I'm going to take a more detailed look at some of the website's and the forum's more interesting features. To begin with I'll introduce you to changelings.

Changelings was first invented by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (or Lewis Carroll as you are more likely to have known him). I first came across it when it was posted on a forum by Len Porter of Brighton, from which I adapted it for the website.

Changelings is a word game. Words are of a fixed length (either 6, 7 or 8 letters long) and from the start word players must change one letter with each turn and then make an anagram of the new word. Repeats are not allowed.

The challenge of the game is to find words that no one can reply to because it is a 'dead end' or words that are so difficult to follow that no one replies within 3 hours. Players earn points through the game which lasts either 4 or 6 weeks. Those with the most points win the game.

The next game of changelings has just started in QI's games room. You can play here:

http://www.qi.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=5935&start=0

If you would like to start a game of changelings on your own forum you can read a copy of the rules here:

http://geocities.com/marmaladepublications/Changelings.pdf