David Astle
David Astle is the crossword compiler and Wordplay columnist for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. He is a broadcaster on ABC Radio Melbourne.
Opinion
WordPlay
I watched it for research. So was I unsatisfied or dissatisfied with The Fall Guy?
Who says you can’t have fun with words at the multiplex?
- by David Astle
Latest
Opinion
WordPlay
Umm-ahh! Whatever happened to this popular childhood taunt?
Once a playground staple, the story behind the uniquely Australian gibe remains a mystery.
- by David Astle
Opinion
WordPlay
Let’s put the brakes on the e-bike revolution, for language’s sake
How do we differentiate between e-bikes and bikes? Let’s cycle through the options.
- by David Astle
Opinion
WordPlay
Why the Streisand effect could be morphing into the Gina effect
The moment you tell us to look away, we can’t stop gawking, as Gina Rinehart recently found out to her detriment.
- by David Astle
Opinion
WordPlay
Australia leads the world in the use of this oxymoronic term
During this year’s budget there was one recurrent word association that appeared more than others.
- by David Astle
‘Red light and speed camera ahead’: The ambiguity of Google Maps
Are there two cameras, one for speeding and one for lights? Or just one camera? Voiced messages lack the punctuation to eliminate the doubt.
- by David Astle
Opinion
WordPlay
When it comes to names, does Elon Musk have the X-Factor?
The decision to ditch a brand name that has become part of the vernacular has sparked lively debate on a social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
- by David Astle
Opinion
WordPlay
My recent crossword sparked beef. Was my food clue a trifle fishy?
With words always gaining new meanings, setting crosswords is no piece of cake.
- by David Astle
Opinion
WordPlay
‘Omnishambles’ caught our attention but its origin might surprise you
Justice Lee’s Lehrmann judgment – and, perhaps, his TV diet – issued a new word into the public’s consciousness.
- by David Astle
Opinion
WordPlay
Taylor Swift’s poetic licence: why all the fuss around her new album title?
Grammar pedants have been swift to judge, but pop often plays loose with punctuation.
- by David Astle
Opinion
WordPlay
In praise of the eggcorn, the English language’s most logical mistake
Suffering from rumourism? You’ll need a courtesan shot for that.
- by David Astle