21st Challenge No. 39

The New Word Order -- "shuffle play" fun with sentences.

Published December 1, 2000 8:52PM (EST)

Let us now praise the genius who invented the random or "shuffle play" button on the CD player. Beethoven may be rolling around in his grave when you play the movements of the "Eroica" out of order; but, hello! a new musical possibility has been unleashed.

If it can be so for music, why not for words?

Readers are invited to submit up to three familiar sentences, with word order scrambled so that the original meaning is subtly or radically altered. Include the original text below your alteration.

EXAMPLE

When the Romans, like, do Rome in.
(When in Rome, do like the Romans.)

RULES

Send your submissions via e-mail only to salon21st@salon.com. Please include your full name and an accurate e-mail address so we can contact you if you're a winner. By submitting your entry, you give Salon Technology permission to publish, edit and reuse it. Deadline for entries is Dec. 8, 2000.

PRIZES

The winning response will receive a copy of Salon Technology editor Andrew Leonard's book, "Bots: The Origin of New Species."

In two weeks we'll publish a winner and some selected entries -- then start over a couple weeks after that with a whole new challenge.


By Charlie Varon

Charlie Varon is a humorist and playwright. His works include "Ralph Nader Is Missing" and "Rush Limbaugh in Night School."

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By Jim Rosenau

Jim Rosenau is a writer, editor and software designer in Berkeley, Calif. Jim and Charlie are also co-founders of the citizens group Californians for Earthquake Prevention and partners in Mockingbird Media, which offers a full line of comic services.

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