Wordsworth Gabe Atkinson

A word rhyming with “grump” appeared in most entries in this week’s challenge, which invited readers to summarise 2016 in 12 words, through prose or verse. It was a hard year for Christchurch’s Mary Keaveney Costello: Poem rejection./ Bladder infection./Something permanent to blight us:/pesky rheumatoid arthritis. Rolleston’s Alan Belcher: Continents drifting, earthquakes uplifting, flag waving, Key wavering, democracy trumped, TPPA dumped. Karori’s Poppy Sinclair: Stress, both economic and psychological,/Saw voters behave in ways deemed illogical. Bronwen Gunn of Levin: David, Leonard, Ray: how the heavenly choir has been enriched this year. Wellington’s Sybil Gregson: Brexit shocks./Kaikoura rocks./ Trump elected./ Cheats suspected./Destruction creeps./ Aleppo weeps. From Barry Grant of Christchurch: Collins: downwards/ McCartney: upwards/Key: outward/ Earthquakes: All ways/ Trump: God knows. Brett Reid writes: Poms say ‘Non!’/ To Angela’s crew./Donald cracks on,/John bids adieu. Wellington’s Helen Patience: Politicians come and go/It’s old ho-hum/ Nothing’s new/ That’s my view. Kaye Bennetts of Whangaparaoa: Family, friends, good food and beer/Helped get me through another year. Clever wordplay from Meadowbank’s Katherine and Andrew Uren wins this week: Below ground in Kaikoura,/Above ground in Auckland,/ The pressure is building. The next contest revisits the Tom Swifty, one of 2016’s most popular challenges. A Swifty is a quote linked by a pun to the way it’s attributed. For example: “Someone has stolen my trousers!” said Tom expansively. Send your Swifties, attributing the quote to either Tom or Taylor Swift. Entries, for the prize below, close at noon on Thursday, January 19.