To leaven its solid fare of political and artistic comment, London's socialist New Statesman and Nation conducts weekly "competitions" in epigrams, limericks, etc. Recently readers were asked to play a game originated by Philosopher Bertrand Russell. On BBC's Brains Trust program (Britain's sprightly Town Meeting of the Air), he had humorously conjugated an "irregular verb" as "I am firm; you are obstinate; he is a pig-headed fool."
Last week, from 650 entries, the New Statesman ran some rib-tickling winners: ¶ I am sparkling; you are unusually talkative; he is drunk.
¶ I have the...
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