Ben Zimmer
@benzimmer.bsky.social
đ€ 3155
đ„ 774
đ 308
Linguist, lexicographer, language commentator, all-around word nut.
https://linktr.ee/benzimmer
It's another guest appearance from the Barnacle (aka me) on the crossword podcast
@fillmeinpodcast.bsky.social
.
bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/fill-me-in-5...
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Fill Me In: Fill Me In #541: Never once have I touched a niblick.
Ryan is off losing money in Las Vegas, so we all chanted "Barnacle! Barnacle! Barnacle!" -- and lo and behold, appeared in the studio to regale everyone with tales of the ! That, plus jealousy of the...
https://bemoresmarter.libsyn.com/fill-me-in-541-never-once-have-i-touched-a-niblick
about 5 hours ago
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I have today's crossword on
@slate.com
, and it's educational!
slate.com/life/2026/05...
2 days ago
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The
@scrippsbee.bsky.social
finals are tonight on
@iontelevision.bsky.social
at 8pm ET! You might catch me at the judges table, or in a prerecorded bit where I talk about how spelling a difficult word can be like solving an etymological puzzle.
#spellingbee
Photo:
www.flickr.com/photos/scrip...
5 days ago
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It's Bee Week! Getting ready for the big event in our sparkly new venue.
@scrippsbee.bsky.social
8 days ago
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New crossword for
@slate.com
, with a timely movie tie-in!
slate.com/life/2026/05...
11 days ago
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Strong Language
19 days ago
FTA:
@benzimmer.bsky.social
on one of the nerdiest two-remove euphemisms you'll ever see
stronglang.wordpress.com/2016/03/21/w...
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What the digamma?
On Facebook, Jay Dillon posted an intriguing verse that appeared in Prize Translations, Poems, and Parodies, Reprinted from The Journal of Education (1881). Jay muses that the line âWhat the âŠ
https://stronglang.wordpress.com/2016/03/21/what-the-digamma/
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New crossword for
@slate.com
! Hope you find it better than meh.
slate.com/life/2026/05...
29 days ago
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Barry Popik
about 1 month ago
"Eighty-six" or "86" in a 1920 article from Topeka, KS. I see this is also OED's earliest. This knocks out NYC's Chumley's & Empire State Building theories. A new thread. cc
@davidwondrich.bsky.social
1/
www.newspapers.com/article/the-...
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"Eighty-six" or "86" slang term (1920).
Clipping found in The Topeka Capital-Journal published in Topeka, Kansas on 10/22/1920. "Eighty-six" or "86" slang term (1920).
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-topeka-capital-journal-eighty-six/196719713/
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Theodore Kloba
about 1 month ago
Remember when they 86'd S. H. Sanders? (Article by
@benzimmer.bsky.social
)
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...
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A Restaurant âEighty-Sixedâ Sarah Huckabee Sanders. What Does That Mean?
Many have claimed to know the origin story of the service industryâs most infamous number. But the real roots of the term have been largely forgotten.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/06/a-restaurant-eighty-sixed-sarah-huckabee-sanders-what-does-that-mean/563588/?gift=XUwI1X_ns8c-QYXrBbtfv-BBTkyxHBBqmNVtiZNH4Bo&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Barry Popik
about 1 month ago
Comey's "8647" is in the news. Here is "86" in soda jerker slang, from Pittsburgh, in 1929, our new earliest cite for the expression. A thread.
@davidwondrich.bsky.social
@jessesword.com
1/
www.newspapers.com/article/pitt...
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"Eight-six" or "86" slang (1929).
Clipping found in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on 6/10/1929. "Eight-six" or "86" slang (1929).
https://www.newspapers.com/article/pittsburgh-post-gazette-eight-six-or/196667688/
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Time to revisit this.
add a skeleton here at some point
about 1 month ago
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Today's Saturday Stumper, Newsday's ultra-challenging crossword, is from me!
brainsonly.com/global/netwo...
about 2 months ago
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My talk for Crossword Con on "Adventures in Gridspotting" is now on YouTube! Thanks to
@puzzmo.com
for archiving it.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkjb...
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Crossword Con 2026 - Adventures in Gridspotting (Ben Zimmer)
YouTube video by puzzmo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkjbiKiHQyE
about 2 months ago
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It was a delightful weekend at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, in its last year in Stamford, CT. The finals featured an exciting win by Erik Agard
@e-a-rly.bsky.social
over Will Nediger
@bewilderingly.bsky.social
and David Plotkin. Congrats to all!
#acpt
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHEX...
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American Crossword Puzzle Tournament 2026 - A Division Finals
YouTube video by Ben Zimmer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHEXRaaNTqM
about 2 months ago
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Michael Andersen
about 2 months ago
...and one of the more integrated appearances in The Simpsons, with custom reveal and creator cameos.
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Michael Andersen
about 2 months ago
The Wilhelm Scream of Grids
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Michael Andersen
about 2 months ago
GRIDSPOTTING TAXONOMY: -Real grids, real sources -Real grids into props (think: "greeking") -Grids from stock images (there is a Wilhelm scream of stock image crosswords) -Grids created for productions (from DIY efforts to guest constructors)
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Michael Andersen
about 2 months ago
Next up is
@benzimmer.bsky.social
, cruciverbally nerd-sniping us. Specifically: gridspotting! It's all the "oh hey look, crosswords in media" rage in Crosscord, the crossword fandom Discord.
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I'll be speaking at 11:15 am ET on "Adventures in Gridspotting." Tune in for the Crossword Con livestream!
add a skeleton here at some point
about 2 months ago
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Puzzmo
about 2 months ago
Crossword Con is happening now! đ€© Join us on Twitch:
www.twitch.tv/puzzmo
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puzzmo - Twitch
The (new) place for thoughtful puzzles.
https://www.twitch.tv/puzzmo
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Puzzmo
about 2 months ago
featuring! talks from
@aaronson.bsky.social
,
@benzimmer.bsky.social
,
@orta.io
,
@samanbb.bsky.social
, and
@xws.bsky.social
panelists represent games desks at
@bostonglobe.com
,
@vulture.com
,
@yahoonews.com
, and puzzmo
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For this year's Crossword Con on Fri. Apr. 10, I'll be giving a talk on "Adventures in Gridspotting" at 11:15 am ET. Come join us in person (or watch the livestream)!
www.crosswordcon.com
add a skeleton here at some point
about 2 months ago
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Puzzmo
about 2 months ago
Today is the last day to buy in-person Crossword Con tickets! Join us in NYC for some great talks and a panel featuring representatives from companies that buy and license indie games made by people like you! đ· Link to tix, schedule, speaker & panelist info all here:
www.crosswordcon.com
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Crossword Con
Crossword Con is a half-day conference about crossword puzzles
https://www.crosswordcon.com/
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Seasonally appropriate
@slate.com
puzzle from me today!
slate.com/life/2026/03...
2 months ago
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Nancy Friedman
2 months ago
March links: A new book about colors from
@korystamper.bsky.social
The origins of "Markwayne" from
@davidmackau.bsky.social
&
@babynames.bsky.social
The source of that alien lingo in "Bugonia" (thanks,
@benzimmer.bsky.social
!) And lots more!
fritinancy.substack.com/p/march-link...
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March linkstack
New newsletters, a new portmanteau, a new word game, a new book, and more.
https://fritinancy.substack.com/p/march-linkstack-8dd
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I've got the Saturday Stumper (super-tough
@newsday.bsky.social
crossword)!
brainsonly.com/global/netwo...
2 months ago
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Brendan Emmett Quigley and I have this weekend's
@wsj.com
crossword!
www.wsj.com/articles/fut...
2 months ago
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Solve my latest
@slate.com
crossword and get crazy with the cheese whiz
slate.com/life/2026/03...
3 months ago
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Geek out over my latest crossword for
@slate.com
!
slate.com/life/2026/02...
4 months ago
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Bzz, bzz, bzz... I have today's buzzy puzzle for
@puzzmo.com
!
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Puzzmo - Cross|word
Play Cross|word on Puzzmo, Take a hint.
https://www.puzzmo.com/puzzle/2026-01-30/crossword
4 months ago
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Strong Language
4 months ago
FTA:
@benzimmer.bsky.social
is going to verb the taboo term out of this one
stronglang.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/i...
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âI agreed the fuck out of itâ
Last year, in my post on the line from The Martian, âIâm going to have to science the shit out of this,â I took a look at the more general pattern of âVERB the TABOO TERM ouâŠ
https://stronglang.wordpress.com/2016/02/11/i-agreed-the-fuck-out-of-it/
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Fill Me In
4 months ago
This week, it's the highlight of any FMI Season, because Ben Zimmer joins Ryan and Brian to discuss the 2025 Word of the Year! There's still plenty of the same slop there's always been, but skip to the 31-minute mark if you're here for The Barnacle.
#woty
#crossword
#podcast
bemoresmarter.com/fmi
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Today's
@slate.com
crossword has an Oscars theme!
slate.com/life/2026/01...
4 months ago
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I've got today's Saturday Stumper in Newsday!
brainsonly.com/global/netwo...
5 months ago
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Linguistic Society of America
5 months ago
Yesterday was jam-packed with exciting moments! From -slop being named the ADS Word of the Year, to the insightful Five-Minute Linguist session, to vibrant networking in the poster session & exhibit hallâthere truly was something for everyone. We canât wait to see what today has in store!
#LSA2026
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
American Dialect Society
5 months ago
The 2025 Word of the Year is "slop," both as a noun for low-quality AI-generated content and as a combining form for anything of little value. Read the full press release.
#WOTY2025
#ADS2026
#LSA2026
americandialect.org/2025-word-of...
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2025 Word of the Year Is âSlopâ
New Orleans MarriottâJan. 9âThe American Dialect Society, in its 36th annual words-of-the-year vote, selected slop as the Word of the Year for 2025. More than three hundred attendees took part in theâŠ
https://americandialect.org/2025-word-of-the-year-is-slop/
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
American Dialect Society
5 months ago
Now posted: The full list of nominees for ADS Word of the Year 2025. The final vote will be held this evening at 6:45 pm CST at the New Orleans Marriott.
#WOTY2025
#ADS2026
#LSA2026
americandialect.org/nominations-...
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Nominations for Words of the Year 2025
Nominations for Words of the Year 2025 follow below. The final selection will be held at 6:45 pm CST on Friday, Jan. 9 (Carondelet, 3rd floor, New Orleans Marriott). American Dialect Society 2025âŠ
https://americandialect.org/nominations-for-words-of-the-year-2025/
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Hark Audio
5 months ago
On
@thebrianlehrershow.bsky.social
,â linguist
@benzimmer.bsky.social
breaks down the words that encapsulate 2025 from âparasocialâ to ârage bait.â Listen here:
harkaudio.com/year-words-2...
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
kottke.org
5 months ago
The Internet Archive has a playable version of the NY Times Crossword Puzzle app from 1992. It ran on Windows 3.1 and included a few hundred puzzles. (Click on Game/Open to select a puzzle.)
[archive.org]
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The New York Times Crossword Puzzles (1992) : SWFTE International, Ltd.
The New York TimesCrossword Puzzles
https://archive.org/details/the-new-york-times-crossword-puzzles-1992
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Mignon Fogarty
5 months ago
WATCH:
youtu.be/BX9FCGR-CaY?...
READ:
grammar-girl.simplecast.com/episodes/104...
LISTEN:
pod.link/173429229
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How a long-lost yearbook revealed the origin of 'hella,' with Ben Zimmer
YouTube video by Grammar Girl
https://youtu.be/BX9FCGR-CaY?si=QEh_lZ-g8QptgKND
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Mignon Fogarty
5 months ago
If you're traveling this weekend, download this interview with
@benzimmer.bsky.social
! He has DELIGHTFUL stories about: â The origin of "hella" â Run DMC and "drop" â 1960s slang from cots in military barracks â Stephen Colbert & "truthiness" I promise you'll love it! đ§
tinyurl.com/2d6qutrw
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A fun little Christmas bonus...
@grammargirl.bsky.social
has shared the subscriber-only podcast segment we recorded in October, in which I tell some stories about tracking down the history of words like "hella," "drop," "truthiness," and "toast."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX9F...
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How a long-lost yearbook revealed the origin of 'hella,' with Ben Zimmer
YouTube video by Grammar Girl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX9FCGR-CaY
5 months ago
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
The Brian Lehrer Show
6 months ago
ICYMI,
@benzimmer.bsky.social
on words of the year:
www.wnyc.org/story/2025s-...
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2025's Word(s) of the Year | The Brian Lehrer Show | WNYC
"Rage bait." "Parasocial." "6-7." Ben Zimmerty, discusses the words of the year chosen by various dictionaries.
https://www.wnyc.org/story/2025s-words-of-the-year/
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I'll be on
@wnyc.org
@thebrianlehrershow.bsky.social
at around 11:40 am ET talking about Word of the Year selections.
www.wnyc.org/story/latest...
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The Latest Battle Over the Fate of the ACA; Meet the Likely New Speaker; Why Employers Are Ghosting; 2025's Word(s) of the Year | The Brian Lehrer Show | WNYC
The Latest Battle Over the Fate of the ACA;Â Meet the Likely New Speaker;Â Why Employers Are Ghosting;Â 2025's Word(s) of the Year
https://www.wnyc.org/story/latest-battle-over-fate-aca-meet-likely-new-speaker-why-employers-are-ghosting-2025s-words-year/
6 months ago
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I'm quoted in here about Word of the Year selections.
www.cbc.ca/radio/67-wor...
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'6-7' doesn't mean anything. Linguists say that's the point | CBC Radio
Dictionary.com named '6-7' as its word of the year for 2025, describing the term as 'meaningless, ubiquitous, and nonsensical.' But its perceived lack of meaning is perhaps the point, linguists say.
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/67-word-of-the-year-doesn-t-mean-anything-linguist-9.7009374
6 months ago
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I was on
@fox5ny.bsky.social
this evening talking about Word of the Year choices for 2025.
www.fox5ny.com/video/1752579
Make sure to submit your own nominations for the
@americandialect.org
Word of the Year!
americandialect.org/submit-2025-...
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Word of the Year: Pop culture meets linguistics
Columnist Ben Zimmer joins Arthur Chi'en to talk about the top words of the year and why they're catching on.
https://www.fox5ny.com/video/1752579
6 months ago
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New crossword for
@slate.com
! Couldn't pass up the Simpsons ref.
slate.com/life/2025/12...
6 months ago
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Still tickets available for this! Come join us!
add a skeleton here at some point
6 months ago
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reposted by
Ben Zimmer
Happy to join
@natanlast.bsky.social
and Wyna Liu for a fun crossword event sponsored by JASA in NYC on 12/7. Come one, come all! Your ticket includes a copy of Natan's new book ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and supports a great cause.
jasa.org/events/cross...
6 months ago
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Happy to join
@natanlast.bsky.social
and Wyna Liu for a fun crossword event sponsored by JASA in NYC on 12/7. Come one, come all! Your ticket includes a copy of Natan's new book ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and supports a great cause.
jasa.org/events/cross...
6 months ago
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