# Literary Acronyms: A Game **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 27, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685 "2003-05-27T02:19:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/1 "2003-05-27T02:19:20Z")
Here’s how it works. Provide a word whose letters may form an acronym which either describes or refers to a work of literature or film. Game players come up with words for which each letter stands, then provides the title of the work. For example: \*\*W H A L E \*\* **W** hite, **H** uge: **A** hab’s **L** ifelong **E** nemy … _Moby Dick_ In this example, the word “whale” is the work’s central image. Words can be totally random, and offer game-players the opportunity to describe a surprising aspect of a work that might or might not be immediately apparent. Like … **T E E T H** **T** hey **E** nable **E** rstwhile **T** echnician’s **H** orror … _The Red Dragon_ To get us started, here are a couple from me. Don’t forget to give the work you’re describing, and add a couple of your own. 1. H O R S E S 2. D R E A M ---
**Author:** ![samarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@samarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samarm)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/2 "2003-05-27T03:20:18Z")
Sorry, can’t think of a new one just now, but here is one solution to DREAM: D R E A M - Does Really Enjoy A Murder… American Psycho ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/3 "2003-05-27T03:25:06Z")
**H** omicidal **O** verwrought **R** ussian **S** tudent **E** xperiences **S** hame _Crime and punishment_ K N I F E ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/4 "2003-05-27T03:29:43Z")
Oops, didn’t see the central theme part. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/5 "2003-05-27T05:00:44Z")
Just to highjack **wolfman** ’s acronym back to the central theme: **K** illing **N** ookie **I** n **F** astidious **E** ngland Any _Jack the Ripper_ book or movie. 😉 One more movie: H O R S E ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/6 "2003-05-27T05:25:40Z")
HORSE, eh? I suppose my word should be WHALES. 😉 Anyway, **H** ouyhnhnm **O** versee **R** easonably **S** wift **E** xperience. _Gulliver’s Travels_. New word: BELIEVE ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/7 "2003-05-27T05:41:28Z")
I don’t know if I get the game entirely, but I’ll try the ones from the OP anyway: **H** ero **O** ffers **R** edemption, **S** oothes **E** mbittered **S** ouls … _The Horse Whisperer_ **D** elusional **R** evelers **E** xperience **A** ltered **M** arriages … _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_ And I just saw **Achenar** ’s post on preview: **B** uccaneer’s **E** nemy **L** iberates **I** njuns, **E** schews the **V** enerable & **E** lderly … _Peter Pan & Wendy_ And a new one: J A I L B A I T ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/8 "2003-05-27T06:38:40Z")
**Achernar** ’s answer is better than the one I thought of: **How** **O** dd **R** ooney **S** upports **E** lizabeth _National Velvet_ And on that note, I’m going to bed. I’ll see if I come up with something for the morning. ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/9 "2003-05-27T08:06:42Z")
**JAILBAIT** - **J** UST **A** NOTHER **I** LLEGITMATE **L** IASON **B** ECAUSE **A** DULT **I** NTRIQUES **T** EENAGER _LOLITA_ Now you try: S C A R L E T ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/10 "2003-05-27T15:29:13Z")
S C A R L E T – **S** he **C** ommitted **A** dultry, **R** egretfully **L** abeled **E** vil. **T** ragedy! _The Scarlet Letter_ And this is a B U M P… **B** ecause **U** nplaying **M** embers **P** erplex (me) 😃 Next person try W A T E R ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/11 "2003-05-27T17:08:44Z")
S he C ared A bout R hett, L ost E verything, T ara T oo _Gone With the Wind_ ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/12 "2003-05-27T17:44:15Z")
I hope I understand the game rules. **W** ill **A** **T** errible **E** ffort **R** ate? = Waterworld **Volumes** ---
**Author:** ![Kn\_ckers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/96bed5/32.png) [@Kn\_ckers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kn_ckers)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/13 "2003-05-27T18:35:48Z")
Cool game! VOLUMES Vile Old Lucifer: Unheralded Manuscript Editor/Scribe? _9th Gate_ Try: ATTIC ---
**Author:** ![Equality72521](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a4c791/32.png) [@Equality72521](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equality72521)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/14 "2003-05-27T18:53:42Z")
Very cool game! ATTIC Adults Terrify Trembling Incarcerated Children - Flowers In the Attic Anyone for… SPACE? ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/15 "2003-05-27T19:15:21Z")
Okay I’ll try to redeem my self by following the directions this time. **S** elf-aware **P** rocessor **A** ttempts **C** rew **E** xtermination. _2001: a Space Odyssey_ V A M P I R E ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/16 "2003-05-27T19:15:58Z")
**S** everal **P** eople **A** vert **C** atastrophe on **E** arth -or- **S** oundtrack **P** lays **A** erosmith’s **C** rappiest **E** ffort _Armageddon_ Since we’re on bad movies… H U B B A R D (bonus points if you can make it L R O N H U B B A R D) ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/17 "2003-05-27T19:40:10Z")
**L** ots of **R** andom **O** bnoxious **N** eurotic **H** ubris **U** nder **B** ubble **B** uilds **A** **R** eal **D** og = _Silent Running_ **Automobile** ---
**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2003, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/18 "2003-05-27T21:18:00Z")
**V** enal **A** ryans **M** urdered; **P** reternatural **I** ntruder **R** esponsible. **E** erie! … (and this might be a spoiler for those who haven’t read the book, so:) _The Keep_ by F. Paul Wilson E V O L U T I O N ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/19 "2003-05-28T00:07:21Z")
**E** very **V** ersion **O** f **L** ife **U** ses **T** his, **I** t’s **O** nly **N** atural. - The Origin of Specis - Charles Darwin (I wish I had read this so I could post with confidence.) C O S M O L O G Y ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2003, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685/20 "2003-05-28T05:44:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ellen Cherry \* > **And this is a B U M P… Because Unplaying Members Perplex (me) 😃** It can’t be that this thread is too high-falutin’ for them, can it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/literary-acronyms-a-game/177685.md?page=2)