The Guardian's Puzzle Corner: Deception in Data and Language

AI Summary

The Guardian's puzzle corner features three brain teasers and a prize draw, focusing on deception in data and language, with a book prize for the most creative Anguish Languish sentence.

The Puzzle Corner

Today's puzzles and prize draw are about different types of deception.

Super Syllabus

A school cohort has two classes. At the end of year 1, all pupils are graded. When listed in grade order, the median pupil is a C.

For year 2, the school introduces a new syllabus. The median grade drops to a D. Devise a scenario where the new syllabus improves every pupil's grade.

Peculiar Poll

Two market research companies, Smith Surveys and Jones Polls, conduct polls on support for a government policy. Both polls of 125 people show the policy is more popular amongst men.

Data from Smith Surveys: Men (21/25, 84%), Women (80/100, 80%). Data from Jones Polls: Men (22/100, 22%), Women (5/25, 20%). Is the policy more popular amongst men or women?

Anguish Languish

Anguish Languish is an ersatz language created by Howard L Chase. Here's an example: 'Ones her punnet I’m, inner smell vial itch they’re lift a misty verse buoy culled Pitter.'

Said aloud, it sounds like: 'Once upon a time in a small village there lived a mischievous boy called Peter.'

Send in your most amusing Anguish Languish sentence by 4pm today for a chance to win Kit Yates' book, 'You Don’t Know What You’re Missing.'