Circular Alphabets

Authors

Darryl Francis

Abstract

In Language on Vacation, Dmitri Bormann exhibited several words having their letters arranged in alphabetical order (for example, ADELOPS, BILLOWY and AEGILOPS) and also in reverse alphabetical order (for example, ZYXOMMA, SPOON-FEED and SPOON-FED).

However, suppose now that the alphabet is written in a circular fashion, with the letters A to Z written in a clockwise manner, so that the Z ends up next to the A. Two questions immediately arise: (1) reading clockwise, what is the longest word that can be spelled out within one "revolution" of the alphabet? (2) similarly, what is the longest word that can be spelled out by reading in an anticlockwise direction? A few of the words that have been located to answer these queries are given below . Can you add any to the list?

Recommended Citation

Francis, Darryl (1980) "Circular Alphabets," Word Ways: Vol. 13 : Iss. 3 , Article 13.
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.butler.edu/wordways/vol13/iss3/13