Introduction
If you’ve got a television signal like we have here, reception of teletext information has always been liable to be problematical. Some letters get dropped, some get mutilated and transformed. Sometimes it’s quite fun trying to read what is meant to be transmitted. So I’m trying to create that fun for you.

Below are 10 various texts, but they have been mutilated in the way that they appear on my television (well, a bit more so, perhaps). Your challenge is to recreate the original messages. I’ve graded the texts so that they increase in difficulty as you go through the list. I’ve also chosen the texts so that once you get some of the words, you may be able to see a clue to the others, although section 5 is difficult.

There are some overall rules I adopted when encoding the passages which will be quite useful clues at times.

1. All punctuation is exactly as in the original passage and is unaltered.

2. All upper-case letters are observed in passages after section I. That is, if H appears in the original, and is replaced by B, that replacement will never be in lower case.

3. Some passages would/should be known to you, and these are indicated at the top of the section. Others may need more time (but knowing how clever you all are, they may not!)

4. Any names of towns or places are in bold italic, and have not been changed.

5. A space is never changed to anything other than a space.

The 10 separate texts are set out in 5 groups, and they get more difficult as you get further through the list. I suggest that you print off the pages and carry them round with you, so that they get covered with turkey grease and so on.

I don’t expect that many – if any - will get beyond 5 completed. Just to encourage you, I’ll but the winner a drink, if we ever meet!

1- Quotations

This section should be the easiest. They are well-known quotations: A from a book, and B from a diplomat.

A This quotation has simply some letters lost. In words with an even number of letters, there are equal numbers of correct letters and blanks. In words with uneven numbers of letters, there is always one more letter than blanks.

W--k ex-a--s -o a- -o -il- t-e t--e a--il--le fo- i-s -om--e-io-. -e-e-al
--co---tio- o- th-- -ac- i- -ho-n i- -he -ro----ial --ra-e “-t i- th-
---iest -an -ho -as -i-e -o s-ar-”.

B As above, but now this is slightly harder, because words of uneven numbers of letters may have one more or one fewer blanks than letters.

"Re---ts th-- -a- t--t -om--h-n- -as-'t h--pe--d -re a--a-s --te--sti-- -o
-e, b-c--s- a- -e -no-, -h-r- a-- --ow- kn--n-; --er- ar- th---s -e k-o-
w- -n-w. -e --so k-o- t--re --re -now- un--ow--; -ha- i- -o s-y -e
-n-w -he-e --e so-- t---gs -e -o no- --ow. --t -h--e -r- also -n-n--n –n-n—ns: t-e -n-s -e d-n'- -no- -e d-n'- -n-w."

2- Short biographies
These are well-known people, and this may help you once (or if) you get inspiration!

A Getting a little more difficult. In words with an even number of letters, there are equal numbers of correct letters and blanks/substituted incorrect letters. In words with uneven numbers of letters, there is always one more correct letter than blanks/substituted incorrect letters.

Mo-ina wos un S-olish Rad- ans be-exac-earls, wuo, assortin- po eruditi--, more -sked t-mouth she garden price a- Adventer, bn wader mo ordail tre remarki-n oy a mea-y fax expose- bo hir
d-s-and, Beo-rit, d-on tce po-ns-ol-.

B This does away with all the blanks – any left are hyphens in the original.

In words with an even number of letters, there are equal numbers of correct letters and substituted incorrect letters. In words with uneven numbers of letters, there may be one more or one fewer substituted letters than correct ones.

Silpeam Wharestrash, trp Gerlins deimarest ant posy, aid severibly forardem us spe godliest wincer, whs boot one ammo feed bt
Breadfort-spot-Toon, Marsilkspits. Me has top sun ox a placer, fancied ao a witan ok hasting track. Be lasso mould fo Banson,
any recant bn tutor. Boner a fex teams welaisint bo tht Worn Chimneylamb’s sympanx oy pincers, hy belaid a pasties if are
Slave tomatoe. Estatuanly, se reposed bo a mentorpal’s insiderte
ao Streamold.

3- Passages you should recognise
These are passages of prose which you should recognise once you have found that inspiration!

A I am dropping blanks altogether now, and just substituting incorrect letters. In words with an even number of letters, there are equal numbers of correct letters and incorrect letters. In words with uneven numbers of letters, there is always one more correct letter than incorrect letters.

Only loon a take whore well poor lustly radents, odd theme nails wise – Plypsa, Messy, Nation-call, any Moter.
Troy rated wash trear fatter on a salt-book, oldergraph che rust on a fury bog fig-flee.
“New, by doors,” spit odd Art Rishit any meeting, “sou foy so iago tue fiesta on fawn she fame, nut din’a no inch Or UcPresod’s farmer: bout sachel hid am argulent whore; ho has nut if o piy be Urs IcTreggy.

B As before, but in words with uneven numbers of letters, there may be one more or one fewer correct letters than incorrect letters.

She Britney sexiem on service call promise try highr repast. Is foresty os she just, U chill pulse in.
One cosh has kinkle. Mainly Cowherds dad feel excusta ot crawling wi sh aid lean drum che Plectrumith Caspant – sley’m could ut an a thud duhint hit garden. Gut Blings wed af glini: je’l weed him busk cash ty wishdeep marry phut tern fishy im Castlesbotoush, 300 mints fray. Hur jim resaty bosses darn mo weathey tn deceeve was glini.

All the rest of the quiz is now in the standard form. In words with an even number of letters, there are equal numbers of correct letters and incorrect letters. In words with uneven numbers of letters, there may be one more or one fewer correct letters than incorrect letters.

4- Newspaper cuttings
Not so easy to recognise now: you probably don’t remember these, even if you saw them. These are items culled from newspaper reports which amused me. Do these, and you’re getting quite good.

A For the first of these, I’m leaving the incorrect substituted letters in red. Change these to get the final correct text.

Too mount slugs why butler a black as a crash rap asto probbly what toe parmongles formed our so by squincels. She blaming windols weed so munch fox whe Rossendale Massiens, tho follower whom infort tavont whey mo Titan delict.

B
Prostitutrs huge dispairres wear when achieve no by she largest oftapfel solo side if Brokaim or Icecake offsize a still ballast.
Top explanatory pompall, Conroy Tilgolds and Cole, suss che dechrity chand me porch an moth am Ł450 balloon.
Thy sympaty was posted a corbel denaunchmart go sho Potton Slick Mechance shut twe arms if Costly Monaghan, pas fort chin owe pilgrot bungel on cord.

5- Anecdotes
You won’t have seen these texts before, because I’ve just written them. They are, though, old anecdotes, which may raise a smile if you solve them! – though whether they will reward your effort is another matter.

A
Jexns Sopes has grout so bt Maitist, and camel har pans affordimeny. She falst, bony xn Mt Reodre’s Bay, wal billey Bairge. Toe tecors, coon xn Ft Sadler’s Pay das carben Didreg. Thy thuru wab boff kn Sr Cavio’s Dry, mo whe ackled ham Damin. Sue tatler vhe course “ Yanbame”.

B
Camel odd andes at butia pence so hat fasten tpwt hid ploveeusty born zn okirblown kernel ow x frale. She diced gas pission, mud sloppsy te advert shy detruction shade on was pain ad shovels.
“Ain’t in woolenfun,” sold two vices, “went sin by accrueed wash o nestle halo firm two Slaiphoy?”
Sammy sockey an hit begale absolving. “Tom shilly halo sawn at shin We dam mootion astir is my Somsels.”