Last week’s Wordplay Wednesday was all about puns and they received a great response from everyone. Even though there are no classes this week, I thought that I would continue with the theme of puns and give you a variation – the Tom Swifty.
The term comes from a series of books written by Victor Appleton (pseudonym) in which the young scientist hero, named Tom Swift, undergoes adventures involving rocket ships, ray-guns and other inventions.
The author went to great lengths to avoid over use of the word ‘said’, or at least to modify it in some manner. The modification was usually one which related both properly and punningly to the sentence of reported speech.
Here are some examples:

‘I’m wearing a ribbon around my arm,’ said Tom with abandon.
‘I’m losing my hair!’ Tom bawled.
‘It’s twelve noon,’ Tom chimed in.
‘I’ve struck oil!’ said Tom crudely.
‘Don’t let me drown in Egypt!’ pleaded Tom, deep in denial.
‘Who discovered radium?’ asked Marie curiously.