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Mo Pelzel

@mopelzel.bsky.social
202 followers 69 following 43 posts

Director of Academic Technology @GrinnellCollege | #Catholic | husband | dad | runner | cantor | #Texan | puzzle/games geek morrispelzel.com

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Reposted by Mo Pelzel
Angie Nixon @angieforfl.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
I don't wanna COUCH my words here: I know JD Vance, his eyeliner, and absent Ashley Moody are used to running away from people when things get tough because they care more about themselves and their billionaire buddies than the people they represent. But this is my home. /1
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Speaking tonight @grinnellcollege.bsky.social
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Pooja K. Agarwal @retrievelearn.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Enhance your students' study habits with my 3 tips for effective flashcard strategies.
retrievalpractice.org
Make flashcards more powerful with these 3 tips
Lots of students use flashcards. But using flashcards doesn't guarantee they're using retrieval practice. In fact, students could be wasting their time. This week, we share three research-based tips...
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🐈Rex Parker🐈‍⬛ ✏️ 🧐 @rexparker.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Do puzzles
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Steve Mossberg @mossdef.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
It was so fun making Triple Threat, today’s (free to solve) WSJ variety cryptic. I hope it brightens your day! #cryptic #crossword. www.wsj.com/articles/tri...
wsj.com
Triple Threat (Saturday Variety Puzzle, September 26)
Triple Threat (Saturday Variety Puzzle, September 26)
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Joshua Kosman @joshuakosman.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Bagpipes: ignoring the odds, many of us use them frequently (4) In our new Out of Left Field cryptic crossword, sent to subscribers this morning, @hpicciotto.bsky.social and I tell the truth about a common musical peccadillo. www.patreon.com/leftfieldcry...
static.klipy.com
Christian Santos Plays Bagpipes
Alt: Venezuelan footballer Christian Santos playing the bagpipes in the privacy of his own home.
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Joshua Kosman @joshuakosman.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Feral cat I lock in Manhattan, perhaps (8) In our new Out of Left Field cryptic crossword, sent to subscribers this morning, @hpicciotto.bsky.social and I tackle the question of urban wildlife. www.patreon.com/leftfieldcry...
A couple of cats under a car on a city street.
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Joshua Kosman @joshuakosman.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
Silly old bugger takes rideshare with ⅓ power (4,4) In our new Out of Left Field cryptic crossword, sent to subscribers this morning, @hpicciotto.bsky.social and I investigate manageable transportation options for geezers. www.patreon.com/leftfieldcry...
Cartoon drawing of an elderly but evidently spirited white man with a bushy white mustache and wild flyaway hair, driving an extremely tiny automobile.
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Derek Bruff @derekbruff.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
I'm reading and annotating the new MIT report on AI and education. Care to join me, via Hypothesis? hyp.is/go?url=https...
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AVCX Classic @avcx.bsky.social · 30/08/2026
Interview with AVCX editor Ben Tausig @burrata.bsky.social (among other puzzle editors) in a lengthy feature about crosswords in today’s Indian Express! Love seeing coverage of puzzles in a South Asian outlet and the author did her research for sure. indianexpress.com/article/expr...
indianexpress.com
Why we can’t stop solving puzzles — and why AI still can’t set them
Meet the setters behind the toughest crossword clues, the art of the perfect ‘aha’ moment, and why technology is not yet a formidable rival to the human mind
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Michael Erard @michaelerard.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
The challenge of his angle -- which I talk about in my book -- is that once you start questioning "famous last words," you have to be skeptical of every clean, pat story your neighbor and mother tell you. Unless you get at the cultural root of the fascination and also know the likely reality.
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Joshua Kosman @joshuakosman.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Greasy spoon isn’t opening — right or wrong? (2,5) In our new Out of Left Field cryptic crossword, sent to subscribers this morning, @hpicciotto.bsky.social and I check on the availability of coffee and blueberry pie in local eateries. www.patreon.com/leftfieldcry...
Neon sign in an eatery window saying OPEN/CLOSED
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Josh Eyler @josheyler.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Major kudos to MIT, who just put out a report about AI on their campus that lucidly explains the threat posed by AI to cognition and the student experience, while at the same time prioritizes learning, students, and the value of education. 1/x aiandeducation.mit.edu/report/
aiandeducation.mit.edu
Report – AI and Education
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Michael Erard @michaelerard.bsky.social · 27/08/2026
Perhaps AI will be the grit that makes the pearl: making institutions articulate, for the first time in decades if not ever, what the hell they’re about and what an education is supposed to be for. (This from the MIT committee‘s report on AI)
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Mike Caulfield @mikecaulfield.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
I have the film podcast up on Spotify. If you like overthinking films, this is the film podcast for you open.spotify.com/show/4WGM4oj...
open.spotify.com
Couch to 4k: A Film Podcast
Podcast · Mike Caulfield · If you're looking for a podcast where people overthink films, this is your podcast. You want a podcast that references Bertolucci while talking about American Gigolo, talks ...
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Bryan Alexander @edufuturist.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
Good analysis of why other nations might turn away from the US dollar now. (via the excellent @adamtooze.bsky.social )
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 18/08/2026
! I'll have to keep this clue template in mind for possible future reference (X fucking Y from behind)...
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Don Moynihan @donmoyn.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
New from me: He had the money, bio and Trump endorsement needed to win in a Republican primary. His opponent even dropped out! But Amir Hassan could not beat Tom Smith. His loss reflects the depth of anti-Muslim bigotry in the GOP. 🧵 donmoynihan.substack.com/p/a-candidat...
donmoynihan.substack.com
A candidate who quit the race still beat Trump's pick in a GOP primary — because of his name
A real life audit study!
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Lowdown Cryptic @lowdowncryptic.bsky.social · 28/07/2026
@mopelzel.bsky.social well done, you finished in 11th place overall in the US! Follow me back so I can DM you some more info
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Thanks! Kind of surprised that a tournament would consist of only two puzzles...but as you say, this might be thought of as a trial run.
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Excellent puzzle! I think I had a clean solve in about 25 minutes. Won't win any medals, but it was fun!
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Michael Erard @michaelerard.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
remember when annotation was going to solve the web? i did an annotation of a bit of Charles Russell's biography of Cardinal Mezzofanti genius.com/4162227
genius.com
The system pursued by the Cardinal in the study of languages
?
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
What kind of "bad habits" will Minute Cryptic teach you?
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
When and how will we see results?
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Steve Mossberg @mossdef.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Good luck, have fun, and leave no empty squares. I hope everybody enjoys the puzzle! 🏃‍♀️🧠🏆
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
I am registered and ready!
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Thanks, got it. Looks like the start time is noon Central.
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
Yes, I am registered! Looking forward to tomorrow ... will we receive an email with specific instructions?
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 11/07/2026
A nice quick solve. Chef's kiss to 29A!
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Lowdown Cryptic @lowdowncryptic.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Would you like last Sunday's practice round cryptic from the US & Canada #Cryptic #Crossword Championships? OK! 😀 I've finally started a blog for my puzzles and wordplay (I'll be adding posts retroactively) 🙃 lowdowncryptic.blogspot.com Enjoy my cryptic and leave a comment here or on the blog 😎
lowdowncryptic.blogspot.com
Lowdown Cryptic
Puzzles and wordplay from Lowdown
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Peter Gilliver @petermgilliver.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Here’s a piece about a whole group of #OEDMakers: namely the musicians. Also available on Facebook to @DictionarySocNAmembers and at themakersoftheoed.wordpress.com/miscellaneou...
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Lowdown Cryptic @lowdowncryptic.bsky.social · 05/07/2026
US & Canada #Cryptic #Crossword Championships are getting started! 😀 #USCanadaCrypticCC 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 If you're participating, reply or DM with any questions or with your feedback after you solve my Practice Round cryptic today! You can still register (if you live in the US or Canada) at crypticsingh.com
"July 5th, Practice Round" highlighted on Cryptic Crossword Championships schedule; Sundays in July at 10am Pacific, 1pm Eastern
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
"How individuals train, not just how much, fundamentally shapes the trajectory of skill development."
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Nicholas A. Christakis @nachristakis.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
So exciting and miraculous. Researchers using AI and advanced imagine achieve first complete reading of ​a scroll burnt at Pompei 2,000 years ago. The breakthrough marks a ‌major step toward deciphering hundreds of ancient manuscripts. We might find lost texts by Euripides, Aristophanes, and more.
reuters.com
Complete text of carbonised Herculaneum scroll unlocked for first time
Researchers using artificial intelligence and advanced imaging said on Thursday they had achieved the first complete reading of ​a closed Herculaneum scroll burnt by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius nea...
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
"The dose makes the poison"
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Joshua Kosman @joshuakosman.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
Lean Cuisine: the final helping is yours (5) In our latest Out of Left Field cryptic crossword, sent to subscribers this morning, a reminder that @hpicciotto.bsky.social and I are always happy to share our lo-cal frozen food. www.patreon.com/leftfieldcry...
A dish of Lean Cuisine Creamy Pasta Primavera, with penne, cauliflower, and carrots all looking a little wilted. Behind is the cover of the box it came in.
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Merriam-Webster @merriam-webster.com · 23/06/2026
‘Melissophobia’ is a fear of bees. ‘Mel’ is Latin for “honey.” The name, ‘Melissa,’ comes from the Greek word for “honeybee.” In Greek mythology, Melissa was a nymph who fed the infant Zeus honey instead of milk. Later, the gods turned her into a bee (spoiler alert).
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Michael Erard @michaelerard.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
texashighways.com/culture/hist...
texashighways.com
How Juneteenth Brought Emancipation to Enslaved People in Texas
Historian and author Michael Hurd reflects on his own connections to the state holiday now celebrated around the world
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Mark Sample @samplereality.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
A remarkable and frightening look by @robertdownen.bsky.social at the unhinged anti-Muslim hate entrenched in the Republican Party in Texas.
texasmonthly.com
Being a Muslim Republican at the Texas GOP Convention
Muslim delegates at the party’s convention faced multiple attempts to eject them from the premises—at one point, they were told to leave the country.
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Mark Sample @samplereality.bsky.social · 16/06/2026
This month I gave the keynote at Carleton College's Day of DH. I walked through the past 30 years, stopping every 5 years to talk about my own journey and the broader field at each moment: 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, 2016, 2021, 2026. I don't end on a high note. Let's try to make it to 2031.
samplereality.com
Living with the Pharmakon
The full text of Mark Sample's June 2026 keynote address at Carleton College’s 10th Annual Day of DH. Sample surveys the past 30 years of the digital humanities and takes stock of three realities of t...
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Kathleen Bachynski @bachynski.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
In public health, you learn an awful lot about people willing to profit off of harms to children. But my jaw is on the floor. It never occurred to me that the sentence “I’ve put a couple kids in the hospital” would ever be followed by the phrase: “But here’s the thing.” @jackiantonovich.bsky.social
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
Yeah, it's a cool riff on toponyms, from the folks at A Word a Day!
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Mo Pelzel @mopelzel.bsky.social · 06/06/2026
I enjoyed your Carleton Day of DH keynote yesterday, and glad that my boss (Erik Simpson) was able to be there in person. Got a kick out of your use of "sardonic" ... I had just very recently learned the fascinating etymology of that word, via the new game Langitude (wordsmith.org/langitude/?d...)
wordsmith.org
Langitude: Trace the word home | Wordsmith.org
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Josh Eyler @josheyler.bsky.social · 05/06/2026
As someone who has tried in vain to convince people that Haidt's book is terribly flawed, I truly appreciate this well-researched, evidence-based resource!
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actualham @robinderosa.net · 05/06/2026
To say that I am not a fan of AI in education is both a gross understatement and a massive oversimplification, but perhaps still useful shorthand as I let you know that I will be keynoting this AI + OER Institute in August. It is free, virtual, and open to all: cptc.libguides.com/TLC/AIOER2026
cptc.libguides.com
LibGuides: Teaching & Learning Center: 2026 AI+OER Institute
Use this guide as a central hub of information from the TLC
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Tom Haymes @ideaspaces.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
I have been exploring the intersection of #Engelbart's #augmentinghumanintellect with #AI on my Substack for the last few weeks. Start with open.substack.com/pub/augmenti... and continue through open.substack.com/pub/augmenti... @edufuturist.bsky.social @hrheingold.bsky.social @hegland.bsky.social
augmentingintelligence.substack.com
Tom Haymes | Substack
Tom Haymes is a professor, author of Discovering Digital Humanity, and creator of the Knowledge Navigator. He explores how AI and systems thinking can augment human intellect. More at: ideaspaces.net....
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Jonathon Owen @arrantpedantry.com · 28/05/2026
Time for another etymological fun fact: The "pain" sense of "smart" is the original one (and its German cognate, "Schmerz", retains that sense).
etymonline.com
Search 'smart' on etymonline
Search results for 'smart' on etymonline
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🐈Rex Parker🐈‍⬛ ✏️ 🧐 @rexparker.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
Reading my first encyclical 🧐 ✝️ www.vatican.va/content/leo-...
vatican.va
Encyclical Letter of His Holiness Leo XIV Magnifica Humanitas (15 May 2026)
ENCYCLICAL LETTER MAGNIFICA HUMANITAS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV ON SAFEGUARDING THE HUMAN PERSON IN THE TIME OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE [ Multimedia ] ___________________________
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Peter Sokolowski @petersokolowski.bsky.social · 21/05/2026
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Jeff (Hot Type) Jarvis @jeffjarvis.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
They burn books.
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