What’s wrong with being called a ‘smarty pants’?

https://www.theguardian.com/games/2025/aug/20/whats-wrong-with-being-a-smarty-pants

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Wordiply insults | Fallen fruit | Name games | Dancing cops | ’Spoons revolutionaries

I’ve noticed that when I find a rare long word in the Guardian’s online game Wordiply, I’m no longer cheerfully insulted as “smarty pants”, but offered an anaemic “congratulations”. The only reason I played was to be called smarty pants. Is it offensive in some way? Have there been complaints? If smarty pants has been ruled out, how about another cheerful playground insult: “clever clogs”? Go on, cheer us up. Congratulations is as cheering as a damp handshake.Martin HarringtonKennington, Oxfordshire

Folklore has it that Satan renders blackberries inedible by peeing on them on Michaelmas Day, 29 September. It looks as if age-related incontinence might be catching up with the poor old devil at last (Early ripening of berries in UK shows nature is under stress, say experts, 19 August).Richard ElliottNottingham

Re Steven Julians’ concern that nowadays you can’t call a xenophobe a xenophobe (Letters, 18 August), perhaps the answer is to emulate the protester against Plasticine Action by calling a xenophobe a xylophone.Gwyneth BoswellNorwich

Carnival police never could keep the beat so it’s just as well that they are now commanded to maintain it (Pity the beat cops now they’re banned from dancing at the Notting Hill carnival, 19 August).Paul McGilchristCromer, Norfolk

I can see a curfew for the over-65s (Letters, 15 August) appealing to ministers, but if an exception is not made for Wetherspoon’s visits there will be a revolution.Keith Flett (aged 68)Tottenham, London

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