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The most popular posts from Pencils.com since 2010.

The History of the Crossword Puzzle

A Brief History of Crossword Puzzles

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Crossword puzzles, like so many things I love, originated in England in the 19th century, although they were first widely published in the United States. They were a derivation of the "word square," a children's puzzle that looks exactly how…

Tips for Shading With Colored Pencils

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One look at my bedspread would be enough to tell you that I love colors - all of the colors, at the same time. In fact, my whole room is pretty colorful. Throughout college I took notes with different colored gel pens, and at work I post my…
How Pencil Sharpeners Work

10 Little-Known Pencil Facts

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I write a piece of trivia on my whiteboard at work every morning. It started as a way to lure visitors to my remote cubicle without bankrupting me the way a candy bowl would. Then I moved closer to the rest of my department, and everyone looks…
Taking Notes by Hand

10 Reasons Taking Notes by Hand is Better

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Whether you're still in school or a card-carrying member of the real world, chances are you find yourself taking notes from time to time. When the time comes, it's better to pick up a pencil than to open your laptop, and here are ten reasons…
Writing TIps

Writing Tips: Always Bring Two Pencils On a Plane

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On Saturday, The Atlantic Monthly posted a list of ten rules for writing by renowned author Margaret Atwood. As a die-hard pencil fanatic, I was of course glad to see my favorite writing utensil take the top two spots in this list of writing…

What is a No. 2 Pencil?

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What is a No. 2 Pencil? When most people think pencils, the No. 2 pencil is the first thing that comes to mind. But what does the "2" on a No. 2 pencil actually mean? And what do all of the "B's," "H's" and "HB's" being thrown around mean,…
Dylan Thomas and Bob Dylan

How Dylan Thomas Influenced Bob Dylan

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Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. -Dylan Thomas How Dylan Thomas Influenced Bob Dylan Today would have been the 97th birthday of Welsh poet…
famous band names

Mookie Blaylock and Lead Balloons: The Inspiration Behind 11 Famous Band Names

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The Inspiration Behind 11 Famous Band Names For many bands, the most difficult part of the creative process is not composing songs or writing lyrics, it is coming up with a band name that represents the band as a whole. Since a band’s name…