by Bill Graham

In this puzzle, the directions in the following paragraph are also the puzzle.

The idea is that you should start by choosing any word in this, the first sentence. Count the letters in that word. Then move ahead that many words. In other words, if you choose the first THE in the first sentence, move ahead three words to THAT. Then count the number of letters in that word and move ahead again that many words, continuing to the end of this paragraph. You should end up on a significant word no matter where you started, just as surely as my name is Bill GRAHAM.

Once you’ve satisfied yourself why this works the way it does, can you then try to write a reasonable paragraph where you won’t always end on the same word?