Harry Potter comeback rumour sparked by JK Rowling tweet
Author tweets anagram about her next project sending fans into a frenzy – but what did it say?
A cryptic tweet from author JK Rowling sparked a flurry of speculation that she was planning a return to the world of Harry Potter, although hopes that the wizard himself was set to make a return were later dashed.
The tweet that generated all the fuss, and was soon deciphered, read: "Cry, foe! Run amok! Fa awry! My wand won't tolerate this nonsense".
A number of Rowling's followers rightly guessed that the enigmatic message was an anagram, with one early solution to the puzzle generating particular excitement: "Harry Returns! Won't say any details now! A week off! No comment."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
As the tweet spread, and fans piled in with suggestions of their own, Rowling helped guide the discussions, offering hints to people who were getting close to solving the puzzle. She said one fan was getting "much warmer" with the guess "Newt Scamander's History of New York Fauna: One town, my tale".
Later she sent a more pointed tweet with the hashtag "#helpfulhint" that read: "The solution is the first sentence of a synopsis of Newt's story. It isn't part of the script, but sets the scene."
Eventually Rowling showed her hand, revealing that the anagram referred to a new film focusing on the fictional 'magizoologist' Newt Scamander, who appears in the Harry Potter books. The film will be set in New York, 70 years before the events of the original Potter series. The final revelation came as something of an anticlimax, the Daily Telegraph said, "dashing fans' hopes that Potter would return".
The follower who finally solved the anagram was Emily Strong – a PhD student at the University of Sheffield - who describes herself as a "professional nerd and science geek" and a lover of "all things Potter". Strong tweeted the solution at the Harry Potter author on Tuesday afternoon: "Newt Scamander only meant to stay in New York for a few hours."
Rowling wrote back within two minutes confirming that the solution was correct, thanking fans for their interest and noting that a number of the guesses were "spookily close to the script".
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 2, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
JK Rowling's transphobia controversy: a complete timeline
In Depth How did we get to this point, and what, exactly, has the author said?
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
Top 10 best debut novels of all time
feature Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone took top spot in a poll of British literary lovers
By The Week Staff Published
-
Judy Blume: the US tween writer finally hitting the big screen
Why Everyone’s Talking About The 85-year-old author is set for Hollywood acclaim at last with film adaptation of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret
By Keumars Afifi-Sabet Published
-
Hogwarts Legacy and other boycott backlashes
Under the Radar Controversial Harry Potter video game is topping sales charts despite the J.K. Rowling controversy
By Sorcha Bradley Published
-
Hogwarts Legacy: to buy or to boycott?
Talking Point A new Harry Potter video game is facing a backlash from trans activists over J.K. Rowling’s views
By Asya Likhtman Published
-
Sport on TV guide: Christmas 2022 and New Year listings
Speed Read Enjoy a feast of sporting action with football, darts, rugby union, racing, NFL and NBA
By Mike Starling Published
-
House of the Dragon: what to expect from the Game of Thrones prequel
Speed Read Ten-part series, set 200 years before GoT, will show the incestuous decline of Targaryen
By Chas Newkey-Burden Published
-
One in 20 young Americans identify as trans or non-binary
Speed Read New research suggests that 44% of US adults know someone who is transgender
By The Week Staff Published