Polytropos is the very first adjective Homer applies to Odysseus in the Odyssey. Literally it means “much-traveled” or “much-wandering,” but it can be used metaphorically as “turning many ways” — wily or crafty. Homer, of course, intended both senses of the word. In the very best translation of the Odyssey, Robert Fagles renders it as “the man of twists and turns” — hence the blog’s subtitle.
Blogwise, I don’t think I’m going to manage to be as clever as Odysseus; I also can’t claim to be as well-traveled. But I do plan on writing about a little bit of this, a little bit of that, in a wandering sort of way. Mostly, I thought it’d make a cool name for a blog — and the url was available.

I wish that I could take credit for coming up with it, but that honor belongs to Jim Henley: poet, blogger extraordinaire, and longtime gaming buddy. He already has a cool name for his blog, and was nice enough to let me borrow this one indefinitely.

UPDATE: See also “How Do You Say ‘Polytropos’?”