Time Spiral uncommon. Normally modern cards don’t use hyphens in card names this way, and in this case the hyphen is even grammatically incorrect. Despite that, the card name was allowed anyway so that it could match exactly with the oracle text of Mishra’s Factory, which can become an Assembly-Worker. Why the hyphen there? So the card doesn’t create separate creature types “Assembly” and “Worker”. (We’re looking at you Hazezon Tamar!)
Time Spiral uncommon. This card is actually part of a three-card cycle of Pendelhaven references, spread across rarity. The common, Thrill of the Hunt, is a little more subtle, but veterans will get tipped off by the giveaway +1/+2 bonus, while the “rare” of the cycle is actually Pendelhaven itself. During playtesting, this card was called “Wendelmaven of Pendelhaven”.
Time Spiral common. In Magic’s past Orcs were often printed as cowards, with drawbacks that kept them from blocking anything that could kill them off. Though that kind of flavor doesn’t get quite as much print these days, for Time Spiral it was decided that if you’re going to bring back Orcs it’s more fun if you bring the whole package along. (Not that that’s the only thing Orcs can do, as Orcish Librarian is quick to point out, around mouthfuls of book and/or paste.)
Time Spiral common. Though it may not be obvious at first glance, each of the set’s common spellshapers are actually “casting” spells from the game’s past. Whereas almost all of Time Spiral’s nostalgic references are to spells from before the game’s card frame change, two slipped in which refer to more recent cards: Icatian Crier is casting Raise the Alarm from Mirrodin, and Bonesplitter Sliver also references a card from that set. During playtesting, this card was called “Raise the Alarmist”.
