DOUBLE DUTY CCLXXIV

Fill in the blanks with words that will complete the word or phrase beginning on the left and begin the word or phrase ending on the right. The number of blanks indicates the number of letters in the missing words.

1. PY _ _ IGN 

2. MOR _ _ _ MAC

3. FAIR _ _ _ _ DAY 

4. ROAD _ _ _ _ _ _ PAY

5. WORK _ _ _ _ _ PLAY

6. BROWN _ _ _ _ _ FREE 

7. LIGHT _ _ _ _ _ HOUSE

8. HOBBY _ _ _ _ _ TRADE

9. RED _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ MOON

10. BRASS _ _ _ _ _ _ BUSINESS 

 

HINTS:
First letters of the missing words:

1. **

2. T

3. G

4. H

5. F 

6. S

7. O

8. H

9. C

10. M 

 

Answers:

 

1. pyREign

2. morTARmac

3. fair GAME day

4. road HAZARD pay

5. work FORCE play

6. brown SUGAR free

7. light OPERA house

8. hobbyHORSE trade

9. red CRESCENT moon

10. brass MONKEY business 

Wall Street Journal Crossword

July 7, 2025

Caroline Hand

 

The four clues below have something in common that is hinted at by the fifth clue. 

 

1. Dimwit - slangily 

2. Clairvoyant's cousin, in a way 

3. Cayuga and Seneca are two of them

4. Contributing factor in one's downfall - metaphorically  

5. Request for help 

 

HINT: 

The constructor's name is a hint. 

 

Answer to Clue 5:

Give me a hand.

 

Answers to Clues 1-4: 

 

1. Knucklehead  

2. Palm reader

3. Finger Lakes

4. Nail in the coffin  - - - Each clue contains a part of the hand.

What two things do the following four phrases have in common? How are phrases 1 and 2 different than phrases 3 and 4?

1. CUT CORNERS

2. LOOK AROUND

3. INDOOR CATS

4. FUNNY PAGES

 

Answers:

 

The last two letters of the first words and the first two letters of the second words in each  phrase end in two-letter postal abbreviations of US states.  In all four cases, the states border each other:

 

1. cUT COlorado - Utah - Colorado  

2. loOK ARound - Oklahoma - Arkansas

3. indoOR CAts - Oregon - California

4. funNY PAges - New York - Pennsylvania

 

In phrases 1 and 2, the states border west - east.

In phrases 3 and 4, the states border north - south. 

 

Credit:
Noelle Griskey 

  

UNUSUAL WORDS CXIV

 

Can you give a simple definition of the following less-frequently-used words?

 

1. AGIO

2. PELF

3. LISLE

4. OSIER 

5. QUOIN 

6. KEDGE 

7. ORISON 

8. SAURIAN

9. AMISTAD

10. GENTIAN 

 

Answers:

 

1. AGIO - Fee charged for exchanging currencies

 

2. PELF - Money, when gained in a criminal or dishonorable way

 

3. LISLE  - A fine, smooth cotton thread used for hosiery

 

4. OSIER - A willow tree whose flexible twigs are used in making baskets

 

5. QUOIN - Cornerstone

 

6. KEDGE - A small anchor

 

7. ORISON - A prayer

 

8. SAURIAN - Lizard-like

 

9. AMISTAD - Friendship

 

10. GENTIAN - A plant of mountainous regions with vivid blue or violet trumpet-shaped flowers  

 

 

 

SICK OAF VII

Joseph Appel 

 

Change one letter in each word of the phrases below to make a familiar expression.

 

Example: CLUE MOOD - BLUE MOON

                 ON TO PINE - IN THE PINK

 

1. FACT LIFE

2. SLIM TEAR

3. HAND TILE 

4. WIRE COME 

5. SOFA COUCH

6. TOUR SNORE 

7. FOUR GRAVES 

8. PLASTIC SAND 

9. HOST IF LINING

10. EVES TIDE OVEN

 

Answers:

 

1. FACE LIFT

2. SWIM TEAM

3. HARD TIME

4. FIRE CODE

5. SOFT TOUCH 

6. FOUR SCORE

7. SOUR GRAPES

8. ELASTIC BAND

9. COST OF LIVING

10. EYES WIDE OPEN  

 

SYNONYM/ANAGRAM CCXCVIII

The two words in each line can be anagrammed into one - beginning with the given letter. The meanings of the anagrams are given below the clues:

1. APE  + LAP = A

2. CAB + ONE = B

3. COIN + RAG = O

4. BUD + REAL = D 

5. GAS + SAME = M

6. CUFF + ROLE = F 

7. HOUR + NEST = S

8. APART + PIECE =A 

9. GOTHIC + OPEN = P 

10. SMASH + UNITE = E 

11. BOAR + MINUTE = T

12. MEANT + LOWER = W

 

Meanings of the anagrams:

1. Seek another trial in court

2. A source of guidance or inspiration

3. Without pesticides, as food 

4. Lasting, Holding up

5. Manipulate to get the result you want

6. Assertive, powerful 

7. Pronounced accent

8. Be grateful for something

9. Always looking good in pictures

10. Eager interest/enjoyment

11. Bob Dylan classic, Mr. _____ Man

12. Popular summer treat 

 

Answers:

 

1. APPEAL

2. BEACON

3. ORGANIC

4. DURABLE

5. MASSAGE

6. FORCEFUL

7. SOUTHERN

8. APPRECIATE

9. PHOTOGENIC

10. ENTHUSIASM

11. TAMBOURINE

12. WATERMELON  

 

CONNECTIONS VII

What do the four words in each group have in common?

1. Cues, Seize, Ells, Wise 

2. Iron, Adrift, Away, Party

3. Call, Chance, Words, Days 

4. Sign here, Kiss, Treasure, Adult

5. Cheese, Color, Third, Fifth

6. Crazy, Clothes, Gift, Dark

7. Chair, Listening, Money, Street

8. Fashion, Food, Friends, Forward 

9. Belly, Hot, Panic, Snooze

10. Birth, Cruise, Quality, Remote

11. Colony, Crash, Pride, School 

Answers:

1. Homophones for letters

2. Cast

3. Last

4. What "X" could mean

5. Wheel

6. Horse

7. Easy

8. Fast

9. Button

10. Control

11. Names of animal groups