RHYMING RIDDLES

It's very strange how this can be,
But how can any disagree?
That they come for different reasons,
At different times, in different seasons.

Sometimes for pain, for grief and sorrow,
Sometimes for joy and the hope of tomorrow.
Sometimes held captive, sometimes set free,
What are these things in you and me?

Answer:

TEARS

Word Pairs Differing in a Single Letter
Credit: Word Ways
A. Ross Eckler

The answers to the clues below differ by a single letter. Some of the definitions may not be exact.

1. An animal and the name of the sound it makes
2. Domestic animal and farm animal
3. Income and "getting even"
4. Type of fuel and persuade
5. Old man and the unexpected
6. Irritate and angry
7. Celebrated and did not succeed
8. Playground staple and court action
9. Merit and caution
10. Specialist and to ship overseas
11. Bargain and device controlling flow

Answers:

1. COW - LOW
2. DOG - HOG 
3. REVENUE - REVENGE
4. COAL - COAX
5. CRONY - IRONY
6. GRATE - IRATE
7. FABLED - FAILED
8. SWING - SUING
9. EARN - WARN
10. EXPERT - EXPORT
11. VALUE - VALVE

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN XII

What's the difference between:

1. A professional fighter and a man proposing marriage?
2. A mission to save someone and the cafeteria line on a military base?
3. A surcharge on alcohol and tobacco and sentence structure?
4. A chef in an Indian restaurant and a lobbyist?

Answers:

1. One boxes in a ring, and the other has a ring in a box. 
2. One is a rescue and the other a mess queue.
3. One's a sin tax and the other is syntax. 
4. One uses curry flavor and the other curries favor.

Credit: #2
The Enigma - May, 2010
National Puzzlers' League Magazine
VRAABY 

Credit: #3
The Enigma - June, 2011
National Puzzlers' League Magazine
EGO

Credit: #4
The Enigma - Feb. 2012
National Puzzlers' League Magazine
EWOLF

STUMPERS LXXV

1. Can you think of a a six-letter word that uses only two different letters? One letter is used twice, and the other is used four times.

2. Can you think of another a six-letter word that uses only two different letters - each letter is used three times?

HINTS:
1. The word is borrowed from another language.
2. The word usually has to do with property.

Answers:

1. MUUMUU
2. DEEDED

BERTH OF A NATION II
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Dec. 1998
Ed Mayer

Fill in each blank with the name of a country, the pronunciation of which will suggest the appropriate word or words to complete the statement. Wordplay is fair play. For example,

Did _______ profit on the sale of your car?

The answer would be JAMAICA (you make a).

1. For dis recipe, I need a ________ solid white tuna.
2. If he runs out of water in the desert, he's a _______.
3. I told Mom what you did, and are _______ get it!
4. After those bad reviews, my acting _______ is ruined.
5. Chip da ball onto da green, _______ your spot with a coin.
6. Despite their reputation, most ________ eat insects, not drink blood.
7. Don't forget your combination, or you won't be able to get _______ your locker.
8. Though tone deaf, she leaped on the stage and proceeded to _______ rendition of Judy Garland's  "Over the Rainbow."

Answers:

1. Canada
2. Ghana
3. Uganda
4. Korea
5. Denmark
6. Botswana
7. India
8. Singapore
 

LETTER PAIRS I

The following five words have the same two letters repeated at some point. Those two letters have been removed, replaced by two sets of asterisks.  The same two letters are repeated in each word, but a different set of letters appears in each different word. Unlike success and words like it, each repeated letter pair in these words consists of two different letters. For example, given the clue **SCRE**T, the answer would be DISCREDIT - the letters DI repeated twice.

1. **CET**CK
2. **ME**GHT
3. **R**LADE
4. **N**URSE
5. **R**TUAL

HINTS:
The first letters of each repeated pair are:
1. R
2. L
3. M
4. C
5. P

Answers:

1. RACETRACK
2. LIMELIGHT
3. MARMALADE
4. CONCOURSE
5. PERPETUAL 

EAT YOUR WORDS XI
Credit:  GAMES Magazine - Dec.1998
Stephen Sniderman

Each word in the left-hand column can "eat" one of the words in the right-hand column to produce a new word - without any re-arrangement of letters. For example, the word CENTER can swallow the word TIME to form CENTIMETER (cenTIMEter). The words in the right-hand column are in random order. Can you match the eaters with the "eatees" and determine the new words?

AND                     RE
SCALY                 REP
MISLED               ORB
ABSENT              PENS
DICTION             DOLE
DISABLE             HAND
ASCENTS            THING
POSITION            CHORE
                            
Answers:

AND - CHORE - - ANCHORED
SCALY - THING - - SCATHINGLY
MISLED - HAND - - MISHANDLED
ABSENT - ORB - - ABSORBENT
DICTION - RE - - DIRECTION
DISABLE - PENS - - DISPENSABLE
ASCENTS - DOLE - ADOLESCENTS
POSITION - REP - - PREPOSITION

FOUR RHYMING RIDDLES

1)
Some are quick to take it,
Others must be coaxed;
Those who choose to take it
Gain and lose the most.

2)
Shorter than my four siblings,
But easily the strongest;
Though not as tall,
I oppose them all.

3)
I'm a little seed, three letters in my name.
Take two away, and I sound just the same.

4)
This house holds rooms, one score and six,
That shelter a vast mob.
Where lions lie down beside the lambs
And hearts and hands hobnob.

Yet kings and queens can never mate
Because their room are separate.
Boys and girls will never greet,
Dogs and cats will never meet.

What house is this that rules this way,
Forcing faith to fend with fear?
The answer to this riddle lies
Between the dead and dying here.



Answers:

1. RISK
2. THUMB 
3. PEA 
4. DICTIONARY

HAPPY NEW YEAR

The answers to the clues below all contain the letters YEAR, which are shown in their correct places. All the other letters have been replaced by asterisks (*). For example, given the clue

Seafood restaurant = *Y**E*  *AR, the answer would be OYSTER BAR.

Can you replace the asterisks with the missing letters to complete the words and phrases below?

1. Reading glasses = *YE**AR
2. Word for word, without reading = *Y  *EAR*
3. New York birthplace of FDR = *Y*E  *AR*
4. Caveat Emptor = **YE*  ***AR*
5. One engaged in reverie = **Y**EA**R
6. Harvard or Yale student = **Y  *EA***R
7. Place to drop off certain clothes = **Y  **EA**R
8. Absolutely transparent = **Y****  **EAR

Answers:

1. EYEWEAR
2. BY HEART
3. HYDE PARK
4. BUYER BEWARE
5. DAYDREAMER
6. IVY LEAGUER
7. DRY CLEANER
8. CRYSTAL CLEAR 

1. What one word can be inserted into all of the blanks, making every row into a word?

E_____H
QU_____Z
ST_____LE
HE_____H
M_____IAN
DEP_____ED

2. A three-letter word has been removed from each of the following clue words. Can you determine what it is?

_ _ _ EO
PA _ _ _ Y
_ _ _ ENT
E _ _ _ E
B_ _ A _

HINTS:
1. The word has three letters.
2. P _ _ _ UCT

Answers:

1. The word is ART:

EARTH
QUARTZ
STARTLE
HEARTH
MARTIAN
DEPARTED

2. The word is ROD:

(PRODUCT)
RODEO
PARODY
RODENT
ERODE
BROAD

1. What do the following words have in common?

FARM
YEAR
FLIP
CRIB
WHEEL

2. What do the following words have in common?

HEM
ELOPE
ARCTIC
AGONIZE

Answers:

1. Dropping the first letter of each word leaves a body part:

ARM, EAR, LIP, RIB, HEEL 

2. Each word can be preceded by ANT to form a new word:

ANTHEM
ANTELOPE
ANTARCTIC
ANTAGONIZE

LETTER SWAPPING XII
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Feb. 2001
Stephen Sniderman

Each word in the left-hand column below can swap a single letter with one of the words in the right-hand column to create two new words. For example, the title words LETTER and SWAPPING could exchange the L in LETTER and the W in SWAPPING to form WETTER and SLAPPING. In the words CARVER and EERILY, the V in CARVER and the first E in EERILY could be swapped to form CAREER and VERILY.


1. IRON                  SUPPLE
2. CHATS               COUCH
3. CHARM             OAKEN
4. CASING             MERCY
5. INDUCT             PAST
6. SUNDAY            ORATE    
7. SLOUGH            ONLY
8. MATERIAL        TAINTED

HINTS:
The swapped letters from the words in the left-hand column are:
1. R
2. T
3. R
4. G
5. U
6. Y
7. G
8. I

Answers:

1. ICON.......................MERRY
2. CHAOS...................TAKEN 
3. CHASM...................PART
4. CASINO..................GRATE
5. INDICT...................TAUNTED
6. SUNDAE.................SUPPLY
7. SLOUCH.................COUGH
8. MATERNAL...........OILY

AVOCADO PEARS (not original title)
Credit: NY Times Crossword - Oct. 1, 2014
Elizabeth Gorski  (adapted)

Can you think of a two word phrase meaning "lowdown" as suggested by the following words?

AVOCADO PEAR
PRIED OPEN
WALDO PEPPER
GRAND OPERA

HINT:
The answer involves a rebus.

Answer:

INSIDE DOPE

avocaDO PEar
prieD OPEn
walDO PEper
granD OPEra 

The words in the left-hand column below can be changed into new ones by making the same change to each of them. The words in the right-hand column can also be changed into new ones by making  a similar, though different, change. Can you determine the changes and the new words?

EACH             KISS
NAME            OVER
SAGE              ITEM
SLOW             LEAF

Answer:

Each word in the left-hand column can be changed into a new one by transferring its intitial letter to the end of the word. The words in the right-hand column can be changed by moving the last letter to the front of the word:

ACHE           SKIS
MANE          ROVER
AGES           MITE
LOWS          FLEA

FOUR  RIDDLES

1. People from Poland are called Poles. What do you call people form Holland?
2. If the shortest sentence is "I am.", what is the longest?
3. What two body parts are most prominent during a Congressional vote?
4. Of all the forms of transportation, which is used the most by people to get to their jobs?

Answers:

1. Dutch  (not Holes)
2. "I do." 
3. Eyes and nose  (Aye's and No's) 
4. Elevators

STICKY FINGERS

What are the nine most frequently shoplifted items?

Answers (in order):

1. Meat 
2. Men's razors  (specifically Gillette Mach)
3. Baby formula
4. Cosmetics
5. Alcohol
6. Laptops
7. Over-the-counter drugs
8. Smartphones
9. Clothing 

Source: Business Insurance Quotes

WARNING LABELS III

1. On a bottle of sleeping pills - May Cause Drowsiness
2. On a jar of peanut butter - Contains peanuts 

[Signs & Labels]

RHETORICAL  QUESTIONS

1. How do you get off a non-stop flight?
2. Which side is the other side of the street?
3. What happened to Old Zealand?
4. Is there ever a day when mattresses are not on sale?
5. Why do tugboats always push?
6. If  the universe is expanding, what is it expanding into?
7. May I ask a question?
8. Do you mind?
9. If all the nations of the world are in debt, where did all the money go?
10. Why is it a compliment to be a "Daddy's girl," but an insult to be a "Momma's boy?"

The same three letters, in the same order, will complete the following words.


S _ _ _ D
E _ _ _ P
E _ _ _ NE
S _ _ _ NT
S _ _ _ SH

Answer:

The letters are QUI:

SQUID
EQUIP
EQUINE
SQUINT
SQUISH 

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT XV

Did you hear about .......................

1. The Cyclops who went to the optometrist?
2. The two spiders who got married?
3. The botanist who crossed a four-leaf clover with poison ivy?

Answers:

1. With his new glass, he had 20 vision.
2. They were newly webs. 
3. He had a rash of good luck.  (Raymond D. Love)

Can you think of a common five-word phrase that expresses certainty and is suggested by the following words?

NOTION
NOTATION
NONUNION
NOMINATION
NONPRESCRIPTION

Answer:

NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT

NO - one way (direction)
ON - (NO - another way) - enclosing  ("about" ) the rest of the word
as in NOminatiON

Credit: NY Times Crossword
Nov. 19, 2014
Jacob Stulberg

THREE RIDDLES

1.What is it that has wings, but is not a bird or a plane?
2. What moves without touching the ground, breathes without breath, and does not fly?
3. In what sport are the best players below average?

Answers:

1. A stage
2. A fish 
3. Golf  (The best golfers shoot below par.)

STATE HUNT

One you will find in a state that borders Ohio.
Another you will find in a state next to Georgia.
A third can be found in a state that touches Canada.
The last cannot be found in any state at all.

What are these things?

Answer:

The four major compass directions. WEST Virginia borders Ohio.  SOUTH Carolina is next to Georgia. NORTH Dakota touches Canada, and EAST is not in any state's name.

THREE RHYMING RIDDLES

1)
My first is in silly, but not in fool,
My second in pupil, but not in school.
My third in read and also write,
My fourth in glimpse and also light.
My fifth in ten but not in three,
My last in glad and also glee.

2)
What has wings but cannot fly,
Is enclosed, but can outside lie?
Plays host to both - farce and sublime,
Can pass an hour or transcend time?

3)
I fly through both day and night,
Mocking the swiftest bird in flight;
Reverse me and quickly I discharge,
Transpose me I'm a bug - indeed not large.

Answers:

1. SPRING 
2. A stage 
3. TIME, EMIT, MITE

MORE THAN ENOUGH II
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Nov. 2001
Stephen Sniderman

Each trio of short words below represents a familiar, longer word. To reconstruct each long word, first drop the extraneous letter from one short word, without re-arranging the remaining letters. (The result may or may not be a word, and may be a single letter).  Then switch the positions of two of the resulting trio members, and, finally, eliminate the spaces.

For example, given the clue words  PAL ROME RIND, you would cross out the R in RIND, switch IND and  ROME, then bring the three parts together to reveal PALINDROME. If the clue words were HERE MEOW SO, you would cross out the O in MEOW, switch SO and HERE, then eliminate the spaces to form SOMEWHERE.

1. ALE IN RATIO
2. FOR ITS FEN
3. TUG ROMP IMP
4. GAP ME HONEST
5. SHULA IN PEN
6. RE DISC EDITED
7. ME OR DUCAT
8. ITS HER AGE
9. IS ORGAN ME
10. MAR ON LATH
11. PAR GAL VALE
12. PAGAN PRO DEIST
13. TENANT US LIE
14. TRIO FACE US
15. HOME SOP ORE
16. DO AS VERSE
17. BUT DEW ANTE
18. HIVE AT TENT
19. THOUGH SLY TILES
20. DIPLOMA TALLY TIC

Answers:

1. RATIONALE
2. FORFEITS
3. IMPROMPTU
4. MEGAPHONE
5. PENINSULA
6. DISCREDITED
7. EDUCATOR
8. HERITAGE
9. ORGANISM
10. MARATHON
11. PARALEGAL
12. PROPAGANDIST
13. LIEUTENANT
14. FACETIOUS
15. SOPHOMORE
16. OVERSEAS
17. DEBUTANTE
18. TENTATIVE
19. THOUGHTLESSLY
20. DIPLOMATICALLY

WORD PYRAMID I
Credit: GAMES Magazine
May 2001

In this variation of the traditional mental block, you must find a three-letter word to fill in the top line of the pyramid so that you can then use each letter of that word once in each subsequent line (in any order) to complete the pyramid.

              _ _ _
           _ O _ _
         _ _ N _ H
        _ O _ _ ON
       O _ TO _ _ S
      S _ R _ _ LES

Answer:

The three-letter word is CUP:

                            CUP
                          COUP
                        PUNCH
                      COUPON
                     OCTOPUS
                    SCRUPLES

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY II
Credit: GAMES Magazine
November, 2001
Brian Kell

In each of the following clues, if you drop one letter from each word and re-arrange the remaining letters, you get the name of a nation. For example, given the clue word UNSAID, dropping the I and re-arranging the remaining letters gives you SUDAN.

1. ADJOURN
2. ANIMATOR
3. BISERIAL
4. HARDLINE
5. LINEAGES
6. MANDRAKE
7. MONA LISA
8. NOBLEMAN
9. OUTRACED
10. BASEBOARD
11. HIMALAYAS
12. ACROBATICS
13. CREATIONISM

Answers:

1. JORDAN
2. ROMANIA
3. LIBERIA
4. IRELAND
5. SENEGAL
6. DENMARK
7. SOMALIA
8. LEBANON
9. ECUADOR
10. BARBADOS
11. MALAYSIA
12. COSTA RICA
13. MICRONESIA

1. What do the following words have in common?

MAIL
MORE
SOLO
PAIRS

2. What do the following words have in common?

ELEMENT
DICTION
SECOND
VISION
SECRET
CUSTOM
PLANET
MISSION
STATION
COMMENT

Answers:

1. Each word is an anagram of a capital city:

LIMA
ROME
OSLO
PARIS

2. Each word can be followed by ARY.

STUMPERS LXXIV

CALENDAR CONUNDRUMS
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Sept. 2001
Martin Gardner

OCTOBER and SUNDAY are a month and year that have no letters in common. Can you find another month and weekday pair with the same property?

Answer:

JUNE and FRIDAY

IN OTHER WORDS VI
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Aug. 2001
Stephen Sniderman

The five words in each set below are derived from an answer word that's made up of at least eight letters, none of which are repeated. The letters of each clue word appear in the answer word in left to right order, though not necessarily consecutively.

For example, given the clue words CHEST, CRY, HEY, HEIST, MIST, the answer word would be CHEMISTRY- which contains all the clue words in left to right order, though not consecutively. Every letter of the answer word appears at least once in the clue words, and one clue word in each set appears in the answer word intact (MIST in the above example).

1. BEAK, BRAWN, EON, OWN, REDO
2. LINE, MOLE, RAP, TAMP, TRAIN
3. DICE, DUNE, STANCE, TURN, URBAN
4. ARE, CAT, LAIN, LIE, NET
5. CART, EAR, ERGO, GOT, SAT
6. AID, FAN, HIND, ONE, SHOE
7. FUND, PONY, PROFIT, PROUD, UNITY
8. AGE, ANT, MADE, NIT, NUDE
9. HOD, ETHICAL, DIAL, MEDIC, TOIL

HINTS:
The clue words appearing intact in the answer words are:
1. OWN
2. LINE
3. URBAN
4. NET
5. GOT
6. ONE
7. FUND
8. NIT
9. HOD

Answers:

1. BREAKDOWN
2. TRAMPOLINE
3. DISTURBANCE
4. CLARINET
5. ESCARGOT
6. FASHIONED
7. PROFUNDITY
8. MAGNITUDE
9. METHODICAL

BERTH OF A NATION I
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Dec. 1998
Ed Mayer

Fill in each blank with the name of a country, the pronunciation of which will suggest the appropriate word or words to complete the statement. Wordplay is fair play. For example,

You should only eat if you're ________

would be answered by HUNGARY.

1. Did _______ profit on the sale of your car?
2. If _______ your neck, you can see the sunset.
3. You can _______ the cake by adding more sugar.
4. _______ my brains, but I can't think of the answer.
5. I don't mean to _______, but please hurry.
6. Hey buddy, _______ a dime?
7. She sells _______ at the seashore
8. My favorite part of the movie is watching King _______up the Empire State Building with Fay Wray in his hand.

Answers:

1. Jamaica
2. Ukraine
3. Sweden
4. Iraq
5. Russia
6. Kenya
7. Seychelles
8. Congo

RHYMING HALVES II
Credit: GAMES Magazine - July, 2001
Stephen Sniderman
(Original title - RHYMIE STYMIE)

Each clue below leads to a two-syllable word whose two halves rhyme.  For example, given the clue RECIPE SOURCE, the answer word would be COOKBOOK. The clue RUB ELBOWS would lead to HOBNOB.

1. When workers get checks
2. Outdoor outing with food
3. Freight train hopper
4. Lincoln's eighty
5. Comforter (inanimate)
6. Act subserviently
7. Overly didactic (as a sermon)
8. Batty
9. Corporate union
10. Noisy, festive party
11. Amateur gymnast's feat
12. Keep up, as a house or car
13. Hastily assembled, disheveled
14. City center, usually
15. Tubular pasta
16. People and language of South Africa
17. High ranking executive (two answers)
18. In headlong haste

Answers:

1. PAYDAY
2. PICNIC
3. HOBO
4. FOURSCORE
5. BEDSPREAD
6. COWTOW
7. PREACHY
8. LOCO
9. MERGER
10. WINGDING
11. HANDSTAND
12. MAINTAIN
13. RAGTAG
14. DOWNTOWN
15. ZITI
16. ZULU
17. BIGWIG or FAT CAT
18. PELL-MELL 

STUMPERS LXXIII

A SERIOUS MATTER
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Dec. 1998
Francis Heaney

Take a six-letter word meaning "serious," delete the third letter, and you'll end up with another word meaning "serious." What are the two words?

Answer:

The two words are SOMBER and SOBER.

EAT YOUR WORDS X
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Dec. 1998
Stephen Sniderman

Each word in the left-hand column can "eat" one of the words in the right-hand column to produce a new word - without any re-arrangement of letters. For example, the word ABLE can swallow the word MICA to form AMICABLE (aMICAble). The words in the right-hand column are in random order. Can you match the eaters with the "eatees" and determine the new words?

SLY                     ARCH
IMPISH               OPERA
DIED                   EAT              
COTE                  LOW
CENTER             OVER
MONIES             TIME
ENTRY               SALLOW
OVERFED          LIGHT

Answers:

SLY - LIGHT - - SLIGHTLY
IMPISH - OVER - - IMPOVERISH
DIED - SALLOW - - DISALLOWED
COTE - OPERA - - COOPERATE
CENTER - TIME - - CENTIMETER
MONIES - ARCH - - MONARCHIES
ENTRY - EAT - - ENTREATY
OVERFED - LOW - - OVERFLOWED

NEIGHBORS  I
Credit: GAMES Magazine
December, 2001
Bob Stigger

The three words or phrases in each set below are definitions of neighboring boldface entries from an unabridged dictionary. The clue answers will be in alphabetical order, and the number of letters in each answer is shown in ( ) after each clue. Can you identify the dictionary words?

For example, given the clues

NERVOUS (4)
FIT TO CONSUME (6)
DECREE (5),

the dictionary words would be

EDGY
EDIBLE
EDICT.

The number of letters in the answer words is indicated after each clue, and each answer word has at least four letters.

1)
QUESTIONABLE (4)
FROSTY RETREAT (5)
KIND OF ROCK (7)

2)
EXOTIC SNOW SPORT (10)
LIGHT GAS (6)
DNA MOLECULAR SHAPE (5)

3)
GLOBAL DISEASE (8)
CHAOS (11)
CATER TO (in a degrading way) (6)

4)
KENTUCKY DERBY DAY STAPLE (5)
CUT INTO STRIPS (as carrots) (8)
MIXED-UP MESS (6)

5)
RUB ELBOWS (6)
TRAMP (4)
PAWN (4)

6)
NOT USELESS
SPARKLING (12)
WEAKENED (6)

Answers:

1)
IFFY
IGLOO
IGNEOUS

2)
HELI-SKIING
HELIUM
HELIX

3)
PANDEMIC
PANDEMONIUM
PANDER

4)
JULEP
JULIENNE
JUMBLE

5)
HOBNOB
HOBO
HOCK 

6)
EFFECTIVE
EFFERVESCENT
EFFETE 

BANANAGRAMS II
Credit: GAMES Magazine
December, 2001
Edmund Conti

Complete each rhyming couplet by filling in the blanks with two words which are anagrams of each other.

1)
Porridge too hot? Bless my soul!
Don't just sit there. _______ on the _______.

2)
"Timber!" won't be a popular tune
If you're under a tree _______ it's being _______.

3)
I wanted fried potatoes and was abashed
When the hostess _______ me into eating them _______.

4)
Here's a good rule that never should fail:
If you can't get fresh, choose the _______   _______.

5)
With saints and sinners, this is the norm:
The _______ redeem; the latter _______.

6)
During the dog days no one pities
Nome, Alaska, the _______ of _______.

Answers:

1. blow / bowl
2. when / hewn
3. shamed / mashed
4. least / stale
5. former / reform
6. iciest / cities

IN THIS KNOW
Credit: GAMES Magazine
December, 2001
Debora Omari

Can you make sense of this poem?

Eye eight sum little raise inns
Wile wall king in this no.
It 'twas might teak old out --
For bee lows hero.

The raise inns star Ted Free zing!
Watt was eye to dew?
Watt ewes is arrays in
Won ewe Ken know choo?

Ice awe sum little chilled wren
Play yin in this know,
Bill ding a fines gnome an
At for bee lows hero.

Eye gave them mall my raise inns,
An two migrate Sue prize,
They oozed my gift to make there man
A mouth, a know sand ayes!

Answer:

I ate some little raisins
While walking in the snow.
It was mighty cold out --
Four below zero.

The raisins started freezing!
What was I to do?
What use is a raisin 
When you cannot chew?

I saw some little children
Playing in the snow,
Building a fine snowman
At four below zero.

I gave them all my raisins,
And to my great surprise,
They used my gift to make their man
A mouth, a nose and eyes!

LETTER SWAPPING XI
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Feb. 2001
Stephen Sniderman

Each word in the left-hand column below can swap a single letter with one of the words in the right-hand column to create two new words. For example, the title words LETTER and SWAPPING could exchange the L in LETTER and the W in SWAPPING to form WETTER and SLAPPING. In the words CAFE and GROWN, the F and G could be swapped to form CAGE and FROWN.

1. MEDIC                 SCROLL
2. BLAST                 GAIT
3. POLITE                WATER
4. GRAPE                 TRACE
5. DARN                   STATURE
6. INFERIOR            SAID
7. RURAL                 SEAT
8. CARVER               EERILY
9. WANT                   PHONY
10. VITAL                 AWARE

HINTS:
The swapped letters from the words in the left-hand column are:
1. C
2. T
3. T
4. E
5. D
6. F
7. R
8. V
9. N
10. T

Answers:

1. MEDIA.................SECT
2. BLASE..................TRACT
3. POLICE................STROLL
4. GRAPH.................PEONY
5. EARN....................AWARD
6. INTERIOR...........WAFER
7. AURAL.................GRIT
8. CAREER..............VERILY
9.  WAIT....................SAND
10. VIRAL................STATUTE

SOUND EFFECTS
Credit: Washington Post Crossword
Robert Malinow

The answers to the clues below are disguised in puns.

1. Highlights from the zoo
2. What we all wish for -  in vegetable terms
3. Dian Fossey story infiltrated by rebels
4. Overcharged shadowers - it's an old story
5. Relief for the silver mining tycoon

Answers:

1. Gnus of the week
2. Peas in our thyme
3. Guerrillas in the midst
4. Twice-tolled tails
5. Lode off his mind

A CHANGE OF SCENERY
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Feb. 2001
Adam Fromm

What US city can become another US city if you change both of the A's in its name to E's? Both cities have five letters and both have the same first, third, and fourth letters.

HINTS:
#1: One city is east of the Mississippi River, and the other is west of it.
#2: The first letter in both names is T.

Answer:

The cities are TAMPA (Florida) and TEMPE (Arizona).

MORE THAN ENOUGH I
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Nov. 2001
Stephen Sniderman

Each trio of short words below represents a familiar, longer word. To reconstruct each long word, first drop the extraneous letter from one short word, without re-arranging the remaining letters. (The result may or may not be a word, and may be a single letter). Then switch the positions of two of the resulting trio members, and, finally, eliminate the spaces.

For example, given the clue words NET NAME TOUR, cross out the E in NET, switch TOUR and NAME, then bring the three parts together to reveal TOURNAMENT. If the clue words were GET VET ABLE, you would cross out the T in VET, switch GET and VE, then eliminate the spaces to form VEGETABLE.

1. ANTIC PROM ALLY
2. IDOLS KALE COPE
3. DOLE AT SCENT
4. INTEND SUPER CENT
5. DEMONS RATE IT
6. IN NATIVE FORM
7. ASTERN HE SNORT
8. CON HER TROLL
9. PAR AS AGUES
10. HERE MEOW SO
11. SIP OR LEND
12. CHAIN OR CELL
13. TERSE IN ACTION
14. IN LEWD TERMING
15. TAG PEN ONE
16. PAL ROME RIND
17. MIST OR DEMEAN
18. DO MAN COMA
19. AL CHILL CHIN
20. TURK TINE PEN

Answers:

1. ROMANTICALLY
2. KALEIDOSCOPE
3. ADOLESCENT
4. SUPERINTENDENT
5. DEMONSTRATE
6. INFORMATIVE
7. NORTHEASTERN
8. CONTROLLER
9. ASPARAGUS
10. SOMEWHERE
11. SPLENDOR
12. CHANCELLOR
13. INTERSECTION
14. INTERMINGLED
15. PENTAGON
16. PALINDROME
17. MISDEMEANOR
18. COMMANDO
19. CHINCHILLA
20. TURPENTINE

MENTAL BLOCKS VI
Credit: GAMES Magazine
November, 1982
Frederic H. Kock

Use only the three letters in the top row of each stack to complete the words in the other rows. Each of the three letters must be used at least once in every row.

1)
                      LOB
                   _ _ _ _ Y
                   _ _ _ _ M
                  _ _ _ _ NG
                 _ A _ _ _ _ N
               _ _ M _ SHE _ _
               H _ _ G _ _ _ IN
              _ _ _ ND _ GG _ E

2)
                                               NET
                                           _ _ _ S _
                                          KI _ _ _ _
                                         D _ _ O _ _
                                        D _ _ _ _ _ _
                                       I _ _ OC _ _ _
                                      _ _ _ _ M _ _ _
                                    _ I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ H

Answers:

1)
                       LOB
                    LOBBY
                   BLOOM
                  OBLONG
                 BALLOON
              BOMBSHELL
              HOBGOBLIN
            BOONDOGGLE 

2)
                                                         NET
                                                      TENSE
                                                     KITTEN
                                                    DENOTE
                                                   DETENTE
                                                  INNOCENT
                                                 TENEMENT
                                                NINETEENTH

COMMON PARLANCE
Credit: Joseph Appel

What do the following words have in common?

WAR
TWO
LESS
TIME
TALK
LOVE
THREE
CANDY

Answer:

In informal conversation, each of these words is commonly "defined" as another word:

War is hell.
Two's company.
Less is more.
Time is money.
Talk is cheap.
Love is blind.
Three's a crowd.
Candy is dandy.

DUH!

How many questions can you think of that are used to answer questions, when the obvious answer is YES?

(Possible) Answers:

1. Can a fish swim?
2. Is the sky blue?
3. Is the Pope Catholic? 
4. Does a bear do it in the woods?

CENTERPIECES II
Credit: GAMES Magazine
March, 2001
Stephen Sniderman

The words below have all been extracted from longer words.  Can you find those longer words by adding one, two, or three letters before and after each of the clue words. STRUM in #1, for example, comes from IN(STRUM)ENT. As a solving aid, the letters you will need appear in random order below the clue words. The letter sets are intact, but the beginning and end of each set are for you to determine. Thus in #1, the letters INENT, which complete INSTRUMENT, could be crossed out.

1. STRUM
2. IDEAS
3. SHONE
4. RELIC
5. THERE
6. FELON
7. HOPED
8. POSTER
9. SEVERE
10. TERSE
11. ANKLE
12. DEMEAN

INENTPREOUSDETMTTHSSLIG
ORTICINCTDISTMISORPEROEAL

 Answers:

1. INSTRUMENT
2. MIDEAST
3. DISHONEST
4. DERELICT
5. ETHEREAL
6. LIFELONG
7. ORTHOPEDIC
8. PREPOSTEROUS
9. PERSEVERED
10. INTERSECT
11. THANKLESS
12. MISDEMEANOR

STUMPERS LXXII

IT'S LOVE
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Nov. 2001
Francis Heaney

Think of a seven-letter word that means to "try to make someone fall in love with you," then delete one letter and reverse what's left to get a word that means to "succeed at trying to make someone fall in love with you." What are the two words?

Answer:

The words are ROMANCE and ENAMOR. 

PUZZLE ON THE SIDE
Credit: GAMES Magazine
November, 2001
Paul Angiolillo

Each word or phrase below can be answered by an expression in the form of ON THE ________.  For example, the clue OPEN TO NEGOTIATION would be answered by on  ON THE TABLE.

1. SOBER
2. POURED OVER ICE
3. UNDECIDED
4. HONEST
5. TOURING
6. CONVALESCING
7. FURTIVELY
8. PITCHING
9. EXACTLY RIGHT
10. UP FOR SALE
11. COMPLIMENTARY
12. QUICKLY
13. GETTING KICKBACKS
14. CLOSE TO DEFEAT
15. NOT GETTING ALONG
16. UNFETTERED
17. EXACTLY ON TIME
18. RIGHT THERE
19. ACCEPTING WELFARE
20. FLEEING THE LAW
21. INVITED TO THE BEST PARTIES
22. ADVANCING QUICKLY
23. BUSY (two answers)
24. BROKEN (two answers)
25. ALERT (two answers)

Answers:

1. ON THE WAGON
2. ON THE ROCKS
3. ON THE FENCE
4. ON THE LEVEL
5. ON THE ROAD
6. ON THE MEND
7. ON THE SLY
8. ON THE MOUND
9. ON THE MONEY
10. ON THE MARKET
11. ON THE HOUSE
12. ON THE DOUBLE
13. ON THE TAKE
14. ON THE ROPES
15. ON THE OUTS
16. ON THE LOOSE
17. ON THE DOT
18. ON THE SPOT
19. ON THE DOLE
20. ON THE LAM
21. ON THE A LIST
22. ON THE FAST TRACK
23. ON THE GO / RUN
24. ON THE FRITZ / BLINK
25. ON THE BALL / QUI VIVE 

TRIPLE WORD SCORE III
Credit: GAMES Magazine
August, 2001
Bob Stigger

Each of the three words in each clue below plays a different role in leading to a one-word answer. One of them is a synonym for the answer word. Another can be placed in front of the answer word to make a new word. Still another can be place behind the answer word to form a different new word. The three words are listed in random order, and the number in parentheses indicates the number of letters in the answer word.

For example, the clue words ADO ALLOTMENT ALLY (6) lead to the answer word RATION. The synonym is ALLOTMENT, ADO can be placed in front of RATION to make ADORATION, and ALLY can be placed behind RATION to make RATIONALLY.

1. ABOVE  LEFT  COME (4)
2. MARY  STOOD  PRIM (4)
3. EAR  LEG  FINISH (3)
4.TROLL  TAIL  GOLD (4)
5. STUDY  DROID  WAR (3)
6. DANCE  ODD  AD (4)
7. TURN  CRUCIAL  NOTE (3)
8. ANT  ASSERT  EX (5)
9. UNDER  SWELL  LAND (6)
10. CRITICIZE (harshly)  HANDLE  DUST (3)

HINTS:
The synonym words are:
1. ABOVE
2. STOOD
3. FINISH
4. TROLL
5. STUDY
6. DANCE
7. CRUCIAL
8. ASSERT
9. LAND
10. CRITICIZE (harshly)

Answers:

1. OVER  (leftover, overcome)
2. ROSE  (primrose, rosemary)
3. END  (legend, endear)
4. FISH  (goldfish, fishtail)
5. DEN  (warden, dendroid)
6. BALL (oddball, ballad)
7. KEY  (turnkey, keynote)
8. CLAIM (exclaim, claimant)
9. GROUND  (underground, groundswell)
10. PAN  (dustpan, panhandle)

MUSIC MAKERS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
November, 2001
Raymond Love

Can you fill in the blanks to complete the names of eight common musical instruments, each of which contains a least one A, N, and O - as shown?

1. _ _ A N O
2. _ A N _ O
3. _ _ _ A N
4. _ A _ _ O _ N
5. _ A _ _ O _ _ N
6. A _ _ O _ _ _ _ N
7. _ A _ O _ _ _ N _
8. _ A _ _ O N _ _ _

Answers:

1. PIANO
2. BANJO
3. ORGAN
4. BASSOON
5. MANDOLIN
6. ACCORDION
7. SAXOPHONE
8. HARMONICA

QUAZY QUOTES
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Nov. 2001
Bruce London

Each scenario below will suggest a "Quazy Quote" - one that rhymes with a familiar, oft-quoted saying. For example:

A scientist discovered that certain amphibians are nomadic, without exception.

This would lead to Quazy Quote (QQ):
All toads need to roam.
Based on Familiar Quote (FQ):
All roads lead to Rome.

1. A reporter saw Marcel Marceau in a rink. Marcel performed jumps for Frosty, the only spectator. The headline read:

QQ:  M_ _ _   S_ _ _ _ _   F_ _   S_ _ _ _ _ _.
FQ:  T_ _ _    W_ _ _ _     F_ _   N_      M_ _.

2. Two Alaskan cities disputed where a dogsled race should begin. Although Anchorage won, this defiant slogan lives on:

QQ:  N_ _ _   I_   W_ _ _ _   T_ _   S _ _ _ _   I_.
FQ:   H_ _ _   I_   W_ _ _ _   T_ _   H_ _ _ _   I_.

3. GI Joe, a coward, decided to throw trash on the street when no one was looking. Thus it was said that:

QQ:  D_ _ _   T_ _ _   L_ _ _ _ _ _   I_   N_ _   B_ _ _.
FQ:  A_ _       T_ _ _   G_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   I_   N_ _   G_ _ _.

4. When asked if he blamed his first-year quarterback, who kept losing the ball, for losing the game, the coach replied philosophically:

QQ:  T_ _ _ _   T_ _   W_ _   T_ _   R_ _ _ _ _   F_ _ _ _ _ _.
FF:   T_ _ _ _   T_ _  W_ _   T_ _  C_ _ _ _ _   C_ _ _ _ _ _ _.

5. A grave robber got bored with corpses and raided a beehive one night. Carrying the comb home, he was shot with a tranquilizer gun, proving that:

QQ:  A  G_ _ _ _   A_ _   H_ _   H_ _ _ _   A_ _   S_ _ _
         D_ _ _ _ _.
FQ:  A   F_ _ _      A_ _   H _ _  M_ _ _ _   A _ _  S_ _ _
         P_ _ _ _ _.

Answers:

1)
QQ: Mime Skates For Snowman.
FQ:  Time Waits For No Man.

2)
QQ: Nome Is Where The Start Is.
FQ:  Home Is Where The Heart Is.

3)
QQ: Doll That Litters Is Not Bold
FQ:  All That Glitters Is Not Gold

4)
QQ: That's The Way The Rookie Fumbles.
FQ:  That's The Way The Cookie Crumbles.

5)
QQ: A Ghoul And His Honey Are Soon Darted.
FQ:  A Fool And His Money Are Soon Parted.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY I
Credit: GAMES Magazine
November, 2001
Brian Kell

In each of the following clues, if you drop one letter from each word or name and re-arrange the remaining letters, you get the name of a nation. For example, given the clue word AMONG, dropping the G and re-arranging the remaining letters gives you OMAN.

1. OVALS
2. SUPER
3. BAILEY
4. TOXEMIC
5. REGENCE
6. TAMALE
7. FURNACE
8. HANGAR
9. SNEAKY
10. SONTAG

Answers:

1. LAOS
2. PERU
3. LIBYA
4. MEXICO
5. GREECE
6. MALTA
7. FRANCE
8. GHANA
9. KENYA
10. TONGA

SAME NAME GAME
Credit: GAMES Magazine
October, 2001
Raymond Love

Besides having four letters, the following names have something else in common. Each can be changed into another, reasonably common word by making the same change to each name.

JACK
NORM
VERN
HERB
ANNE
MORT

HINT:
The change involves another name.

Answers:

Each name can be changed into a different word by adding the letters AL at the end:

JACKAL
NORMAL
VERNAL
HERBAL
ANNEAL
MORTAL

THREEBIES III
Credit: GAMES Magazine
October, 2001

Each clue below can be answered by a word containing the letters A-L-L. The position of these letters is indicated, and all other letters have been replaced by blanks.

1. Ship stabilizer                          _ ALL _ _ _
2. Mollusk with a ribbed shell     _ _ ALL __
3."It's about time!"                       _ _ _ ALL _
4. United, as in war                      ALL _ _ _
5. Green onion                              _ _ ALL _ _ _
6. In fact                                        _ _ _ ALL _
7. Remembered                             _ _ _ ALL _ _
8. Daunting task                            _ _ ALL _ _ _ _
9. Shy one at a dance                     _ ALL _ _ _ _ _ _
10. Captivated                                _ _ _ _ _ ALL _ _
11. Encourage, as troops                _ ALL _

Answers:

1. BALLAST
2. SCALLOP
3. FINALLY
4. ALLIED
5. SCALLION
6. ACTUALLY
7. RECALLED
8. CHALLENGE
9. WALLFLOWER
10. ENTHRALLED
11. RALLY

CAN YOU TOP THIS?
Credit: GAMES Magazine
 September, 2001

Answer the clues in the left-hand column and then "top" each word by adding one of the letters below to the front of it. The result will be the answer to one of the randomly listed words in the right-hand column. For example, assuming M was one of the letters in the list, and given the clues

Different _____   _____ May honoree, the answer words would be OTHER and MOTHER.

A   B   C   D   F   K   P   S   S   S   S   T   W

1. Campfire remains ___   ____  Steady
2. Word with circle ___    _____ Verge
3. Command to Fido ___    ____ Slop holder
4. Hockey game need ___    ___ Why re-invent it?
5. Approximate _____    ______ Transparent
6. Grazing spot _____    ______  Lilliputian
7. Shopping center ____    ____  Components
8. Postpone _______      _______Sermon target, maybe
10. Aesthete's passion___    ____ Piercing yell
11. Cordelia's dad ____    ______ Main thoroughfare
12. Coffee lightener____    _____ Sprints
13. Sports arena _____     ______ Reflex-testing site

Answers:

1. Ashes - Dashes (sprints)
2. Inner - Sinner (sermon target)
3. Heel - Wheel (why re-invent it?)
4. Rink - Brink (verge)
5. Rough - Trough (slop holder)
6. Lea - Flea (dog biter)
7. Mall - Small (Lilliputian)
8. Table - Stable (steady)
9. Nee - Knee ( reflex-testing site)
10. Arts - Parts (components)
11. Lear - Clear (transparent)
12. Cream - Scream (piercing yell)
13. Venue - Avenue (main thoroughfare)

 

MYSTERY THEME
Credit: GAMES Magazine
September, 2001
Gary Disch

The word phrases below have something in common. Can you determine what it is?

1. BRAVO, NUREYEV
2. MAJOR DANISH
3. BEHIND USUALLY
4. OTHELLO IRENE
5. PYROMANIA GARAGES
6. THUDS ONE
7. SILICON GOLD
8. BIKINI LEAVES
9. SOUSE INEBRIATED
10. HOOLIGAN GESTURED
11. CLOVER HONEY
12. ARETHA MESMERIZED

HINT:
Each clue conceals a related word.

Answers:

Hidden in each clue is the name of a river:

1. brAVO Nureyev
2. maJOR DANish
3. behIND USually
4. OthelLO IREne
5. pyromaNIA GARAges
6. tHUDS ONe
7. siliCON GOld 
8. bikiNI LEaves
9. souSE INEbriated
10. hooliGAN GEStured
11. cloveR HONEy
12. areTHA MESmerized

STUMPERS LXXI
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Aug. 2001
Ogden Porter

The phrase "make the supreme sacrifice" has four words, each of which ends in "e." What familiar four-word phrase has a "t" at the end of each word?

HINT:
The first and fourth words begin with "L."

Answer:

LAST BUT NOT LEAST

REMOVE A WORD
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Aug. 2001
Alvin M. Sanico

All but one of the following words have a common characteristic. Which word does not belong in the group?

CAP            PLY
LATE          SORT
MAIN         CHOIR
PAIR           LENT
SERVE       MIND
CENT         PORT
LAY           STORE
MARK       BUILD

Answer:

Each word can be changed into a new one by adding the prefix RE - except for CHOIR, which is the one word that does not belong in the group.

IN OTHER WORDS V
Credit: GAMES Magazine
August, 2001
Stephen Sniderman

The five words in each set below are derived from an answer word that's made up of at least eight letters, none of which are repeated. The letters of each clue word appear in the answer word in left-to-right order, though not necessarily consecutively.

For example, given the clue words BASE, HEM, LASH, LAY, SPY, the answer word would be BLASPHEMY - which contains all the clue words in left-to-right order, though not consecutively. Every letter of the answer word appears at least once in the clue words, and one clue word in each set appears in the answer word intact (HEM in the above example).

1. IMPS, IRON, MEAL, EON, SON
2. AGE, DANE, DIGS, IAGO, NOSE
3. CHEST, CRY HEY, HEIST, MIST
4. AKRON, BAG, CUD, GOD, ROUND
5. ABOUT, BOLT, LUTE, SOLE, SUE
6. CHASE, HAD, PURE, RED, USE
7. DUE, ICE, INTO, TROD, TRUCE
8. DISH, ITCH, PATH, SAT, SPA
9. FOUR, LORD, LUSH, RISE, SHED

HINTS:
The clue words appearing intact in the answer words are:
1. SON
2. NOSE
3. MIST
4. ROUND
5. LUTE
6. CHASE
7. TROD
8. SPA
9. SHED

Answers:

1. IMPERSONAL
2. DIAGNOSE
3. CHEMISTRY
4. BACKGROUND
5. ABSOLUTE
6. PURCHASED
7. INTRODUCE
8. DISPATCH
9. FLOURISHED

WHO GOES THERE?
Credit: GAMES Magazine
August, 2001
Jennifer Orehowsky

Each clue below leads to a familiar word or phrase that contains a male or female first name, but used in a different sense. For example, the clue December 24 would lead to Christmas Eve. A Type of tournament is a Round Robin.

1. Eyewear for optimistic people
2. Guy who can handle a variety of jobs
3. Revolving table-top serving tray
4. Amendments 1-10 to the Constitution
5. Plant with skin-soothing juices
6. Star female singer in an opera company
7. Sudden leg cramp
8. Hair-styling item
9. Peace offering
10. Split fairly - half and half
11. Dorothy's footwear in  Oz.
12. Charge to the limit

Answers:

1. Rose-colored glasses
2. Jack of all trades
3. Lazy Susan
4. Bill of Rights
5. Aloe Vera
6. Prima donna
7. Charley horse
8. Bobby pin
9. Olive branch
10. Even-Steven
11. Ruby slippers
12. Max out the credit card

MIND FLEXERS  XVIII
Credit: GAMES Magazine
June, 1999
John Peterman  (#1-6)

Match the words on the left with those on the right based on similar or related meanings. The relationships are disguised by the use of puns or altered spacing within words. For example, given the clue POSTMAN, the answer would be SCARECROW, as in POST MAN. The clue TREATS SHABBILY would lead to STEPSON, as in STEPS ON.

1. FALL OVER              PAGEANT
2. STEEPLE                   NOON
3. T-SHIRT                     AMOUNT DUE
4. AMEND                     DEPEND
5. ALLOWED               WINTER
6. SOON                         EXTENSION
7. RELIEF                      SHORTSTOP
8. POOL AREA             ETC.
9. CALL A BUG           ASPIRE

Answers:

1. Fall over - WINTER
2. Steeple - ASPIRE  (A SPIRE)
3. T - shirt - SHORTSTOP  (SHORTS TOP)
4. Amend - NOON  (AM END)
5. Allowed - AMOUNT DUE (ALL OWED)
6. Soon - ETC.  (SO ON)
7. Relief - EXTENSION  (EX TENSION)
8. Pool area - DEPEND (DEEP END)  
9. Call a bug - PAGEANT (PAGE ANT)

RHYMING HALVES I
Credit: GAMES Magazine - July, 2001
Stephen Sniderman
(Original title - RHYMIE STYMIE)

Each clue below leads to a two-syllable word whose two halves rhyme. For example, given the clue CORPORATE SYMBOL, the answer word would be LOGO. The clue  STEEL BEAM would lead to  GIRDER. 

1. Fly alone
2. Water or equestrian sport
3. Distress signal
4. Conical abode
5. Ambush
6. New Zealander
7. Big fuss
8. Recipe source
9. Return without a load, as a truck
10. Carrot top
11. Camera picture
12. Complimentary item
13. Hiker's burden
14. Rub elbows with the fat cats
15. Seating for outdoor sporting events

Answers:

1. SOLO
2. POLO
3. MAYDAY
4. TEEPEE
5. WAYLAY
6. KIWI
7. HUBBUB
8. COOKBOOK
9. DEADHEAD
10. REDHEAD
11. PHOTO
12. FREEBIE
13. BACKPACK
14. HOBNOB
15. GRANDSTANDS 

EAT YOUR WORDS IX
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Dec. 1998
Stephen Sniderman

Each word in the left-hand column can "eat" one of the words in the right-hand column to produce a new word - without any re-arrangementof letters. For example, the word MEN can swallow the word ADD to form MADDEN. The words in the right-hand column are not in order. Can you match the eaters with the "eatees" and determine the new words?

MEN                      ME
BEST                     SIT
WON                     ADD                 
ABLE                    RIGHT
MANE                   CON
CUBIC                   ATE          
HEATED               MICA
RESIDER              HER

Answers:

MEN - ADD - - MADDEN
BEST - RIGHT - - BRIGHTEST
WON - ME - - WOMEN
ABLE - MICA - - AMICABLE
MANE - ATE - - MANATEE
CUBIC - HER - - CHERUBIC
HEATED - SIT - - HESITATED
RESIDER - CON - - RECONSIDER

BASEBALL JARGON
Credit: GAMES Magazine - April 2001
Jack Connelly

Each of the following definitions suggests a word or phrase that is also a commonly used baseball term. How many can you identify?

1. Popular band music of the 40's
2. Boat fashioned from a hollowed log
3. Future cookies
4. Container for pouring liquids
5. Discarded
6. Dracula or Basie
7. Flag
8. Dish
9. Review or summary
10. Mass X acceleration
11. Give something up to help another
12. Children's playground staple
13. Refuse to co-operate or proceed
14. Repugnant
15. Violate the 8th Commandment
16. Strawberry - _________ pie
17. Work stoppage
18. Substitute actor who performs dangerous stunts

Answers:

1. Swing
2. Dugout
3. Batter
4. Pitcher
5. Thrown out
6. Count
7. Pennant
8. Plate
9. Rundown
10. Force
11. Sacrifice
12. Slide
13. Balk
14. Foul
15. Steal
16. Rhubarb
17. Strike
18. Double 

DOUBLING UP
Credit: GAMES Magazine
April, 2001

A different pair of matching letters  - from AA to ZZ - has been removed from each word below. The remaining letters are in their original positions. For example, SPLASHY would appear as PLAHY. No pair of missing letters appears consecutively in an answer word. Can you place all 26 pairs?

1. IGAG                       14. ASOR
2. ERE                         15. EECUTRI
3. CRNA                      16. QUU
4. SAL                         17. AYARD
5. EUIVOUE               18. CTUL
6. ANWA                     19.  ADET
7. ESY                          20. AMO
8. ICKU                        21. PURA
9. TIG                           22. UUUU
10. EAME                    23. ALALA
11. CANI                      24. TUTON
12. ICOFF                    25. LIE
13. UUBE                     26. YLE

AA  BB  CC  DD  EE  FF  GG  HH  II  JJ  KK  LL   MM
NN  OO  PP  QQ  RR  SS  TT  UU  VV WW XX YY ZZ

Answers:

1. ZZ - ZIGZAG                 14. BB - ABSORB
2. VV - VERVE                   15. XX - EXECUTRIX
3. OO - CORONA               16. EE - QUEUE
4. UU - USUAL                    17. WW - WAYWARD
5. QQ - EQUIVOQUE        18. LL - ACTUAL
6. YY - ANYWAY                19. GG - GADGET
7. TT - TESTY                     20. RR - ARMOR
8. PP - PICKUP                   21. LL - PLURAL
9. HH - THIGH                    22. MM - MUUMUU
10. SS - SESAME                 23. FF - ALFALFA
11. DD - CANDID                24. II - TUITION
12. FF - KICKOFF              25. NN - LINEN
13. JJ - JUJUBE                  26. CC - CYCLE

COMMON DENOMINATOR
Credit: GAMES Magazine - May, 2001

For each group below, find a single word that can either precede or follow each of the three words given to form a compound word or common phrase.

1. SUN     POT     GIRL
2. LEAGUE     ROSE     PILOT
3. BLUE     ROOTS     SKIRT
4. HOT     SWEET     CHIP

Answers:

1. FLOWER
2. BUSH
3. GRASS
4. POTATO

ISLAND HOPPING
Credit: Washington Post Crossword
Richard Thomas

What do the following island names have in common?

CUBA
MALTA
ARUBA
TAIWAN
JAMAICA
MINORCA
CATALINA
CHANNEL
KEY WEST
BALEARIC
MANHATTAN

HINTS:
#1: The title is a clue.
#2: It has to do with the last two letters of each island's name.

Answers:

The last two letters of each island's name are the first  two letters of the name of another island or island group.

CUBA - BARBADOS
MALTA - TASMANIA or TAHITI
ARUBA - BAHRAIN or BAHAMAS
TAIWAN - ANTIGUA
JAMAICA - CAPRI
MINORCA - CANARY 
CATALINA - NANTUCKET
CHANNEL - ELLIS
KEY WEST - STATEN 
BALEARIC - ICELAND 
MANHATTAN - ANACAPA

LETTER SWAPPING X
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Feb. 2001
Stephen Sniderman

The title words to this puzzle, LETTER and SWAPPING can trade the L and W to make WETTER and SLAPPING. Each word in the left-hand column below can swap a single letter with one of the words in the right-hand column to create two new words. For example, you can switch the C in PROTECT with the S in DIREST to create PROTEST and DIRECT.

NOTE: There may be more than one way to pair certain words, but there is only one solution which uses all the words once and only once. 

1. PROTECT            SALVO
2. LEAD                   SERIAL
3. CAFE                    DIREST
4. RATIO                  BLUE      
5. TRIES                   GROWN             
6. DIRT                     DEAR               
7. AUCTION            MOPE

HINTS:
The swapped letters from the words in the left-hand column are:
1.T
2. A
3. F
4. R
5. E
6. R
7. A

Answers:

1. PROTEST...........DIRECT
2. LEWD.................GROAN
3. CARE..................DEAF
4. PATIO................ MORE
5. TRIOS................ SALVE
6. DIET................... BLUR
7. SUCTION...........AERIAL

MENTAL BLOCKS V
Credit: GAMES Magazine
November, 1982
Frederic H. Kock

Use only the three letters in the top row of each stack to complete the words in the other rows. Each of the three letters must be used at least once in every row.

1)
                     SET
                 _ _ _ W _
               D _ _ _ R _               
               _ _ _ _ H _               
               _ _ _ _ _ M
              D _ _ _ _ R _
            R _ _ _ L _ _ _
        B _ _ _ _ _ LL _ R
       _ _ AM _ _ R _ _ _

2)
                                               ACE
                                            _ _ _ S _
                                          _ _ N _ _ L
                                          _ _ _ _ D _
                                         D _ _ _ D _
                                        _ _ D _ N _ _
                                       _ _ _ D _ MI _
                                      _ L _ G _ N _ _
                                      PI _ _ _ M _ _ L
                                     _ _ _ _ L _ R _ T _

Answers:

1)
                     SET
                  STEWS
                 DESERT
                TEETHE                            
                ESTEEM               
               DESSERT
              RESTLESS
             BESTSELLER
             SEAMSTRESS 

2)
                                                   ACE 
                                                 CEASE
                                                CANCEL
                                               ACCEDE
                                               DECADE
                                             CADENCE
                                            ACADEMIC
                                            ELEGANCE
                                           PIECEMEAL
                                          ACCELERATE

STUMPERS LXX
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Dec. 2000
Alvin M. Sanico
IN- CONSISTENT TERMS? (#1)

1. Adding the prefix "IN" to a word usually creates a new word that's the opposite of the original - (capable - incapable, decisive - indecisive). But can you think of two common adjectives whose meanings remain basically unchanged when preceded by IN?

2. Can you think of a common verb whose meaning stays the same when preceded by UN?

Answers:

1. The words are VALUABLE and FLAMMABLE.

In common usage, they are used interchangeably with INVALUABLE and INFLAMMABLE. 

2. THAW

THAW and UNTHAW can be used interchangeablly.

CENTERPIECES I
Credit: GAMES Magazine
March, 2001
Stephen Sniderman

The words below have all been extracted from longer words. Can you find those longer words by adding one, two, or three letters before and  after each of the clue words? DUCAT in #1, for example, comes from E(DUCAT)ION. As a solving aid, the sets of letters you will need appear in random order below the clue words. The letter sets appear intact, but the beginning and end of each set are for you to determine. Thus in #1, the letters EION, which complete EDUCATION, could be crossed out.

1. DUCAT
2. TANKER
3. EQUATE
4. EVENT
5. CHEST
6. RAGED
7. ROUGH
8. AROUSE
9. SULTAN
10. CRONY
11. HOLSTER
12. LITERATE

EIONCLORRAUPYCANOUS
TYADLYAMCONTSHOBD

Answers:

1. EDUCATION
2. CANTANKEROUS
3. ADEQUATELY
4. SEVENTH
5. ORCHESTRA
6. TRAGEDY
7. THOROUGHLY
8. CAROUSEL
9. CONSULTANT
10. ACRONYM 
11. UPHOLSTERY 
12. OBLITERATED

PALINDROMES IX

TEST SET
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Mar. 2001
E. L. Lavalle

The title to this puzzle is a palindrome - a word or phrase that reads the same forward and backward. The five clues below can be answered by two-word phrases that are also palindromes.

1. A few notes from the boss
2. Obnoxious child actors
3. Veggie in Noah's gumbo
4. Rodent on Scarlett's estate
5. Played goalie
6. Cleaned up the church a bit
7. Produced Dutch cheese
8. Hermit's stomach trouble
9. Junky car from an Alaskan city
10. Book for recording bogeys and eagles

Answers:

1. SOME MEMOS
2. STAR BRATS
3. ARK OKRA
4. TARA RAT
5. TENDED NET 
6. SWEPT PEWS
7. MADE EDAM
8. RECLUSE'S ULCER
9. NOME LEMON
10. GOLF LOG 

What do the following words have in common?

TWO
THREE
FOUR
WIN
LONE
HAND
TIRE
BOTHER

Answer:

Each word can be followed by SOME.

Credit: GAMES Magazine - Mar. 2001
Mary Stafford
SOMETHING EASY

INSIDE INFORMATION II
Credit: GAMES Magazine
February, 2001

If you put a CAULDRON inside a PIG'S HOME you get COVERED WITH DOTS. How?  A cauldron is a POT and a pig's home is a STY. If you put POT in STY, you get SPOTTY (sPOTty), which means covered with dots. Can you solve the rest of these riddles with a one-word answer?

1. Put EVERYONE inside a SWEEPER to get a DANCE HALL.
2. Put an ancient BOAT inside a NEW YORK TEAM to get FOOD STORES
3. Put PETROLEUM inside ZOOMED to get BRATTY.
4. Put IRE inside a PRONG to get a FRUIT.
5. Put DECAY inside NUISANCE to get COMPLAIN.
6. Put a FRUIT inside MIMICKED to get SEEMED
7. Put an embarrassing DEFEAT inside SCAM to get a SALAD GARNISH.

Answers:

1. BALLROOM (all/broom)
2. MARKETS (ark/Mets)
3. SPOILED (oil/sped)
4. TANGERINE (anger/tine) 
5. PROTEST (rot/pest)
6. APPEARED (pear/aped)
7. CROUTON (rout/con)

THE LETTER EXCHANGE
Credit: GAMES Magazine - Dec. 2000
George Bredehorn

Each set of words below represents a familiar phrase or expression, but some (not all) of the words have been tampered with. Each of the "tampered" words has had a single letter changed. For example, given the clue GUT THE DEAD NUT, the answer would be GET THE LEAD OUT.

1. SHARE A LEI
2. PARK MY FORDS
3. TAME A COW
4. A SMALL X RAY
5. BATCH SOUR STEW
6. LAKE IS EAST (two answers)
7. SEVER WIND
8. DAY TO MORE
9. HATE A RICE DRY
10. RIDE ANY SWINE
11. DON'S LOOT BANK
12. THE CHICK'S ON THE MALL
13. GEM I LIKE

Answers:

1. Shake a leg
2. Mark my words
3. Take a bow
4. I smell a rat
5. Watch your step
6.  Take it easy (or) Make it fast
7. Never mind
8. Say no more
9. Have a nice day
10. Rise and shine
11. Don't look back
12. The check's in the mail
13. Get a life

TRIPLE WORD SCORE II
Credit: GAMES Magazine
November,  2000
Bob Stigger

Each of the three words in each clue below plays a different role in leading to a one-word answer. One of them is a synonym for the answer word. Another can be placed in front of the answer word to make a new word. Still another can be placed behind the answer word to form a different new word. The three words are listed in random order, and the number in parentheses indicates the number of letters in the answer word.

For example, the clue BOW PRECIPITATION REST (4), leads to RAIN. The synonym is PRECIPITATION, REST can be placed in front of RAIN to make RESTRAIN, and BOW can be placed behind RAIN to make RAINBOW.

1. MAIL SIGN MARK (4)
2. SIZE HUB HAT (3)
3. FOUNDATION DATA LINE (4)
4. WALK VEXED RED (5)
5. LEFT (at sea) RAP AGE (4)
6. ADO ALLOTMENT ALLY (6)
7. CUR FOLLOW SPIN (4)

HINTS:
The synonym words are:
1. MAIL
2. HAT
3. FOUNDATION
4. VEXED
5. LEFT (at sea)
6. ALLOTMENT
7. FOLLOW

Answers:

1. POST (signpost, postmark)
2. CAP (hubcap, capsize)
3. BASE ( database, baseline)
4. CROSS (Red Cross, crosswalk)
5. PORT (rapport, portage)
6. RATION (adoration, rationally)
7. TAIL (curtail, tailspin)

SECRET AGENDAS I
Credit: GAMES Magazine
October, 2000
Stephen Sniderman

1. What do the following animal names have in common?

CROW
HERON
LEMUR
RABBIT
BEAVER

MAMMOTH 

CHAMELEON

2. Each of the following words can be changed in the same way to form new words. Can you determine the change?

MUSLIM
DYNASTY
LIFELINE
FIREPLACE
FOREIGN
SAUSAGE
DUCHESS
SATURN

3. What do the following words have in common?

MANE
ROAM
MOLLY
NIECE
LOUSE
WAILS
GNOME
SOLE

Answers:

1. Each animal name conceals the name of another animal. The hidden letters are in order, though not consecutive (with one exception).

CROW - COW
HERON - ERN
LEMUR - EMU
RABBIT - RAT
BEAVER - BEAR
MAMMOTH - MOTH
CHAMELEON - CAMEL

2. Dropping the first two letters of each clue leaves a new word:

muSLIM
dyNASTY
liFELINE
fiREPLACE
foREIGN
saUSAGE
duCHESS
saTURN

3. Each word is a homophone for a city or country:

MANE - Maine
ROAM - Rome
MOLLY - Mali
NIECE - Nice
LOUSE - Laos
WAILS - Wales
GNOME - Nome
SOLE - Seoul

STUMPERS LXIX
Credit: GAMES Magazine
August, 2000
Francis Heaney

The word KITTEN can be changed in a certain way to produce a related word. Can you determine what it is?

HINT:
Two letters have to be changed.

Answer:

Changing the first and last letters of KITTEN will give you LITTER.

CAPITAL IDEAS
Credit: Washington Post Crossword
Carole Anne Nelson

Each clue below can be answered with the name of a US state capital. For #6, wordplay is fair play.

1. Capital dessert
2. Capital performance site
3. Capital fruit
4. Capital Biblical correspondent
5. Capital adventurer and courtier
6. Capital southern California beach attraction

Answers:

1. Boston cream pie 
2. Lincoln Center
3. Concord grapes
4. St. Paul The Apostle
5. Sir Walter Raleigh
6. Santa Monica Pierre