Sticks and Stones

2012-01-27T14:34:00.000-08:00

ACTION FIGURES

Credit: NY Times Crossword - Nov. 22, 1998

Nelson Hardy (Idea and # 1 - 5)

What are some common actions associated with the following names? For example, given BOB, you could say BOB UP AND DOWN.

1. CHUCK

2. MARK

3. SUE

4. BILL

5. PETER

6. SHARON

7. CLAUDE

8. JACK

9. FRANK

10. EILEEN

11. NICK

Possible Answers:

1. Chuck it in the trash.

2. Mark the spot.

3. Sue for custody.

4. Bill the client.

5. Peter out

6. Sharon with others

7. Claude his way to the top

8. Jack up the car.

9. Frank talk

10. Eileen on my cane for support

11. Nick of time

2012-01-27T12:01:00.001-08:00

WHAT DID YOU SAY? II

Next door or Next store

Take for granted or Take for granite

Stuff he knows or Stuffy nose

A nice, cold shower or An ice-cold shower

Is that reason? or Is that treason?

Teacher's sphere or Teacher's fear

Women's Wear Daily or Women swear daily

Shepherd's pies or Shepherd spies

2012-01-27T10:30:00.000-08:00

OH, HORRORS!

Credit: NY Times Crossword - Oct. 25, 1998

Nancy Nicholson Joline

If Halloween music is a Haunting Melody, what about ...............

1. Halloween retail event

2. Serious Halloween topic

3. Halloween workers

4. Mysterious Halloween note

5. Halloween unknown author

6. Halloween beverage

Answers:

1. Monster Sale

2. Grave Matter

3. Skeleton Crew

4. Cryptic Message

5. Ghostwriter

6. Witches' Brew

2012-01-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

COMEDY CLUB FOR DOCTORS

Credit: NY Times Crossword - Oct. 18, 1998

David J. Kahn

The surgeon left them in stitches. What about the ................

1. Obstetrician

2. Allergist

3. Gastroenterologist

4. Orthopaedist

5. Anesthesiologist

6. Dermatologist

7. Plastic surgeon

8. Podiatrist

Answers:

1. He had the best delivery.

2. He got a bad reaction.

3. He got the most belly-laughs

4. He told everyone to break a leg.

5. He put everyone to sleep.

6. He told a rash of one-liners.

7. He lifted everyone's spirits.

8. He told corny jokes.

2012-01-26T21:31:00.000-08:00

COUNTDOWN

Credit: NY Times Crossword - Sept. 20, 1998

Charles Deber

The answers to the following clues each have something in common. Can you determine what it is?

1. Massachusetts marathon, for one

2. Police, hospital staff for example

3. What astronauts hope for when they return to Earth

4. Long-running soap opera

5. What you might say if you let someone down

Answers to the clues:

1. Boston event

2. Shift workers

3. Smooth re-entry

4. Days of Our Lives

5. "Sorry if I've disappointed you."

Answer to what the clues have in common:

1. BostON Event

2. ShifT WOrkers

3. SmooTH RE-Entry

4. Days oF OUR Lives

5. "Sorry iF I'VE disappointed you."

2012-01-26T21:14:00.000-08:00

A TWIST OF PHRASE

Credit: NY Times Crossword - Aug. 30, 1998

John Wolting

The following clues can be answered by two words which are anagrams of each other.

1. He's a working machine at the beginning of the week.

2. Weak, low-grade movies

3. Unfulfilled potential and ability

4. Hard look from the Queen

5. Ancient Greek word puzzle

6. Matchmaking industry

7. One mistaken, but nevertheless yelling in anger

HINTS:

First words:

1. Monday

2. Anemic

3. Latent

4. Regal

5. Socratic

6. Dater

7. Errant

Answers:

1. Monday dynamo

2. Anemic cinema

3. Latent talent

4. Regal glare

5. Socratic acrostic

6. Dater trade

7. Errant ranter

2012-01-26T16:08:00.001-08:00

The seemingly unrelated words, names, and phrases in the list below follow a definite pattern. Can you determine what it is?

CONTRABAND

ACDC

HOUSEFLIES

LIGHTS

ELIJAH

TINKLE

CHIMNEY

PEOPLE

IRAQ RESIDENT

WEST

LOUVRE

NARRW XING

COUNTY ZOO

HINTS:

#1: The order of the words is not random.

#2: There are thirteen words.

#3: 13 X 2 = 26

Answer:

Each word or phrase contains two consecutive letters of the alphabet, beginning with AB in contrABand and ending with YZ in countY Zoo.

(Credit: NY Times Crossword - 3/28/98 - "Two by Thirteen" - Robert H. Wolfe)

2012-01-26T13:34:00.000-08:00

POETIC INJUSTICE

Credit: NY Times Crossword - Mar. 1, 1998

Cathy Millhauser

Poet's outlook on life - It could be verse:

1. Poet's response to "You are Man."

2. Poetic words for something frail and weak

3. Poet's panorama

4. Japanese poet who only finished 8th grade

5. Brief assessment of Keats' poems

6. Superficial discussion of Tennyson's works

7. Most poets' financial conclusion

Answers:

1. "Iamb Woman."

2. "It's sonnet's last legs."

3. Bard's-eye view

4. Haiku dropout

5. Same ode story

6. Idyll chitchat

7. Rhyme doesn't pay.

2012-01-26T12:52:00.000-08:00

WHAT DID YOU SAY? I

Stirrup trouble or Stir up trouble

Doctor or Docked her

Fascinate or Fasten eight

Spider or Spied her

Mister or Missed her

Nuisance or New sense/scents/cents

Vitamin or Invite him in

Deodorant or The other aunt

Paradox or Pair of docs

Paralyze or Pair of lies

Gruesome or Grew some

Arrival or A rival

Aspiring or A spy ring

Lettuce or Let us

Pyramid or Peer amid

Anneal or An eel

Accrue or A crew

Accrues or A cruise

Cauterize or Caught her eyes

Ketchup or Catch up

Nitrate or Night rate

2012-01-25T10:22:00.001-08:00

WHAT'S MISSING (not original title)

Credit: NY Times Crossword - July 5, 1998

Joe DiPietro

The same two letters, in the same order, can be inserted into the following names and words to make new words.

1. VAL

2. PETE

3. TANS

4. WRING

5. GRAVY

6. REVISED

(BIG) HINT:

The original title of the puzzle is "DROP IT!"

Answers:

The letters are IT.

1. VAL - VITAL

2. PETE - PETITE

3. TANS - TITANS

4. WRING - WRITING

5. GRAVY - GRAVITY

6. REVISED - REVISITED

2012-01-25T09:52:00.000-08:00

FOURSOMES

Credit: NY Times Crossword - Aug. 2, 1998

Nancy Nicholson Joline (Idea, example, and # 1 -4)

A 1960's musical foursome would be The Beatles. What about ..........

1. Monumental foursome in South Dakota

2. Louisa May Alcott foursome

3. Christmas song foursome

4. Lucky foursome

5. Biblical foursome

6. Baseball foursome

7. Automobile foursome

Answers:

1. Mount Rushmore

2. Little Women

3. Four calling birds

4. Four-leaf clover

5. Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse

6. Four-bagger (home run)

7. Four-wheel drive`

2012-01-23T18:26:00.000-08:00

"HEY, IT'S A LIVING"

Credit: NY Times Crossword - 12/14/97

Nancy Salomon (Idea, example, and # 1 - 6)

A job for a plastic surgeon would be NIP AND TUCK. What common phrase might serve as the job description for the following workers?

1. Restaurant server

2. Statistician

3. Relay racer

4. Critic

5. Debutante

6. Mathematician

7. Everybody

8. Restless sleeper

9. Entertainer

10. Restaurant reviewer in a hurry

11. Ex with a big mouth

12. Alexander the Great math teacher

13. Politician

Possible Answers:

1. Hurry up and wait

2. Rank and file

3. Touch and go

4. Rant and rave

5. Come out and play

6. Be fruitful and multiply

7. Live and learn

8. Toss and turn

9. Sing and dance

10. Eat and run

11. Kiss and tell

12. Divide and conquer

13. Take the money and run

2012-01-23T15:42:00.000-08:00

R&R

Credit: NY Times Crossword - Nov. 9, 1997

Rich Norris (not original title)

The following clues can be answered by two-word phrases in which each word starts with R.

1. Very conservative political group

2. Violent behavior while driving

3. Country mail delivery address

4. Class offering help in a basic school subject

5. Kind of tournament

6. Very dangerous game of chance

7. Post-operative location

8. A time to recover from stress or injury

Answers:

1. Radical right

2. Road rage

3. Rural route

4. Remedial reading

5. Round robin

6. Russian roulette

7. Recovery room

8. Rest & recuperation

2012-01-23T09:26:00.000-08:00

BLANKETS

Credit: NY Times Crossword - 12-28-97

Matt Gaffney

The same three letters, in the same order, can follow each of the initial letters below to form words:

S _ _ _

P _ _ _

J _ _ _

N _ _ _

L _ _ _

M _ _ _

G _ _ _

V _ _ _

B _ _ _

HINT:

The title is a clue.

Answer:

The letters are ETS (Blank ETS).

2012-01-22T14:17:00.000-08:00

CAN'T MAKE UP MY MIND

1. The following words share a very unusual quality. Can you determine what it is?

SANCTION

CLEAVE

BOUND

BOLT

2. What do the following words have in common?

TIN

TEN

TORN

TOUGH

TREAT

TREAD

Answers:

1. They are all self-contradicting words (auto-antonyms). Sanction means both to approve and condemn. Cleave means both to separate and adhere. Bound means both to leap and tie down. Bolt means both to fasten securely and to run away.

2. H can be added as the second letter of each word to make new words.

2012-01-21T10:03:00.000-08:00

I KNEW THEM WHEN

The host of the long-running children's TV show "Captain Kangaroo" must have been known in his younger days as Captain Joey. Can you determine the youthful names of the following characters from the clues below?

1. "Wizard of Oz" character who says "Put 'em up! Put 'em up!"

2. Boxer Balboa of the movies

3. Classic Tchaikovsky ballet role

4. Empire State Building gorilla

5. Sesame Street regular

6. A bad guy disguised as a good guy

7. Tragic operatic Japanese heroine

Answers:

1. Cowardly Cub

2. Rocky, the Italian Colt

3. Dying Cygnet

4. Prince Kong

5. Kermit the Tadpole

6. A Whelp in Lamb's Clothing

7. Madama Caterpillar

2012-01-20T16:09:00.000-08:00

ADDENDUM

Credit: NY Times Crossword - Jan. 1, 2012

Patrick Berry

The same sound can be added to each word below to create new words. The spelling of the sound may differ from word to word, and the new words will be completely different than the original ones. Can you determine what the sound is and find the new words?

1. CARE

2. FORCE

3. TRANCE

4. VALLEY

5. HAIR

6. DEN

7. BOARD

8. MODE

HINT:

The added sound is "UM."

Answers:

Adding the sound "um" in its various spellings to each word yields:

1. CAROM

2. FOURSOME

3. TRANSOM

4. VALIUM

5. HAREM

6. DENIM

7. BOREDOM

8. MODEM

2012-01-20T15:31:00.000-08:00

JUNIOR MISS

Credit: NY Times Crossword - July 27, 1997

June Boggs (not original title)

Each clue below can be answered by a phrase in which the "th" sound has been substituted for what could have been the "s" sound. For example, given the clue "Dress size for small goddesses,"the answer would be JUNIOR MYTH instead of JUNIOR MISS.

1. Turn-around in religious belief

2. Anorexic envy, anger, or pride

3. The ghost of every man, woman, and child

4. Unbearably hot summer holiday

5. Hitchhiker from Calcutta

6. Engage in a food fight at KFC

Answers:

1. ABOUT FAITH - (About face)

2. DEADLY THIN - (Deadly sin)

3. HUMAN WRAITH - (Human race)

4. BRUTAL FOURTH - (Brutal force)

5. INDIAN THUMBER - (Indian summer)

6. HEAVE A THIGH - (Heave a sigh)

2012-01-20T13:45:00.000-08:00

WHAT'S LAST?

Credit: Mike Coppola in "Ask Marilyn"

Parade Magazine

What is the last item in this series?

J8 - F8 - M5 - A5 - M3 - J4 - J4 - A6 - S9 - O7 - N8 - ??

HINT:

I didn't say "next" item.

Answer:

D8 .......... The series comprises the first letter of each month of the year and the number of letters in the month's name.

2012-01-20T10:29:00.000-08:00

RHYMING RIDDLES

My first is in lamp but not in light,

My second in may but not in might;

My third is in dart and also board,

My fourth in string but not in cord.

My last is in see but not in glance,

My whole the city of love and romance.

Light as a feather,

Nothing in it;

The strongest man

Can hold it but a minute.

What runs but cannot walk,

Has a mouth but never talks;

Has a bed but never sleeps,

Has a mouth but never eats?

Answers:

1. Paris

2. Breath

3. A river

2012-01-20T09:58:00.000-08:00

MR. FORMALITY II

Below are the formal names of some "people." Can you supply the informal name to change each "person" into a familiar word or phrase?

1. Mr. Robert Pin

2. Mr. William Collector

3. Mr. Donald Brook

4. Mr. Richard Shaw

5. Mr. Benjamin Gay

6. Mr. Steven Edore

7. Mr. James Dandy

8. Mr. William Fold

9. Mr. Jacob Rabbit

10. Miss Susan Pine

11. Mr. Robert Cat

Answers:

1. bobby pin

2. bill collector

3. donnybrook

4. rickshaw

5. Bengay

6. stevedore

7. Jim Dandy

8. billfold

9. jackrabbit

10. supine

11. bobcat

2012-01-20T09:38:00.001-08:00

MAKING THE SMALL TIME

Minor medical insurance

A dwarf among men

Little ticket item

Low finance

Average piano

Common fir

Bottom drawer

2012-01-20T09:30:00.000-08:00

1. What do these famous people have in common?

Shirley Temple

John Hancock

Mae West

Napoleon

2. What do the following words have in common?

(Credit: NY Times Crossword - 6/8/97 - Richard Silvestri)

BULL

ROCK

MARK

JUNK

RACK

BALL

PLAN

3. What do the following phrases have in common?

(Credit: NY Times Crossword - 2/15/98 - Rich Norris)

CHARTER MEMBER

GANGSTER MOVIE

BETTER MOUSETRAP

COMPUTER MEMORY

THEATER MARQUEE

HINT:

2. "Et tu, Brute?"

Answers:

1. They have things named after them that have nothing to do with their careers. A Shirley Temple is a non-alcoholic drink. A John Hancock is a signature. A Mae West is a life jacket, and a Napoleon is a type of pastry.

2. Each word can be followed by the letters ET to make a new word.

3. Hidden in the center of each phrase is the word TERM.

2012-01-19T17:49:00.000-08:00

NOT COOL

English Teacher: There are two words which may absolutely never be used in this class. One of them is gross and the other is cool.

Student: So what are the two words?

2012-01-19T01:30:00.000-08:00

FORMAL FUNNIES

Credit: NY Times Crossword - June 1, 1997

Randolph Ross

Can you give the formal names of these characters from comic strips who are all well-known, but by their less-formal names?

1. Funnies flapper

2. Funnies tree denizen

3. Funnies hapless victim

4. Funnies fighter

5. Funnies big-eared rodent

6. Funnies gumshoe

Answers:

1. Elizabeth Boop

2. Woodrow Woodpecker

3. Charles Brown

4. Joseph Palooka

5. Michael Mouse

6. Richard Tracy

2012-01-18T09:13:00.000-08:00

The answers to these clues have something in common. Can you determine what it is?

1. "The Loneliest Number"

2. Really dressed up

3. Beatles' song

4. California gold seekers

5. Special birthday

6. Dosage of low-dose aspirin

7. Century

8. Gross

9. "There's no one like you!"

HINT:

What they have in common has to do with math.

Answers:

1. One

2. Dressed to the nines

3. "When I'm Sixty-four"

4. Forty-niners

5. Sweet Sixteen

6. Eighty-one milligrams

7. One hundred Years

8. One hundred forty-four items

9. "You're one in a million!"

All the numbers are perfect squares.

2012-01-17T09:48:00.000-08:00

THREE RIDDLES

1. Why was the massage therapist fired?

2. What happened when the two Sumo wrestlers started arguing?

3. Dave Brubeck said, "Take Five." What did Noah say?

Answers:

1. He rubbed people the wrong way.

2. Push came to shove.

3. "Take Two"

2012-01-17T09:08:00.000-08:00

WHO'S THERE?

An empty room you watch with care,

You want to know just who's in there;

Four walk in, and two walk out,

You look inside and all about.

There's only one person inside that place,

One happy, smiling, girlish face;

"Exactly right," I say to you,

"Only one person, certainly not two."

HINT:

You're not counting people.

Answer:

You're counting legs. Four legs walk in (two people). Two legs walk out (one person) - leaving two legs (one person) in the room.

2012-01-17T08:31:00.000-08:00

THE MISSING LINK VIII

Each trio of words below shares a Missing Link - that is, its members have something in common, obvious or not. For example, RIVERS, NOSES, and GUITARS can all have BRIDGES.

1. Doughnut..........Golf course..........Notebook paper

2. Cough..........Tear..........Rain

Answers:

1. Holes

2. Drops

2012-01-16T00:04:00.000-08:00

CAPITAL IDEA

Credit: GAMES Magazine - Nov. 2004

Sher Garfield

Each word below contains letters which, in some combination, will complete the capital city of a state and begin the name of that state. For example, given the word BIAS, you would get ColumBIA South Carolina. Given the word MORE, you would get SaleM OREgon.

1. DILL

2. FEN

3. GEL

4. LET

5. NEW

6. SIN

7. STINT

8. TAG

9. TAM

10 VERDE

Answers:

1. SpringfielD ILLinois

2. Santa FE New Mexico

3. Baton RouGE Louisiana

4. NashvilLE Tennessee

5. CheyenNE Wyoming

6. IndianapoliS INdiana

7. AuSTIN Texas

8. AtlanTA Georgia

9. AugusTA Maine

10. DoVER DElaware

2012-01-14T19:14:00.000-08:00

FOUR RHYMING RIDDLES

My first you can drive,

My second's alive;

My whole a shag,

Or perhaps a bag.

Praise what you like,

Curse what you hate;

What does it matter?

It's only your fate.

Feared by some,

To others a game,

Called fat or slim,

My meaning's the same.

My first an innocent youth does express,

My second a part of Red Ridinghood's dress;

United they a period show

Free from vices, guilt, and woe.

I shine in the light like the sun off the sea,

Some say they couldn't live without me;

Despite how often I'm consulted each day,

I've never had a single word to say.

Answers:

1. CARPET

2. CHANCE

3. CHILDHHOOD

4. MIRROR

2012-01-14T09:12:00.000-08:00

FOUR RIDDLES

1. How are a door and a bull related to a baby?

2. What fruit is hard as a rock?

3. What do you call thirteen motorcycles?

Found in a shell

But not the sea,

Yellow as the sun,

White as snow.

Answers:

1. A baby is adorable.

2. Pomegranate

3. Biker's dozen

4. An egg

2012-01-14T08:59:00.000-08:00

1. Can you think of a word that uses only two letters, each repeated three times?

2. What unusual property do the following words share?

DUMBSTRUCK

THUMBSCREW

BIRTHPLACE

3. The following two sentences contain four hidden words which all have something in common. Can you determine the four words and their relationship?

My daughter Janice just began a second career as a proctor for college entrance tests. She likes to say, "Life begins at forty."

HINTS:

1. The word starts with D.

2. It has to do with letters.

3. The hidden words are all abbreviations.

Answers:

1. DEEDED

2. Each word has five consonants in a row.

3. The two sentences contain the abbreviations for August, January, October, and February.

My dAUGhter JANice just began a second career as a prOCTor for college entrance tests. She likes to say, "LiFE Begins at forty."

2012-01-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

RAISE THE HUSH

Each of the following phrases can be changed into a well-known idiom or expression by substituting antonyms for the given words. For example, RAISE THE HUSH would become LOWER THE BOOM.

1. Happy as a dry rooster

2. Catch the plane

3. Find your pants

4. Something old over the moon

5. On the bottom of your foot

6. Off the single

7. Under the valley

8. Fail the doe

9. Work slow and tight

10. Push your arm

Answers:

1. Mad as a wet hen

2. Miss the boat

3. Lose your shirt

4. Nothing new under the sun

5. Off the top of your head

6. On the double

7. Over the hill

8. Pass the buck

9. Play fast and loose

10. Pull your leg

2012-01-07T08:48:00.000-08:00

1. What do the following words have in common?

ICE

NIT

HAND

TOOTH

2. What do the following words have in common?

GUM

RAIN

TEAR (rhymes with fear)

COUGH

3. What do the following words have in common?

AIR

ALE

ART

END

LORE

Answers:

1. Each word can be followed by PICK.

2. Each word can be followed by DROP.

3. Each word can be preceded by IMP.

2012-01-07T01:44:00.000-08:00

What unusual property do these words share?

RESTORES

INGRATIATING

TORMENTOR

IONIZATION

ENTERTAINMENT

REDISCOVERED

HINT #1: EINSTEIN and UNDERGROUND could be added to the list.

HINT #2: It has to do with letters.

Answer:

Each of these words begins and ends with the same three letters.

2012-01-07T01:37:00.000-08:00

THREE RIDDLES

1. Why is the word HISPANIC like the bridge of your nose?

The older I grow, the more jewelry I wear;

Yet my jewelry is hidden from view.

Only when I die do others find

How old I am and just where my jewelry lies.

3. What can you hold, fold, lend, show, shake, wring, and wash?

Answers:

1. The bridge of your nose is a span between two eyes (H i span i c).

2. A tree and its rings

3. Hands

2012-01-06T20:47:00.000-08:00

DROP A LETTER - GET A HOMOPHONE

How many words can you think of that will become homophones when you drop the first letter? For example, KNIGHT would become NIGHT.

Possible Answers:

KNIGHT

KNAVE

KNEW

KNIT

KNOT

WHOLE

HOUR

AISLE

2012-01-06T15:51:00.000-08:00

ADD A LETTER - GET A HOMOPHONE

How many words can you think of that will become homophones if you add a single letter? For example, HORSE could become HOARSE.

Possible Answers:

HORSE/HOARSE

NIGHT/KNIGHT

HOLE/WHOLE

OUR/HOUR

BE/BEE

OR/OAR/ORE

FORTH/FOURTH

SO/SOW (as in to sow seeds)

NAVE/KNAVE

NIT/KNIT

NOT/KNOT

SPADE/SPAYED

2012-01-06T15:31:00.000-08:00

CHANGE A LETTER - GET A HOMOPHONE

There are at least two words which can become homophones by changing a single letter within the word. One is a five-letter word beginning with B and the other a six-letter word beginning with C.

Answers:

BASIS/BASES

COURSE/COARSE

Note: The words BASS and BASE could be added to this short list, but only under a certain condition. BASS is a heteronym. That is, it can be pronounced two different ways: with a short a, as in the fish; or with a long a, as in a male singing voice. In the latter case, it is a homophone for BASE. Because of this restriction, I did not include it in the list above.

2012-01-06T15:04:00.000-08:00

HOMOPHONES AND ANAGRAMS

How many words can you think of that are both homophones AND anagrams, such as STEAK and STAKE?

Possible Answers:

1. STEAK/STAKE

2. BREAK/BRAKE

3. GREAT/GRATE

4. BEAR/BARE

5. PEAR/PARE

6. TEAR/TARE

7. WEAR/WARE

8. TIED/TIDE

9. HOES/HOSE

10. PRIED/PRIDE

11. RUED/RUDE

12. DISCREET/DISCRETE

2012-01-06T14:51:00.000-08:00

MUSIC

Why piccolo profession like music,

That's full of viol practices,

Confirmed lyres,

And bass desires?

For the lute, of course.

2012-01-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

VALENTINE'S DAY

Two melons had an argument,

A lovers' quarrel, too;

One melon said, "I cantaloupe,"

The other said, "Honeydew."

My heart and I call to you,

But you're too deaf to Eros.

2012-01-06T09:41:00.000-08:00

FOUR RIDDLES

1. What is the most popular home decoration in Germany?

2. What do you get if you're elected President of the United States?

3. What did the seismologist use at suppertime?

4. What could be worse than when it rains cats and dogs?

Answers:

1. Berlin wallpaper

2. White Housekeys

3. Dinner plate tectonics

4. It could reindeer

2012-01-06T09:33:00.001-08:00

RHYME AND REASON III

The word pairs below may look a bit strange, but they should sound vaguely familiar. That's because each pair is a common expression in which each word has been replaced by a rhyme. For example, RACK & BITE are rhymes for BLACK & WHITE. Can you restore reason to the following rhymes?

1. SINS & DOUBTS

2. DRUM & FLOW

3. KITES & SONGS

4. SACK & NORTH

5. BRIDE & RESTED

Answers:

1. INS & OUTS

2. COME & GO

3. RIGHTS & WRONGS

4. BACK & FORTH

5. TRIED & TESTED

2012-01-05T14:22:00.000-08:00

QUOTES XIV

The worst-tempered people I ever knew were the people who knew they were wrong.

Wilson Mizner

Silence is golden [especially] when you don't have a good answer.

Muhammad Ali

2012-01-05T11:04:00.000-08:00

SORT IT OUT

The following fifteen words are listed in random order, but they can be put into five groups of three words each based on a very clear pattern. Can you determine what it is and place the words in their proper groups?

LIEN

BONY

PINION

SLANDER

TILE

NIT

VARY

LAND

ASTERN

VENUE

PENDING

CON

DEAL

RANGE

STEROID

HINT #1: Each word must be preceded by a new letter.

HINT #2: There are five new letters, one for each group.

HINT #3: The added letters are the five vowels.

Answers:

ALIEN/ASTEROID/AVENUE

EASTERN/EBONY/ELAND

ICON/IDEAL/ISLANDER

OPINION/ORANGE/OVARY

UNIT/UPENDING/UTILE

2012-01-05T10:43:00.000-08:00

RIGHT LOW AND WET

Each of the following phrases can be changed into a well-known idiom or expression by substituting antonyms for the given words. For example, RIGHT LOW AND WET would become LEFT HIGH AND DRY.

1. Front-seat passenger

2. Adult in the city

3. Curse in plain sight

4. Drop you sooner.

5. Warm in

6. Cat nights of winter

7. Walk-by-day

8. Stop for riches.

9. Knowledge is a curse.

10. Play of hate

Answers:

1. Back-seat driver

2. Babe in the woods

3. Blessing in disguise

4. Catch you later

5. Chill out

6. Dog days of summer

7. Fly-by-night

8. Go for broke

9. Ignorance is bliss

10. Labor of love

2012-01-04T12:58:00.000-08:00

FOUR RHYMING RIDDLES

I am a word of meanings two,

If you can guess me, good for you.

My first meaning is to shrink, to get smaller in size,

My second is an agreement - one binding in the law's eyes.

I have two syllables, no more no less,

And there's one more thing you have to address:

My meanings change with the change in stress.

My first is in act but not in play,

My second in April but not in May;

My third is in noble and also lord,

My fourth in card but not in board.

My last is in stack but not in hay,

My whole you look at every day.

Sold by the yard,

Worn by the foot;

From wall to wall

Is where I'm put.

I hang between the earth and sky,

Green or brown as the seasons pass by;

All around me the birds do fly,

Until, just before winter, away go I.

Answers:

1. CONTRACT

2. CLOCK

3. CARPET

4. LEAF (of a deciduous tree)

2012-01-04T12:54:00.000-08:00

THREE RHYMING RIDDLES

Built for speed,

The track's my home;

One thing more,

I'm a palindrome.

My first is in heaven, but not in clouds,

My second in the middle of day;

My third is surrounded by eternity,

My last the first of play.

At the base I sit,

At first glance a misfit,

For among my peers I seem colossal.

But my duty is really quite simple, you see,

I separate things to preserve harmony.

I guarantee you have seen me countless times,

So what am I, that ever cuts,

Yet is never convicted of a crime?

Answers:

1. RACE CAR

2. HARP

3. Space bar on a computer keyboard

2012-01-04T12:49:00.000-08:00

THREE RIDDLES

What can bring back the dead

And make us young again?

Bring both laughter and tears

And help us face our fears?

Though but a tiny moment in time,

They last a lifetime.

As it lives, its life grows short;

When it dies, it stays alive.

With hands we measure them,

With care we break them;

With hope we play them,

With patience we hold them.

Answers:

1. Memories

2. Candle

3. Horses

2012-01-03T19:21:00.001-08:00

HANDMADE

Each clue below can be answered by a word or phrase using the word HAND.

1. Nearby

2. Used

3. Transfer ownership

4. Eke out a living

5. Very closely associated

6. Reveal one's intentions

7. Give up in frustration

8. Direct account from a witness

9. Have nothing more to do with

10. Do things by threat or authority

11. Pressure someone to do or say something

12. Common greeting

13. Choose carefully

Answers:

1. At hand

2. Second hand

3. Change hands

4. Live from hand to mouth

5. Hand in glove

6. Show one's hand

7. Throw up one's hands

8. First hand

9. Wash one's hands of

10. Use a heavy hand

11. Force one's hand

12. Handshake

13. Handpick

2012-01-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

1. What do the following words have in common?

LAST

POT

MISS

BEG

PICK

2. What do the following words have in common?

CAP

CART

HER

3. What do the following words have in common?

DEAL

VALID

HIINT'

VALOR

RABBLE

HINTS:

1. It has to do with vowels.

2. The same two letters can be follow each word.

3. After a certain change, the same three letters can precede each word.

Answers:

1. The single vowel in each word can be replaced by any other vowel and to form a new word.

2. The letters ON can be added to each word to form new words.

3. After dropping the first letter, each word can be preceded by SQU.

2012-01-03T14:04:00.000-08:00

WOULD YOU LIKE A COKE?

What do the following products have in common?

COKE

SCOTCH TAPE

JELL - O

KLEENEX

JACUZZI

THERMOS

Answer:

They are all brand names of products which are so popular that they have become generic terms.

COKE - SODA

SCOTCH TAPE - ADHESIVE TAPE

JELL - O - GELATIN

KLEENEX - FACIAL TISSUE

JACUZZI - HOT TUB

THERMOS - CONTAINER TO KEEP THINGS HOT OR COLD

2012-01-02T14:14:00.000-08:00

DOUBLE DUTY V

The words and partial words below can be completed by adding three letters, such that the three letters complete a word beginning on the left, and begin a word ending on the right.

1. MEA _ _ _ AGER

2. AR _ _ _ IA

3. DIE _ _ _ DOM

4. ASHA _ _ _ IEVAL

5. ATTR _ _ _ ION

6. LUM _ _ _ RACKS

7. TIM _ _ _ EFT

8. SHIP _ _ _ _ _ AGE

HINTS:

The first letters of the missing letter groups are:

1. D

2. M

3. S

4. M

5. A

6. B

7. B

8. W

Answers:

1. meaDOWager

2. arMEDia

3. dieSELdom

4. ashaMEDieval

5. attrACTion (can be read as a single word)

6. lumBARracks

8. shipWRECKage

7. timBEReft

2011-12-29T17:20:00.000-08:00

1. What do the following words have in common?

CUR

EASE

PEAR

CAME

GRAVE

2. What do the following words have in common?

EASE

CUSS

SENT

TRESS

TRIBUTE

3. What do the following words have in common?

AIRY

AND

EEL

OWL

ARE

EIGHT

HINTS:

1. The same letter can follow each word.

2. The same three letters can precede each word.

3. The same letter can precede each word.

Answers:

1. Each word can be followed by L.

2. Each word can be preceded by DIS.

3. Each word can be preceded by H.

2011-12-29T16:57:00.000-08:00

The four words in the first set below share something with the four words in the following set. Can you determine what it is?

READ

ROUGH

UNDER

RUSH

STEAL

FOUR

HEAL

DEAR

HINT #1: It has to do with the same two letters.

HINT #2: The same two letters can precede the words in the first set and follow those in the second.

Answer:

THREAD

THROUGH

THUNDER

THRUSH

STEALTH

FOURTH

HEALTH

DEARTH

2011-12-29T16:52:00.000-08:00

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

G _ _ _ E

C _ _ _ ITY

CAPIL _ _ _ Y

PO _ _ _ IZE

SCHO _ _ _ S

2. The same three letters, in the same order, can be added to the following words to make four new words.

POT _ _ _

TOM _ _ _

LEG _ _ _

RUB _ _ _

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

LA _ _ E

COR _ _

A _ _ E

CLA _ _

_ _ ALM

HINTS:

2. The last two words are musical terms.

Answers:

1. The letters are LAR.

2. The letters are ATO.

3. The letters are PS.

2011-12-29T10:08:00.000-08:00

1. What do the following words have in common?

BOUT

GAIN

TONE

SCENT

VERSE

BRIDGE

TROPHY

2. What do the following words have in common?

LOWER

LIMBER

LOCALE

PROPERLY

CASUALLY

3. What do the following words have in common?

ICE

INK

EDGE

OUCH

EIGHT

Answers:

1. Each word can be preceded by A.

2. The (final) L in each word can be replaced by T.

(TOWER/TIMBER/LOCATE/PROPERTY/CASUALTY)

3. Each word can be preceded by SL.

2011-12-29T10:04:00.000-08:00

THREE RHYMING RIDDLES

My first syllable an order to attend,

My second less than a score;

My whole I've done to a friend,

Who desires I would do it still more.

Lucy has it first,

Ethel has it last;

Ricky and Fred don't have it at all,

Though they do complete the cast.

Big and black, white and furry,

Slow to move and in no hurry;

Eats bamboo and very rare,

Looks like a teddy, but it's a bear.

Answers:

1. WRITTEN (WRIT - TEN)

2. The letter L.

3. PANDA

2011-12-29T09:43:00.000-08:00

1. Can you think of a six-letter word that names an insect in which the first three letters name a different insect.

2. The following four words define four other words which are related. What are the four words and how are they related?

CLEVERNESS

LEGAL DOCUMENT

CORRESPOND

TWIST

Answers:

1. BEETLE

2. The words are WIT/WRIT/WRITE/ WRITHE. The connection between them is the addition of a single letter each word.

2011-12-28T15:01:00.000-08:00

QUOTES XIII

There are two insults no human being will endure: that he has no sense of humor, and that he has never known trouble.

Sinclair Lewis

We are prepared for insults, but compliments leave us baffled.

Mason Cooley

Telegram from George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill:

I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my play; bring a friend .......... if you have one.

Response from Winston Churchill to George Bernard Shaw:

Cannot possibly attend first night; will attend second night ............ if there is one.

2011-12-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

THREE RHYMING RIDDLES

Into your mouth I go each day,

Yet when you confront me,

You ask, "Which way?"

I must be earned and can't be bought,

Gained over time, but quickly lost.

Two brothers and two sisters,

We go our separate ways;

There is no place we haven't been,

We roam til the end of days.

I go one way and my brother goes the other,

Our sisters do the same;

Yet, nevertheless, it can't be helped,

Do we ever run into each other.

Would you follow us?

Then you must go

To every corner

Of the earth you know.

Answers:

1. A fork

2. Trust

3. North, South, East, and West

2011-12-27T01:47:00.000-08:00

1. What do the following words have in common?

BED

BLUR

GREED

GRANGE

SINK

2. What do the following words have in common?

LIMP

FINE

LOUD

WILL

SINK

3. What do the following words have in common?

EQUATE

DICTION

VISOR

MISSION

HINTS:

2. The same three letters can precede each word after the same change is made to each of the clue words.

3. Each word can be preceded by the same two letters.

Answers:

1. Changing one letter in each word will produce a word that names a color.

RED/BLUE/GREEN/ORANGE/PINK

2. Dropping the first letter of each word and then preceding the remaining letters by SHR yields new words.

SHRIMP/SHRINE/SHROUD/SHRILL/SHRINK

3. ADEQUATE/ADDICTION/ADVISOR/ADMISSION

2011-12-27T01:39:00.000-08:00

The following four words can be preceded by the same single letter AND by the same two letters.

_ IT

_ AM

_ EDGE

_ EIGHT

_ _ IT

_ _ AM

_ _ EDGE

_ _ EIGHT

Answers:

HIT

HAM

HEDGE

HEIGHT

SLIT

SLAM

SLEDGE

SLEIGHT

2011-12-27T00:29:00.000-08:00

TRUE COLORS

1. What do these four colors have in common?

RED

WHITE

BLUE

GREEN

2. What do the following words have in common?

NOTE

BALL

STEP

MAN

3. What do the following words have in common?

SEA

EAR

FUR

GROW

HINTS:

1. It has to do with your face.

2. Each word can be preceded by the same word.

3. Each word can be followed by the same letter.

Answers:

1. Your face can turn:

RED from embarrassment

WHITE from fear or illness

BLUE from the cold or lack of oxygen

GREEN from nausea

2. Each word can be preceded by FOOT.

3. The letter L can be added to each word to make new words.

2011-12-26T23:43:00.000-08:00

KIND OF SHEEPISH

If you're kind of around forty years old, you're fortyish. If you're kind of shy and tend to read a lot, you're bookish. But what about ..............

1. Kind of like the stuff you use for making bread?

2. Kind of a tradename?

3. Kind of the full extent of something - from end to end?

4. Kind of a part of a fish?

5. Kind of a prohibition?

Answers:

1. Flourish (flour-ish)

2. Brandish

3. Spanish

4. Finish

5. Banish

2011-12-26T23:31:00.000-08:00

SPIN DOCTOR

At the height of the Cold War, a US car easily beat a Russian car in a two-car race. How did the Russian newspapers (truthfully) report this in order to make it look as though the Russian car had outdone the American car?

Answer:

"The American car came in next to last, while the Russian car came in second."

2011-12-26T14:38:00.000-08:00

1. What do the following phrases have in common?

BEAR THE BURDEN

NOT FOR OVEN USE

ACTOR OMAR SHARIF

SKIPS A TURN

2. What do the following words have in common?

ACT

PERT

HALE

AMPLE

3. What do the following words have in common?

RITE

OVEN

HOLE

RING

ITCH

HINTS:

1. Each phrase hides the name of something.

Answers:

1. Each phrase contains the name of a planet.

bEAR THe burden

not for oVEN USe

actor oMAR Sharif

SkipS A TURN

2. Each word can be preceded by EX.

3. Each word can be preceded by W.

2011-12-26T11:53:00.000-08:00

THREE RHYMING RIDDLES

Don't cry for me, the doing's done.

From verdant pastures I have come.

Yet I now must be attended to,

For if left alone, I will offend,

On that you truly can depend.

A female horse that will never run,

She'll trouble your sleep, and it won't be fun.

A trio of words, closely related,

The first the concern of a poet;

The second, a tennis pro will know it.

The third, what happens to a bond

When the love and affection have gone.

Answers:

1. Spilled milk

2. Nightmare

3. VERSE/SERVE/SEVER

2011-12-26T11:41:00.000-08:00

1. Can you think of a word of seven letters in which the last six letters follow the pattern:

_ ABCABC - that is, the last six letters repeat each other in two sets of three letters each.

My first is US, my second HER,

My middle SHE and HE, sir.

Answers:

1. SINGING (Also D, P, R, or W as first letter)

2. USHER

2011-12-26T11:07:00.000-08:00

1. What do the following names have in common?

TOM

JACK

JOHN

BILLY

MICKEY

TEDDDY

CHARLEY

2. What do the following words have in common?

STAND

OFF

BALL

START

3. What do the following words have in common?

ACRID

CORAL

FIRST

MORON

HORSE

Answers:

1. Each name can be combined with the name of an animal.

Jackrabbit

John Bull

Tomcat

Billy goat

Mickey Mouse

Charley horse

Teddy bear

2. Each word can be preceded by KICK.

3. Dropping the R from each word leaves a different word.

2011-12-26T10:32:00.000-08:00

THREE RHYMING RIDDLES

Born in nature, shaped by man;

Getting shorter is my life's plan.

To show the way was my intent

Though now rarely used in that bent.

More of an accessory in the world today,

Yet when truly needed, I'm the hero of the day.

Three eyes have I

All in a row,

When the red one opens,

You better not go.

We are guards of a precious gate,

Sometimes leaning backward,

Sometimes standing straight.

Some are short, some are tall,

We never surrender,

Though we might fall.

Some of us wear paint -

Often covered in black,

We always defend, but never attack.

Answers:

1. Candle

2. Traffic light

3. Eyelashes

HINTS:

1. Actually, hero of the night would be more accurate.

2011-12-26T10:17:00.000-08:00

THREE RIDDLES

I am never lonely.

I have five friends who are always with me,

And whom I can always count on.

Four are always beside me,

And one always behind.

2. Almost everyone makes it in, but few make it out.

3. Name two things that "live" by devouring themselves.

HINTS:

1. I'm not human.

2. It has to do with age.

Answers:

1. A die (one of a pair of dice)

2. The double-digit age range (10 - 99). Few live to 100.

3. Candles and stars

2011-12-24T03:31:00.000-08:00

1. Consider the two words PLUM and SINUS. A simple change will produce an interesting result. Can you determine what it is?

2. Consider the following unrelated words:

ONSET

NEWS

WRONG

HORNET

The same change to each of the words will result in four new, but related, words.

HINTS:

1. It has to do with exchanging letters between the two words.

2. It has to do with anagrams.

Answers:

1. Exchanging the M from PLUM with the S from SINUS gives PLUS and MINUS.

2. The anagrams of the four words rhyme.

ONSET - STONE

NEWS - SEWN

WRONG - GROWN

HORNET - THRONE

2011-12-23T15:32:00.000-08:00

SHOO FLY

I'm not found on the tip of the tongue,

But I'm usually quite close by;

Add a letter and you will see

That I'll soon take wing and fly.

HINT #1: It's not the human tongue.

HINT #2: The title is a clue.

Answer (in verse):

Hang your head if you missed the clue,

For the title word indeed is shoe.

A shoe has a tongue that is covered in lace,

With an AGLET at its tip

To keep frayed ends in place.

Add an E and you will see

As clearly as the eagle does,

That the EAGLET will soon soar high above,

As soon as it loses its downy fuzz.

2011-12-22T18:48:00.000-08:00

1. What do the following words have in common?

EATER

ELOPE

HEMS

2. What do the following words have in common?

CHIC

PLAN

STAR

SPUN

THIN

3. What do the following words have in common?

BATH

BLANK

BREATH

CURTAINS

CONCLUSIONS

HINTS:

1. ARCTIC could be added to the list.

Answers:

1. Each word can be preceded by ANT.

(ANTEATER/ANTELOPE/ANTHEMS)

2. A K could be added to the end of each word to give a new one.

3. They are all things you can draw.

2011-12-22T18:26:00.000-08:00

1. The same three letters, in the same order, will complete the words starting with the initial letters below. There are two solutions.

A _ _ _

E _ _ _

O _ _ _

2. The same four letters, in the same order, will change the words below into new ones.

RE _ _ _ _

IN _ _ _ _

PRO _ _ _ _

SUB _ _ _ _

3. The same three-letter word can be added to each of the words below to make new words.

POT

LEG

LOT

ACT

MISS

Answers:

1. The letters are VER or WES

(AVER/EVER/OVER or AWES/EWES/OWES.

2. The letters are JECT (REJECT/INJECT/PROJECT/SUBJECT).

3. The word is ION (POTION/LEGION/LOTION/ACTION/MISSION).

2011-12-22T15:56:00.000-08:00

Each of the following words can be changed by the addition of a single letter. The letter is different for each word and goes in different places. All the new words formed will have something in common.

MANIA

QUIT

ROE

SOFA

MINK

Answers:

MANILA

QUITO

ROME

SOFIA

MINSK - - - - Capital Cities

2011-12-22T15:20:00.000-08:00

THREE RIDDLES

1. Five brothers sharing a common plate. Who are we?

2. What tree can start a race?

3. Minerals are found in me and I am found in minerals.

4. How much does it cost to go from ELUSIVE to EXCLUSIVE?

HINT:

4. It has to do with Roman Numerals.

Answers:

1. Five fingers and the palm of your hand

2. A sago palm (say go)

3. MINE

4. $90 ......... The difference between the two words is XC (90 in Roman Numerals).

2011-12-22T01:51:00.000-08:00

BEFORE OR AFTER

Each words in the trios below can be either preceded or followed by the same word:

1. Drill..........Cracker..........Trap

2. Bed..........Shed..........Log

3. Wave..........Bread..........Stop

4. Door..........Book..........Sea

5. Lunch..........Agent..........Market

6. Tie..........Ice..........Friday

7. Noise..........Collar..........Flight

8. Cap..........Deep..........Pad

9. Wire..........Day..........Ego

10. Will..........Press..........Spirit

Answers:

1. Fire

2. Water

3. Short

4. Open

5. Free

6. Black

7. White

8. Knee

9. Trip

10. Free

2011-12-21T21:31:00.000-08:00

1. The four words below can be changed into new ones by the addition of the same two letters to each word.

LEA

LIEN

LOSE

OVER

2. What do the following words have in common?

MEET

DEMON

PARROT

MANGY

3. What do the following words have in common?

PET

SOL

SITE

BOLA

CHUTE

GRAPH

MOUNT

HINTS:

1. One letter goes in front of the word and the other at the end.

Answers:

1. The letters are C and T. (CLEAT/CLIENT/CLOSET/CLOVER)

2. One letter in each word can be changed to get the name of a fruit or vegetable.

BEET/LEMON/CARROT/MANGO

3. Each word can be preceded by PARA to yield a new word.

2011-12-21T17:07:00.000-08:00

LISTS IX

Can you name the eight main US Army military ranks from lowest to highest?

Answer:

1. Private

2. Corporal

3. Sergeant

4. Lieutenant

5. Captain

6. Major

7. Colonel

8. General

2011-12-21T16:30:00.000-08:00

I am a solitary word, five letters long,

Behead me and I mean the same;

Behead me again, and I still mean the same.

Answer:

ALONE/LONE/ONE

2011-12-21T16:26:00.000-08:00

How many single letters can you think of that can precede EAR to make words? There are at least twelve.

Answer:

BEAR

DEAR

FEAR

GEAR

HEAR

NEAR

PEAR

REAR

SEAR

TEAR

WEAR

YEAR

2011-12-20T17:39:00.000-08:00

1. You know about mouse and mice and ox and oxen, but what word becomes plural when a "C" is added to it?

2. Two words differ by a single letter. One is a large expanse of land, often beautiful. The other is a narrow street, often unsightly.

3. Two words differ by a single letter. One means attractive, the other means unattractive.

HINT:

1. The "C" is inserted into the word to make it plural, not added at the end.

Answers:

1. DIE / DICE

2. VALLEY / ALLEY

3. COMELY / HOMELY

2011-12-20T17:06:00.000-08:00

The fragments below will become complete words when the same letter is added twice to each word. The two letters are placed in the same position for each word.

ENAN

HIRS

OILE

AUGT

ARGE

HINT:

One letter is placed at the beginning of the word, and the other at the end.

Answers:

TENANT

THRIST

TOILET

TAUGHT

TARGET

2011-12-20T12:57:00.001-08:00

How many words can you think of that end in OUGH? There are a least eleven.

Answers:

ROUGH

TOUGH

COUGH

BOUGH

SLOUGH

DOUGH

TROUGH

THOUGH

ALTHOUGH

THROUGH

THOROUGH

THROUGH

2011-12-20T12:43:00.000-08:00

1. Can you think of a five-letter word that has a silent CH?

2. Can you think of a six-letter word that has a silent TH?

3. The word TIRE can be changed into four different words by preceding it with four different two-letter groups. Can you name the four words?

HINTS:

1. It's a type of boat.

2. It's a common health issue.

Answers:

1. YACHT

2. ASTHMA

3. RETIRE/ATTIRE/SATIRE/ENTIRE

2011-12-19T18:38:00.000-08:00

Each clue below can be answered by using a homophone of the name of an animal.

1. Run away

2. Hair-control foam

3. Very exposed

4. Tellin' flasehoods

5. Cry of lament

6. Dull person

7. Loved one

8. Parts of a chain

9. This could happen to your car.

Answers:

1. Flee (flea)

2. Mousse (moose)

3. Bare (bear)

4. Lyin' (lion)

5. Wail (whale)

6. Bore (boar)

7. Dear (deer)

8. Links (lynx)

9. Towed (toad)

2011-12-19T16:44:00.000-08:00

MIX IT UP

1. Adding the same letter to each of the following words and then re-arranging the letters will form new words. Can you determine the missing letter and the new words?

REAL

TORAH

COMPEL

CLAIM

NASTY

2. Which word comes next in the following list?

DRAMA

RABBIT

CYCLE

PADDLE

TENSE

AFFIX

???????? - HATCH/FLUTE/MEDIA/WIGGLE

3. Which name comes next in this list?

DON

REX

MIKE

FAWN

SOPHIE

LAURA

???????? - ABBY/JESS/TILLY/SAM

HINTS:

1. The added letter is X.

3. Look at the first two letters in each name.

Answers:

1. Adding an X and re-arranging the letters yields:

RELAX

THORAX

COMPLEX

CLIMAX

SYNTAX

2. WIGGLE .......... The first word has two A's, the second two B's, etc.

3. TILLY .............. The first two letters of each word make up the notes of the musical scale.

2011-12-19T12:24:00.001-08:00

PLAYING CAT AND MOUSE

1. All except one of the following animals have something in common. What feature connects them, and which one does not fit in with the others in the list.

DOG

APE

WOLF

GOAT

BADGER

MONKEY

SQUIRREL

2. What do the following words have in common?

STEP

KICK

TRACK

LIGHT

BOARD

3. What do the following words have in common?

COLD

BRIEF

COURT

BASKET

CLOSED

HINT:

1. Think of these words as verbs.

Answers:

1. GOAT does not belong. The other animal names can be used to describe human actions.

2. Each word can be preceded by SIDE.

3. Each word can be followed by CASE.

2011-12-18T21:33:00.000-08:00

LETTERS ONLY II (AND A FEW NUMBERS)

Each group of letters below can be sounded out to make a word or phrase.

Example: ICU = I See You

1. NME

2. NRG

3. XQQ

4. APN

5. AVN

6. TDS

7. K9

8. B9

9, 22

Answers:

1. Enemy

2. Energy

3. Excuse

4. Apian

5. Avian

6. Tedious

7. Canine

8. Benign

9. Tutu

2011-12-17T22:13:00.000-08:00

MIST

1. The title of this puzzle tells you what the words below have in COMMON. Can you determine what it is?

BEAM

GRIM

SLAM

MASK

COMMON

2. The following three words can each be preceded by three letters to make new words. The three preceding letters are different for each word and form "words" which are extremely common in a certain context.

WORK

POUND

HINT:

2. The context is the Internet.

Answers:

1. The letter M in each word can be replaced by T to make a new word. The connection to the title is MIST = M is T.

(BEAT/GRIT/SLAT/TASK/COTTON)

.ORGan

.NETwork

.COMpound

2011-12-17T21:55:00.000-08:00

NOT SO FAST

Credit: GAMES Magazine

(Not original title)

1. What do the following words have in common?

CUE

EWE

EYE

SEA

CAY

2. What do the following words have in common?

BEG

ALBUM

BULLET

3. What do the following words have in common?

COMB

TONIC

LOG

HINTS:

1. Think letters, not words

2. The same two letters can be added to each word.

3. STROPHE could be added to the list.

Answers:

1. The words are homophones for the letters Q U I C K.

2. Each word can be followed by the letters IN.

BEGIN

ALBUMIN

BULLETIN

3. Each word can be preceded by the letters CATA.

CATACOMB

CATATONIC

CATALOG

(CATASTROPHE)

2011-12-17T21:31:00.000-08:00

JUST ADD CONSONANTS

Credit: GAMES Magazine - Aug. 1996

Ruth Freedman (title added)

Three related words can be written by adding the appropriate consonants to these sets of vowels.

1. AAAA

2. EEEE

3. I I I I

HINT:

The words are proper nouns.

Answers:

1. ALABAMA

2. TENNESSEE

3. MISSISSIPPI

2011-12-17T21:16:00.000-08:00

RESTORATION

Credit: GAMES Magazine - Jun/July 1987

Robert Gray

What do the following words have in common?