BETWIXT AND BETWEEN XII

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

August, 2025

 

For each pair of words below, find a common word that comes between them alphabetically in the dictionary. No word is merely a different form of one of the given words. The length of the word in between is indicated by the number of dashes.

 

Ex. ATTEST

       _ _ _ _ _

       ATTIRE

 

The in-between word would be ATTIC.

 

1. LENIENT

    _ _ _ _ _ _

    LEOPARD

 

2. GAZEBO

     _ _ _ _

     GECKO

 

3. DRY

    _ _ _ _

    DUCK

 

4. SKEDADDLE

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    SKEW

 

5. PRY

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    PUB

 

6. BOTTLE

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    BOUNCE

 

7. ACUTE

    _ _ _ _ _

    ADAPT

 

8. GUZZLE

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    GYRATE 

 

Answers:

 

1. LENTIL

2. GEAR

3. DUAL  

4. SKELETON

5. PSYCHIC

6. BOULEVARD

7. ADAGE

8. GYMNAST  

LETTER SUCCESSION

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

August, 2025

 

Form common words by placing two, three, or four letters in alphabetical succession on the blanks.

 

Ex. _ AC _ A _

Ans. JACKAL - J, K, and L are letters in alphabetical succession.  

 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 

 

1. _ _ A _ UE

2. _ I _ N _ W

3. _ R _ E

4. _ A _ _ T

5. S _ _ LE

6. _ E _ _ F _ L

7. CA _ _ _ Y

8. _ _ A _

9. _ OT _ _ C

10. _ U _ I _ _ US  

  

Answers: 

 

1. OPAQUE

2. MINNOW

3. TRUE

4. CADET

5. SABLE

6. RESTFUL

7. CANOPY

8. DEAF

9. GOTHIC

10. LUMINOUS  

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle

May 17, 2026

Will Shortz 

 

Given two things in the same category, name the only other thing in that category that would fit between the first two things alphabetically. For example, given BLUE and INDIGO, the answer would be GREEN - the only color of the rainbow that fits alphabetically between blue and indigo. 

 

1. Sunday - Tuesday

2. Africa - Asia

3. Blitzen - Cupid

4. Dopey - Happy 

5. Adverb - Interjection

6. Ballroom - Conservatory

7. Labor Day - Memorial Day

8. Triangle - Trumpet

9. Belarus - Belize

10. Luke - Matthew 

 

Answers:

 

1. Thursday

2. Antarctica

3. Comet

4. Grumpy

5. Conjunction

6. Billiard room

7. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

8. Trombone

9. Belgium

10. Mark  

 

 

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle

Mach 1, 2026 

Will Shortz (1-7)

 

Given the two items in each clue, think of a third item in the same category that would fit between them alphabetically. For example, given BLUE and INDIGO, the answer would be GREEN - a color of the rainbow that is alphabetically in between BLUE and INDIGO.

 

1. AUGUST - FEBRUARY

2. BASHFUL - DOPEY

3. FIVE - NINE

4. TAU - UPSILON

5. NIXON - PIERCE

6. CUSPID - MOLAR 

7. VINTNER AVE. - VIRGINIA AVE.

8. DO - LA 

9. COMET - DANCER 

10. DEUTERONOMY - GENESIS 

 

Answers:

 

1. DECEMBER

2. DOC

3. FOUR

4. THETA

5. OBAMA

6. INCISOR

7. VERMONT AVE.

8. FA

9. CUPID

10. EXODUS  

 

BETWIXT AND BETWEEN XI

 

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

Volume 70

 

For each pair of words below, find a common word that falls between them alphabetically in the dictionary. No word is merely a different form of one of the given words. The length of the word in between is indicated by the number of dashes.   

 

For example: TAINT

                       _ _ _ _

                       TALC

 

The in-between word would be TAKE.

 

1. CRIBBAGE

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    CRIED

 

2. EXILE

    _ _ _ _ _

    EXIT

 

3. BRIDE

    _ _ _ _ _ _

    BRIDLE

 

4. DANCE

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

    DANDER

 

5. GLARE

    _ _ _ _ _

    GLAZE

 

6. LIVID

    _ _ _ _ _ _

    LIZARD

 

7. ATTEST

    _ _ _ _ _

    ATTIRE

 

Answers:

 

1. CRICKET

2. EXIST

3. BRIDGE

4. DANDELION

5. GLASS

6. LIVING

7. ATTIC   

 BETWIXT AND BETWEEN X

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

Volume 70

 

For each pair of words below, find a common word that falls between them alphabetically in the dictionary. No word is merely a different form of one of the given words. The length of the in-between word is indicated by the number of dashes. 

 

For example: PITY

                       _ _ _ _ _

                       PIXIE

 

The in-between word would be PIVOT. 

 

1. SECURE

    _ _ _ _ _

    SEDENTARY

 

2. TAINT

    _ _ _ _

    TALC

 

3. FORKED

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

    FORM

 

4. LEASE

    _ _ _ _ _

    LEAST

 

5. MINK

    _ _ _ _ _ _

    MINOR

 

6. CANDY

    _ _ _ _

   CANINE 

 

7. YEARLY

     _ _ _ _ _

    YEAST

 

Answers:

 

1. SEDAN

2. TAKE

3. FORLORN

4. LEASH

5. MINNOW

6. CANE

7. YEARN  

BETWIXT AND BETWEEN IX

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

August, 2025

 

For each pair of words below, find a common word that falls between them alphabetically in the dictionary. No word is merely a different form of one of the given words. The length of the in-between word is indicated by the number of dashes.

 

 

For example:  DECOY

                       _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

                       DECREE

 

The in-between word would be DECREASE.

 

1.  LENTIL

     _ _ _ _ _ _ _

     LEOTARD

 

2. GAZE

    _ _ _ _

    GECKO

 

3. DRY

    _ _ _ _

    DUCK

 

4. SIZE

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    SKEW

 

5. PRY

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    PUB

 

6. BOX

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    BRACE

 

7. ACUTE

    _ _ _ _ _

    ADAPT

 

8. GUZZLE

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    GYRATE

 

9. HOVEL

    _ _ _ _ _

    HOWEVER

 

10. QUAD

      _ _ _ _ _ _

      QUAINT

 

Answers:

 

1. LEOPARD

2. GEAR

3. DUAL

4. SKELETON

5. PSYCHIC

6. BOYFRIEND

7. ADAGE

8. GYMNAST

9. HOVER

10. QUAHOG  

 

 

LETTER SUCCESSION

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

August, 2025

 

Complete the words below by placing two, three, or four letters on the dashes. The letters must be in alphabetical order AND they must be in groups of letters in succession in the alphabet.

 

For example,

_ A C _ A _  would be JACKAL - using the letters J, K, and L which are in alphabetical order and in alphabetical succession.

 

1. _ _ A _ K

 

2. _ R _ E

 

3. _ _ A  _ UE

 

4. _ I _ N _ W

 

5. _ A _ _ T

 

6. S _ _ LE

 

7. _ E _ _ F _ L

 

8. CA _ _ _ Y

 

9. _ _ A _

 

10. _ OT _ _ C

 

11. CA _ U _ _ Y

 

12. _ U _ I _ _ US 

 

Answers:

 

1. ABACK

2. TRUE

3. OPAQUE

4. MINNOW

5. CADET

6. SABLE

7. RESTFUL

8. CANOPY

9. DEAF

10. GOTHIC

11. CALUMNY

12. LUMINOUS  

Use the hints below to think of phrases in the form of _______ BEFORE _______ in which the first word comes alphabetically before the next word of the phrase? 

Ex. Peaceful moment before chaos - Calm before the storm

1. Quip while holding a door open

2. Brand-new, like film footage

3. Instruction on liquid medicine or salad dressing

4. Doing things in the wrong order 

5. Consider the consequences before you act

6.  Things of value offered to those who ignore or scoff at them 

Answers:

1. Age before beauty  

2. Never before seen

3. Shake before using

4. Cart before the horse

5. Look before you leap

6. Pearls before swine  

 

Credit:
Idea and 1-3: Matt Jones 

Place three consecutive letters of the alphabet on the dashes to complete six-letter words. 

Example: _ _ A _ US - ABACUS

1.  _ _ _ ACE

2. _ _ F I _ Y

3. _ E _ T _ R

4. _ A _ _ RN

Answer:

1. DEFACE

2. EFFIGY

3. MENTOR

4. SATURN   

ABACUS

Complete the words below by filling in three consecutive letters of the alphabet. For example, _ _ a _ us would b ABaCus.

1. _ O _ _ ER

2. _ IN _ _ W

3. SA _ _ O _

4. _ AN _ L _

5. _ _ A _ EN

Answer:

1. ROSTER

2. MINNOW

3. SALMON

4. CANDLE

5. DEAFEN  

How many words, abbreviations, or initialisms can you think of that have thee letters in consecutive alphabetical order - in alphabetical sequence. That is, first find a word that has the consecutive letters ABC, then find a word that has consecutive letters BCD, then CDE, and so on. There may be more than one answer to some of the combinations, and there are likely no answers to most of the others. Thirteen solutions are listed below. Can you find any others?

(Possible) Answers:

1. ABC - CRABCAKE

2. BCD -

3. CDE -    

4. DEF - DEFT

5. EFG -

6. FGH - 

7. GHI - LAUGHING

8. HIJ - HIJACK

9. IJK -

10. JKL -

11. KLM - Initialism for Royal Dutch Airlines

12. LMN - CALMNESS

13. MNO - HYMNODY (composing or singing hymns)

14. NOP - CANOPY

15. OPQ - 

15. PQR -

16. QRS - 

17. RST - FIRST

18. STU - STUDENT

18. TUV - TUVALU (island nation in South Pacific)

19. UVW - Initialism for Unloaded Vehicle Weight

20. VWX

21. WXY- 

22. XYZ - (Informal: Examine Your Zipper)

 

BETWIXT AND BETWEEN VIII

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

July, 2022

 

For each pair of words below, find a common word that falls between them alphabetically in the dictionary. No word is merely a different form of one of the given words. The length of the in-between word is indicated by the number of dashes. 

For example: PARADE

                      _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

                      PARADISE

 

The in-between word would be PARADIGM.

 

1. SCENIC

    _ _ _ _ _

    SCEPTER

 

2. STRUCTURE

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _

   STRUGGLE

 

3. TIPTOP

    _ _ _ _ _ _

    TISSUE

 

4. SPLOTCH

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    SPLUTTER

 

5. DECOY

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

   DECREE

 

6. DISCUSS

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    DISEASE 

Answers:

 

1. SCENT

2. STRUDEL

3. TIRADE

4. SPLURGE

5. DECREASE

6. DISDAIN

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle 

March 23, 2025

Will Shortz (Ex. and 1-7)

 

Each item below is a member of a certain group or category. Further, it is the second item in that group or category in alphabetical order. Can you give the first item in alphabetical order and the name of the group or category?

 

For example, given FIVE as a clue, the answer would be EIGHT. FIVE is the second of the ten digits in alphabetical order, and EIGHT is the first.

 

1. August

2. Sight

3. British Columbia

4. Columbia

5. Anthony and Cleopatra

6. Huron

7. Brooklyn

8. Monday

9. Green

10. Doc

11. Alaska

12. Annapolis

13. Lincoln

14. French hens

15. Gluttony

16. Deuteronomy

17. Antarctica

18. Atlantic 

Answers:

 

1. April - 12 Months of the year

2. Hearing - 5 senses

3. Alberta - 10 Canadian provinces

4. Brown - 8 Ivy League schools 

5. All's Well That Ends Well - Shakespeare plays

6. Erie - 5 Great Lakes 

7. Bronx - 5 Boroughs of New York City

8. Friday - 7 Days of the week

9. Blue - 7 Colors of the rainbow

10. Bashful - 7 Dwarfs

11. Alabama - 50 U.S. states

12. Albany - 50 U.S. capitals 

13. Jefferson - 4 Presidents on Mt. Rushmore

14. Calling (colly) birds - 12 Days of Christmas

15. Envy (using Wrath rather than Anger)

16. Exodus - First 5 books of the Old Testament

17. Africa - 7 continents

18. Arctic - 4 oceans (not including the Antarctic (Southern) Ocean

 

 

BETWIXT AND BETWEEN VII 

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

July, 2022

 

For each pair of words below, find an everyday word that would fall between them alphabetically in the dictionary. No word is merely a different form of one of the given words. The length of the in-between word is indicated by the number of dashes. For example, given 

JUNGLE

_ _ _ _ _ _

JUNIPER

 

the in-between word would be JUNIOR.

 

1. THRIFT

    _ _ _ _ _ _

    THRIVE

 

2. DEPORTMENT

    _ _ _ _ _ _

   DEPOSIT 

3. MUUMUU

    _ _ _ _ _ _

   MY 

4. FLAIL

    _ _ _ _ _

    FLAKE

 

5. DRY

    _ _ _ _

    DUB

 

6. PARADE

    _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

    PARADISE 

Answers:

 

1. THRILL

2. DEPOSE

3. MUZZLE

4. FLAIR

5. DUAL

6. PARADIGM

Complete the words below by filling in the blanks with three consecutive letters of the alphabet.

Ex: _ _ _ ACK - HIJACK

1. F _ _ RI _

2. THI _ _ _

3. _ _ _ INE

4. A _ _ _ TE

5. A _ U _ _ AE

6. DO _ I _ _ 

7. _ RA _ I _

8. _ OU _ _ T

9. _ _ A _ UE

Answers:

1. FABRIC

2. THIRST

3. DEFINE

4. ASTUTE

5. ALUMNAE

6. DOMINO

7. ARABIC

8. FOUGHT

9. OPAQUE

HIJINKS

GAMES Magazine

January, 1987

Joan Leary

 

HIJINKS is an unusual word in that it can be formed by adding three consecutive letters of the alphabet (H I J) at  the beginning of the word INKS. For each of the words below, a new word can be formed by inserting three consecutive letters of the alphabet somewhere in the interior of the word (never at the beginning or end). As a solving hint, one of those letters - not necessarily the first one - is given below the words. [Also - See bonus question below the answers.]

1. SING

2. CAY

3. PARE

4. REINED

5 THIS (answer word is plural)

HINTS:

One of the consecutive letters to be added:

1. H

2. P

3. T

4. D

5. S

Answers:

 

1. SING - SIGHING 

2. CAY - CANOPY 

3. PARE - PASTURE

4. REINED - REDEFINED

5. THIS - THIRSTS 

 

BONUS QUESTION:

 

HIJINKS is an extremely unusual word in another sense. Do you know what that is?

 

Answer:

 

Written in lower case letters, hijinks is one of the very few words in English with three consecutive dotted letters.

GAMES Magazine

December, 2001

Ogden Porter

What alphabetical curiosity do the following names share?

MEL OTT

ED WYNN

JACK SOO

MIKE TYSON

AIDA TURTURRO

 

Answer:

 

The first names only use letters from the first half of the alphabet, and the last names use only letters from the second half of the alphabet. 

NEIGHBORS  II

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 answers to the clues 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  

 

QUESTIONABLE (4)

FROSTY RETREAT (5)

KIND OF ROCK (7)

 

the dictionary words would be

 

IFFY

IGLOO

IGNEOUS 

1. NERVOUS (4)

    FIT TO CONSUME (6)

    DECREE (5)

2. GUILLOTINE (6)

    SAW (as a wonder) (6)

    BLUE WHALE (8)

3. SODIUM BICARBONATE (6,4)

    GREEK DESERT (7)

    GRATUITY (9)

4. SKEWERED SNACK (5)

    BLAST SOUND [in comics] (2,4)

   TRADITIONAL JAPANESE DRAMA (6)

5. GUACAMOLE SOURCE (7)

    LONG-TIME HOBBY (9) 

    GRACEFUL SHOREBIRD (6)

6. HE'S NO FUN (and may be old) (5,5)

    CHOCOLATE TREAT (5)

    COAL, OIL, OR GAS (4)

Answers:

 

1. EDGY

    EDIBLE

    EDICT

 

2. BEHEAD

    BEHELD

    BEHEMOTH

 

3. BAKING SODA

    BAKLAVA

    BAKSHEESH 

 

4. KABOB

    KA-BOOM

    KABUKI

 

5. AVOCADO

    AVOCATTION

    AVOCET

 

6. FUDDY-DUDDY

    FUDGE

    FUEL

   

 

 

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle

June 2, 2024

Will Shortz (1-10)

 

Each clue below is the second item - in alphabetical order - of a familiar group. What is the first item in the group - alphabetically? For example, if the clue were FIVE, the answer would be EIGHT. In the spelled-out names of the digits zero through nine, FIVE is the second digit in alphabetical order, EIGHT is the first. It's up to you to determine the nature of the group - shown in ( ).

 

1. Monday

2. Jupiter

3. Alaska

4. Columbus Day

5. Adverb

6. Diamonds

7. Aries

8. Center fielder

9. Antarctica

10. Doc 

11. Comet

12. Luke

13. Exodus

14. Green

15. Gluttony

16. O

Answers:

 

1. Friday (days of the week)

2. Earth (planets in the solar system)

3. Alabama (U.S. states)

4. Christmas (U.S. Federal holidays)

5. Adjective (parts of speech)

6. Clubs (suits of playing cards)

7. Aquarius (signs of the Zodiac)

8. Catcher (players on a baseball team)

9. Africa (continents)

10. Bashful (Seven Dwarfs) 

11. Blitzen (Santa's reindeer)

12. John (Writers of the Gospels)

13. Deuteronomy (Books of the Torah)

14. Blue (colors of the rainbow)

15. Envy (deadly sins) 

16. Can (O say can you see)