SYNONYM/ANAGRAM CCCXVI

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

1. TIN + SIGH = I

2. THIS + SLY = S

3. MOM + TIC = C

4. PAL + OWL = W

5. TARP + HEN = P 

6. RAFT + COY = F 

7. DATE + LOSE = D 

8. CAVE + TOAD = A

9. LIFT + BRUISE = F

10. BEAT + LEGION = N 

 

Meanings of the anagrams:

1. Perception

2. Trendy

3. Carry out, pledge

4. Strike hard

5. Animal

6. Type of plant

7. Barren, bleak

8. Supporter

9. Congressional tactic

10. On the table 

 

Answers:

 

1. INSIGHT

2. STYLISH

3. COMMIT

4. WALLOP

5. PANTHER

6. FACTORY

7. DESOLATE

8. ADVOCATE

9. FILIBUSTER

10. NEGOTIABLE

  

 

DROP A LETTER - GET A NEW WORD CXXV

Drop one letter from each word and re-arrange the remaining letters to get new words. The new words are not related.

1. CUSHION

2. LOCALE

3. REWIND 

4. OBLIGE

5. STRING

6. RETINA 

7. CATNIP 

8. ORCHID 

9. LAWYER

10. ENFORCE

 

HINTS:

Letters to be dropped:

1. H

2. E

3. N

4. I

5. N

6. N

7. C or T

8. D

9. W

10. E

 

Answers:

 

1. COUSIN

2. CELLO

3. WEIRD

4. GLOBE

5. GRIST

6. IRATE

7. PAINT or PANIC

8. CHOIR

9. EARLY

10. CONFER  

  

NY Times Crossword

November 24, 2025

Zhou Zhang 

 

The three phrases below have something in common that is hinted at by the fourth clue. Can you determine what it is?

 

1. SITTING PRETTY

2. LUCKY CHARMS

3. SILLY STRING

4. Fowl play 

 

HINT:

It has to do with the first words of the clue phrases.

 

Answer to Clue 4:

DUCK DUCK GOOSE

 

Answers to Clues 1-3:

SITTING and LUCKY can be followed by DUCK, and SILLY can be followed by GOOSE.

 

  

INCLEMENT WEATHER 

Credit: MENTAL FLOSS

Certain words in English are used in only one specific context. For example, did you ever use the word INCLEMENT in any other way other than to describe weather?

Can you think of any others? In the hints below, the word or words following the specific word are listed.  

1. Circumstances 

2. Opposed

3. Ill or well

4. Sealed

5. Victory

6. Down the hatches

7. United States

 

Answers:

 

1. EXTENUATING

2. DIAMETRICALLY

3. BODE

4. HERMETICALLY

5. PYRRHIC

6. BATTEN

7. CONTIGUOUS  

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle 

November 23, 2025

Will Shortz

 

Each sentence below contains two phonetic homophones that are opposites. The homophones are found in the words, but are discrete syllables. Can you find them?

 

Example: People in Albany enunciate well. 

                The phonetic homophones are the Al in Albany and the nun in enunciate, leading to the homophones of oppposites ALL and NONE.

 

1. The model wore a timepiece on her ankle.

 

2. Who will underwrite the cost of the sarong?

 

3. This is a rare Bolivian diamond.

 

4. The customer got a souvenir from the pharmacy. 

 

5. Let's celebrate by throwing a party.

 

6. The custodian must must re-ignite the furnace daily.  

 

7. Can buffalo experience hypertension?

 

Answers:

 

1. WAR and PEACE (wore - timepiece)

2. RIGHT and WRONG (underwrite - sarong)

3. LIVE and DIE (Bolivian - diamond) 

4. NEAR and FAR (souvenier - pharmacy) 

5. SELL and BUY (celebrate - by) 

6. NIGHT and DAY (re-ignite -daily) 

7. LOW and HIGH (buffalo - hypertension) 

 

 

                

Wall Street Journal Crossword

November 22, 2025

Gary Larson and Amy Ensz

 

The words below have something in common that is hinted at by the last clue. Can you determine what it is?

 

1. CARES

2. HOME

3. MOVE

4. PATENT 

5. PHONES 

6. CORNER

7. SHOWER

8. Spelling rule with many exceptions

 

Answer:

 

The spelling rule is, I BEFORE E (except after C). Each clue word can be changed to a new one by adding an I before an E:

 

1. CARIES (dental cavities)  

2. HOMIE

3. MOVIE

4. PATIENT

5. PHONIES

6. CORNIER

7. SHOWIER   

PLUG-INS IX 

Dell  PennyPress Variety Puzzles

January, 2025

 

Form 7-lettet words by re-arranging the letters in each 6-letter word and plugging in one of the underlined letters below. Each letter will be plugged into the same position in each 7-letter answer, and underlined letter will be used only once. (Hint: #1 can be either of two words, but only one will work to complete the puzzle.) 

 

V A R S I T Y 

 

1. S A T I N G 

2. B U T L E R

3. C A R T O P

4. P I R A T E

5. A V O C E T

6. F L U T E D

7. H E R E I N

 

HINTS:

a. The underlined letters go in the fourth position.

b. First letters of the new words:
1. S

2. B

3. A

4. P

5. O

6. D

7. N

 

Answers:

 

1. STAYING

2. BLUSTER

3. APRICOT

4. PRIVATE

5. OVERACT

6. DEFAULT

7. NEITHER