WHO'S THE MAN?  I

GAMES/World of Puzzles

October, 2021

Edward Mooney

 

Can you fill in the names of the twenty people and characters below whose middle name is THE? The names are listed in alphabetical order. 

 

Alexander the Great

________ the Giant 

________ the Hun

________ the Kid 

________ the Clown

________ the Vampire Slayer

________ the Great

________ he Entertainer

________ the Big Red Dog 

________ the Barbarian

________ the Menace

________ the Explorer

________ the Confessor

________ the Cow

________ the Red

________ the Cat

________ the Talking Mule

________ the Cat

________ the Snowman

________ the Horrible 

 

Answers:

 

Alexander the Great

Andre the Giant

Attila the Hun

Billy the Kid 

Bozo the Clown 

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Catherine the Great

Cedric the Entertainer

Clifford the Big Red Dog

Conan the Barbarian

Dennis the Menace

Dora the Explorer

Edward the Confessor

Elsie the Cow

Eric the Red

Felix the Cat

Francis the Talking Mule

Fritz the Cat

Frosty the Snowman

Hagar the Horrible 

  

 

DROP A LETTER - GET A NEW WORD CXXXVI

GAMES/World of Puzzles

February, 2026

FAMILY REUNIONS

Bob Stigger

 

Drop one letter from each word and re-arrange the remaining letters to form nine relates words.

 

1. BLURB

2. BRIEF

3. MAPLE

4. CARPET

5. COHORT

6. LOAFER

7. ICELAND

8. INTERNAL

9. HIGHTAILED

 

HINTS:

First letters of the new words:

1. B

2. F

3. L

4. T

5. T

6. F

7. C

8. L

9. H

 

Answers:

 

1. BULB

2. FIRE

3. LAMP

4. TAPER

5. TORCH

6. FLARE

7. CANDLE

8. LANTERN

9. HEADLIGHT - - - Sources of light   

CRYPTO CLUES CCXIX

GAMES/World of Puzzles

October, 2021

Bob Stigger (1)

Rosalie Moscovitch (2-10) 

 

1. They mark positions of profanity-yellers in the audience

 

2. Opening in tree trunk is incomplete, I hear 

 

3. Head librarian has to improvise

 

4. Box found in maid's parlor3

 

5. Grown old, short French artist  heads west

 

6. Celeb tells all about .....

 

7. Boston guest carrying muscular organ

 

8. Venetian chorale enthralls TV news announcer

 

9. Rocky loves what you do to a mystery

 

10. Auditor's fine-looking carriage 

 

Answers: 

 

1. CURSORS (cursers)

2. KNOTHOLE (not whole)  

3. AD LIB (heAD LIBrarian)

4. SPAR (box)  [maidS PARlor]

5. AGED (west = left) [DEGAS] 

6. STAR (rats = tells all) [about = reversal]

7. TONGUE (bosTON GUEst)

8. ANCHOR (venetiAN CHORale)

9. SOLVE (anagram of loves)

10. HANSOM (handsome) 

UNUSUAL WORDS CXXVIII

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

1. COVEN

2. MAUVE

3. MITOSIS 

4. SYZYGY

5. PLACKET

6. SPELUNK

7. FURLONG 

8. DETRITUS 

9. FOOLSCAP

10. IMPUISSANT  

 

Answers: 

 

1. COVEN - A group of witches

 

2. MAUVE - A pale purple color

 

3. MITOSIS - Normal cell division

 

4. SYZYGY - The straight-line configuration of three celestial bodies, such as the sun, moon, and earth in an eclipse

 

5. PLACKET - A fold or slit in a garment that allows it to be put on easily or provides a place for buttons or snaps

 

6. SPELUNK - To explore caves

 

7. FURLONG - An eighth of a mile, 220 yards / term used in horse racing

 

8. DETRITUS - Trash, junk, waste, debris

 

9. FOOLSCAP - A size of paper slightly larger than the standard 8 1/2  x 11 - used for legal pads

 

10. IMPUISSANT - Lacking physical strength or vigor, powerless 

 

  

SYNONYM/ANAGRAM CCXXX

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

1. VIA + SOUR = V

2. TAD + FINE = D 

3. FIR + FACT = T

4. CAP + LIES = S

5. TIP + RAVE = P

6. SIP + MULE = I 

7. BIT + RAVE = V

8. FAIR + GIFT = G 

9. ROD + ARCH = O

10. ION + CLAMP = C

11. LINE + CERISE = R 

12. STIR + NATION = T 

 

Meanings of the anagrams:

1. Mixed, different

2. Boldly resistant 

3. Movement of vehicles

4. Better, greater, different from the usual

5. Personal

6. Sudden urge

7. Quiver, shake

8. Defacement of public property 

9. Land planted with fruit trees 

10. Protest, grumble

11. Ability to "bounce back"

12. Change from one state to another

 

Answers:

 

1. VARIOUS

2. DEFIANT

3. TRAFFIC

4. SPECIAL

5. PRIVATE

6. IMPULSE

7. VIBRATE

8. GRAFFITI

9. ORCHARD

10. COMPLAIN

11. RESILIENCE

12. TRANSITION  

The three animals in List I have something in common that is shared by one of the animals in  List II. Which animal from the second list belongs in the first list - and why?

List I 

Firefly

Dragonfly

Komodo Dragon

 

List II 

Fly

Ladybird 

Puffer fish

Chameleon 

 

Answer: 

 

Ladybird should go in the first list. Fireflies and dragonflies are not true flies (insects), and a Komodo Dragon is a lizard (reptile). A ladybird is not a bird - it's a beetle (ladybug).

 

Credit:
Braingle 

 

Fireball Crossword

April 9, 2026

Peter A. Collins  

 

What do the following names and phrases have in common?

 

1. SKI AREA 

2. SAUDI ARABIA

3. OUT OF ORDER

4. MARATHON DANCE 

 

HINT:
Hidden words

 

Answer:

 

Each name and phrase conceals the name of a make of car:

 

1. sKI Area

2. sAUDI arabia

3. out oF ORDer

4. maratHON DAnce