DROP A LETTER - GET A NEW WORD CXXXV

Drop one letter from each word and re-arrange the remaining letter to get new words. #1-4 are related.

1. NAPLES 

2. CAMPUS

3. BEYOND 

4. TROPICAL

5. SHIELD

6. OYSTER

7. FORFEIT

8. SHUTTLE

9. REGIMENT 

10 RACCOON 

 

HINTS:

First letters of the new words:

1. A

2. S

3. E

4. A

5. S

6. S

7. E

8. S

9. M

10. C

 

Answers:

 

1. ASPEN

2. SUMAC

3. EBONY

4. APRICOT - - - Trees
5. SIDLE

6. STORY

7. EFFORT

8. SLEUTH

9. MEETING

10. CORONA  

 

Credit:

1-4: Bob Stigger

        GAMES/World of Puzzles

        December, 2025  

 

MISSING LINKS CCLXXVIII

Each group below shares a Missing Link - that is, its members have something in common, obvious or not. For example, RIVERS, NOSES, & VIOLINS can all have BRIDGES.

1. Stock..........Place..........Sides

2. Army..........Advice..........Fifth

3. Sink..........Traffic..........Claim

4. White..........Night..........Fools 

5. Seat..........Letter..........Bird 

6. Back..........Key..........Heat

7. Flag..........Soap..........Sand

8. Land..........Water..........Hall

9. Water..........Space..........Air 

10.  Open..........White..........Break

 

Answers: 

1. Words that can be preceded by TAKE

2. Types of columns

3. Things that can be backed up

4. Words that can be followed by CAP

5. Love

6. Stroke

7. Stone

8. Mark

9. Craft

10. Water 

PAIRS AND SNARES XLI

The words in each group can be confused. Can you give a simple definition of each one that shows the difference between them?

1. STRAIT - STRAIGHT

2. WOW - WOE - WHOA

3. VALANCE - VALENCE

4. ECLIPSE - ELLIPSE - ELLIPSIS

5. BREATH - BREATHE - BREADTH 

6. MANDRAKE - MANDRILL - MANGROVE 

Answers:

1. STRAIT - A narrow waterway, narrow or tight

    STRAIGHT - A line without curves, direct or honest

   (In the Biblical quote,"Strait is the gate" "strait" is the correct spelling, but because "straight" is similar in meaning, it is also acceptable.)  

 

2. WOW - an expression of surprise or wonder

    WOE - Sorrow, distress, misery

    WHOA - Slow down or stop - as a command given to a horse

 

3. VALANCE - Decorative drapery over a window

    VALENCE - In chemistry - the combining power of an element

 

4. ECLIPSE - A celestial event that occurs when a planet or moon blocks the sun's light. Solar eclipse - moon blocks sun / Lunar eclipse - the earth shadows the moon

    ELLIPSE - A geometric figure in the shape of an oval or stretched circle

    ELLIPSIS - The omission from speech or writing of words that can be obviously understood from the context, also to indicate a trailing thought, hesitation, or a pause for dramatic effect - indicated by three dots (. . .)

 

5. BREATH - Air inhaled into and exhaled from the lungs

    BREATHE - Inhale and exhale

    BREADTH - Width - how wide something is - its extent, scope, range

 

6. MANDRAKE - A Mediterranean plant used in medicine and magic

    MANDRILL - A large West African baboon 

    MANGROVE - A tropical tree or shrub of coastal swamps with tangled roots above ground that form dense thickets 

 

      

DOUBLE DUTY CCXCIX

Fill in the blanks with words that will complete the word, partial word, or phrase beginning on the left and begin the word, partial word, or phrase ending on the right. The number of blanks indicates the number of letters in the missing word. 

1. AD _ _ _ IC 

2. FIR _ _ EEL

3. DE _ _ _ TE

4. AM _ _ _ BE

5. CAD _ _ LAX

6. OFF _ _ _ LESS 

7. TOUR _ _ _ _ _ DOG 

8. THREAD _ _ _ _ FOOT

9. WORK _ _ _ _ _ VALUE 

10. HUMAN _ _ _ _ _ SCREEN

11. GROUND _ _ _ _ _ WALKER

 

HINTS:
First letters of the missing words:

1. O

2. S

3. B

4. B

5. R

6. E

7. G

8. B

9. P

10. T

11. F

 

Answers:

 

1. adOPTic

2. firSTeel

3. deBUTte

4. amPLEbe

5. cadRElax

6. offENDless

7. tour GUIDE dog

8. threadBAREfoot

9. workPLACE value

10. human TOUCH screen

11. ground FLOOR walker 

 

  

HOMOGRAPHS CIX

What single word satisfies both or all of the clues?

1. Body part

    The side of the road

 

2. Sleeveless cloak

    Layer of the earth between the crust and core

    Responsibility that has passed from one person to another  

 

3. Trousers

    Breathes heavily 

    

4. Swindle, defraud

    Soft, warm fabric similar to sheep's wool

 

5. Obvious, clear

    Document listing passengers on a ship 

 

6. Having little fat, as meat 

    Thin, but strong and healthy 

    Be in a sloping or inclined position 

 

7. Holy, proceeding from God

    Discover, foresee, figure out

8. A fraudulent scheme

    A loud, disruptive noise

    A piece of sports equipment 

 

Answers:

 

1. SHOULDER

2. MANTLE

3. PANTS

4. FLEECE

5. MANIFEST

6. LEAN

7. DIVINE  

8. RACKET 

Six related words can be added to the six words below to make new ones. Can you find them? 

JET

BET

TEN

DUCK 

ORIGIN 

STATISTIC

 

Answer:

 

A male name can be added to each word to make a it new one:

 

jetSAM

betRAY

tenDON

duckBILL

originAL

statisticIAN 

 

Credit:
Braingle 

The six words below conceal six related words with their letters in correct, but not consecutive order. Can you find them?

1. BURLESQUE

2. SOBRIQUET

3. SCHOOLBOY

4. FEUDALISM

5. FORGETTABLE

6. GROUNDWATER

 

Answers:

 

1. BurLEsqUe - BLEU

2. soBRIquEt - BRIE

3. sChOoLBoY - COLBY

4. fEuDAlisM - EDAM

5. ForgETtAble - FETA

6. GrOUnDwAter - GOUDA - - - Names of cheeses  

 

Credit:

Braingle