SCRAMBLED STATES

Each nonsense phrase below can be anagrammed into the name of a U.S. state.

1. ANT MAN 

2. EEL AWARD 

3. HAM ICING 

4. SNAKE BAR 

5. RHINO SADDLE 

 

HINTS:
First letters of the states' names:

1. M

2. D

3. M

4. N

5. R

 

Answers:

 

1. MONTANA

2. DELAWARE

3. MICHIGAN

4. NEBRASKA

5. RHODE ISLAND

 

Credit:
Braingle  

  

The following words can be changed to new ones according to a certain pattern. What is the pattern and what are the new words?

Park

Plum

Mania

Bear

Cod

Of

Son

Bus

Tax  

 

Answer: 

 

Each word can be changed to a new one by adding the successive letters of the alphabet at the end of the word:

 

Parka

Plumb

Maniac

Beard

Code

Off

Song

Bush

Taxi 

 

Credit:
Braingle 

SYNONYM/ANAGRAM CCXXVI 

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. ERA + CAN = A

2. CITE + SCAT = E 

3. FORT + REIN = F 

4. STIR + NEAR = R 

5. INCH + ROLE = C

6. MOST + DICE = D

7. LAND + RACE = C

8. MOAT + NINE = N

9. ROVE + LATE  = E

10. SAUTE + TRILL = I 

10. BREAD + ELITE = D

11. SHEAR + TEMPO = A

 

Meanings of the anagrams:

1.  Mysterious

2. Very happy

3. Unexplored territory

4. Control, prevent

5. Element

6. Related to the home

7. It shows days and dates

8. Propose a person as a candidate

9. Stairs alternative

10. Draw, explain 

11. On purpose

12. Ambience 

 

Answers:

 

1. ARCANE

2. ECSTATIC

3. FRONTIER

4. RESTRAIN

5. CHLORINE

6. DOMESTIC

7. CALENDAR

8. NOMINATE

9. ELEVATOR

10. ILLUSTRATE

11. DELIBERATE

12. ATMOSPHERE  

 

1. Three words meaning Pretend, Condescend, and the Period under a king or queen differ by a sing letter. What are the words?

2. Three words meanings: Sew, Swap, and Inform on someone - differ by a single letter. What are the words?

3. Three words meaning Direct, Costume, and Duplicity - differ by a single letter. What are the words?

4. Three words meaning A cry,  A chicken, and A hood differ by a single letter. What are the words? 

5. Three words meaning Apartment, Achievement, and Edict - differ by a single letter. What are the words? 

6. Two words differ by a single letter. One you sit on and one you sing in. What are the words? 

Answers:

1. FEIGN, DEIGN, REIGN

2. STITCH, SWITCH, SNITCH  

3. GUIDE, GUISE, GUILE 

4. HOWL, FOWL, COWL 

5. FLAT, FEAT, FIAT 

6. CHAIR and CHOIR 

The following pairs of words have something in common. Can you determine what it is?

1. Gulliver & Clearness

2. Tragicomedy & Pentagon

3. Chinchilla & Magdalene

4. Terrestrial & Ecoterrorist  

5. Thundershower & Intellectual 

HINT: 

Hidden words

 

Answers:

 

Each pair of words conceals two smaller words that make up a familiar phrase:

 

1. gulLIVEr & cLEARNess

2. tragiCOMEdy & pentaGOn

3. chincHILLa & magDALEne

4. terresTRIAL & ecotERRORist

5. thunderSHOWer & inTELLectual 

 

Credit:

Braingle 

  

DEC Words

Use the prefix DEC, meaning TEN, to answer the clues below. The answers are common words, but are unrelated to the clues. They make sense through wordplay.  For example: Ten pen strokes = DECLINES (ten lines)

1. Ten poems

2. Ten statutes

3. Ten speeches 

4. Ten days in March

5. Ten industrious insects

6. Ten dying coals in a fire pit

 

Answers:

 

1. DECODES

2. DECLAWS

3. DECORATIONS

4. DECIDES

5. DECANTS

6. DECEMBERS  

 

Credit:

Braingle 

MISSING TRIOS CX

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

December, 2025 (1)

Volume 142 (2-4)

November, 2025 (5-7)  

 

1. _ R _ BLE _

    I _ _ _ RT

     ST _ _ _

      _ _ E _

       _ _ _ 

 

2. V _ _ RAN _

      SU _ M _ _

       _ U _ L _

        _ A _ _

          _ _ _ 

 

3. _ EAR _ A _

     BO _ I _ _

      _ _ NC _

       A _ _ _

         _ _ _  

 

4. T _ ER _ _ L

     _ NT _ E _

      C _ _ S _

       _ _ S _

        _ _ _ 

 

5. H _  _ I _ AT

     _ UR _ _ N

      _ _ _ HE

        _ _ E _

         _ _ _ 

 

6. _ RI _ I _ L

_ _ _ ERN

_ I _ _ L

_ _ S _

_ _ _

 

7. _ EST _ _ Y

   OR _ A _ _

    W _ _ E _

      B _ _ _

        _ _ _   

 

Answers:

 

1. The letters are MOP:

         PROBLEM

          IMPORT

           STORM

            POEM

             MOP  

 

2. The letters are BIT:

         VIBRANT

          SUBMIT

           BUILT

            BAIT

             BIT 

 

3. The letters are SHY:

         HEARSAY

          BOYISH

           SYNCH

            ASHY 

             SHY   

 

4. The letters are HAM:

         THERMAL

          ANTHEM

           CHASM

            MASH

             HAM 

 

5. The letters are BAT: 

         HABITAT

         TURBAN

           BATHE

            ABET

              BAT 

 

6. The letters are VAT:

         TRIVIAL 

          TAVERN

            VITAL

             VAST

              VAT 

 

7. The letters are DIN:

         DESTINY

         ORDAIN

          WIDEN

            BIND

             DIN