DROP A LETTER - GET A NEW WORD CXXX

GAMES/World of Puzzles

December, 2025

FAMILY REUNIONS

Bob Stigger

 

Drop one letter from each word and re-arrange the remaining letters to get eight related words.

 

1. ALLOW

2. SHOVE

3. AMORAL

4. CHAPEL

5. MOTORS

6. EVENING

7. PEACHES

8. BOTANIST  

 

HINTS:
First letters of the new words:

1. W

2. H

3. A

4. P

5. S

6. E

7. E

8. S

 

Answers:

 

1. WALL

2. HOSE

3. ALARM

4. PLACE

5. STORM

6. ENGINE

7. ESCAPE

8. STATION - - - Words that can follow FIRE  

SPELLING BEE IV

NY Times Puzzle Mania

Sam Ezersky

 

        M 

A I T P L N 

 

Using the M in each answer, can you name ..........

 

1. A city in Florida

2. Another city in Florida

3. A world capital

4. Another world capital

5. A country

6. Another country

7. Yet another country

8. A widely-spoken language 

9. A word using all seven letters 

 

Answers:

 

1. Miami

2. Tampa

3. Lima

4. Manila

5. Mali

6. Malta

7. Panama

8. Tamil

9. IMPLANT  

 

GAMES/World of Puzzles

December, 2025

Scott Erdman

 

Can you identify these Latin phrases that are still a major part of our language?

 

1. Dies irae

2. Pro bono

3. In vino veritas

4. A priori

5. Vox populi

6. Veni, vidi, vici

7. Prima facie

8. Non compos mentis

9. Sine qua non

10. Semper fidelis

11. Modus operandi

12. Deus ex machina

13. Magna cum laude

 

Answers:

 

1. Days of rage

2. For good (without charge)

3. There is truth in wine (Drunks tell the truth.)

4. "From the beginning" - Taken at face value   

5. Voice of the people

6. Caesar's boast - "I came, I saw, I conquered."

7. At first glance, based on first impression

8. Not of sound mind

9. "Without which is nothing" - essential part 

10. Always faithful (motto of U.S. Marine Corps)

11. Method of operation (MO)

12. "God from a machine" - implausible resolution

13. With great praise   

 

 ANAGRAMS LIX

SWITCHEROO II

NY Times Puzzle Mania

Will Shortz

 

Switch two letters in each word below to make a new word. For example, given the word LATENT, you could switch the L and T to get TALENT.

 

1. PARTLY

2. BUSTLE

3. RESIDE

4. ENSURED

5. LATITUDE

6. MILESTONE

7. INTERS

8. MISLEAD

9. BOLSTER

10. CONDOR

11. IMPUTES

12. CONVERSATION

13. CROONER

14. FLOAT

15. PATIOS

16. MILDNESS

17. IMPURE

 

Answers:

 

1. PALTRY

2. SUBTLE

3. DESIRE

4. ENDURES

5. ALTITUDE

6. LIMESTONE

7. INSERT

8. MISDEAL

9. LOBSTER

10. CORDON

11. IMPETUS

12. CONSERVATION

13. CORONER

14. ALOFT

15. PATOIS

16. MINDLESS

17. UMPIRE  

MISSING LINKS CCLXXI

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

1. Tin..........Green..........Fog 

2. Mum..........Van..........Skirt 

3. Peas..........Atom..........Second 

4. Hair..........Safety..........Butterfly

5. Mosquito..........Gulf..........Ivory

6. Chess..........Beehive..........Prom

7. Baby...........Palm...........Midnight 

8. Major..........Victory..........Independence  

9. Measure..........Friday..........Housekeeping 

10. Mercury.......Chihuahua.......Hummingbird  

 

Answers: 

 

1. Horn

2. Mini

3. Things that can be split

4. Kinds of nets

5. Coast

6. Things that have queens

7. Kinds of oil

8. Things you can declare

9. Good

10. Things that are the smallest in their categories  

Wall Street Journal Crossword

February 12, 2026

Sam Cordes

 

What do the following phrases and compound word have in common? 

 

1. COURT DATE

2. DROP KICK

3. SMASH HIT

4. BANKROLL 

 

Answer:

 

The two words in each phrase and each half of the compound word are synonyms of each other. (i.e. Court and date both mean to go out with someone.) This is distinct from the meanings of the phrases and the compound word themselves.  

 

NY Times Crossword 

February 12, 2026

Kareem Ayas

 

HUGS AND KISSES

 

The answers to the across and down clues below do not make sense, but do follow a certain pattern. Can you determine the pattern and make sense of the answers? The puzzle title is a hint. 

 

Across:

1. Succeed - DWELL

2. Public messages of appreciation - SHUTOUTS

3. New England-style chowder - CLAMS UP

4. Long-legged wader - FLAMING

 

Down:

1. Behind in payment - LATEX

2. Forevermore - EXTERNALLY 

3. Word appearing 51 times in the New Testament - AXMEN 

4. Severely harm - MAXIM 

 

HINT: 

Once upon a time, letter writers used to use X for kiss and O for hug to sign off in a loving way.   

 

Answer:

The Across answers will make sense if you give each one a hug (add an O), and the Down answers will make sense if you steal a kiss (drop an X):  

 

Across:

1. Succeed - DO WELL

2. Public messages of appreciation - SHOUTOUTS

3. New England-style chowder - CLAM SOUP

4. Long-legged wader - FLAMINGO

 

Down:

1. Behind in payment - LATE

2. Forevermore - ETERNALLY

3. Word appearing 51 times in the Old Testament - AMEN

4. Severely harm - MAIM  

 

[Note from JA: IMO an elegant and very clever theme]