POINTS TO PONDER CXXXIV

Laughter is man's most distinctive emotional expression. Man shares the capacity for love and hate, anger and fear, loyalty and grief with other living creatures. But humor, which has an intellectual as well as an emotional element, belongs only to man.

Margaret Mead  

CRYPTO CLUES CCXXVII 

GAMES Magazine

October 1986 

Mike Shenk (1-4)

February, 2006

Fraser Simpson (5-8)

Mike Shenk (9-12)

 

1. Imagines flaky piecrust 

 

2. Strange credo for interior design 

 

3. Slough off demons 

 

4. Secret envoy takes in Mediterranean island 

 

5. Tricky logarithm procedure 

 

6. Singer at opera embraces Muse 

 

7. Leaves the country, distressed at regimes 

 

8. Oiler smashed bay window 

 

9. Telegram I got involving friend 

 

10. Somber expert to make a face 

 

11. Sailing on a gold boat 

 

12. In context, remember the most 

 

HINTS:

1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 11 - anagrams

4, 6, 9, 12 - hidden words

10 - two definitions/word + word 

 

Answers:

 

1. PICTURES (piecrust)

2. DECOR (credo)

3. GHOULS (slough)

4. CRETE (seCRET Envoy)

5. ALGORITH (logarithm)

6. ERATO (singER AT Opera)

7. EMIGRATES (at regimes)

8. ORIEL (oiler)

9. AMIGO (telegrAM I GOt)

10. GRIMACE ( grim + ace)

11. GONDOLA (on a gold)

12. EXTREME (contEXT REMEmber)  

SHUFFLE 'EM LXIV

Dell PennyPress

August, 2025

 

Two six-letter words with their letters in correct, but not consecutive order are combined in each row of letters below. To solve the puzzle, find both words. There are no extra letters, and each letter is used only once. The answer words are not related.

 

1. F O L I R Q U I B I D D

 

2. G R O U T A I L E N T Y

 

3. T O R E L R I E V E N D

 

4. C H E S H E R R A T H Y

 

5. S H T A R I M P E K E R

 

Answers:

 

1. FORBID - liquid

2. GRAINY - outlet

3. TORRID -  eleven

4. CHERRY - sheath

5. HAMPER - strike   

SYNONYM/ANAGRAM CCCXLII

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

1. NUT + TAR = T

2. ICE + LEND = D

3. SHY + TONE = H 

4. RAG + LAUD = G

5. TINE + TURN = N 

6. NEAR + VETO = R

7. MAIL + RADIO + A 

8. CANAL + HIDE = E 

9. NICE + MURAL = N 

10.  CHIN + AROMA = H

 

Meanings of the anagrams:

1. Student no-show

2. Refuse

3. Truthfulness

4. Bit by bit

5. Sustenance

6. Fix up

7. Animal with a shell

8. Mexican food staple

9. Of numbers

10. Musical instrument 

 

Answers:

 

1. TRUANT

2. DECLINE

3. HONESTY

4. GRADUAL

5. NUTRIENT

6. RENOVATE

7. ARMADILLO

8. ENCHILADA

9. NUMERICAL

10. HARMONICA  

LESS IS MORE XVI 

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

December, 2025

 

In his puzzle, the lowest score wins. Add at least one letter to each side of the letter groups to form the shortest possible common words. It can be done by adding 26 letters.

 

1. _____ NSW _____

2. _____ LUD _____

3. ______ DD _____

4. _____ GWI_____

5. ______ GL _____

6. _____ SCI   _____

7. _____ BMI _____

8. _____ LBU _____

9. ______ YB _____

10. _____ IFL _____ 

 

(Possible) Answers: 

 

1. ANSWER

2. ELUDE

3. EDDY

4. BIGWIG

5. OGLE

6. RESCIND

7. SUBMIT

8. ALBUM

9. MAYBE

10. RIFLE 

DO TAKE THIS LITERALLY X 

USA Crossword

July 21, 2026 

Ed Sessa

 

The answer to each clue is a two-word phrase.

 

1. How could the clue CITY HUB be answered with "B" ?

 

2. How could the clue BIT OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS be answered with "E" ?

 

Answers:

 

1. URBAN CENTER 

2. LOOSE END

 

Explanation:

1. The letter B is at the center of URBAN.

2. The letter E is at the end of LOOSE. 

 

FOODIE EXPRESSIONS I

Answer each clue with an expression containing a type of food or drink. 

1. Sedentary sort - especially before a TV

2. Something to - or not to - your liking

3. Facial hair before starting to shave 

4. Feeling foolish or embarrassed

5. Easy work for good money

6. Regard lightly

7. Clever one

8. Just alike

9. Summary

10. Favorite 

 

Answers:

 

1. Couch potato

2. Cup of tea

3. Peach fuzz

4. Have egg on your face

5. Gravy train

6. Take with a grain of salt

7. Smart cookie

8. Two peas in a pod

9. In a nutshell

10. Apple of one's eye