Wednesday, August 26, 2026

CLEVER ENDEAVOR VII

Find rhyming synonyms for the two words in each pair.

Ex. Get accustomed to something difficult - SAFE
Ans. INURE - SECURE  
 
1. PE class in school - Religious song
2. Very tired - Science-backed explanation
3. SPIRITUAL SAVIOR - OUTCAST 
4. Explosive device - Self-confidence, poise
5. Compliments - Vague discomfort, weakness 
6. Related to sound - HOMES is a famous one
7. FORCE - OPPOSITE
8. Exhibiting talent at an early age - Bad breath
9. MUSEUM SHOW - Hold back, prevent
10. Decorative light fixture - ROOSTER
 
Answers:
 
1. GYM - HYMN
2. WEARY - THEORY
3. MESSIAH -PARIAH
4. BOMB - APLOMB
5. PRAISE - MALAISE
6. SONIC - MNEMONIC
7. COERCE - REVERSE
8. PRECOCIOUS - HALITOSIS
9. EXHIBIT - INHIBIT
10. CHANDELIER - CHANTICLEER  

LOW SCORE WINS XVII 

Add the fewest possible letters to each group below - but at least one letter to each side - to form common words.

1. _____ ORB _____

2. _____ CIM _____

3. _____ IOL _____

4. _____ YON _____

5. _____ TCR _____

6. _____ ARL _____

7. _____ NGO _____

8. _____ USI _____

9. _____ JE _____ 

10. _____ GUA _____

HINT: 
It can be done by adding 26 letters. 
 
Answers:
 
1. FORBID
2. DECIMAL
3. VIOLA
4. BEYOND
5. OUTCRY
6. EARLY
7. INGOT
8. MUSIC 
9. EJECT
10. IGUANA  

FOODIE EXPRESSIONS V

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

1. Simple
2. Impossible, unrealistic
3. From beginning to end
4. Keep your options open 
5. Deserving of respect or pay 
6. Metaphor for "the best thing"
7. Metaphor for a vast quantity
8. How the Great Plains appear to be 
9. More important things to attend to 
10. Have little information about a subject  
11. Purchase a car that has a lot of problems 
 
Answers: 
 
1. Easy a pie
2. Pie in the sky
3. From soup to nuts
4. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
5. Worth your salt
6. Sliced bread
7. All the tea in China 
8. Flat as a pancake
9. Have bigger fish to fry 
10. Know beans about
11. Buy a lemon 

COMPLETE-A-WORD XXXIII

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles
December, 2025
 
Fill in the dashes with 4-letter answers to the clues to complete 7-letter words.
 
1. Hosiery hue          D _ _ O _ _ M
 
2. Eat well                _ W _ _ DL _  
 
3. Helpful hint         IN _ _ _ D _
 
4. Nifty                    U _ _ _ R _ H
 
5. Very serious        A _ M _ _ _ D
 
6. Apiary                 S _ R _ _ _ L
 
7. Hideout               G _ _ Z _ E _
 
8. Wait                     A _ R _ _ G _ 
 
Answers: 
 
1. ECRU - DECORUM
2. DINE - DWINDLE
3. CLUE - INCLUDE
4. NEAT - UNEARTH
5. DIRE - ADMIRED
6. HIVE - SHRIVEL
7. LAIR - GLAZIER
8. BIDE - ABRIDGE 

TWO OUT OF THREE XII

Anagram two of the three words in each clue to get a synonym for the third word. 

Ex.   PARE, OMEN, BRING
Ans. PARE + BRING = HARBINGER (omen)
 
1. YEW, TAR, WET
2. GRAY, YEN, NINE 
3. WAVE, MAN, SUIT 
4. AREA, BOLD, CUTE
5. SNOOP, VAPOR, SEED 
6. RUSE, COSMOS, VINE
 
HINTS:
One of the words to be anagrammed:
1. TAR
2. NINE
3. MAN
4. AREA
5. SEED
6. RUSE
 
Answers:
 
1. YEW + TAR = WATERY (wet)
2. GRAY + NINE = LONGING (yen)
3. MAN + SUIT = TSUNAMI (wave)
4. AREA + BOLD = ADORABLE (cute)
5. VAPOR + SEED = EAVESDROP (snoop)
6. RUSE + VINE = UNIVERSE ( cosmos)  

 
 

  

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

PRESTO - CHANGE-O XLV

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles
September, 2025
 
Each group below contains four unrelated words. Without re-arranging the letters, change one letter in each of the words in each group to form four related words.
 
Ex.   Hive, Ploy, Stout, Rumble
Ans. Hike, Plod, Strut, Ramble 
 
1. Toffee, Eider, Wafer, Mink 
2. Scrub, Slant, Bash, Free
3. Haunter, Scroll, Gamble, Money
4. Chamber, Clime, Shale, Fount
5. Flitter, Spackle, Glean, Shire
6. Skilled, Plotter, Ditcher, Settle
7. Alder, Viler, Samba, Ask
8. Ginger, Wrest, Hank, Balm 
 
Answers:
 
1. Coffee, Cider, Water, Milk
2. Shrub, Plant, Bush, Tree
3. Saunter, Stroll, Ramble, Mosey
4. Clamber, Climb, Scale, Mount
5. Glitter, Sparkle, Gleam, Shine
6. Skillet, Platter, Pitcher, Kettle
7. Adder, Viper, Mamba, Asp
8. Finger, Wrist, Hand, Palm  

 

 OUT OF IT

Answer each clue with an expression containing the words OUT OF.

Ex. No longer in danger, trouble, etc.
Ans. Out of the woods
 
1. Remote
2. Not dating, say 
3. Terrific, fantastic
4. Having no choice
5. Beyond reachable limits 
6. Rusty, as at a skill or activity
7. Not available at the bookstore 
8. Grouchy, not feeling like yourself
9. Someone or something easily forgotten 
10. Awkward, uncomfortable in a social setting
 
Answers:
 
1. Out of the way
2. Out of circulation
3. Out of this world / Out of sight
4. Out of options
5. Out of range
6. Out of practice
7. Out of print
8. Out of sorts
9. Out of sight - out of mind
10. Out of place