SIX RHYMING RIDDLES

1. A bit of precipitation comes your way,

    Add a D and it will run away.

 

2. Down my canal no ship sets course,

    I have a stirrup that fits no horse.

 

3. On a mountain, in a chair,

    On bill and coin, you'll see me there.

 

4. I have a heart that never beats,   

    I have a home but never sleep.

    I have a royal title, though I am not vain,

    But over many lesser ones do I reign. 

    And though I may be harshly dealt,

    Grief or pain is never felt.

 

5. Judging by my name,

    One might think that I am glue.

    But joining things together is not what I do.

    I am applied using a particular tool,

    But not one that you will find in carpentry school.

    Whether you use me is up to you,

    But your health will be better if you do.  

 

6. We make decisions that are lightning fast,

    We caused the odor of the field you just passed,

    Once our bag is open, not long do we last. 

 

Answers:

 

1. DRAIN

2. The human ear

3. Abraham Lincoln*

4. King of hearts playing card

5. Toothbrush

6. Computer chips, Cow chips, Potato chips

 

*Lincoln is on Mt. Rushmore, the Lincoln Memorial, and on the penny and 5$ bill.  

QUOTES CCLXIV

Eventually your possessions own you.

Author Unknown    

 

There are two kinds of light - the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.

Author Unknown

 

The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent toward them.  

Author Unknown 

 

The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.

Marianne Williamson

 

Television is the first truly democratic culture - the first culture available to everybody and entirely governed by what the people want. The most terrifying thing is what people do want.

Clive Barnes

 

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: if it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. 

Ronald Reagan

 

I don't know what kind of future life I believe in, but I believe that all we go through here must have some value.

Eleanor Roosevelt

 

Whenever a man's friends begin to compliment him about looking young, he may be sure that they think he is growing old.

Washington Irving

 

You must never regret what might have been. The past that did not happen is as hidden from us as the future we cannot see.

Author Unknown     

UNUSUAL WORDS CXXVII

Can you give a simple definition of these less-frequently-used words?

1. FINIAL

2. MOCHI 

3. CERISE

4. VELOUR 

5. FREESIA

6. DROGUE 

7. HECTARE 

8. GOSSAMER

9. OIKOLOGIST

10. LYCANTHROPY  

 

Answers: 

 

1. FINIAL - A decorative ornament, often at the top of a dome or corner of a building

 

2. MOCHI - A sweet rice used in Japanese cooking

 

3. CERISE - A dark pink color

 

4. VELOUR - A plush, woven fabric resembling velvet

 

5. FREESIA - A fagrant, colorful plant of the iris family

 

6. DROGUE -  A parachute used to decelerate an object that is moving rapidly 

 

7. HECTARE - A metric unit of square measure equal to about 2 1/2 acres / (an acre = about 90% of the area of a football field without the end zones) 

 

8. GOSSAMER - Cobwebs spun by spiders / Something ultra-fine and delicate

 

9. OIKOLOGIST - A housewife / Oikology is the science of housekeeping - especially concerned with cleanliness

 

10. LYCANTHROPY - Transformation of a person into a werewolf, as in folklore or a mental delusion                                                                                                                                                                                                

FLEXERS CXLI

Answer each clue by matching it with one of the choices below. Wordplay is fair play.

1. Joint tenant 

2. Dodger catcher 

3. He's out there

4. Free spirits 

5. Quite a lot 

6. African flower 

7. Mile equivalent 

8. Swedish domain

9. Moorish structure 

10. The F's in OFFENSE

CHOICES:

a. Pier

b. Miss

c. Audit

d. Inmate 

e. Gay bar

f. Nile

g. Partners in crime

h. IKEA

i. Exorcise

j. Estate

 

Answers:

 

1. d - Inmate

2. c - Audit

3. e - Gay bar

4. i - Exorcise

5. j - Estate

6. f - Nile

7. b - Miss

8. h - IKEA

9. a - Pier

10. g - Partners in crime  

 

Credits:

1-2: Mike Shenk

3: Joyce Keller

4: Josh Knapp

5: James McCarron and Rachel Souza

8: Chris Crossman

9: David Alfred Bywaters

10: Jeffrey Martinovic  

ADD A LETTER - GET A NEW WORD CCCV

Add the designated letter to each word and re-arrange the letters to get a new word.

1. REGION + F

2. EMOTE + R 

3. ROUTE + Q

4. OCEAN + T

5. PLAIN + E 

6. AISLE + N

7. FARCE + A

8. NICHE + L

9. BAKER + M 

10. LOCATE + Y 

 

HINTS:

First letters of the new words:

1. F

2. M

3. T

4. O

5. A

6. S

7. C

8. L 

9. E

10. A

 

Answers:

 

1. FOREIGN

2. METEOR

3. TORQUE

4. OCTANE

5. ALPINE

6. SALINE

7. CARAFE

8. LICHEN

9. EMBARK

10. ACOLYTE   

MISSING LINKS CCLXXVII

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. Set..........Face..........Cast 

2. Fly..........Dust..........Beach

3. Play..........Wait..........Check 

4. Rule..........Call..........Arrest 

5. Back..........Gum...........Rain

6. Red..........Block..........Chain 

7. Bank..........Bath..........Vessel

8. Top..........Office..........Cutter

9. Giant..........Baby..........Spanish 

10. Vote..........Spell..........Broken bone 

 

Answers: 

 

1. Type

2. Ball

3. List

4. House

5. Drop

6. Letter

7. Blood 

8. Box

9. Steps

10. Things that can be cast 

 

Credit:
10: Jared Cappel 

The words below can be changed into new ones by preceding them with three 3-letter "words" that have something in common. What are the "words", and what do they have in common?

_ _ _ an

_ _ _ work

_ _ _ pound

 

Answer:

 

organ

network

compound - - - endings of web sites   

 

Credit:

Braingle