IDIOMS XXII

MIXED IDIOMS 

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

August, 2025

 

Fill in the blank with a single word that completes an idiomatic expression beginning on the left and and begins an idiomatic expression ending on the right.

 

1. Under the ________ the storm  

 

2. See it ________ thick and` thin 

 

3. In full ________ for the fences

 

4. On the home ________ the truth

 

Answers: 

 

1. WEATHER

2. THROUGH

3. SWING

4. STRETCH  

SYNONYM/ANAGRAM CCCL 

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

1. TIDE + TINY = I  

2. FIND + RELY = F

3. GRAY + TEST = S

4. ALSO + TUBE = A

5. AXLE + RENT = E

6. CUSP + HARE = P

7. COAT + VAIN = V

8. FAIR + VETO = F 

9. CITE + CELLAR = E

10. STEER + RIPEN = E 

11. COUNT + TRIBE = C 

 

Meanings of the anagrams:

1. It's who you are.

2. Congenial

3. Plan of action

4. Complete

5. Outside

6. Buy

7. Time off

8. Like teacher's pet

9. Kind of grid

10. Undertaking

11. Give, as to a cause

 

Answers:

 

1. IDENTITY

2. FRIENDLY

3. STRATEGY

4. ABSOLUTE

5. EXTERNAL

6. PURCHASE

7. VACATION

8. FAVORITE

9. ELECTRICAL

10. ENTERPRISE

11. CONTRIBUTE  

INGREDIENTS II

GAMES Magazine

February, 2008

Stephen Sniderman 

 

Some words contain letters that can be used to spell a related word. For example, INGREDIENTS contains the letters INSIDE, although not in that order. In this puzzle, you are given the the letters of each shorter word in the order in which they appear in the longer word. Your job is to find both words.

 

One way to start is by arranging the "inside" letters to form a word. (Sometimes they're already in the correct order.) The first letter of each inside word is capitalized. Then you can try to find a longer word that fits the blanks and relates to the short word. Alternatively, you can try to fill in the blanks to form the longer word, then see if you can arrange the inside letters to form a related shorter word.

 

Ex. a _ P i _ _ n

Ans. PAIN - ASPIRIN or ASPIRIN - PAIN (pain reliever)  

 

1. _ r I   _ a n _ _

 

2. _ _ _ T i n  _ _

 

3. m _ _ _ _ A r y

 

4. S t _ _ _ _ a l l  

 

5. _ rov _ D e _ _ _ 

 

6. _ _ a P e _ r _ _ _ 

 

7. _ e d _ S t r i _ _ 

 

Answers: (Shorter word first)

 

1. IRAN - SRI LANKA (countries)

2. TIN - PLATINUM (elements)

3. ARMY - MILITARY

4. STALL - STONEWALL (synonyms)

5. DOVER - PROVIDENCE (capital cities)  

6. PEAR - GRAPEFRUIT

7. STRIDE - PEDESTRIAN  

 

TRADE OFF XV

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

August, 2025

 

The answers to the clues in each line are words that differ by a single letter - which is given.

 

Ex. Lovers' rendezvous _ _ Y _ _    _ _ U _ _ Firm belief

Ans.                                TRYST      TRUST 

 

1. Border F _ _ _ _ _    C _ _ _ _ _  Cower

2. Observe _ _ T _ _ _    _ _ V _ _ _  Beginner 

3. Cash box _ _ _ _ _ R    _ _ _ _ _ E  Java 

4. Bounce a baby _ _ N _ _ _   _ _ W _ _ _  Lollygag

5. Do over _ _ P _ _ _   _ _ H _ _ _  Microwave, perhaps 

6. Close-fitting hat _ _ _ C _ _    _ _ _ T _ _  Dress 

7. Non-coastal _ N _ _ _ _    _ S _ _ _ _  Atoll 

8. Impede  _ _ _ P _ _    _ _ _ M _ _  Gavel

9. Possibility _ _ _ _ C _   _ _ _ _ G _   Alter 

 

Answers:

 

1. FRINGE - CRINGE 

2. NOTICE - NOVICE

3. COFFER - COFFEE

4. DANDLE - DAWDLE

5. REPEAT - REHEAT

6. CLOCHE - CLOTHE

7. INLAND - ISLAND

8. HAMPER - HAMMER

9. CHANCE - CHANGE  

 

CRYPTO CLUES CCLX

GAMES Magazine

November, 1985

Emily Cox and Henry Rathvon

 

1. Gentle arc changes shape

 

2. Neptune's fork has odd red tint

 

3. Treason upset legislator

 

4. Sketches ties  

 

5. Crossing both ankles, sit unrewarded

 

6. Remarkable situation in a full restaurant?

 

7. They tape woodwinds

 

8. Arm came loose in knotted strings

 

9. Virginia visitor is least lucid

 

HINTS: 

1-3. Anagrams

4. Homograph

5. Hidden word

6. Word + word = new word

7. Homograph

8. Anagram

9. Abbreviation + definition

 

Answers:

 

1. RECTANGLE (gentle arc)

2. TRIDENT (red tint)

3. SENATOR (treason)  

4. DRAWS

5. THANKLESS (boTH ANKLES Sit)

6. NOTABLE (no table)

7. RECORDERS

8. MACRAME (arm came)

9. VAGUEST ( VA + GUEST)  

POINTS TO PONDER CXL

There is no humor in heaven.

Mark Twain  

 

(JA) This seems like an odd quote from Mark Twain, an author celebrated for his humor. The full quote is more revealing:

 

Everything human is pathetic. The secret source of humor itself is not joy but sorrow. There is no humor in heaven.

Mark Twain

 

(JA) Twain suggests that humor is born out of human weakness, pain, irony, and the absurdities of mortal life. Humor comes from coping with suffering, disappointment, and tragedy.  

 

  

CATEGORICALLY SPEAKING

 

GAMES/World of Puzzles

September, 2026 

Bob Stigger 

 

Each puzzle below is a list of  words belonging to a certain category. One letter in each word is incorrect and must be corrected. The corrected letters, reading down, spell out the name of the category. 

 

Ex. 

VERSE                 VERNE

COPPER               COOPER

IRKING                IRVING

AUSTIN               AUSTEN

CHANCY             CLANCY

AMPS                   AMIS

MALINGER         SALINGER

BONZE                 BRONTE  - - - NOVELIST

 

1. STARLET

    BLAND

    HAZED

    ALIVE

    MAVEN

 

2. MATTER

    BILK

    TINKER

    BUNCH

    HUNT

    TUG 

    GROVE

    STEAK 

 

3. SCAN

    YUK

    VEAL

    CRANK

    STOCK

    BOOTY

    ELDER

    JAIL

    LUCK 

 

4. HOOPER

    RIVERS

    DALE

    MULCH

    MONEY

    CHASM

    MISO 

 

Answers:

 

1. sCarlet

    blOnd

    hazeL

    Olive

    Raven - - - COLOR

 

2. Batter

    bAlk

    Sinker

    bEnch

    Bunt

    tAg

    gLove

    steaL - - - BASEBALL  

 

3. sWan

    Auk

    Teal

     cranE

     stoRk 

     booBy

     eIder

     Rail

     Duck - - - WATERBIRD  

 

4. hoPper

riverA

dalI

muNch

moneT

chasE

miRo - - - PAINTER