TRIPLES IX

In each compound word or two-word phrase, the same word can follow the first word and precede the second word to make two other compound words or two-word phrases. What are the connecting words?

Ex. LIVING WELL

Ans. END (living end / end well)

 

1. LAP DOG

2. BAD LIST 

3. POSTDATE 

4. CAR DOOR

5. LADY BUG

6. SIDE BAND 

7. HARD WAY 

8. JOB SHARE

9. FAMILY MAN 

10. COURT FIGURE 

11. DOUBLE DOWN 

12. COMMON MARKET

 

Answers:

 

1. TOP

2. CHECK

3. MAN

4. FIRE

5. LOVE

6. ARM

7. DRIVE

8. FAIR

9. MEDICINE

10. ACTION

11. PLAY

12. STOCK  

 

 

 

 

SYNONYM/ANAGRAM CCCXLVI 

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

1. IRE + ZEAL = R

2. MAD + OWE - M 

3. OAF + FLUB = B

4. SILK + ITCH = T

5. LIP + BOSSY = P

6. COT + MASH = S 

7. GLINT + TIGER = G 

8. WELT + BESIDE = W 

9. COAX + NATIVE = E

10. DEIGN + UNCLE = I 

 

Meanings of the anagrams:

1. Come to pass

2. Grassy area

3. Animal

4. Like a delicate situation

5. Perhaps

6. Body part

7. Sparkling

8. Animal

9. Hole

10. Concession 

 

Answers:

 

1. REALIZE

2. MEADOW

3. BUFFALO

4. TICKLISH

5. POSSIBLY

6. STOMACH

7. GLITTERING

8. WILDEBEEST

9. EXCAVATION

10. INDULGENCE  

CRYPTO CLUES CCXXXV

GAMES Magazine  

February, 1999 

Charles Adkins (1-2)

Marie Barrett (3-12)

 

1. Supervises abroad, so to say

 

2. African natives listen to current events

 

3. Leave in complex item

 

4. Take a detour, changing a good run

 

5. Vacuum messy mine steps

 

6. Victor loses lead closer to the middle

 

7. I can roam all over for noodles

 

8. Snitch loses lead to duck

 

9. Pile of riches converted voter

 

10. Resist crazy relative

 

11. Halt releases, so to speak

 

12. Peer surrounded by mischievous quintuplets

 

HINTS:

1. Homophone

2. Homophone

3. Hidden word 

4. Anagram

5. Anagram

6. Definition - Beheadment

7. Anagram

8. Definition - Beheadment

9. Anagram

10. Anagram

11. Homophone

12. Hidden word 

 

Answers:

 

1. OVERSEAS (oversees)  

2. GNUS (news) 

3. EXIT (complEX ITem)

4. GO AROUND (a good run)

5. EMPTINESS (messy steps)

6. INNER (victor = winner)  

7. MACARONI (i can roam) 

8. TEAL (snitch = steal) 

9. TROVE (voter)

10. SISTER (resist)

11. FREEZE ( frees)

12. SQUINT (peer) [mischievouS QUINTuplets]  

CRYPTO CLUES CCXXXIV 

GAMES Magazine

May, 1999

Mark L.Gottlieb (1-6)

June, 1990

Rosemary Scala (7-80

Todd Rew (9-10)

 

1. Start off happy, like a ballerina

 

2. Newfangled toaster spins in a circle

 

3. Kills winter vehicles, so to say

 

4. He quit yelling about property value

 

5. Huge dog ruined tea garden

 

6. Odd aspects of a Capri dove, a drake, and an anteater

 

7. Naysayer checked back

 

8. Sold one strange pasta

 

9. Raises tramps

 

10. More unfeeling cardinal or ordinal

 

HINTS:
1. Beheadment (drop first letter)

2. Anagram

3. Homophone

4. Hidden word

5. Anagram

6. Odd letters

7. Definition - Reversal 

8. Anagram

9. Homograph (two meanings)

10. Heteronym

 

Answers: 

 

1. LITHE (blithe) 

2. ROTATES (toaster)

3. SLEIGHS (slays)

4. EQUITY (hE QUIT Yelling)

5. GREAT DANE (tea garden)

6. AARDVARK (A cApRi DoVe A dRaKe)

7. DENIER (reined)

8. NOODLES (sold one)

9. HIKES  

10. NUMBER (silent B = unfeeling) 

Note from JA:

Dear Readers, 

I am going to make a change in the format of this blog. Until now, I have tried not to put the same types of puzzles too close to each other. In particular, I have tried to space out CRYPTO CLUES puzzles. But I still have hundreds of them in GAMES, GAMES/World of Puzzles Magazines that I would like to post - while I still can. So, from now on, I am going to post consecutive cryptics - as many as five in a row. Cryptic crosswords, from which I draw the clues, are the gold standard for word play in the crossword world. I hope you will enjoy more of these clever puzzles, or at least not find the repetition too tedious. Thank you. 

CRYPTO CLUES CCXXXIII

GAMES Magazine

June, 1999 

Rosemary Scala (1-5)

GAMES/World of Puzzles

March, 2015

Bob Stigger (6-10) 

 

1. Make holes in puzzle

 

2. Trade rabbit's feet back

 

3. Tough question for model

 

4. Period before certain removal

 

5. Trail menacingly, after first, conversation 

 

6. Flashy retro formal gown 

 

7. Blue under plumage

 

8. Seabird spotted in afternoon

 

9. Endless respect for Miss Lauder

 

10. Clue for oddly neglected zodiac sign  

 

HINTS:
1. Homograph

2. Reversal

3. Homograph

4. Two definitions

5. Beheadment

6. Reversal - hidden word

7. Three meanings

8. Hidden word

9. Curtailment

10. "oddly neglected"  refers to "Clue for"   

 

Answers:

 

1. RIDDLE

2. SWAP (paws)

3. POSER

4. ERASURE (era + sure)

5. TALK (stalk) 

6. GLAM (forMAL Gown)

7. DOWN

8. TERN (afTERNoon)

9. ESTEE (esteem) [Estee Lauder]

10. LEO (neglect the odd letters) [cLuE fOr]      

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