HOMOGRAPHS CXII (CONTRONYMS) 

Fill in the blanks with a word that satisfies both definitions. 

1. Moving rapidly ________ Not moving

2. Sprinkle fine particles ________ Sweep up fine particles

3. Decorate ________ Take away from (as wages)

4. Supervision, watchful care ________ Mistake or error due to negligence

5. To show or display ________ To hide or conceal 

6. Cut or reduce something ________ Decorate, as a Christmas tree

7. Withstand, endure ________ Erode, change over time

8. Split, cut apart ________ Adhere, cling closely

9. Approve, authorize ________ Condemn, penalize 

Answers:

1. FAST

2. DUST

3. GARNISH

4. OVERSIGHT

5. SCREEN

6. TRIM

7. WEATHER

8. CLEAVE

9. SANCTION  

UNUSUAL WORDS CXXX

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

1. ELOTE 

2. LOOFAH

3. CAPRICE

4. ALBUMEN

5. STIMMING 

6. PLETHORA 

7. SEMAPHOR

8. DECIDUOUS 

9. PROVENDER

10. ANTIMACASSAR

 

Answers:

 

1. ELOTE - (ay low' tay)  Mexican street food consisting of grilled corn-on-the-cob slathered with various toppings

 

2. LOOFAH - A natural, fibrous sponge used primarily to wash the skin in a shower

 

3. CAPRICE - A whim, fancy, or impulsive notion

 

4. ALBUMEN - Protein-rich egg white

 

5. STIMMING - Repetitive physical movements, sounds, words - used to regulate emotions, manage sensory input, or calm down - associated with autism

 

6. PLETHORA - An abundance or excessive amount of something*

 

7. SEMAPHOR - A visual signaling system using flags, arms, or lights

 

8. DECIDUOUS - Of trees or other plants that shed their leaves annually, usually in the autumn, and grow new ones in the spring - as opposed to evergreen

 

9. PROVENDER - Dry food or fodder for domestic animals (hay, oats, grain) - also, food and provisions in general for people

 

10. ANTIMACASSAR - A small, usually ornamental cloth cove (doily) placed over the back or arms of upholstered chairs and sofas to protect the fabric from wear, dirt, or greasy hair oils (Macassar was a popular brand of men's hair oil in the mid 19th century.)

 

*Note from JA: The word "plethora" is featured in a very funny scene in The Three Amigos.

AWESOME FACTS ABOUT EVERYTHING CLXXIX

A gram is about the weight of a standard-size paper clip.  28 grams = 1 ounce.

There are over 15,700 described species and sub-species of ants, with experts estimating there are thousands more undiscovered.

What we call housing projects in the United States are called council estates in England.

Spelled out, every odd number contains the letter E at least once.

No-see-ums are tiny biting gnats, usually 1-3 mm long, known for being nearly invisible to the naked eye. They are notorious for painful bites. The term originated around 1840 -1850 in North America either as a colloquialism for "You cannot see them" or as (allegedly) spoken by American Indians.

Rodeo is the official sport of Montana, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. Alaska - dog mushing, Delaware - bicycling, New York - baseball, North Dakota - curling, North Carolina - stock car racing, California - surfing

"There She Is, Miss America" is a song written by Bernie Wayne for the Miss America Pageant. It was first made famous in 1955 by master of ceremonies Bert Parks, who sang it every year for 25 years to serenade the newly-crowned Miss America.  

The current population of the world is about 8.3 billion people. Of these, 1 billion 470 million live in India and 1 billion 410 million in India. The population of India and China combined make up about 36% of the world's people. The United States' population, at 348 million, is about 4% of the world population.

The Hershey Company makes more that 70 million chocolate Hershey Kisses every day in its Pennsylvania factories to meet world-wide demand. That's 60,000 per minute - 25 billion per year. Estimates for M&Ms production by Mars, Inc. vary from 400 million to 1 billion per day.

Both Harry Truman and Richard Nixon were musical. Truman was classically trained and considered a career as a concert pianist. Nixon was self-taught and played piano by ear - as well as several other instruments.  

 

SYNONYM/ANAGRAM CCXXIV 

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

1. GOLF + MAIN = F

2. ROAM + SIGN = O

3. FOAL + MIND = M

4. LIMO + SHED = D 

5. CART + STUB = S 

6. HISS + PONY = H

7. REEL + TINY = E 

8. CARP + CITE = P

 

Meanings of the anagrams:

1. Bird

2. Living thing

3. Various, diverse / engine part

4. Raze

5. Arithmetic

6. Altered form of consciousness

7. Wholly

8. Rehearse

 

Answers:

 

1. FLAMINGO

2. ORGANISM

3. MANIFOLD

4. DEMOLISH  

5. SUBTRACT

6. HYPNOSIS

7. ENTIRELY

8. PRACTICE  

NY Times Crossword

May 5, 2026

Max Schlenker 

 

Q. Why is a ladyfinger something easy? 

A. Because it's a piece of  cake.

 

Can you think of a short phrase in the form of "It's _______ ." or "It's a _______." to explain why the clues below can be thought of as something easy?

 

1. SIMON SAYS

2. TRADE WIND 

3. EASY NATURE HIKE 

4. HEADLESS HORSEMAN

 

Answers:

 

1. It's child's play.

2. It's a breeze.

3. It's a walk in the park. 

4. It's a no-brainer.

  

POINTS TO PONDER CXXIX

Beginnings are usually scary and endings are usually sad, but it's the middle that counts. You have to remember this when you find yourself at the beginning. 

Sandra Bullock

 

******************************

 

It may be popular to point out that the sun is merely one star among a myriad of stars, and perhaps merely an average one, but it is nonetheless supremely important to everyone on earth.

Author Unknown 

 

QUOTES CCLXVIII

Money talks, but it mumbles.

R. Eric Thomas 

"Asking Eric" newspaper advice column

 

Those with fine teeth are quick to laugh.

Author Unknown 

 

It takes more courage to change your opinion than to stick to it.

Author Unknown

 

It's all right to complain sometimes, but complain to the right people.

Author Unknown 

 

Children who are one of many siblings will usually become good at fractions.

Author Unknown 

 

Revenge leads to retaliation. Resist it, and you will be beyond the reach of your enemies.

Author Unknown

 

It says a lot about your character whether you lament a lost chance to do good or to be bad.

Author Unknown

 

I am human and I make mistakes. Therefore my committment must be to truth and not to consistency.

Mahatma Gandhi 

 

If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.

Roald Dahl 

 

Life is like a landscape. You live in the midst of it but can describe it only from the vantage point of distance.

Charles Lindbergh