Thursday, August 13, 2026

Answer each clue with an expression in which every word starts with T.

Ex. Make a comeback
Ans. Turn the tide
 
1. Speak frankly 
2. Capsize, flip over 
3. Reverse a situation 
4. In direct opposition 
5. What you swear to do in court 
6. Speak confidently, but without action 
7. Reprimand, hold accountable for a fault 
8. She sells seashells by the seashore, for one 
 
Answers:
 
1. Talk turkey
2. Turn turtle
3. Turn the tables
4. Toe to toe
5. Tell the truth
6. Talk the talk
7. Take to task
8. Tongue twister  


  

PLUG-INS XV

Add one of the underlined letters to each six-letter word below (a different letter for each word) and anagram the result to form a new word. The added letters will be plugged into the same position in each seven-letter word. Word #4 is not CORONET, even though it could be.

R  O  M  A  N  C  E

1. B R E A C H       _  _  _  _  _  _  _

2. F E N C E R        _  _  _  _  _  _  _

3. R A G M A N     _  _  _  _  _  _  _

4. C O R N E T       _  _  _  _  _  _  _ 

5. F A L L E N       _  _  _  _  _  _  _ 

6. N E W E S T      _  _  _  _  _  _  _

7. B E C A M E     _  _  _  _  _  _  _

HINTS:

a. The added letters all go in the fourth position in each word. 
b. First letters of the new words:
   1. C
   2. E
   3. M
   4. C
   5. F
   6. S
   7. E
 
Answers:
 
1. CHAMBER
2. ENFORCE
3. MANAGER
4. CONCERT
5. FLANNEL
6. SWEETEN
7. EMBRACE  

Wednesday, August 12, 2026

ANIMAL PHRASES IV

Answer each clue with a compound word or two-word phrase in which one of the words is the name of an animal.

Ex. Complex, time-consuming distraction
Ans. RABBIT HOLE
 
1. Imitator
2. 40 winks 
3. Type of tournament 
4. Dangerous, hostile place 
5. Reliable source of income 
6. Extremely stubborn, inflexible 
7. Test or new experience subject 
8. High school or college diploma 
9. Teenage romantic crush, perhaps 
10. Unlikely, but successful candidate
11. One who is different from other in a family 
12. Frantic, disorganized activity on a very small scale 
13. Theoretical tunnel through space and time, shortcut 
14. Suddenly volatile situation marked by anger and controversy 

Answers:
 
1. Copy cat
2. Cat nap
3. Round robin
4. Lion's den
5. Cash cow or golden goose
6. Bull-headed 
7. Guinea pig 
8. Sheepskin
9. Puppy love
10. Dark horse
11. Black sheep
12. Flea circus 
13. Worm hole
14. Hornet's nest  

CRYPTO CLUES CCXXIX

GAMES/World of Puzzles
September, 2000
Hema Krishnamurthi
 
1. Gala featured in Seventeen
 
2. Transgress with naughty sailor
 
3. People who lend money manipulate directors
 
4. Cruel person rules a distant region 
 
5. Psycho startles young women in the movies
 
6. Most delicate stain Tide remedied
 
7. Tiny tree changes all the time
 
8. Abstract song is art for some musicians
 
9. Deleting note from secret faction
 
10. Former head of a monastery
 
HINTS:
1. Hidden word
2. Two definitions - two words
3. Anagram
4. Hidden word
5 - 8. Anagrams
9. Deletion
10. Homophone 
 
Answers:
 
1. EVENT (sEVENTeen)
2. SINBAD (transgress + naughty)
3. CREDITORS (directors)
4. SADIST (ruleS A DISTant)
5. STARLETS (startles)
6. DAINTIEST (stain tide)
7. ETERNITY (tiny tree)
8. ORGANISTS (song is art)
9. SECT (secret) [re = musical note]
10. PRIOR (capital P = head of monastery / small P = former) 
 
 

 

 

QUOTES CCLXXVIII

Be silent and pass for a philosopher.
Author Unknown
 
Success is the worst enemy of creativity.
Author Unknown 
 
Wisdom is the ability to laugh at yourself.
Author Unknown
 
The devil baits his hook with false promises.
Author Unknown  
 
What we cannot understand may nonetheless exist.
Author Unknown
 
A file cabinet is a place where papers get lost in alphabetical order.
Author Unknown 
 
Ancient Egyptians worshipped cats. Cats have never forgotten this. 
Author Unknown 
 
Your courtesy may not be returned or remembered, but your discourtesy will.
Author Unknown 

What do the following three-letter words have in common?

1. HAD
2. GEE
3. CUR
4. FOR
5. LAW
6. HER
7. WAR
8. IRA
9. BOA  
10. ALA
11. SPA
12. MEN
13. VIE
14. APE
15. BUS
 
Answer:
 
Each three-letter word becomes a new four-letter word when a successive letter of the alphabet is added at the end - starting with J - with the exception of  added letters V and Z.
 
1. HADJ  
2. GEEK
3. CURL
4. FORM
5. LAWN
6. HERO
7. WARP
8. IRAQ
9. BOAR
10. ALAS
11. SPAT
12. MENU
13. VIEW
14. APEX
15. BUSY 
 
NOTE: For a similar puzzle with words ending with letters A - I,  (parka, plumb, maniac, etc - see post of 3/17/26.
  
 
 

Tuesday, August 11, 2026

COMPOUND LINKS XXXV 

Fill in the blanks with a compound word or two-word phrase so that the first two words and the last two words make up other compound words or two-word phrases.

Ex. SHELF ________ RAIL
Ans. LIFEGUARD ( shelf life / guardrail) 
 
1. BOX ________ BAY
2. TIN ________ ROLL 
3. JET ________ SHOW
4. OLD ________ KNEE 
5. STICK ________ OUT 
6. TIME ________ BOOK 
7. INDIA ________ DONE 
8. TEXT ________ PHONE
9. SOLID ________ STORY 
10. HONEY ________ GOAT
 
Answers: 
 
1. boxCAR SICK bay 
2. tin EARDRUM roll
3. jet BLACK LIGHT show
4. old HAT TRICK knee
5. stick PINPOINT out
6. timeCLOCK FACEbook
7. india INKWELL done
8. textBOOK SMART phone
9. solid GOLDFISH story
10. honeyMOONSCAPEgoat