BEE FOUR OAR RAFTER I

Credit: GAMES Magazine - Feb. 2002

Stephen Sniderman

In this puzzle, sound trumps spelling. In each quartet of words below, try to think of a common word whose sound can precede or follow the sound of the listed words to form a multi-syllabic new word.

Example: PENT, PRIZE, REEL, TACKS

The answer word is SIR...........The sound of the word SIR can precede the sounds of PENT, PRIZE, REEL, and TACKS to yield SERPENT, SURPRISE, SURREAL, and SURTAX.

1. CENT, JURY, MITT, SPIRE

2. ARK, BLOCK, DECK, LEMON

3. DOG, FROG, HORN, WRING

4. FALL, MOAN, DECK, STOW

5. CAT, CELL, GOLD, SWORD

6. COW, CROSS, FOUR, PASS

7. COLLIE, MAY, SUN, WALL

8. ANT, BOOT, FIZZ, MIST

9. BAG, BOX, PAPER, WITCH

10. DROP, CUP, OUT, PIG

Answers:

1. PER/PURR (percent, perjury, permit, perspire)

2. ADE/AID (arcade, blockade, decade, lemonade)

3. BULL (bulldog, bullfrog, bullhorn, bullring)

4. BE/BEE (befall, bemoan, bedeck, bestow)

5. FISH (catfish, selfish, goldfish, swordfish)

6. WORD (coward, crossword, forward, password)

7. FLOWER (cauliflower, Mayflower, sunflower, wallflower)

8. EKE/EEK (antique, boutique, physique, mystique)

9. SAND (sandbag, sandbox, sandpaper, sandwich)

10. LET (droplet, couplet, outlet, piglet)