NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle
January 31, 2015
Will Shortz

Each word below can be changed into another by doing the same thing in the same place - but with different letters - to each word. Can you determine how the change is made and find the new words?

ACCENT
EVINCE
CANDLE
CELLAR
SANITY
DOCENT
BANTER
METRIC

HINT:
The change involves two letters.

Answers:  

Two letters can be inserted into the exact center of each word to form a new word:

ACCIDENT
EVIDENCE
CANOODLE
CELLULAR
SANCTITY
DOCUMENT
BANISTER
METEORIC

MISALIGNED
Credit: LA Times Crosword
January 31, 2105
Mark Bickham

What do the following phrases have in common?

THE OFFICE
SHOW OF FORCE
REPEAT OFFENDERS
PEACE OFFERING
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS
SHIP OF FOOLS

HINT:
The title is a clue.

Answer:

Each phrase is "misaligned" - or OFF center - the word OFF is found in the center of each of the clues. 

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle
January 24, 2015
Fred Piscop (Presented by Will Shortz)

What do the following three phrases have in common?

TURKEY BREAST
SKI SLOPE
CASH DRAWER

Answer:

The second word of each phrase can be anagrammed into another word which will make sense following the first word:

TURKEY BASTER
SKI POLES
CASH REWARD 

MESSAGE TO BUYERS
Credit: NY Times Crossword
January 31, 2015
Yaakov Bendavid

The answers to the clues below should sound familiar. Can you tell why?

1. Audition caution for a movie with a cast of thousands
2. Note on a watered-down assault indictment
3. Offer on free pillow fill
4. Desert supermarket
5. A certain amount of getting together is essential.

Answers:

1. Contains small parts
2. Battery not included
3. No money down
4. Store in a dry place
5. Some assembly required

All the answer phrases are common advertising or packaging copy.

SOLITAIRE JOTTO
Credit: GAMES Magazine
Dec/Jan, 1990
Will Shortz

The seven clues below will help you identify the five-letter secret word that will solve this puzzle. The number after each clue word indicates how many of its letters, if any, are in the secret word - although it does not identify which letter(s) or the position(s) of the letter(s) in the secret word. A zero after the clue word means none of its letters appear in the secret word.

Note from JA: This puzzle is harder than it looks - at least it was for me.

Secret word: _   _  _   _   _

QUAKE -   2
THEIR -     1
ASKEW -   2
FINAL -     0
OPIUM -    3
WOMAN - 2
TWERP -   1

Answer:

The secret word is MOUSE.

WORD PYRAMID VI
Credit: GAMES Magazine
Dec/Jan 1990

In this word pyramid, each answer word will contain all the letters of the answer above it plus one. To solve, add a new letter at each level and anagram the letters to correspond to one of the clues found - in random order - beneath the pyramid.
            _    
          _ _
        _ _ _
      _ _ _ _
     _ _ _ _ _
   _ _ _ _ _ _
  _ _ _ _ _ _ _
 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Hard rock used in buildings
Partner of "feather" and "nicotine"
Talk in a loud, excited way
Certain geometric figures
Back part of the eye
Common article
Most incensed
"Hand" preceder, perhaps
The Orient Express, for one

Answers:

          A
         AT
       TAR
      RANT
     TRAIN
    RETINA
  GRANITE
 ANGRIEST
TRIANGLES 






  

BUILDING BLOCKS I
Credit: GAMES Magazine
Dec/Jan 1990
Will Shortz

Three letters in each line of the puzzle below are already in place. To complete the words, insert the letter "blocks" below the puzzle into the remaining blanks - without re-arranging any letters - to complete eight nine-letter words. For example, the first line in the puzzle would be completed by adding the blocks NAU and ZER to form SCHNAUZER.

SCH _ _ _ _ _ _
SUP _ _ _ _ _ _
JAY _ _ _ _ _ _
POL _ _ _ _ _ _
RIV _ _ _ _ _ _
TRE _ _ _ _ _ _
EXT _ _ _ _ _ _
CRO _ _ _ _ _ _

ACH   ERB   NAU   SSW
APH   ERN   OAT    WAL
ATE   ERY    OVA    YGR
AYS   KER   RIC      ZER

Answers:

SCHNAUZER
SUPERNOVA
JAYWALKER
POLYGRAPH
RIVERBOAT
TREACHERY
EXTRICATE
CROSSWAYS

Counting Y and W as vowels, there are six U.S. states whose names are spelled with a single vowel. Can you name them?

Answers:

ALABAMA
ALASKA
ARKANSAS
KANSAS
MISSISSIPPI
TENNESSEE

PICTURE FRAMES I
Credit: GAMES Magazine
September, 1984
Toni Green

The ten words below share an unusual property which could be illustrated - and was in the original puzzle. Can you discover the pattern that these words have in common?

1. TAXABLE
2. PIRATE
3. HEARSAY
4. TRAVESTY
5. BLOCKED
6. CLAMBAKE
7. NARROWEST
8. VINTAGE
9. PATIENTS
10. COLOGNE

HINT:
The pattern involves _____ in _____.

Answer:

Each word "frames"a smaller word within it, and can be expressed as _____ in _____ - more or less:

1. AX in TABLE
2. RAT in PIE
3. EARS in HAY
4. VEST in TRAY
5. LOCK in BED
6. LAMB in CAKE
7. ARROW in NEST
8. TAG in VINE
9. TIE in PANTS
10. LOG in CONE

BODY ENGLISH
Credit: GAMES Magazine
September, 1984
Lou Cortina
Each pair of clues below is synonymous with a compound word, the first component of which names a part of the body.  For example, the clues

LABORER - LABOR would define HANDWORK, and
OBSERVE - OBSERVE would define EYEWITNESS.

1. CHIEF - CHIEF
2. POINT OUT - POINT
3. SNOOP - SWOOP
4. DIGIT - GRASP
5. RELAY PART - LABOR
6. READY A WEAPON - READY A WEAPON

Answers:

1. HEADFIRST
2. FINGERTIP
3. NOSEDIVE
4. TOEHOLD
5. LEGWORK
6. ARMLOAD

 

RHYMING RIDDLE
Credit: GAMES Magazine
June, 1984
Tom Jolly

Brass that never plays a tune,
Ten of every kind of show;
Hat worn for the sake of form,
Secrets we are not to know.

Answer:

TOP

STATE THE STATE
Credit: GAMES Magazine
June, 1984
Alex Dunne

According to a certain rule, can you identify the home state for each of these cities?

ALIQUIPPA
ARCOLA
HARBOR
BOONE
OVID

Answers:

Each city ends in the two-letter postal abbreviation of its state:

ALIQUIPPA, PA
ARCOLA, LA
HARBOR, OR
BOONE, NE
OVID, ID

Very few words in English contain three consecutive letters of alphabet, with the exception of one of these combinations which has at least 19 words - not including the different forms of those words.  Listed below are seven of eight such combinations, with the number of known answers in parentheses. Can you come up with the words of these eight, and  identify the missing combination with its 19 examples?

DEF (1)
FGH (1)
GHI (1)
HIJ (1)
LMN (1)
NOP (1)
RST (2)

Answers:

DEF - DEFT
FGH - AFGHAN
GHI - LAUGHING
HIJ - HIJACK
LMN - CALMNESS
NOP - INOPERATIVE
RST - FIRST - THIRST

Missing combination: STU:

ASTUTE
STUB
STUBBORN
STUD
STUDENT
STUDIO
STUDY 
STUFF
STULTIFY
STUMBLE
STUMP
STUN
STUNT
STUPID
STUPENDOUS
STUPOR
STURDY
STURGEON
STUTTER
 

GEOGRAPHY GONE BAD
Credit: GAMES Magazine
April, 1984

The statements made in the three sentences below are true. Can you interpret each statement so that it becomes false?

1. Rome is the capital of Italy.
2. The highest point in Asia is Mount Everest.
3. Poles may be found in Poland.

Answers:

1. I is the capital of Italy.
2. The highest point in Asia is the capital A.
3. Poles may be found at the extreme north and south of the planet.

One of the birds in the list below does not belong with the others. Which one and why?

CONDOR
RAVEN
FLAMINGO
EAGLE
HERON

Answer:

EAGLE is the only bird whose name does not form a valid word when the last letter is dropped. 

Credit: GAMES Magazine
April, 1984

STUMPERS CL

In what portion of the Iberian Peninsula is the mean annual precipitation the greatest?

Answer:

The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain. 

What is unusual about the following statements and their answers?

1. The starter pistol could only fire a __________.
2. He tried to remember, but drew a ___________.
3. At birth, everyone's life is a __________ slate.
4. She was so surprised, all she could muster was a __________ stare.

Answer:

Each blank should be filled in with the word BLANK. 

The answers to the clues below will have something in common.

1. Love in Forest Hills
2. WWII Japanese plane
3. Focus
4. Attack time
5. Absolute prohibition

Answers:

1. Zero
2. Zero
3. Zero in
4. Zero hour
5. Zero tolerance 

Credit:
GAMES Magazine
April, 1984
Laurel Gealt
NOTHING MAGIC ABOUT IT

RATIOS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
March, 1984
Scott Marley

Most analogies are based on relationships between words and what they mean. For example, in the analogy

ROOSTER:HEN::RAM :EWE,
the relationship is between the male and female of two kinds of animals.

In the following analogies the relationships are based on wordplay - on the words themselves and not their meanings. Can you fill in the missing word?

1. BOREDOM:BEDROOM::THICKEN:?????
2. PLOVER:PLUNDER::SHIN:?????
3. HOLD:COT::WHACK:?????
4. DAZE:KNIGHTS::EYE:?????

Answers:

1. KITCHEN (anagrams)
2. SHOUT (plOVER:plUNDER::shIN:shOUT) 
3. BLIGHT (Spoonerisms - cold-hot/black/white) 
4. NEIGH (homophones of opposites - days/nights-aye/nay)

STUMPERS CXLIX

There are two answers to this question:

What word comes next in this series?

FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, ______ ?

The first answer comes quickly to mind, but the second requires some thought. Can you come up with both answers?

HINT:
For the second answer, think outside the box - literally.

Answers:

FOURTH
HOME - 1st, 2nd, and 3rd bases and HOME plate - which is outside the batter's box

NATIONAL DIVISION
Credit: GAMES Magazine
March, 1984
M. R.

The blanks below are to be filled in with the names of countries. But for the sentences to make sense, the country names have to be divided into smaller words without re-arranging the letters. For example, the clue

The health club is opening a new _________ in our town, 
would be answered by SPAIN, as in SPA IN.

1. O __________of little faith!

2. If sheep are white, how come my __________?

3. Prince __________ for England whenever he's away.

4. Can a plane that's covered in __________ in this weather?

5. I'm all out of breath because __________ here a fast as I could.

6. You don't see bacteria very often, but you can find a __________ time.

7. That boy tried his best on his science project, so I gave the __________.

8. Giving a kitten a ball of string is like giving a bear __________ jar of honey.

9. After his vacation, he returned to work with __________ landed  three accounts in one day.

10. [For those of a certain age] United is booked solid, so you had better give __________ try.

Answers:

1. Yemen (ye men)
2. Afghanistan (afghan is tan)
3. Philippines (Philip pines)
4. Iceland (ice land)
5. Iran (I ran)
6. Germany (germ any)
7. Guyana (guy an A)
8. Cuba (cub a)
9. New Zealand (new zeal and)
10. Panama (PanAm a) 

WORD GAMES- OPPOSITES
Credit: GAMES Magazine
March, 1984
Scott Marley

Each word below has at least two antonyms. One of them is very common and comes to mind quickly. But can you find the second, less common - but equally valid opposite?

1. OUT
2. DOWN
3. OVER
4. LEFT
5. SQUARE
6. CHANCE

HINT:
#6: This is more of a counterpart than an opposite.

Answers:

1. SAFE (baseball)
2. ACROSS (crossword puzzle)
3. ON-GOING
4. ARRIVED
5. HIP (cool - with it)
6. COMMUNITY CHEST (Monopoly)

POSING A QUESTION
Credit: GAMES Magazine
January, 1984
Eric J. Vernon

There are at least 11 common English words that can be formed by putting a single prefix before the word POSE. How many can you name?

Answers:

1. Compose
2. Depose
3. Dispose
4. Expose
5. Impose
6. Juxtapose
7. Oppose
8. Propose
9. Repose
10. Suppose
11. Transpose

The seven eight-letter words below share a rare property, unrelated to their meanings, but having to do with the arrangement of the letters in the words. Can you determine what they have in common?

1. HALLMARK
2. FIRMNESS
3. MAGNOLIA
4. MONOPOLY
5. AVERSION
6. HAYSTACK
7. CULTURAL

HINT:
The title of this puzzle is CENTERPIECES.

Answer:

Each word has two consecutive letters of the alphabet in its exact center:

1. halLMark
2. firMNess
3. magNOlia
4. monOPoly
5. aveRSion
6. haySTack
7. culTUral

Credit: GAMES Magazine
April/May 1989
Rosalie Moscovitch
CENTERPIECES

THE LAST WORD III
Credit: GAMES Magazine
January, 1987
Fraser Simpson

Each set of words below has a common denominator, some unusual factor that is shared by the six words in the set. Identify that factor, and determine which of the three words under the list has it too.

1)
REVILED
STRESSED
REPAID
STAR
DRAWER
PARTS

a. VILE
b. REGARD
c. STINK

2)
PREVIEW
TALLOW
SELECTION
GOLDEN
BRAIDED
CLAMP

a. TRACING
b. CASHEW
c. CONVERT

3)
BANANA
DEMONIC
FICKLE
HUMBUG
JEDI
LUCK

a. NEMESIS
b. NUDISM
c. MEGATON

Answers:

1. c - STINK (words that spell other words when reversed)

2. a - TRACING (words that become new words when the first letter is removed)

3. b - NUDISM (words whose last letters immediately precede their first letters in the alphabet)

MYTHOLOGY ZOO
Credit: GAMES Magazine
July, 1985
Kevin Acker

Many mythological creatures are combinations of two or more animals, one of which is often a human. Can you match the creatures below with their descriptions?

1. Harpy
2. Sphinx
3. Centaur
4. Minotaur
5. Griffin
6. Chimera
7. Mermaid
8. Satyr or Faun

CHOICES:

a. Head and torso of a woman; tail of a fish
b. Head and wings of an eagle; body and legs of a lion
c. Body of a man; horns, tail, and legs of a goat
d. Head of a human; body of a lion
e. Head of a lion; body of a goat; tail of a serpent
f. Head and torso of a human; legs of a horse
g. Head of an old woman; body, wings, and claws of a bird
h. Head and upper body of a man; lower body and legs of a bull

Answers:

1. g - Harpy
2. d - Sphinx
3. f - Centaur
4. h - Minotaur
5. b - Griffin
6. e - Chimera
7. a - Mermaid
8. c - Satyr or Faun 

What do the following phrases have in common?

CUP OF NOODLES
PAD OF PAPER
GOT MILK
TAB COLA
CAP GUNS
RIB TICKLER
BUT SERIOUSLY

HINT:
It has to do with the first word in each phrase.

Answer:

The letters in the first word of each phrase can be re-arranged to form common abbreviations:

CUP - CPU (central processing unit)
PAD - PDA (personal digital assistant)
GOT - GTO (Pontiac muscle car)
TAB - TBA (to be arranged)
CAP - CPA (certified public accountant)
RIB - RBI (runs batted in)
BUT - BTU (British thermal unit)

Credit: NY Times Crossword
January 24, 2016
Francis Heaney and Brendan Emmett Quigley
INITIAL TURN

FARE PLAY
Credit: LA Times Crossword
January 24, 2016
Fred Piscop

If fare after recovering from an illness is CURED MEAT, what about..................

1. Angry fare?
2. Constantly questioned fare?
3. Soundly defeated fare?
4. Pampered fare?
5. Stolen fare?
6. Satirical tribute fare?
7. Wiring meltdown fare?

Answers:

1. Steamed vegetables
2. Grilled cheese
3. Creamed corn
4. Coddled eggs
5. Poached salmon
6. Roasted nuts
7. Fried rice

SYNONYM - ANTONYM III

Fill in the blank with a word that is a synonym for the word on the left and an antonym for the word on the right.

1. ANIMAL SKIN __________ SEEK
2. KITCHEN FIXTURE __________SINK
3. SLEET COUSIN __________IGNORE
4. HOT DOG __________ CANDID
5. WAX __________SHRINK
6. CORRECT __________ LEFT
7. LIKE STONE __________ EASY

Answers:

1. HIDE
2. SINK
3. HAIL
4. FRANK
5. GROW
6. RIGHT
7. HARD 

FOR THE RECORD
Credit: GAMES Magazine
July, 1985
C. J. Oates

Under the title Hi-Tech, the challenge posed was: Match the electronic device with the percentage of  (U.S.) households that owns it.

1. Cordless phone
2. VCR
3. Home computer
4. Answering machine

What do you think the percentage was in July of 1985?

Answers:

1. Cordless phone - 9%
2. VCR - 13%
3. Home computer - 10%
4. Answering machine - 4%

ANIMAL CRACKERS II
Credit: GAMES Magazine
July, 1985
Burt Hochberg

Each answer below is the name of an animal in which a common four-letter word has been replaced by a set of dashes. For example, given the clue  _ _ _ _ ABY, the blanks would be filled in with WALL to form WALLABY.

1. CH _ _ _ _ ILLA
2. GO _ _ _ _ A
3. _ _ _ _ AT
4. O _ _ _ _ UTAN
5. _ _ _ _ MUNK
6. BE _ _ _ _
7. J _ _ _ LRY
8. _ _ _ _ ALO
9. BA _ _ _ _
10. _ _ _ _ HER
11. _ _ _ _ATER
12. What the blanks in this puzzle are: MISSING _ _ _ _

Answers:

1. chINCHilla
2. goRILLa
3. WOMBat
4. oRANGutan
5. CHIPmunk
6. beAVER
7. jEWElry
8. BUFFalo
9. baBOON
10. PANTher
11. ANTEater
12. missing LYNX

STUMPERS CXLVIII

Ignoring spelling, can you think of two body parts that, when combined, make a tasty treat?

HINT:
One of them is on your face.

Answer:

BROW + KNEE = BROWNIE

This puzzle has two parts. First, the same five letters, in the same order, will complete the partial words below. Then, what do the three newly formed words have in common?

OB _ _ _ _ _
RE _ _ _ _ _
CON _ _ _ _ _

Answers:

The letters are SERVE:

OBSERVE
RESERVE 
CONSERVE

What they have in common?

The letters SERVE can be anagrammed to form VERSE, which will also complete the original partial words:

OBVERSE
REVERSE
CONVERSE

RHYMING RIDDLE ANSWERS XXIX

The answers to each item in the clues will rhyme.

1. Animal den, Talent for something, Yell loudly, Pastry treat

2. Continually bother or annoy, Accumulate, Chasm, Go beyond

3. Amazement, Raid and steal from, Big mistake, Torn apart

4. Remainder, Income, Following of attendants, Naive, simple girl

5. Breakfast fare, Type of disease, Other-worldly, Sovereign rule

6. Charge-as with a crime, Procession, Hobo-perhaps, Glaring-outrageous

7. Completely full, Separate and distinct, Reduce the amount or empty, Lacking vigor-decadent

8. Cad, Move slowly and clumsily, It may or may not be a hit in baseball, Vehicle tower - perhaps

9. Restore life, Never-ending memos, files, etc., Confrontational, Lawyer's final words in court

10. What stock brokers do, Wicked woman-metaphorically, Kindergarten activity, You might throw pennies into it

Answers:

1. Lair, Flair, Blare, Eclair
2. Harass, Amass, Crevasse, Surpass
3. Wonder, Plunder, Blunder, Asunder
4. Residue, Revenue, Retinue, Ingenue
5. Cereal, Venereal, Ethereal, Imperial
6. Allege, Cortege, Vagrant, Flagrant
7. Replete, Discrete, Deplete, Effete
8. Bounder, Flounder, Grounder, Impounder
9. Resuscitate, Paper chase, In-your-face, "I rest my case"
10. Buy and sell, Jezebel, Show-and-tell, Wishing well 

INNER TUBE
Credit: GAMES Magazine
May, 1985
M. S.

[NOTE from JA: I rarely use the names of TV shows to answer clues, but this is such a clever puzzle I have relented. I have also added a hint, shown in parentheses, to suggest the name of the TV show. Remember, this puzzle was published in 1985.]

In each of the following sentences, the asterisk can be replaced with the name of a familiar TV show, past or present, to complete a sensible sentence. The letters in the name of the show may have to be re-spaced. For example,

The earth rotates about a straigh*s.
The asterisk should be replaced by TAXI - as in
The earth rotates about a straighT AXIs.

1. Never trust someone w*s lies. (Disneyland has one.)

2. Being tradition*lebrate Wasshington's Birthday on the 22nd. (girl's name)

3. The money taken in at the tables is locked in the casi*ults. (It can be super.)

4.What ever became of Bur*ave signs? (They livened up a boring highway drive.)

5. Will one of you handlers get th*thon off me? (featured Bill Cosby)

6. After the owner closed his restaran*eal himself. (One of them pitied the fool.)

7. Did the Olympic volleyball team win a me*t year? (city name)

8. Being in a foul mood can make almost anyb*. (royal family)

9. A karate expert never for*ial arts moves. (It featured a shoe phone)

Answers:

1. HOTEL
2. ALICE
3. NOVA
4. MASH
5. I SPY
6. THE A-TEAM 
7. DALLAS
8. DYNASTY
9. GET SMART

ADD A LETTER - GET A NEW WORD XV

Add the designated letter to each word and re-arrange the letters to get a new word.

1. MIRTH + E
2. HORSE + K
3. COME + A
4. HAREM + P
5. CROWD + A
6. CRUDE + E
7. STUDIO + E
8. AREA + W
9. OTTER + A
10. REGENT + I

HINTS:
1. Recluse
2. What ham is not
3. Jewelry
4. Impede
5. Hero opposite
6. Lessen
7. In the open
8. In the know
9. Spin
10. Whole number

Answers:

1. HERMIT
2. KOSHER
3. CAMEO
4. HAMPER
5. COWARD
6. REDUCE
7. OUTSIDE
8. AWARE
9. ROTATE
10. INTEGER

The following word pairs each share a common relationship. Can you determine what it is?

1. PER - ROT
2. LEG - NET
3. DIE - ION
4. SPY - ORE
5. CUB - LIP

HINT:
It happens when the letters of the two words in each pair are combined.

Answer:

When the letters of the two words in each pair are combined, they can be rearranged to spell a common word:

1. PER + ROT = REPORT
2. LEG + NET = GENTLE
3. DIE + ION = IODINE
4. SPY + ORE = OSPREY
5. CUB + LIP = PUBLIC

DOUBLE DUTY LIX

The blanks in each clue below can be filled in with letters which will complete the word or partial word beginning on the left and begin the word or partial word ending on the right. The number of blanks indicates the number of missing letters.

1. SON _ _ _ WORK
2. PRO _ _ _ _ ALLY
3. TAR _ _ _ GO
4. MASS _ _ _ _ AGE
5. TRO _ _ _ _SICS
6. CAN _ _ _ MANT
7. FRO _ _ _ENSE
8. RAY _ _ ION
9. CAP _ _ GO
10. AD _ _ RO

HINTS:
The first letters are:
1. N
2.V
3. T
4. A
5. P
6. D
7. L
8. O
9. E
10. Z

Answers:

1. sonNETwork
2. proVERBally
3. tarTANgo
4. massACREage
5. troPHYsics
6. canDORmant
7. froLICense
8. rayONion
9. capERgo
10 adZEro 

MISSING LINK CIV

Each trio of word below shares a Missing Link - that is, its members have something in common, obvious or not. For example, RIVERS, NOSES, & VIOLINS can all have BRIDGES.

1. Glass..........Mind's..........Blind
2. Laugh..........Play..........Sense
3. Produce..........Ranch..........Meat
4. Noon..........Five..........Light
5. Comb..........Moon..........Bee
6. Door..........Pit..........Truck
7. Butter..........House..........Pop
8. Phone..........Block..........Division
9. Angel..........Gold..........Star
10. Horse..........Buck..........Dust

Answers:

1. Kinds of eyes
2. Horse
3. Kinds of markets
4. High
5. Honey
6. Kinds of stops
7. Fly
8. Cell
9. Kinds of fish
10. Saw

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT XXV

Did you hear about......................

1. The important car part invented by journalist Walter Winchell?
2. The weather calculation invented by weatherman Paul Winchell?
3. John Philip Sousa's tribute to Edgar Rice Burroughs?

Answers:

1. Winchell wiper
2. Winchell factor
3. Tarzan Stripes Forever

Credit: GAMES Magazine
May, 1985
Jerry Weinberg
NAMESAKES

FACTUAL RIDDLES XVI

1. In scientific terms, what is the difference between hot and cold?
2. What is lighter when it's full and heavier when it's empty?

Answers:

1. Cold exists only in a relative sense. Temperature starts at absolute zero and goes up. Everything has heat, more or less.  

2. A helium balloon (Helium is lighter than air.) 

Credit #1:
GAMES Magazine
May, 1985
Alan Korwin

EXCUSES, EXCUSES
Credit: GAMES Magazine
November, 1984/May, 1985
Louis Phillips and GAMES readers

We decided to throw a party, but, alas, some of those invited have sent their regrets. The Creature from the Black Lagoon couldn't come because he was swamped with work. Can you guess the excuses from these other invited guests?

1. The playwright
2. The baseball pitcher
3. The husband and bride-to-be
4. Harry Houdini
5. Lady Godiva
6. Michelangelo
7. Julia Child
8. The blacksmith

Answers:

1. He couldn't get his act together.
2. He was all wound up.
3. They were engaged.
4. He was all tied up.
5. She had nothing to wear.
6. He was flat on his back. 
7. She had something else cooking.
8. He had too many iron in the fire.

A LENGTHY QUIZ
Credit: GAMES Magazine
May, 1985
Doug Putnam

Put these units of measurement in order from shortest to longest.

1. Inch
2. Mile
3. Centimeter
4. Fathom
5. Rod
6. Nautical mile
7. Furlong
8. Millimeter
9. League
10. Hand

Answers:

Millimeter (4/100 inch)
Centimeter (37/100 inch)
Inch
Hand (4 inches)
Fathom (6 feet)
Rod (16 1/2 feet)
Furlong (660 feet)
Mile (5,280 feet)
Nautical mile (6,076 feet)
League (3 miles)

Some familiar people or characters are know only by their surname, preceded by Mr., Miss, or Mrs. Can you identify those suggested by the clues below?

1. Future husband of most girls
2. Iconic dancer of the 1930's
3. Talking horse of TV
4. New York harbor landmark
5. "The library is a suppository of knowledge" speaker
6. Kermit the Frog's romantic interest
7. Chocolate peanut treat
8. Agatha Christie sleuth
9. The most perfect girl in the United States, theoretically
10. Baldy who goes through the house doing floors and bathtubs

Answers:

1. Mr. Right (just make sure his first name isn't Always) 
2. Mr. Bojangles
3. Mr. Ed
4. Miss Liberty
5. Mrs. Malaprop
6. Miss Piggy
7. Mr. Goodbar
8. Miss Marple
9. Miss America
10. Mr. Clean

STUMPERS CXLVII

The phrase PHONE NETWORK has something unusual about it. Can you determine what it is?

Answer:

phONEe neTWOrk

Credit: NY Times Crossword
December 8, 2002
Peter Gordon 
COUNTER INTELLIGENCE

What do the three rhyming sets below have in common?

CALL
TALL
WALL

BELL
FELL
YELL

BILL
PILL
WILL

Answer:

The letters OW can be added to all nine words to make new words:

CALLOW
TALLOW
WALLOW

BELLOW
FELLOW
YELLOW

BILLOW
PILLOW
WILLOW

WHAT DID YOU SAY? X

1. Insect's bedtime ritual or insecticides
2. Sass from Elsie or a primrose
3. Sound when a gobbler gets a joke or a kind of contest

Answers:

1. BUG'S PRAYERS or BUG SPRAYERS
2. COW'S LIP or COWSLIP
3. TURKEY'S HOOT or TURKEY SHOOT

Credit: NY Times Crossword
August 7, 2002
Randolph Ross

LAST ONE IN
Credit: NY Times Crossword
April 7, 2002
Nancy Salomon

The same change can be made to each word below to create new words. Can you determine what it is?

CAR
ADE
PRIED
DOING

HINT:
#1: The change involves a single letter.
#2: HAY and LAY could be added to the list.

Answer:

The letter Z can be inserted somewhere in each word to create new words:

CZAR
ADZE
PRIZED
DOZING
(HAZY - LAZY)

NY Times Crossword
October 6, 2002
Myles Callum
TWICE-TOLD TALES

Can you compose a sentence using double homophones based on this information:

The homeowner was aware that there was a wildebeest in the basement.

Answer:

The seller knew about the cellar gnu. 

The five pairs of definitions below have something in common. Can you determine what it is?

1)
Land measure unit
To be concerned

2)
Big high school dance
Frolic boisterously

3)
A flat-topped hill
Clone-like

4)
Circumference
Legal entitlement

5)
Bounds
Court statements

Answers:

1. ACRE - CARE
2. PROM - ROMP 
3. MESA - SAME
4. GIRTH - RIGHT
5. LEAPS - PLEAS

The paired answer words are anagrams. 

The words below, when the same two letters are added to them, can be re-arranged to form new words. The two added letters remain in the same, consecutive order in the new words.

1. NAYS
2. LIES
3. LIFE
4. RUBE

Answers:

The added letters are ZZ, and the new words are:

1. SNAZZY
2. SIZZLE
3. FIZZLE
4. BUZZER

WHERE IN THE WORLD?
Credit: GAMES Magazine
February, 1986
R. W. S.

Each group of letters below appears in the name of a country of the world, without any change in the order of the letters and without any other letters intervening. For example, the letters GAS appear in madaGAScar. How many of the following letter groups can you identify?

1. RAG
2. RUG
3. WED
4. DEN
5. IRE
6. TUG
7. GAP
8. LIP

HINTS:
1-2: South America
3-4: Scandinavia
5-6: Europe
7-8: Asia/Indonesia

Answers:

1. paRAGuay
2. uRUGuay 
3. sWEDen
4. DENmark
5. IREland
6. porTUGal
7. sinGAPore
8. PhiLIPpines

NY Times Crossword
January 19, 2016
Byron Walden

The clues below can be answered with two-word phrases which will have something in common.

1. Criticized nigglingly
2. Roosted on
3. Struggled to make progress
4. Proceeded without trying very hard

Answers:

1. Carped about
2. Perched atop
3. Floundered around
4. Skated along

(The first words of each answer name a type of fish.)

SMALL TOWN STATE
Credit: GAMES Magazine
July, 1986
Doug Putnam (updated)

According to the 2010 census, there's only one U.S. state in which no city has a population of 50,000 or more. Can you name it?

Answer:

Vermont - Its capital city, Burlington, had a population of 42,417 in the 2010 census.

THREE RIDDLES

1. What do Billy the Kid, Ivan the Terrible, and Bozo the Clown have in common?

2. What flies at its birth, lies still while living, and runs when it's dead?

3. The iceman had only one large block of ice to deliver on his rounds. When he brought it to his last customer, she asked him if he had any extra ice for her neighbor. "Sorry ma'am," he said , "__________."

Answers:

1. The same middle name 
2. Snow
3. "I Only Have Ice (Eyes) For You" 

Credit #3:
GAMES Magazine
March, 1984
James Grinage
NAME THAT TUNE

ORDER BLANKS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
October, 1986
Frank Jacobs

Each word below can be completed by inserting four consecutive letter of the alphabet - in order - into the blanks. For example, in #1 below, the letters R, S, T and U could be inserted to spell RESTFUL.

1. _ E _ _ F _ L
2. _ O _ _ _ OLY
3. S _ UA _ E _ _
4. _ U _ I _ _ US
5. _ LA _ S _ _ P
6. _ _ S _ ON _
7. _ _ _ O _
8. R _ _ OU _ _ T
9. _ _ _ AC _
10. _ RO _ A _ _

Answers:

1. RESTFUL
2. MONOPOLY
3. SQUAREST
4. LUMINOUS
5. FLAGSHIP
6. ABSCOND
7. DEFOG
8. REFOUGHT
9. HIJACK
10. BROCADE 

SYNONYM - ANTONYM II

Fill in the blank with a word that is a synonym of the word on the left and an antonym of the word on the right.

1. SORT __________ MEAN
2. HAIR __________ OPENS
3. REAR __________ LAX
4. YEARN __________ SHORT
5. NOT EAT __________ SLOW
6. UNUSUAL _________ WELL DONE

Answers:

1. KIND
2. LOCKS
3. STERN
4. LONG
5. FAST
6. RARE

CHARACTERISTIC INITIALS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
February, 1992
Will Shortz

The initial letters of the clues below are the initials of the person being described. For example, Baby Specialist would be Benjamin Spock.

1. Studied Fears
2. Aviatrix Extraordinaire
3. Yankee Baseballer
4. Penned Beautiful Sonnets
5. Jotted Patriotic Songs
6. Famed Nurse
7. Homer Ace
8. Betrayed America
9. Interpretive Dancer
10. Best Crooner

Answers:

1. Sigmund Freud
2. Amelia Earhart
3. Yogi Berra
4. Percy Bysshe Shelley
5. John Philip Sousa
6. Florence Nightengale
7. Hank Aaron
8. Benedict Arnold
9. Isadora Duncan
10. Bing Crosby

NOTE: See also APT INITIALS - posted Jan. 18, 2015 

THE LAST WORD II
Credit: GAMES Magazine
January, 1987
Fraser Simpson

Each set of words below has a common denominator, some unusual factor that is shared by the six words in the set. Identify that factor and determine which of the three words under the list has it too.

1)                                    2)
TEA                                RING          
EYE                                TOPS
SEA                                MANATEE
CUE                               WINDLESS
ARE                                EARTH                            
WHY                              ANGER

a. YOU                           a. MATTER
b. ATE                            b. TUNES
c. WEE                           c. OUGHT


3)                                    4)
YOUTH                          CIVIC
THEME                           LIVID
USHER                            MIX
SHEIK                             MILL
ITALICS                          VIVID
MEDIUM                         DILL

a. THEATER                 a. MIMIC
b. WEEVIL                   b. LICIT
c. DOMESTIC              c. MINIM

Answers:

1. a - YOU (Homophones of letters)
2. c - OUGHT (words that become new words when the last letter is shifted to the front)  
3. b - WEEVIL (words beginning with a pronoun)
4. a - MIMIC (words consisting of letters that are Roman numerals) 

NOTE: See also THE LAST WORD I - posted Oct. 30, 2014 

The seven eight-letter words below share a rare property, unrelated to their meanings, but having to do with the arrangement of the letters in the words. Can you determine what they have in common?

1. PARABOLA
2. ANECDOTE
3. ACADEMIC
4. BAREFOOT
5. DAUGHTER
6. MYTHICAL
7. NECKLACE

HINT:
The title of this puzzle is CENTERPIECES.

Answer:

Each word has two consecutive letters of the alphabet in its exact center:

1. parABola
2. aneCDote
3. acaDEmic
4. barEFoot
5. dauGHter
6. mytHIcal
7. necKLace

Credit: GAMES Magazine
April/May, 1989
Rosalie Moscovitch
CENTERPIECES

TAKE TWO
Credit: GAMES Magazine
February/March, 1989
Charles Clapham

What common, uncapitalized five-letter word shares two and only two letters with each word in the list below?

MIRTH
SCOWL
MAUVE
HANDY
CRUST

Answer:

The word is CHASM.

"Now Dasher! Now Dancer!
Now Prancer and Vixen!
On Comet! On Cupid!
On Donner and Blitzen!"

It's Christmas Eve, and Santa is having trouble with his computer. It's too late to have it repaired, so he has to work around the problem. He is able to send the following email:

To Bobby, Adam, and Danny,
     Mrs. Claus and I  know you all act as good boys, and I look forward to my visit with your family this Christmas. I will study your Christmas lists and try to bring a toy, book, or gift of clothing, which will bring you joy.
     I was fond of that snack you put out last Christmas. So was Rudolph. Many thanks from both of us. Wish us good flying conditions, with no rain or fog (although snow is all right).

                                                             Happy holidays,
                                                                    Santa Claus

Santa sent this message to 3boys@aol.com. He then asked Rudolph to send a message to each of the eight reindeer, directing them to report to work. Their email addresses are Dasher@aol.com, Dancer @aol.com, and so forth. But then Santa realized that because of his computer problem, only one reindeer would receive the message. Which reindeer?

Answer:

Cupid is the only reindeer that will receive the message, because Santa's computer keyboard's letter E is broken. In his email to Bobby, Adam, and Danny, Santa managed to avoid using any E's.

Credit: GAMES Magazine
December, 1999
David Senner
NO E MAIL? 

Note from JA: The name of the seventh reindeer is in dispute. Is it DONNER or DONDER? The original poem, "The Night Before Christmas" by Clement Moore says DONDER, which I personally prefer. I used DONNER in this puzzle because that is how Mr. Senner wrote it. 

ORDER OF BUSINESS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
May, 1999
Raymond D. Love

The first 12 ordinal numbers can be used, once each, to complete the following phrases in a sensible way.

1. _____ Hour
2. _____ Banana
3. _____ Sense
4. _____ Lady
5. _____ Inning
6. _____ Note
7. _____ Wheel
8. _____ Night
9. _____ Percentile
10. _____ Estate
11. _____ Heaven
12. _____ World

Answers:

1. Eleventh hour
2. Second banana
3. Sixth sense
4. First Lady
5. Ninth inning
6. Eighth note
7. Fifth wheel
8. Twelfth Night
9. Tenth percentile
10. Fourth estate
11. Seventh heaven
12. Third world

MEETING OF THE MINDS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
May, 1999
Richard Bruce

Suppose you and another person are told to meet each other at noon a month from now. The meeting place is to be at a secular (non-religious) location outside the United States. This is all you know, and no communication between the two of you is allowed. Somehow, you must both guess the same spot to meet---not just a city or country, but a specific place where you could find each other. Where in the world would you go for the meeting?

Remarkably, a large majority of people chooses the exact same place, though there is no obvious reason why. HINT: It's not the North or South Pole.

Answer:

The Eiffel Tower in Paris, France

EXTRA QUESTION from JA: Where would the meeting place be if it were in the United States?

Answer:
I have no evidence to back this up, but I feel sure it would be the top of the Empire State Building in New York City.

STUMPERS CXLVI

VINCE is a unique name in that it can be changed into two common words that have a certain relationship. The meanings of the two new words are not related. Can you determine the two words and the relationship between them?

HINT:
It has to do with adding letters before the name.

Answer:

VINCE can be preceded by both PRO and CON:

PROVINCE - CONVINCE

CHILD'S PLAY
Credit: GAMES Magazine
October, 1999
Francis Heaney

Think of a four-word phrase describing something slowpokes - or those at the back of a line - do. Then split the phrase in two by deleting the third word. The two remaining sections will be a verb phrase and a synonymous verb describing something that parents do to their children. What is the original phrase?

Answer:

BRINGING UP THE REAR

BRING UP  -  REAR

RHYMING RIDDLE ANSWERS XXVIII

The answers to each item in the clues will rhyme.

1. Flood, Stress - emphasize, Co-worker - perhaps, Things I have to do

2. Argue, Disprove, "Add up," Complete-outright - as a lie

3. Make up - invent, Inform, Conjecture, Change appearance to conceal or mislead

4. Unique, Alone - and sad about it, Attractive, Unattractive

5. Game cheer, Nightmare, Apparently, "Watch your language"

6. Certain tanks, Certain ulcers, Busy and disorganized, Drawn from various sources

7. Producing abundantly, Wonderful, Technical, Title of respect

8. Concede, Deny a former belief or statement, Charm, Take the place of

9. Supple-lithe, Dependent, Resistant - hostile, Yielding - obedient to

10. Participate in degrading activities, Long look, Be unfaithful to a spouse, Wander about

Answers: 

1. Inundate, Accentuate, Office-mate, On my plate
2. Dispute, Refute, Compute, Absolute
3. Devise, Apprise, Surmise, Disguise
4. Only, Lonely, Comely, Homely
5. "Go team!" Bad dream, So it seems, Don't blaspheme
6. Septic, Peptic, Hectic, Eclectic
7. Prolific, Terrific, Scientific, Honorific
8. Grant, Recant, Enchant, Supplant
9. Pliant, Reliant, Defiant, Compliant
10. Pander, Gander, Philander, Meander

RIDDLES OF THE MONTH
Credit: GAMES Magazine
November, 1999
Elisha Anderson

Each of these three poems describes a different familiar item. What are they?

1)
Late afternoons I often bathe.
I'll soak in water piping hot.
My essence goes through see-thru
       clothes.
Used up I am; I've gone to pot.

2)
Treat it like an ice cream cone.
Artwork delivered with bad taste.
An homage. A rough-edged traveler.
Not worth much, but money-based.

3)
The last man on a lush green lawn
Waits for the cue, dressed black as coal.
A man in white comes forth and taps
     him.
The man in black runs - jumps in
     hole.

Answers:

1. Tea bag
2. Postage stamp
3. Eight ball (on a pool table) 

NY Times Crossword
January 14, 2016
Jeffrey Wechsler

The four clues below can be answered with Spoonerisms of songs by The Beatles.

1. One who might cause a spill at a cafeteria
2. Dog attacking a newsstand
3. Answer to "What's her job in the garden supply store?"
4. What happens after getting in Vivien's way on a movie set?

Answers:

1. Tray dipper (Day Tripper)
2. Paper rack biter (Paperback Writer)
3. She's heaving loam (She's Leaving Home)
4. Leigh shoves you (She Loves You)

MIDDLE MANAGEMENT
Credit: GAMES Magazine
February, 2009

The seven words below have something in common. Can you determine what it is?

STUNT
POLISH
GYPSY
SMART
TRUCK
SWORD
LEGAL

HINTS:
#1: The title is a hint.
#2: Each word conceals (a form of) another word.

Answers:

Hidden in the middle of each clue word is another word - spelled backward:

sTUNt - NUT
pOLISh - SILO
gYPSy - SPY
sMARt - RAM
tRUCk - CUR
sWORd - ROW
lEGAl - AGE

MISSING LINK CIII

Each trio of words below contains a Missing Link - that is, its members have something in common, obvious or not. For example, RIVERS, NOSES, & VIOLINS can all have BRIDGES.

1. Blank..........Spot..........Pay
2. Private..........Public..........Dead
3. Power..........Shoe..........Back
4. Fish..........Mill..........Bones
5. Area..........Matter..........Whale
6. Wedding..........Take..........Time
7. Lips..........Cannon..........Ends
8. Box..........Love..........Hot
9. Ball..........Line..........Hint
10. Flea..........Open..........After

Answers:

1. Check
2. Eye
3. Horse
4. Saw
5. Things that can be gray
6. Things that can be double
7. Things that can be loose
8. Kinds of seats
9. Things that can be dropped
10. Kinds of markets

DOUBLE DUTY LVIII

The blanks in each clue below can be filled in with letters which will complete the word or partial word beginning on the left and begin the word or partial word ending on the right. The number of blanks indicates the number of missing letters.

1. SH _ _ TIC
2. FAN _ _ CLIC
3. POT _ _ _ MIC
4. TOO _ _ ROW
5. TOW _ _ BOW
6. TOT _ _ LOW
7. ASH _ _ DOW
8. LIT _ _ _ HOW
9. JA _ _ _ DA
10. MAT _ _ AMP

HINTS:
The first letters are:
1. O
2. C
3. A
4. T
5. E
6. A
7. E
8. A
9. P
10. C

Answers:

1. shOPtic
2. fanCYclic
3. potATOmic
4. tooTHrow
5. towELbow
6. totALlow
7. ashENdow
8. litANYhow 
9. jaPANda
10. matCHamp

How many things can you think of that are represented by the letter K?

(Possible) Answers:

 1. Computer memory (kilobytes)
2. Gold purity standard (karats)
3. Distance (kilometers)
4. Thousands 
5. Strike outs in baseball
6. Weight (kilograms)
7. Temperature (degrees Kelvin)

The states of Delaware, Pennsylvania, Alaska, and Hawaii have a certain relationship. What is it?

Answer:

They are, respectively and in order, the first and last two states admitted to the union. 

Delaware - Dec. 7, 1787
Pennsylvania - Dec. 12, 1787
Alaska - Jan. 3, 1959
Hawaii - Aug. 21, 1959

OUT-OF-TOWNERS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
July, 1988
Robert Campbell

Can you name the fictional homes of the fictional characters below?

1. Peter Pan
2. Batman
3. Clark Kent
4. Abner Yokum
5. Glinda
6. Aslan

Answers:

1. Never-Never Land
2. Gotham City 
3. Metropolis (born on Krypton)
4. Dogpatch
5. Oz
6. Narnia

THE TROUBLE WITH TRIPLES II
Credit: GAMES Magazine
February, 1995
Stephen Sniderman

Complete each sentence below by filling in the blanks with three words that differ by only one letter. The changed letter will be in the same position for all three words. For example, to complete the sentence

_____they were at SeaWorld, the _____class cheered the killer _____

you would add the words WHILE, WHOLE, and WHALE. In this case the third letter of each word was changed.

1. To avoid getting a _____, the _____ ate a bowl of hot _____.

2. With all _____ imaginative _____ parks, _____ must be someplace we can take the kids.

3. We have to be back on the bus at _____, which only gives us an _____ to _____ the ruins.

4. Around _____, anyone who can round up an entire ____ of stampeding cattle is considered a _____.

5. The cryptographer couldn't _____ if he should keep trying to _____ the message he's been working on for nearly a _____.

6. The _____ persuaded the city council to make a _____ contribution to the town's _____ house.

7. The next time I spend extra money for a _____ umbrella, I won't _____ myself about its ability
to survive a real _____.

8. Unfortunately, there was only a _____ amount of Danish _____  left on the _____ shelf.

9. There's no _____ in opening up a new _____ store until you can _____ up a flier showing your inventory.

Answers:

1. CHILL, CHILD, CHILI
2. THESE, THEME, THERE
3. FOUR, HOUR, TOUR
4. HERE, HERD, HERO
5. DECIDE, DECODE, DECADE
6. MAYOR, MAJOR, MANOR
7. DELUXE, DELUDE, DELUGE
8. PALTRY, PASTRY, PANTRY
9. POINT, PAINT, PRINT 

NY Times Crossword
August 6, 1997
Rich Norris (#1-4)

The answers to the clues below will have something in common.

1. Plumbing convenience
2. Means to an end
3. Downsizing result for some
4. Sebastiania seeds
5. UFO's
6. Holy site in Jerusalem
7. On the lam, perhaps

Answers:

1. Running water
2. Stepping stones
3. Walking papers
4. Jumping beans
5. Flying saucers
6. Wailing Wall
7. Skipping town 

STUMPERS CXLV

Can you think of a common two-word expression that means both something good to get and something bad to get?

HINT:
One of the words is a color.

Answer:

Pink slip

Good: Certificate of title to a car
Bad: Notice of job layoff

NY Times Crossword
December 6, 1997
David J. Kahn (adapted)

The six clues below have something in common. Can you determine what it is? The answer is revealed by the seventh clue.

1. CROS PUZZLES
2. DAVY CT
3. ALL POINTS IN
4. PRONCE
5. BURDY
6. ERMA ECK
7. GOAL OF MANY TREATIES

Answer:

The name of a weapon has been removed from each of the first six clues:

1. crosSWORD puzzles
2. davy cROCKETt
3. all points BULLETin
4. proMINEnce
5. burGUNdy
6. erma BOMBeck
7. DISARMAMENT

NY Times Crossword
February 4, 1997
Gerald R. Ferguson (#1-3)

The answers to the clues below will have something in common.

1. Weigh in
2. Cause disharmony
3. Blab
4. Start too soon
5. Get going
6. Conform to a rule or standard
7. Endure a series of difficulties
8. Avoid chitchat

Answers:

1. Tip the scales 
2. Rock the boat
3. Spill the beans
4. Jump the gun
5. Hit the road
6. Walk the line
7. Run the gauntlet
8. Skip the small talk

The same letters, in the same order, will complete the words below.

_ _ _ L _
_ _ _ R _
_ _ _ S _

HINT:
The first letter is D.

Answers:

The letters are D, A, I, and Y:

DAILY
DAIRY
DAISY

Can you think of two, one-syllable heteronyms that differ by only a single letter?

HINT:
Both start with D.

Answers:

DOES
DOVE

NY Times Crossword
January 11, 2016
Howard Barkin

The answers to the first five clues below will have something in common, as revealed by the final clue.

1. Colorado River landmark's former name
2. "The road to ride"
3. California locale of many golf US Opens
4. Burrowing sea urchin
5. It can cover a big story
6. Worn away over time

Answers:

1. Boulder Dam
2. Rock Island Line
3. Pebble Beach
4. Sand dollar
5. Dust jacket
6. Eroded

What do the following words have in common?

WE
WARD
WARE
CUTE
BOUT
TONE

2. What do the following words have in common?

AT
WAN
MAN
OGLE
SLING

Answers:

1. Each word can be preceded by A to form a new word:

AWE
AWARD
AWARE
ACUTE
ABOUT
ATONE

2. The letters (word) GO can precede, be inserted into, or follow each of the words to form new words:

GOAT
WAGON
MANGO
GOOGLE
GOSLING

Credit #2: 
NY Times Crossword
December 31, 2015
Ben Tausig

STUMPERS CXLIV

Can you think of two things that people wear every day - one inside the other - that are anagrams?

Answer:

HOSE - SHOE

SCRATCHING OUR HEADS
From Word Ways
May, 1980
Brian Katz

What do a gorilla, an orphan, a prince, and a bald man have in common?

Answer:

One has a hairy parent, the second has ne'er a parent, the third is the heir apparent, and the fourth has no hair apparent. 

STUMPERS CXLIII

Can you think of a common English word that ends in GHTH?

HINT:
The word has eight letters.

Answer:

EIGHTH

SINGLE LETTER CHANGE II

One letter has been changed in each word in these familiar sayings. Can you recognize them?

1. ILL IN WILL
2. MOST ON SPADE
3. BAY LAW BELL SIGH
4. STEP ADD TO
5. MELLOW TRICK TOAD
6. PAY END TIGHT
7. MARE ME WAY
8. MOST ANY SOUND

Answers:

1. ALL IS WELL
2. LOST IN SPACE
3. BUY LOW SELL HIGH
4. STOP AND GO
5. YELLOW BRICK ROAD
6. DAY AND NIGHT 
7. MAKE MY DAY 
8. LOST AND FOUND 

SYNONYM - ANTONYM I

Credit: GAMES Magazine
August, 1998
William F. Bultas (#1-4)
CHIMERA'S CONUNDRUMS


Fill in the blank with a word that is a synonym of the word on the left and an antonym of the word on the right.

1. COMMAND __________ CHAOS
2. PROFOUND __________ SHALLOW
3. TRICK __________ SAGE
4. BUILD __________ PROSTRATE
5. GRASSLAND __________ PRETTY

Answers:

1. ORDER
2. DEEP
3. FOOL
4. ERECT 
5. PLAIN

BEFORE AND AFTER
Credit: GAMES Magazine
January/February, 1980

What word can either precede or follow each of the words in the five sets below?

1. END  DOVE  PIPE  COAT
2. PAPER  DRY  FLOWER  FIRE
3. SOFT  STRING  HORSE  HORN
4. POST  FLOOR  STREET HEAT
5. EYE  STAR  TAIL  WIFE

Answers:

1. TAIL
2. WALL 
3. SHOE
4. LAMP
5. FISH

ADD A LETTER - GET A NEW WORD XIV

THE ANAGRAM GAME
Credit: GAMES Magazine
March/April, 1980
Wayne Williams

Add the designated letter to each word below and re-arrange the letters to get a new word.

1. COINS + A
2. SLIDER + D
3. BLARES + M
4. GOBLIN + W
5. CHOKE + Y
6. SCREECH + K
7. KINGS + I
8. SOLACES + R

HINTS:
1. Gambling
2. Enigmas
3. Children's game
4. Alley
5. Puck
6. Table game
7. Snow
8. #5 without ice

Answers:

1. CASINO
2. RIDDLES
3. MARBLES
4. BOWLING
5. HOCKEY
6. CHECKERS
7. SKIING
8. LACROSSE

FOUR RIDDLES

1. Why was the landowner preoccupied?
2. What do you call the site of a mortician's monopoly?
3. What do you call an appetizer, entree, and dessert of cuisine to swear by?
4. What do Attila the Hun, John the Baptist, and Oscar the Grouch have in common?

Answers:

1. He had a lot to think about.
2. A ONE-HEARSE TOWN
3. A THREE-CURSE MEAL
4. The same middle name

Credits:#1: Peter A. Collins
#2-3: John Lampkin 
#4: Dave Zobel

PLAYING FAVORITES
Credit: GAMES Magazine
June, 1998
Stephen Sniderman

If Harry Houdini's favorite breakfast cereal is TRIX, what is............

1. Bugs Bunny's favorite musical?
2. Rod Sterling's favorite lake?
3. Minnesota Fat's favorite cotton swabs?
4. Gilligan's least favorite color?
5. Stephen Hawking's favorite spice?
6. The Marquis de Sade's favorite rental car company?
7. Herman Melville's favorite part of the British Isles?

Answers:

1. HAIR
2. ERIE
3. Q-TIPS
4. MAROON
5. THYME
6. HERTZ
7. WALES

CHIMERA'S CONUNDRUMS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
August, 1998
William F. Bultas

Five of the six words below have some relationship to a certain other word. However, one of them lacks any relationship with it. What is the other word, and which of the six listed words does not belong?

BECOME
BEE
CANDLE
DINE
EAR
GROW

Answers:

The word that does not belong is DINE. All of the other words relate to the word WAX in one of two ways. BECOME and GROW are synonyms (as in "to wax strong") and the other words are things that either contain, secrete, or are made of wax. 

GIVE ME AN A, E, I, O, U
Credit: GAMES Magazine
October, 1998
Raymond D. Love

Can you think of five common seven-letter words that are spelled the same way, except that each has a different vowel in the third position?

HINTS:
1. The word with E in the third position is a kitchen appliance.
2. The word with U in the third position is a big mistake.

Answers:

BLANDER
BLENDER
BLINDER
BLONDER
BLUNDER 

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle
January 3, 2016
Will Shortz (adapted)

The answers to the questions below will have something in common.

1. What do you call a list of certain male farm animals?
2. What can a helicopter do with a certain vacuum cleaner?
3. What do you call a group of trees that's really hip?
4. What will a dissatisfied sailor do in regard to the whale-hunting weapon?
5. What do you do when you see a friend in front of his apartment on a Brooklyn street?
6. What's the difference between a 70's dancer and one who is infatuated with someone?

Answers:

1. A roster of roosters
2. Hover over a Hoover
3. A grove in the groove
4. Harp on the harpoon
5. Stop at the stoop
6. One is Go-Go and the other is goo-goo

From Argyle Sweater
LA Times Comic Strip
January 4, 2016
Scott Hilburn

Who's speaking and who's Druggie?

Stingy
Creepy
Lazy
Fatty
Meanie
Sleazy
Druggie

Answer:

Snow White and the seventh divorce. 

LA Times Crossword
January 7, 2016
Bruce Haight

The answers to the clues below will have something in common, as revealed by the last clue.

1. Figure out, metaphorically - with "Get"
2. Frighten off
3. Pinocchio's film cry of self-discovery
4. Japan and Korea, geographically
5. Ride crosstown together in New York, perhaps
6. Shared group space

Answers:

1. Get a read on
2. Scare away
3. "I'm a real boy!"
4. Far East
5. Share a cab
6. COMMON AREA

Clues #1-5 each conceal the word AREA:

1. get A REAd on
2. scARE Away
3. im A REAl boy
4. fAR EAst
5. shARE A cab

TRADING PLACES I
Credit: GAMES Magazine
August, 1998
Stephen Sniderman

In each sentence below, the second omitted word is identical to the first, except that the positions of two non-adjacent letters have been switched. For example, in #1 below, the first word is VOTE and the second is VETO.

1. Even if we _____ for the bill, the President could still _____ it.
2. A typical Pueblo _____ was made of _____.
3. When he puts on his judge's _____, he takes on a more _____ air.
4. I don't _____ to _____ these paragraphs. I like the "solid block" look.
5. _____ for those of you with valid excuses, I _____ everyone to be on time.
6. When he was restless, the _____ was often known to _____ the halls of his prison.
7. My family gave me _____ support before I had my _____ extracted.
8. In the _____ of my investigation, the butler proved to be my best _____ of information.
9. During the storm, the _____ made quite a racket on the _____ roof of the shed.
10. His political _____ posted a malicious message that went _____ on the Internet.
11. The picante _____ on my burrito is obviously the _____ of my burning mouth.
12. While citrus fruits are rich in vitamins, there isn't a _____ of protein in a whole _____ of oranges.

Answers:

1. VOTE - VETO
2. ABODE - ADOBE
3. ROBES - SOBER
4. INTEND - INDENT
5. EXCEPT - EXPECT
6. WARDEN - WANDER
7. MORAL - MOLAR
8. COURSE - SOURCE
9. SLEET - STEEL
10. RIVAL - VIRAL
11. SAUCE - CAUSE
12. TRACE - CRATE

CUT AND PASTE II
Credit: GAMES Magazine
 November, 2008
Stephen Sniderman

Cut one letter out of each word in the left-hand column and paste a word from the right-hand column in its place to form a new word. For example, if the word in the left-hand column is CANAL, and the word PIT appears in the right-hand column, you could drop the N in CANAL and replace it with PIT to spell CAPITAL.

Any letter may be cut from words in the left-hand column, including the first or last - so you might cut B from BIO and replace it with STUD to make STUDIO. Or you might cut the P from ROMP and paste the word ANTIC in its place to spell ROMANTIC.

1. COAT                 BOO
2. TOBY                 ELF
3. CAUSE               RON
4. CHASE               VAT
5. COVER              COMB
6. HOLLY               NEST
7. PALER                PERT
8. PARTY                REAR
9. PRIZE                 TALL
10. PROXY             HITCH
11. SWISH              PERON
12. GRANGE          SIMON
13. REFINED         ONTOLOGY

HINTS:
The letters to be dropped are:
1. O
2. B
3. U
4. S
5. V
6. L
7. R
8. T
9. Z
10. X
11. W
12. G
13. F

Answers:

1. COAT - O + HITCH = CHITCHAT
2. TOBY - B + TALL = TOTALL
3. CAUSE - U + BOO = CABOOSE
4. CHASE - S + PERON = CHAPERONE
5. COVER - V + RON = CORONER
6. HOLLY - L + NEST = HONESTLY
7. PALER - R + ONTOLOGY = PALEONTOLOGY
8. PARTY - T + SIMON = PARSIMONY
9. PRIZE - Z + VAT = PRIVATE
10. PROXY - X + PERT = PROPERTY
11. SWISH - W + ELF = SELFISH
12. GRANGE - G + REAR = RE-ARRANGE
13. REFINED - F + COMB = RECOMBINED

WHAT'S THE GOOD WORD?
Credit: GAMES Magazine
December, 1992
Rudolph Bernstein

In each line below, all three words can be preceded by the same new word to produce three compound words or common two-word phrases. For example, if you were given the words BULB, HOUSE, and YEAR, you could add LIGHT to get LIGHT BULB, LIGHTHOUSE, and  LIGHT-YEAR. The three answers in each set (1, 2, and 3) can themselves be preceded by a single word to produce another set of three answers. And these three answers, each preceded by one more word, will lead to the final one-word solution of the puzzle.

1. a. House, play, steering
    b. Horn, shine, tree
    c. Log, stage, stroke

2. a. Diver, flint, tight
    b. Fairy, paste, pick
    c. Lash, shadow, witness

3. a. Charge, girl, story
    b. Cake, fry, handle
    c. Cellar, trooper, window

First Answers:

1. a. POWER
    b. SHOE
    c. BACK

2. a. SKIN
    b. TOOTH
    c. EYE

3. a. COVER
    b. PAN
    c. STORM 

Second Answers:

1. HORSE
2. BUCK
3. DUST

Final Answer:

SAW

DEVELOPING NATIONS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
December, 1992
Dierk Rakula

Each of the words below contains five consecutive letters that can be re-arranged to spell the name of a nation of the world. For example, given the word DENIGRATE, you could re-arrange the five-letter sequence ENIGR to spell NIGER. The five letters may come at the beginning, middle, or end of the word. Can you find the hidden nations?

1. FILCHED
2. ENHANCING
3. CRAZIER
4. GRAYISH
5. RELIABLY
6. SUNDAE
7. COLLAPSING
8. MERIDIAN
9. FRAILTY
10. YANKEE
11. PENALTY
12. SHANGHAI

Answers:

1. CHILE
2. CHINA
3. ZAIRE
4. SYRIA
5. LIBYA
6. SUDAN
7. SPAIN
8. INDIA
9. ITALY
10. KENYA
11. NEPAL
12. GHANA 

STUMPERS CXLII

THE FINAL FOUR
Credit: GAMES Magazine
December, 1992
Raymond D. Love

There is only one common, uncapitalized English word that ends in the letters INSE, and only one that ends in the letters ONSE.  What are the words?

Answers:

RINSE
RESPONSE

RHYMING RIDDLE ANSWERS XXVII

The answers to each item in the clues will rhyme.

1. Large crowd, Asian garment, Extend in time, Co-operate

2. Rejoice, Counsel, Outcome, Secret - involving witchcraft

3. Misleading, Lustful, Greedy - insatiable, Very bold and daring

4. Hold dear, Cease to exist, Cheaply showy, Optimistic about the Stock Market

5. Distinctive, Small shop featuring specialty items, Body shape, Analytical review

6. Stupid mistake, Attack and steal from - as a city, Lightning's partner, Broken apart

7. "That's too bad," Accept responsibility for something gone wrong, Sash, Famous question asked by Shakespeare

8. "Bite" slangily, Arrive an hour after the starting time, Honesty - for one, National government - metaphorically

9. One who fled to Canada in the 60's - perhaps, Insult to a male senior citizen, Motel guest, Pirate flag

10. Ocean front hotel offering, Unaware, Western star with a bullwhip, Demolition team

Answers:

1. Throng, Sarong, Prolong, Get along
2. Exult, Consult, Result, Occult
3. Fallacious, Salacious, Voracious, Audacious
4. Cherish, Perish, Garish, Bearish
5. Unique, Boutique, Physique, Critique
6. Blunder, Plunder, Thunder, Asunder
7. What a shame, Take the blame, Window frame, "What's in a name?"
8. Take the bait, Fashionably late, Character trait, Ship of State
9. Draft dodger, "You old codger," Overnight lodger, Jolly Roger
10. Room with a view, Have no clue, Lash Larue, Wrecking crew

1. The five words below have something in common that has nothing to do with their meanings, but rather with the letters in the words. Can you determine what the letters in each word have in common?

FEED
MOON
RUST
HIGH
CEDE

2. What do the following words have in common?

STOCKS
POCKET
SNORED
GROVEL
OBJECT

3. What do the following words have in common?

AT
GO
PET
ROT
TON

Answers:

1. Each word is made up of three or four consecutive letters of the alphabet.

2. The O in each word can be changed to A to give new words:

STACKS
PACKET
SNARED
GRAVEL
ABJECT

3. Each word can be preceded by CAR:

CARAT
CARGO
CARPET
CARROT
CARTON

1. Which word from Column B goes in Column A, and why?

A                    B
BEAR           CAKE
GIVE            KITE
SAKE           MOON
WARD          TUNE
                      VEST

2. Which word in Column B goes in Column A, and why?

A                        B
BLEND             SHIVER
BLOWN            PRONE
GRAPES           PLASTIC
PLATE              CRUST
STEEL              CLUES

Answers:

1. TUNE...........Each word in Column A can be preceded by FOR to make a valid word:

FORBEAR
FORGIVE
FORSAKE
FORWAR
FORTUNE 

2. PRONE............The first two letters of each word in Column A can be dropped and a valid word remains:

END
OWN
APES
ATE
EEL 
ONE 

THREE RHYMING RIDDLES

1)
I'm seen by many, but noticed by few;
It's what's beyond me that comes into view.

2)
I hover over sacred flesh,
An infinite arc of valor;
A nimbus to those who pass the test,
Who live with love and honor.

3)
You do this in a vessel for getting you clean,
You do it to fabric so you won't be seen;
You do it when for an answer you come up short,
You do it in a match of a certain sport.

Answers:

1. Window
2. Halo 
3. DRAW:

Draw a bath
Draw curtains
Draw a blank
Draw in chess

MISSING LINK CII

TRIPLE PLAY
Credit: GAMES Magazine
September, 2004
George Bredehorn

Each trio of words below shares a Missing Link - that is, its members have something in common, obvious or not. For example, RIVERS, NOSES, and VIOLINS can all have BRIDGES.

1. Dare..........Dutch..........Digit
2. Lock..........Beat..........Pan
3. Face..........Writer..........Cast
4. Hill..........Eater..........Colony
5. Bank..........Base..........Entry
6. Break..........Job..........Dream
7. Room..........Work..........Press
8. Slick..........Well..........Painting
9. Noise..........Lie..........Elephant
10. Cap..........Jerk..........Slapper

Answers:

1. Double
2. Dead
3. Type
4. Ant
5. Data
6. Day
7. Leg
8. Oil
9. White
10. Knee

The eleven words below each conceal another word according to a certain pattern. The pattern is the same in all eleven words. Can you determine what it is and extract the hidden words?

1. THESAURUS
2. PREGNANCY
3. THANKLESS
4. SITUATION
5. SUPERCEDE
6. CURLINESS
7. BARBARIAN
8. STATUETTE
9. SLINGSHOT
10. HEARTLESS
11. INSOLVENT

Answers:

The hidden words are found by taking every other letter of the clue word, always beginning with the first letter:

1. ThEsAuRuS - TEARS
2. PrEgNaNcY - PENNY
3. ThAnKlEsS - TAKES
4. SiTuAtIoN - STAIN
5. SuPeRcEdE - SPREE
6. CuRlInEsS - CRIES
7. BaRbArIaN - BRAIN
8. StAtUeTtE - SAUTE
9. SlInGsHoT - SIGHT
10. HeArTlEsS - HATES
11. InSoLvEnT - ISLET 

Credit: GAMES Magazine
April, 1992
Fraser Simpson
NESTED WORDS (adapted)

The four-letter words below have two things in common. Can you determine what they are?

ALGA
ALMS
ARMS
CONE
INKY
MANY
MOIL
ORCA

Answers:

The words are formed by combining the two-letter postal abbreviations of two states, AND, in each case, the two states share a border. For example, INKY is IN (Indiana) and KY (Kentucky), which share a border. 

Credit: GAMES Magazine
August, 1992
Arnie Danoff
BORDERLINE WORDS 

COLORING BOOK
Credit: GAMES Magazine
November, 2008
Francis Heaney (adapted)

Using the list of choices below, find a word that can follow Red, Yellow, and Blue and two other words that can follow two shades of red, yellow, and blue. The two shades are for you to determine. Each of the choice words will be used only once.

SEAL
JACKET
LETTER
ISLANDS
ROOM
MOON
BLOSSOM
STANDARD
CARPET

Answers:

RED CARPET
SCARLET LETTER
CHERRY BLOSSOM

YELLOW JACKET
CANARY ISLANDS
GOLD STANDARD

BLUE MOON 
NAVY SEAL
POWDER ROOM

 

AS EASY AS ABA
Credit: GAMES Magazine
October, 1992
Ogden Porter (#1-5)

Each clue below leads to a three-letter answer in the form ABA. That is, the first and third letters are the same, and each letter is pronounced individually.

1. Distress signal
2. Highly explosive material
3. Studio that gave us The Wizard of Oz
4. Carrier to Stockholm
5. Title for a king or queen
6. Lawyers' organization
7. Doctors' organization
8. Popular movie format
9. Selling price option
10. Internet acronym for humor
11. "Bad" cholesterol

Answers:

1. SOS
2. TNT
3. MGM
4. SAS
5. H.R.H
6. ABA
7. AMA
8. DVD
9. OBO 
10. LOL 
11. LDL 

1. The same letters, in the same order, will complete the words below:

C _ _ _ _
T _ _ _ _
L _ _ _ _
CR _ _ _ _
GR _ _ _ _
PL _ _ _ _

Answers:

1.The letters are EASE:

CEASE
TEASE
LEASE
CREASE
GREASE
PLEASE

A different letter can be dropped from each of the words below so that the remaining letters can be anagrammed into five new, related words.

1. ORANGE
2. ALUMNI
3. TURNIP
4. EVINCED
5. SPANGLE

HINTS:
The dropped letters are:
1. R
2. U
3. P
4. D
5. G

EXTRA HINT:
METRO could be added to the list.

Answers:

After dropping the extra letter and re-arranging the remaining letters, you get five Italian cities:

1. GENOA
2. MILAN
3. TURIN
4. VENICE
5. NAPLES 
    (ROME)

SWITCHCRAFT IV

SWITCH IN TIME
Credit: GAMES Magazine,
February, 1992
Gloria Rosenthal

Every sentence in the puzzle below contains three blanks. To fill them, find a word fitting the first blank that can be split into two other words that, in switched order, will fill the remaining two blanks. For example, in the sentence

When painting _____, the artist found that flower-filled _____  _____ be pretty subjects.

The answer words would be:

When painting CANVASES, the artist found that flower-filled VASES CAN be pretty subjects.

1. When her _____ said they might get the whole _____  _____ from school as well as summer, Mother fainted.

2. A _____ poet might write only one _____  _____ year and still consider himself a genius.

3. The beauty queen lost her _____ quality when she said smugly, "_____  _____, other don't, and that's just the way it goes."

4. All of the cod, _____, and mackerel the fishermen was unloading onto the _____  _____ been caught in international waters.

5. Employees of the Post _____ must scrape the _____  _____ the outdoor mailboxes to open them after a winter storm.

6. It's not wise _____ a person who's broke to play poker, since he's likely to wind up _____  _____ the other players money.

7. The long-winded explorer liked _____ of the times he survived a scorpion's _____,  _____ constrictors' squeezes , and attacks by panthers.

8. The losing team's quarterback passed the ball _____ to a running back, leading to a _____  _____ in the fourth quarter.

9. Being the _____ editor of a magazine takes youthful vigor, so it's hardly the right job for an _____  _____.

10. Consumer complaints _____ off rapidly after the city eliminated much of the bureaucratic _____  _____.

Answers:

1. OFFSPRING - SPRING OFF
2. PERVERSE - VERSE PER
3. WINSOME - SOME WIN*
4. HADDOCK - DOCK HAD
5. OFFICE - OFF ICE
6. ALLOWING - OWING ALL
7. BOASTING - STING BOA
8. LATERALLY - LATE RALLY
9. MANAGING - AGING MAN
10. TAPERED - RED TAPE

*3. I came up with AWESOME - SOME AWE, which is not as good as WINSOME, but I think is acceptable. 

WALL-TO-WALL
Credit: GAMES Magazine
February, 1992
Penny A. Roman

The answer to each clue will contain some form of  the word WALL.

1. Seriously annoy
2. Australian marsupial
3. New York financial center
4. Washington city famous for onions
5. 1,500-mile-long Asian wonder
6. Shy girl at a dance, perhaps
7. Old tire type
8. Sign of eventual defeat
9. Unconventional, as humor
10. Religious landmark in Jerusalem
11. Refuse to give information or co-operate
12. Warning about eavesdroppers
13. Do your very best for someone
14. Symbol of the Iron Curtain
15. Certain salmon
16. Arrive at your breaking point

Answers:

1. Drive up the wall
2. Wallaby
3. Wall Street
4. Walla Walla
5. Great Wall of China
6. Wallflower
7. Whitewall
8. Writing on the wall
9. Off the wall
10. Wailing Wall
11. Stonewall
12. The walls have ears
13. Go to the wall for
14. Berlin Wall
15. Walleye 
16. Hit the wall

CRIMINAL ACTS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
February, 1992
Randolph Ross

Each of the clues below leads to a "pardonable crime."

1. Outshone the stars
2. Yakked
3. Began belting
4. Made difficult progress
5. Caused snarls
6. Dated one's junior
7. Take advantage of an opportunity

Answers:

1. Stole the scene
2. Shot the bull 
3. Broke into song
4. Forged ahead
5. Held up traffic
6. Robbed the cradle
7. Seized the moment

Note: See also PARDONABLE CRIMES and PARDONABLE ROBBERIES

The following eight words can be grouped into four pairs according to a certain rule. Can you determine the rule and pair up the words properly?

ANNOY
ORE
TENNIS
ILL
ETIQUETTE
GONE
CON
SEA

HINT:
#1: It has to do with the phonetic sounds of the words.
#2: Think US geography

Answer:

The words should be paired so that when each pair is read together, it sounds like the name of a state:

ILL-ANNOY (Illinois)
ORE-GONE (Oregon)
TENNIS-SEA (Tennessee)
CON-ETIQUETTE (Connecticut)

LETTER BANK XI

IT'S A SNAP
Credit: GAMES Magazine
March, 2004
Steven Baggish

In a letter bank, the letters of one word are used - and repeated as necessary - to spell a longer word or phrase.  For example, IMPS is a letter bank for MISSISSIPPI. That is, the only letters in MISSISSIPPI are I, M, P, and S - repeated as necessary.

Using only the letters in SHOT PAR, can you spell a two-word, fourteen-letter phrase that has to do with traveling?

HINT:
#1: The title is a hint.
#2: International traveling

Answer:

PASSPORT PHOTOS

What do the following names, words, and phrases have in common?

1. MR. BOJANGLES
2. LIFE BLOOD
3. MINIMART
4. CAPRICIOUS
5. TOWN MAYOR
6. ADJUNCT PROFESSOR
7. MINT JULEPS
8. LAUGH TRACK
9. ANTISEPTIC CLEANER
10. MONROE DOCTRINE
11. WIN OVER
12. UNDECIDED VOTER

HINT:
There are 12 clues.

Answer:

The abbreviated names of the months of the year, in order, are concealed in the clues. 

Credit: NY Times Crossword
January 3, 2016
David Woolf
RECORD OF THE YEAR (adapted)