LOGICAL THINKING XXV

FIGURING OUT AUNT MATILDA II

The Play of Words

Richard Lederer

Aunt Matilda likes and dislikes are based on the patterns of letters or sounds in words. Can you explain Aunt Matilda's preferences in the following examples?

1. Aunt Matilda likes:

    Seas but not oceans

    Pains but not aches

    Carrots but not potatoes

    Maize but not corn

    Lye but not bleach

    Beets but not turnips.

2. Aunt Matilda likes:

    Mascara but not makeup

    Lipstick but not rouge

    Condors but not falcons

    Murmurs but not whispers

    Tennessee but not Georgia

3. Aunt Matilda likes:

    Algebra but not geometry

    Stones but not rocks

    Gabbing but not gossip

    Trout but not salmon

    Health but not illness

    Pomp but not circumstance

Answers:

 

1. Aunt Matilda likes homophones (seas - sees)

 

2. Aunt Matilda likes words using only one vowel

 

3. Aunt Matilda likes words that begin and end with the same letter.