Fill in the blanks with two four-letter initialisms that share the same four letters.

Does the _ _ _ _ have _ _ _ _ within their

   sights

For trampling Bruin students' rights?

 

Answer:

 

ACLU - UCLA

 

Credit:

The Enigma

April, 2024

BROBBERTY 

Each of the following abbreviations, in everyday usage, can stand for two completely different things. What are they?

1. C.D.

2. A.C.

3. P.C.

4. M.P.

5. O.T.

6. E.R.A. 

Answers:

 

1. Certificate of Deposit

    Compact Disc

2. Air Conditioning

    Alternating Current

3. Personal Computer

    Politically Correct

4. Military Police

    Member of Parliament

5. Overtime

    Old Testament

6. Earned Run Average

    Equal Rights Amendment

ABBREVIATIONS

1. NDA - Non Disclosure Agreement [To protect confidentiality]

2. HBCU - Historically Black Colleges and Universities [Schools established before the 1964 Civil Rights Act to serve African-American students) 

3. PDA - Public Display of Affection 

 

4. IMO - In My Opinion 

    IMHO - In My Humble Opinion 

 

5. ADU - Accessory Dwelling Unit 

 

6. NGO - Non-Governmental Organization

 

7. LOL - Laughing Out Loud

 

8. FYI - For Your Information

 

9. AMA - Ask Me Anything

 

10. TBH - To Be Honest

 

11. IRL - In Real Life

 

12. TTYL - Talk To You Later 

 

Do you know the meanings of these abbreviations? #2 is associated with southern California.

1. OB

2. OC

3. OD

4. OR

5. OT

 

Answers:

 

1. Obstetrics

2. Orange County

3. Overdose

4. Operating room

5. Overtime or occupational therapy

 

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle

December 4, 2022

Will Shortz (#1-8)

 

The abbreviation RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance, but it could stand for Red Delicious Apple. Use the clues below to come up with a fanciful, alternate meaning of the  abbreviations below:

 

1. MPH - Classic children's toy

 

2. LOL - Something you do for the joy of it 

3. DDS - Many libraries use it

4. PIN - Office/desk staple

5. PAC - Both sides of an issue

 

6. MMA (mixed martial arts) - Far in the past

 

7. SST - John Wilkes Booth's words after shooting President Lincoln

8. PDA - Argue the other side of an issue, even if you don't believe it

9. AMC - Long running soap opera

10. NPR - Contest disclaimer

11. JFK - On a lark

 

12. LGBT - Restaurant date 

13. FAQ - Line up

14. RIP - Exercise option

Answers:

 

1. MPR - Mr. Potato Head

2. LOL - Labor of Love (also Lots of Luck)

3. DDS - Dewey Decimal System

4. PAC - Pros And Cons

5. PIN - Post-It-Note

6. MMA - Many Moons Ago

7. SST - Sic Semper Tyrannus 

              (thus always to tyrants)

8. PDA - Play Devil's Advocate

9. AMC - All My Children

10. NPR - No Purchase Required

11. JFK - Just For Kicks

12. LGBT - Let's Get Breakfast Together

13. FAQ - Form A Queue

14. RIP - Run In Place

Can you identify these abbreviations?

1. LEM

2. OMB

3. PDF

 

Answers:

 

1. Lunar Excursion Module

2. Office of Management and Budget

3. Portable Document Format 

How many abbreviations can you think of that start with G? Nine are listed below.

(Possible) Answers:

GE - General Electric

GM - General Motors

GQ - Gentlemen's Quarterly

GI - General Issue/Ground Infantry

GI - Gastro-Intestinal

GED - General Education Degree

GMO - Genetically Modified Organism

GNP - Gross National Product

GPA - Grade Point Average

 

 

TEXTING ABBREVIATIONS

TLDR - Too Long Didn't Read

IRL - In Real Life 

LMIRL - Let's Meet In Real Life

FWIW - For What It's Worth

TTYL - Talk To You Later

LMK - Let Me Know

NBD - No Big Deal

NP - No Problem

TBH - To Be Honest

SFLR - Sorry For Late Reply

TYT - Take Your Time

WYWH - Wish You Were Here

SO - Significant Other

HTH - Hope This Helps

ICYMI - In Case You Missed it

POSTAL ABBREVIATION WORDS

Can you fill in the blanks with postal abbreviations that will complete the words below? For example, given AL _ _ _ _, one possible answer would be ALPACA.

1. AL _ _ _ _

2. AR _ _ _ _

3. AR _ _ _ _

4. CA _ _ _ _

5. CA _ _ _ _

6. CA _ _ _ _ _ _

7. CO _ _ _ _

8. CO_ _ - _ _ _ _

9. GA _ _ _ _ _ _  (proper name) 

10. NE _ _ _ _

Answers:

 

1. ALMOND

2. ARCADE

3. ARCANE

4. CANDID

5. CANDOR

6. CALAMINE (lotion)

7. CONDOR 

8. COCA-COLA

9. GANYMEDE (moon of Jupiter)

10. NECTAR 

Credit:

Bruce Pyne

Word Ways

 

COD

Use the clues below to think of familiar three-word expressions with initial letters C, O, and D.

1. Payment due on receipt of product

2. Part of a bedroom set

3. Boot camp training activity

4. "Let's Make a Deal" call to chosen contestants

5. Sunrise

6. Doctor's or coroner's determination

7. "Gateway to England"

8. Aid to thieves, often

9. Funeral expenses

10. Fate 

Answers:

 

1. Cash on delivery

2. Chest of drawers

3. Close order drill

4. "Come on down!"

5. Crack of dawn

6. Cause of death

7. Cliffs of Dover

8. Cover of darkness

9. Cost of dying

10. Call of destiny 

 

Credit:

Fred Piscop (#1-3)

 

KLM

The Dutch airline KLM is an abbreviation of its full name,

 

KONINKLIJKE  LUCHTVAART  MAATSCHAPPIJ ,

which in English translates to Royal Aviation Company.

Can you think of a three-letter abbreviation that refers to:

1. Messages broadcast in the public interest?

2. A medical indicator of disease?

3. The first large discount airline in the United States?

Answers:

PSA -  Public Service Announcement

            Prostate Specific Antigen 

            Pacific Southwest Airlines 

Can you think of any familiar abbreviations or acronyms of at least three letters that can be repurposed to form a different abbreviation or acronym? The same letters can be unchanged, re-arranged, off by one letter, or they can have one additional letter.

(Possible) Answers:

Same letters - unchanged:

FDR - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

FRD - Flight Data Recorder*

PSA - Public Service Announcement

PSA - Prostate-specific Antigen

 

PDA - Public Display of Affection

PDA - Personal Digital Assistant

 

Same letters - re-arranged:

DAR - Daughters of the American Revolution

RDA - Recommended Daily Allowance

 

MLB - Major League Baseball

BLM - Bureau of Land Management

 

TMI - Too Much Information

MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology

 

LSD - An hallucinogenic drug

LDS - Latter Day Saints

 

DUI - Driving under the influence

IUD - Intrauterine device 

MBA - Masters of Business Administration

ABM - Anti-ballistic Missile

TSP - Teaspoon

STP -  Auto engine additive

MIA - Missing In Action

AIM - American Indian Movement

 

VCR - Video Cassette Recorder

CVR - Cockpit Voice Recorder*

 

DINK - Double Income No Kids

KIND - Kids in Nature's Defense

ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union

UCLA - University of California at Los Angeles

 

One letter off: 

IRA - Individual Retirement Account

IRS - Internal Revenue Service

 

BYOB - Bring your own bottle

MYOB - Mind your own business

 

MYOB - Mind you own business 

BMOC - Big Man On Campus

 

Add a letter:

UPS - United Parcel Service

USPS - United States Postal Service

 

ASAP - As Soon As Possible

ASCAP -American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers

SPCA - Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

ASCAP - American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers

 

PSA - Public Service Announcement

ASAP - As Soon As Possible 

*The CVR and the FDR make up the Black Box (which is really orange) that is carried on every commercial aircraft.

 

Credit:
Joseph Appel 

How many abbreviations can you find in the word ARIA? Six are listed below.

(Possible) Answers:

1. AR - Arkansas
2. RI - Rhode Island
3. IA - Iowa
4. AI - Artificial Intelligence
5. AA - Alcoholics Anonymous
6. AIA - American Institute of Architects

Credit:
Joseph Appel

TECHNICAL ABBREVIATIONS

Do you know what these modern-day abbreviations/acronyms stand for?

1. CD
2. PC
3. AV
4. ATM
5. LCD
6. ABS
7. PIN
8. RAM
9. ROM
10. CRT
11. CAD
12. USB
13. VCR
14. IPO
15. EMT
16. HTTP
17. HDTV
18. HOA
19. HOV 

20. CGI
21. QWERTY

Answers:

1. CD - Compact Disk
2. PC - Personal Computer
3. AV - Audio/Visual
4. ATM - Automated Teller Machine
5. LCD - Liquid Crystal Display
6. ABS - Anti-locking Brake System
7. PIN - Personal Identification Number
8. RAM - Random Access Memory
9. ROM - Read-Only Memory
10. CRT - Cathode Ray Tube
11. CAD - Computer Assisted Design
12. USB - Universal Serial Bus 
13. VCR - Video Cassette Recorder
14. IPO - Initial Public Offering 
15. EMT - Emergency Medical Technician
16. HTTP - Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol
17. HDTV - High Definition TeleVision
18. HOA - Home Owners' Association 
19. HOV - High Occupancy Vehicle

20. CGI - Computer Generated Imagery
21. QWERTY - Standard keyboard layout (from top row of letters on keyboard)

REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
NY Times Crossword
May 21, 2000
Matt Gaffney (#1-5)

Can you think of words that relate to or describe the work done by these five organizations, according to the letters of their abbreviations?

1. F.B.I.
2. N.A.S.A.
3. I.R.S.
4. E.P.A
5. U.S.A.F.
6. C.I.A.
7. D.N.A.

(Possible) Answers:

1. Finds Bad Individuals
2. Named A Shuttle Atlantis
3. Income Return Sought
4. Earth's Primary Advocate
5. Usually Stops All Foes
6. Controls Information Autocratically
7. Describes Natural Attributes
 

The answers to the clues below contain abbreviations.

1. Iconic blues singer of Goodnight Irene
2. The "May" in some May-December marriages
3. Tonto portrayer
4. Hair color
5. Early theater
6. Railroad - to some
7. Environmental impact
8. Breathing support
9. Balloon filler upper at a party, perhaps

Answers:

1. Pb Belly
2. Au digger
3. Ag Heels
4. Pt blonde
5. Ni odeon
6. Fe Horse
7. C footprint
8. O tent
9. He tank

Credit:
NY Times Crossword
July 23, 1998 
Randall J. Hartman

Explanation of answer abbreviations:

Each abbreviation is the chemical symbol of an element:

1. Lead Belly
2. Gold digger 
3. Jay Silverheels
4. Platinum blonde
5. Nickelodeon
6. Iron horse 
7. Carbon footprint
8. Oxygen tent
9. Helium tank

LETTER CARRIERS
Credit: GAMES Magazine
July/August, 1982
Will Shortz

The two blanks in each clue below can be filled in with an abbreviation suggested by the descriptions listed below the clues. The completed words will not be related to the clues. For example, given the clue  _ H _ NE and the description LETTER CARRIER'S BASE, you would fill in the abbreviation P.O. to complete the word PHONE. [To make the puzzle more challenging, try to fill in the blanks without looking at the descriptions.]

1. CE _ _ R
2. _ AR _ H
3. _ IMI _
4. S _ O _ E
5. P _ _ UE
6. CH _ _ K
7. C  _ UM _  (dated term)
8. C _ _ EL
9. S _ RU _
10. _ A _ OR
11. _ _ EAL
12 _ U _ HY

DESCRIPTIONS (in random order)

a. Executive, perhaps
b. World body
c. Record
d. Show host
e. Trucker's "ears"
f. Afterthought
g. Prosecutor
h. Home entertainer
i. Six pointer
j. Morning
k. Kind of bracelet
l. Brains rating

Answers:

1. g - ceDAr
2. d - MarCh
3. i - TimiD
4. h - sToVe
5. l - pIQue
6. b - chUNk
7. c - cLumP
8. j - cAMel
9. e - sCruB
10. a - VaPor
11. k - IDeal
12. f - PuShy

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 

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