DIFFERNITIONS

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles 

December, 2025

 

Answer each clue with a word that differs from PIANO by a single letter. For example, "Barcelona's country" would be SPAIN. 

 

1. Imitating

2. Chef's coverall

3. Far from fancy

4. Watercolor or oil

5. Unsuitable

6. State a view 

7. Sudden fear

8. Spotted horse

9. Sharp end of a pencil

 

Answers:

 

1. APING

2. APRON

3. PLAIN

4. PAINT

5. INAPT

6. OPINE 

7. PANIC

8. PINTO

9. POINT  

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER - CXLIX

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. SINUS - S 

2. RATIO - A 

3. STING - N

4. GUITAR - T

5. SOCCER - C

6. TONGUE - E 

7. CALMLY - C 

8. EMBRACE - M 

9. Can you think of five words that differ by a single letter from ATRIUM?       

 

HINTS:

1. Food

2. Body part

3. P.M. hours

4. Very sad

5. Force

6. Sufficient

7. Music

8. Grim, dreadful

 

Answers:

 

1. SUSHI

2. AORTA

3. NIGHT

4. TRAGIC

5. COERCE

6. ENOUGH

7. CYMBAL

8. MACABRE

9. Trauma, mature, radium, autism, ritual                            

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXLVIII

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. LILAC - C

2. RECIPE - F 

3. LAVISH - S

4. CREDIT - D 

5. PERMIT - E

6. CACTUS - S 

7. BEHIND - H

8. AMULET - A

9. MIGHTY - M

10. DRIBBLE - R  

 

HINTS: 

1. Microscopic hairs

2. Vicious

3. Bodily fluid

4. Trickery

5. Realm

6. Building material

7. Impede

8. Vial

9. Legendary

10. Start over, in a sense

 

Answers:

 

1. CILIA

2. FIERCE

3. SALIVA

4. DECEIT

5. EMPIRE

6. STUCCO

7. HINDER

8. AMPULE

9. MYTHIC

10. REBUILD  

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXLVII

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. LOVE - E

2. CHAOS - H 

3. POLISH - S 

4. ASPECT - E 

5. TENANT - A 

6. GALLEY - L

7. BURLAP - B

8. REGENT - G

9. COSMOS - S 

10. CUSTOM - M

 

HINTS:

1. The opposite of LOVE

2. Synonym for CHAOS

3. It can draw a liquid

4. Get away

5. Be there

6. Heritage

7. End of life event

8. Tender

9. Spoon, once

10. A football team usually has one

 

Answers:

 

1. EVIL

2. HAVOC

3. SIPHON

4. ESCAPE

5. ATTEND

6. LEGACY

7. BURIAL

8. GENTLE

9. SMOOCH

10. MASCOT  

 

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXLVI

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?  

1. DEBUT - B 

2. TOUGH - G 

3. FUTURE - R 

4. RENEGE - G 

5. CANTER - A 

6. BEYOND - N

7. LOUNGE - E 

8. IMPRESS - E

9. MUTUAL - A 

10. REVENGE - R

 

HINTS:

1. Move

2. Energy

3. Deny

4. Sex

5. Mysterious

6. Cipher

7. Sufficient

8. Royal figure

9. Season

10. Income

 

Answers:

 

1. BUDGE

2. GUSTO

3. REFUTE

4. GENDER

5. ARCANE

6. NOBODY

7. ENOUGH

8. EMPRESS

9. AUTUMN

10. REVENUE  

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXLV

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. PRISM - S

2. BRAIN - R 

3. DEATH - H 

4. HOVEL - H

5. BISHOP - P 

6. GRATIS - G

7. BROOM - R 

8. STUDIO - O 

9. ANCHOR - R 

10. CARBON - B

11. ENERGY - G 

12. MIGHTY - M  

 

HINTS:

1. Kind of whale

2. Kind of weather

3. Body part

4. Divide evenly

5. Fear

6. Music

7. Metaphor for a male lover

8. Auction word

9. Bitterness, spite

10. Animal

11. Medical apparatus

12. Legendary 

 

Answers:

 

1. SPERM

2. RAINY

3. HEART

4. HALVE

5. PHOBIA

6. GUITAR

7. ROMEO

8. OUTBID

9. RANCOR

10. BRONCO

11. GURNEY

12. MYTHIC  

 

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXLIV

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. BISHOP - S

2. CREASE - S

3. HUDDLE - D

4. NO CASH - C

5. SLEEPS - E 

6. SHOOT - E 

7. ITCHY - T 

8. NOVICE - I

9. OBLIGE - L

10. TRIAGE - G 

11. ERASER - E

12. CANOPY - C 

 

HINTS:
1. Draw off liquid though a tube

2. In short supply

3. Mislead, deceive

4. "The House" in Vegas

5. Ties the knot in a hurry

6. Spirit, character of something

7. Dense

8. Cite or appeal, as to an authority 

9. Vast numbers

10. Music

11. Simpler

12. Waxy coloring stick 

 

Answers:

 

1. SIPHON

2. SCARCE

3. DELUDE

4. CASINO

5. ELOPES

6. ETHOS

7. THICK

8. INVOKE

9. LEGION

10. GUITAR

11. EASIER

12. CRAYON 

 

  

 

 

 

 

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXLIII

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. HULA - L

2. BUTLER - S

3. CAVORT - A

4. NECTAR - A

5. BRUTAL - A

6. ATTACH - T

7. CANVAS - C

8. TENNIS - N

9. CASINO - C

10. ABACUS - C  

 

HINTS:

1. *

2. Understated

3. Bird

4. Stress

5. Sudden

6. Roof covering

7. Fruit

8. Number

9. Kin

10. Informal

 

Answers:

 

1. LUAU

2. SUBTLE

3. AVOCET

4. ACCENT

5. ABRUPT

6. THATCH

7. CASAVA

8. NINETY

9. COUSIN

10. CASUAL 

  
 

BE A BETTER ANAGRMMER CXLIII

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word? 

1. CATNIP - N 

2. MENSA - S

3. CUSHY - H

4. CHORD - C

5. CRADLE - A 

6. OUTAGE - T 

7. TUXEDO - E 

8. MAGNET - T 

9. SOLEMN - M 

 

HINTS:

1. It may be cloth or paper

2. Disgrace

3. Sled dog

4. Routine task

5. Arched passageway

6. Language

7. Bible book

8. Like some bikes

9. Sexually assault 

 

Answers:

 

1. NAPKIN

2. SHAME

3. HUSKY

4. CHORE

5. ARCADE

6. TONGUE

7. EXODUS

8. TANDEM

9. MOLEST  

 

 

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXLII

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. FEUD - D

2. OLDER - D

3. YOUNG - A

4. COUGH - C

5. SETTLE - S 

6. ISLAND - S 

7. FIASCO - S

8. REFUGE - F 

9. MAYFLY - F 

10. BEDLAM - E

 

 

HINTS:

1. Result of a feud, perhaps

2. Amusing

3. Severe pain

4. Furniture

5. Furniture

6. Island wear, perhaps

7. Extroverted

8. Go _____ Eight

9. Kin 

10. With "to" - Preserve a corpse for viewing

 

Answers:

 

1. DUEL

2. DROLL

3. AGONY

4. COUCH

5. SETTEE

6. SANDAL

7. SOCIAL

8. FIGURE

9. FAMILY 

10. EMBALM  

 

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER - CXLI

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right.  Can you determine the other word?

1. CHEAT - H

2. UNREAL - N

3. TERMINAL - M

4. ANSWER - S

5 COUGAR - G

6. NAUSEA - U

7. CARESS - R 

8. URBAN - B

9. PHOTO - T

10. ORIGIN - I 

 

HINTS:

1. Body part

2. As real as it gets

3. Fabric, for clothes - for example

4. Spread all over

5. Oscar is a famous one

6. Anxious

7. A break

8. A language

9. Body part

10. Unexpected 

 

Answers:

 

1. HEART

2. NATURE

3. MATERIAL

4. STREWN

5. GROUCH

6. UNEASY

7. RECESS

8. BANTU

9. TOOTH  

10. IRONIC 

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXL

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. VISA - D

2. GRATIS - T 

3. OPIATE - U 

4. GENIUS - S 

5. WITHIN - N 

6. AFFORD - F

7. CREASE - C 

8. EXHORT - T

9. LONELY - O 

10. ADMIRE - M 

 

HINTS:

1. Type of platform or stage

2. Disaster word

3. Eden

4. Old gold coin of Venice

5. Blockhead

6. Hat

7. Loving touch

8. Area between the neck and abdomen

9. For all to see

10. Lass

 

Answers:

 

1. DAIS

2. TRIAGE or TRAGIC

3. UTOPIA

4. SEQUIN

5. NITWIT

6. FEDORA

7. CARESS

8. THORAX

9. OPENLY

10. MAIDEN  

  

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXXXIX

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word.

1. TINGE - N  

2. EGYPT - P 

3. MERIT - C 

4. HIDING - I

5. APRON - P 

6. PRISON - S

7. COZIER - H

8. ATRIUM - R

9. OMELET - M 

10. DOLLAR - O  

 

HINTS:

1. Distinctive sound

2. Trivial

3. Some say there is one behind every fortune

4. Rainbow

5. Music

6. Escape, in a way

7. Brave

8. Traditional ceremony

9. Rag-tag

10. Trial

 

Answers:

 

1. NEIGH

2. PETTY

3. CRIME

4. INDIGO

5. PIANO

6. SPRING

7. HEROIC

8. RITUAL

9. MOTLEY

10. ORDEAL  

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXXXVIII

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. FIEND - K

2. OCHER - C

3. POISON - S 

4. RECITE - R

5. BRAWN - U

6. THRIVE - V

7. HOTTER - T

8. CORNER - E

9. TANDEM - D

10. MATURE - A 

 

HINTS:

1. Weapon

2. Music

3. Remove liquid by suction

4. Food

5. City

6. Goodness

7. Idea

8. Bravo!

9. Insist

10. Sky-lit room or courtyard 

 

Answers:

 

1. KNIFE

2. CHOIR

3. SIPHON

4. RECIPE

5. URBAN

6. VIRTUE

7. THEORY (also TETHER)

8. ENCORE

9. DEMAND

10. ATRIUM  

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXXXVII

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. SNAIL - S 

2. FEIGN - F

3. SHOCK - C

4. PISTON - O 

5. ORIOLE - R

6. DOUGH - H

7. HUMOR - M

8. PARADE - D

9. BOUNCE - B

10. WEALTH - A

 

HINTS:

1. Informal language

2. Mushrooms, for example

3. Bedlam

4. Choice

5. Flinch back

6. Harass

7. Grieve

8. Kaibosh

9. Warning or signal light

10. Certain amount of time

 

Answers:

 

1. SLANG

2. FUNGI

3. CHAOS

4. OPTION

5. RECOIL

6. HOUND

7. MOURN

8. DAMPER

9. BEACON

10. AWHILE 

 

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXXXVI 

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. POISE - S

2. NIECE - S

3. CIGAR - G

4. LEAVE - H

5. CABLE - B

6. LIMPID - D

7. ASPECT - S

8. SENATE - F

9. CLEVER - V

10. WISDOM - D

 

HINTS:

1. Reddish-brown

2. Act part

3. Wheat, for one

4. Split evenly

5. Desolate

6. Facial feature

7. Bacterial

8. Attach

9. It's sticky

10. Renounce 

Answers:

 

1. SEPIA

2. SCENE

3. GRAIN

4. HALVE 

5. BLEAK

6. DIMPLE

7. SEPTIC

8. FASTEN

9. VELCRO

10. DISOWN

 

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXXXV

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word? 

1. CANON - C

2. BOARD - A 

3. REACH - C

4. GUEST - S

5. TABLE - B

6. CIGAR - C

7. SUEDE - D

8. OFFICE - C

9. OUNCE - C

10. FROWN - W 

HINTS:

1. Watercraft

2. Shady alcove

3. Vegetable

4. Terrible two, for one

5. Desolate

6. Around that time

7. Extinguish 

8. Beverage

9. Title of nobility

10. Offend

 

Answers:

 

1. CANOE

2. ARBOR

3. CHARD

4. STAGE

5. BLEAK

6. CIRCA

7. DOUSE

8. COFFEE

9. COUNT

10. WRONG 

 

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXXXIV

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. PERSON - R

2. CIGAR - A

3. RIDE - I

4. TREATY - E

5. AROUND - O

6. KINDER - D

7. MATZO - T

8. SPITE - P 

9. ANKLE - L

HINTS:

1. Tranquil state

2. Having a harsh, bitter taste or smell

3. Thought

4. Diner, for one

5. Confer spiritual authority

6. Gloomier

7. Gem 

8. Food

9. Not water-tight

 

Answers:

 

1. REPOSE

2. ACRID

3. IDEA

4. EATERY

5. ORDAIN

6. DARKER

7. TOPAZ

8. PESTO 

9. LEAKY 

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXXXIII

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. SPACE - P

2. SURGE - S

3. DIRECT - E

4. PLIANT - A

5. THREW - W

6. SELDOM - M

7. CRUNCH - U

8. PICTURE - E 

9. SILENT - N 

 

HINTS:

1. The dove is its symbol

2. Fabric

3. Newspaper VIP 

4. Of the mountains

5. One of the five W's

6. Tune

7. Waif

8. Gourmet

9. Snuggle

Answers:

 

1. PEACE

2. SERGE

3. EDITOR

4. ALPINE

5. WHERE

6. MELODY

7. URCHIN

8. EPICURE

9. NESTLE 

BE A BETTER ANAGRAMMER CXXXII

Each word on the left is one letter off from another word - whose initial letter is given at the right. Can you determine the other word?

1. CIPHER - R

4. BUDGET - B

3. CAREER - C

4. DESIGN - S

5. PURSE - S

6. KNIFE - F

7. TORPOR - P

8. CALIBER - B

9. TINSEL THING - S/N

10. HE THREW RINGS - W/E/K

HINTS:

1. Directions in food preparation

2. Bird

3. Speed and lurch in an uncontrolled way

4. Seal, as one engraved on a ring

5. Breakfast condiment

6. Pretend to be affected

7. ASAP

8. He was blind by the age of 5

9-10: Christmas carols

Answers:

1. RECIPE

2. BUDGIE

3. CAREEN

4. SIGNET

5. SYRUP

6. FEIGN

7. PRONTO

8. (Louis) BRAILLE

9. SILENT NIGHT

10. WE THREE KINGS