BEST BETS
GAMES/World of Puzzles
January, 2020
R.H.Wei

Some word become new ones when their last two letters are reversed, as in MOON and MONO. Each of the pairs of definitions below identify two such words, which range in length from three to six letters. How many can you find? Some of the words are proper names.

1. Antelope variety - Common weapon
2. Fossil fuel - Soda flavor
3. Water sport - Place to play that sport
4. Defeat - Greek letter
5. Bearing - Source of gold
6. Detect a sound - Greek goddess
7. Honk - Dorothy's dog
8. Flexible armor -West African nation
9. Move slowly - Thin pancake
10. Iron alloy - Upright stone tablet
11. Logger's warning cry - Tone quality
12. System of laws - Having both male and female students

Answers:

1. Gnu - Gun
2. Coal - Cola
3. Polo - Pool
4. Beat - Beta
5. Mien - Mine
6. Hear - Hera
7. Toot - Toto
8. Mail - Mali
9. Creep - Crepe
10. Steel - Stele
11. Timber- Timbre
12. Code - Coed

ONE-TWO SWITCH
GAMES/World of Puzzles
August, 2019
R.H. Wei

Some words become new ones when their first two letters are reversed - as in NITRO and INTRO
(short forms of nitroglycerin and introduction). Each of the pairs of definitions below identify two such words, which range in length from four to seven letters. How many can you find?

1. Entrance - Smell
2. Shade tree or flavor - Sufficient
3. Recessed spaces - Units of length
4. Arrived - Summit
5. Face covering - Wicked
6. Block of hay - Competent
7. After some time - Change
8. Enlighten - Give god-like status
9. Muddled - Type of energy
10. Monster - Pierce with a horn or tusk
11. Stun - Wood-cutting tool
12. Slant - Vivacity

Answers:

1. DOOR - ODOR
2. MAPLE - AMPLE
3. NICHES - INCHES
4. CAME - ACME
5. VEIL - EVIL
6. BALE - ABLE
7. LATER - ALTER
8. EDIFY - DEIFFY
9. UNCLEAR - NUCLEAR
10. OGRE - GORE
11. DAZE - ADZE
12. LEAN - ELAN
 

Each of the words below can be changed into a common two-word phrase by adding a second word beginning with the same two letters as the first word, only reversed.

1. New
2. Car
3. Arms
4. Walk
5. Usual
6. Mirror
7. Ninth
8. Opium
9. Foreign
10. National
11. Unlisted

Answer:

1. New England 
2. Car accident
3. Arms race
4. Walk away
5. Usual suspects
6. Mirror image
7. Ninth inning
8. Opium poppy
9. Foreign office
10. National anthem
11. Unlisted number  

Credit:
Will Shortz
The Puzzlemaster Presents Vol. 2
STARTER SWITCH 

ENDS FLIPPED
The Puzzlemaster Presents Vol. 2
Will Shortz

In this puzzle you're given the middle three letters of some familiar uncapitalized, seven-letter words. In each case, the first two letters are the same as the last two letters, only reversed. What words are these?

For example: Given COV, the answer word would be RECOVER.

1. STF
2. TWI
3. WSM
4. RPL
5. CAD
6. TEN
7. POU
8. RDI
9. OUG
10. DEN
11. GWO
12. RNO

HINTS:
The first (and last) letters are:
1. L
2. E
3. N
4. S
5. M
6. A
7. E
8. C
9. T
10.A
11. D
12. T

Answers:

1. LUSTFUL
2. ENTWINE
3. NEWSMEN
4. SURPLUS
5. MACADAM
6. ANTENNA
7. ESPOUSE
8. CARDIAC
9. THOUGHT
10. ADDENDA
11. DOGWOOD
12. TURNOUT