Twenty Word Games

The Oxford Word Challenge

Source: http://oxforddictionaries.com/
Selected and arranged by

ANTONIO FERNANDES DE CARVALHO

Content
Anagrams .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 04 Anagrams Answers ........................................................................................................................................................................ 06 AwfulAuthors..................................................................................................................................................................................... 07 Awful Authors Answers ................................................................................................................................................................ 08 Categories .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 09 Categories Answers ........................................................................................................................................................................ 10 Rhyming Slang .............................................................................................................................................................................. 11 Rhyming Slang Answers .................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Homophones ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 13 Homophones Answers ....................................................................................................................................................................... 14 Palindromes ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Palindromes Answers .................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Kangaroo Words ................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Kangaroo Words Answer ................................................................................................................................................................... 18 Hermans ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 19 Hermans Answers .......................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Russian Dolls .................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Russian Dolls Answers .................................................................................................................................................................. 22 Anagrammed Places ......................................................................................................................................................................... 23 Anagrammed Places Answers ........................................................................................................................................................... 24 Rebuses ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 25 Rebuses Answers ............................................................................................................................................................................ 27 Hidden Word Squares ........................................................................................................................................................................... 28 Hidden Word Squares Answers ..................................................................................................................................................... 30

Doublets ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 32 Doublets Answers .......................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Malapropisms .................................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Malapropisms Answers .................................................................................................................................................................. 35 Plurals ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 36 Plurals Answers ................................................................................................................................................................................. 37 Contronyms ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Contronyms Answers ......................................................................................................................................................................... 39 Plurals Answers ................................................................................................................................................................................. 37 Contronyms ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Contronyms Answers ......................................................................................................................................................................... 39 Three in One ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 40 Three in One Answers ................................................................................................................................................................... 41

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/anagrams

Anagrams
The Oxford Word Challenge
Anagrams An anagram, says the Concise Oxford Dictionary, is 'a word or phrase formed by transposing the letters of another word or phrase'. Can you transpose these words or phrases to make new words or phrases? Example: Rearrange the letters of the word rail to make a dishonest person Answer: Liar 1. Rearrange the letters of the word eat to make something to drink. 2. Rearrange brush to make a kind of bush. 3. Rearrange lemon to make something else to eat. 4. Rearrange skate to make a poet. 5. Rearrange wand to make a time of day. 6. Rearrange Alice to make another woman's name. 7. Rearrange Dorothea to make another woman's name. 8. Rearrange supersonic to get part of an orchestra. 9. Rearrange hormone to get the name of a bird. 10. Rearrange spectrum to make some eatables. 11. Which food might you make out of stale lamb? 12. What do you have to be if you want to listen? 13. Which word describes lithe acts? 14. Which part of a newspaper may be an adroit lie? 15. Which animal would you not touch with a bargepole? 16. In two words, where can you find a schoolmaster? 17. In two words, what is worn by a stripteaser? 18. Which London regions or suburbs are anagrams of canto, Hamlet, leaches, and poems? 19. Rearrange stealer to make a Shakespearean character. 20. Which part of the body is a ten-letter word in which the last five letters are an anagram of the first five letters? 21. Make two other words from the letters of idolatry. 22. Make three other words from the letters of the word gallery. 23. Make four other words from the letters of the word players. 24. Make four other words from the letters of inlets.

25. Make four other letters from the letters of the word maneless. 26. What quality might characterize a prime dunce? 27. Which adjective might describe a problem in Chinese? 28. In three words, what characterizes the nudist colony? 29. Which gambling event may seem like totally inane rot - especially if you lose? 30. Which German opera asserts the fact that a kinder love's rare?

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/anagrams-answers

Anagrams: Answers
Answers 1. tea. 2. shrub. 3. melon. 4. Keats. 5. dawn. 6. Celia. 7. Theodora. 8. percussion. 9. moorhen. 10. crumpets. 11. meatballs. 12. silent. 13. athletics. 14. editorial. 15. porbeagle (a kind of shark) 16. the classroom. 17. sparse attire. 18. Acton, Eltham, Chelsea, Epsom. 19. Laertes. 20. intestines. 21. adroitly, dilatory. 22. allergy, largely, regally. 23. parleys, parsley, replays, sparely. 24. enlist, listen, silent, tinsel. 25. lameness, maleness, nameless, salesman. 26. imprudence. 27. incomprehensible. 28. no untidy clothes. 29. National Lottery. 30. Der Rosenkavalier.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/awful-authors

Awful Authors

The Oxford Word Challenge

An Easy Word Game Awful Authors In this game, you have to think of a suitable punning surname for the author of an imaginary book. The most popular example used to be The Broken Window by Eva Brick (which is a pun on 'heave a brick'). Can you complete the names for the authors of these imaginary books? Example The Cliff Tragedy, by Eileen...who? Answer Eileen Dover 1. The Victorian Bicycle by Penny...who? 2. Lumberjacks by Tim... 3. Carpeting the House by Walter... 4. Politeness by Hugo... 5. What's for breakfast? by Hammond... 6. Continental Breakfast by Roland... 7. Native American Weaponry by Tom A... 8. Oiling Cricket Bats by Lynn C... 9. Easy Money by Robin... 10. Stand and Deliver by Ann... 11. Chemistry by Tess... 12. Counterfeit Antiques by Fay... 13. Successful Books by Bess... 14. Foreseeing the Future by Horace... 15. French Windows by Pattie... 16. Alcohol and Gambling by Rex... 17. Personal and Religious Belief by Mike... 18. Pleasing the Public by Lois Carmen... 19. Travelling light by Freda Wanda... 20. The Perfect Marriage by Ruth....and Patrick...

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/awful-authors-answers

Awful Authors: Answers

Answers (Note: These are only suggestions. There are probably many other possible names). 1. The Victorian Bicycle by Penny Farthing 2. Lumberjacks by Tim Burr 3. Carpeting the House by Walter Wall 4. Politeness by Hugo First 5. What's for breakfast? by Hammond Eggs 6. Continental Breakfast by Roland Butter 7. Native American Weaponry by Tom A. Hawk 8. Oiling Cricket Bats by Lynn C. Doyle 9. Easy Money by Robin Banks 10. Stand and Deliver by Ann Dover 11. Chemistry by Tess Tube 12. Counterfeit Antiques by Fay Kingham 13. Successful Books by Bess Sellers 14. Foreseeing the Future by Horace Scope 15. French Windows by Pattie O'Dors 16. Alcohol and Gambling by Rex Holmes 17. Personal and Religious Belief by Mike Reed 18. Pleasing the Public by Lois Carmen Denominator 19. Travelling light by Freda Wanda Atwill 20. The Perfect Marriage by Ruth Fitzpatrick and Patrick Fitzruth

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/categories

Categories

The Oxford Word Challenge

An Easy Word Game Categories 'Categories' is a game in which you try to think of words which start with a specified letter and which fit a particular category. Combinations of more than one word are acceptable (as long as they are listed in the Concise Oxford Dictionary, so clock golf would qualify as a sport beginning with the letter C. Example: Name six animals starting with the letter A. Answer: Aardvark, agouti, alligator, antelope, ape, armadillo. 1. Name six birds starting with the letter C. (If this is too easy, try finding 20 of them.) 2. Name six occupations or professions starting with the letter D. (If this is too easy, try finding 20.) 3. Name six trees starting with the letter S. (If this is too easy, try finding 12.) 4. Name six items of clothing (things to wear) starting with the letter G. (If this is too easy, find 15.) 5. Name six musical instruments or terms used in music, starting with the letter F. (If this is too easy, try finding 18.) 6. Name six things to eat starting with the letter H. (If this is too easy, try finding 12.) 7. Name six fish starting with the letter T. 8. Name five sports that start with the letter S. 9. Name five drinks starting with the letter T. 10. Name five composers starting with the letter V.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/categories-answers

Categories: Answers
Answers 1. Canary, canvas-back, carrion crow, cassowary, catbird, chaffinch, chanticleer, chicken, chiffchaff, chough, cockatiel, cockatoo, cock sparrow, condor, coot, corncrake, crane, crossbill, crow, cuckoo, curlew, cushat, cygnet. 2. Dairymaid, dairyman, dancer, deckhand, decorator, dentist, dermatologist, designer, detective, dietician, director, disc jockey, dishwasher, distiller, DJ, docker, doctor, domestic, doorman, draftsman, dramatist, draper, draughtsman, dressmaker, driver, drover, drummer, dustman, dyer. 3. Sallow, sandalwood, sapling, sassafras, satinwood, Scotch fir, Scots pine, sequoia, silver birch, silver fir, smoke tree, spindle, spruce, sumac, sycamore. 4. Gaiters, galligaskins, galoshes, garment, garter, gauntlet, girdle, glengarry, glove, gown, grass skirt, greatcoat, G-string, G-suit, gumboot, gumshoe, gymslip. 5. Falsetto, fandango, fanfare, fantasia, fiddle, fife, finale, fingerboard, flageolet, flautist, flugelhorn, flute, folk music, folk song, forte, fortissimo, French horn, fret, fugue, furioso. 6. Haggis, ham, hamburger, hare, haricot, hash, hazelnut, honey, hot cross bus, hot dog, hotpot, humbug, hummus. 7. Tench, toadfish, tope, torpedo, trout, tuna, tunny, turbot. 8. Sailing, shooting, skating, skiing, soccer, scramble, squash, swimming, softball. 9. Tea, tequila, toddy, Tokay, tonic. 10. Varese, Vaughan Williams, Verdi, Victoria, Vieuxtemps, Villa-Lobos, Viotti, Vivaldi.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/rhyming-slang

Rhyming Slang

The Oxford Word Challenge

An Easy Word Game Rhyming Slang Can you figure out what the rhyming slang refers to? Clues are in the brackets. Can you figure out what the rhyming slang refers to? Clues are in the brackets. 1. nice one, Cyril (animal) 2. on the floor (money and commerce) 3. cow and calf (behaviour, attitudes, and emotions) 4. blood blister (relatives and friends) 5. rising damp (illness) 6. oliver (parts of the body) 7. misbehave (household matters) 8. Nat King Cole (food and drink) 9. weasel and stoat (clothing) 10. shake and shiver (location)

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/rhyming-slang-answers

Rhyming Slang: Answers

Answers 1. squirrel [from a catchphrase popular in Britain in the 1970s] 2. poor 3. laugh 4. sister [Australian] 5. cramp 6. fist [oliver, short for Oliver Twist] 7. shave 8. roll 9. coat 10. river

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/homophones

Homophones

The Oxford Word Challenge

An Easy Word Game Homophones An old joke tells of someone asking the assistant at a paper shop: 'Do you keep stationery?' and she replies: 'No, I wriggle about a bit.' She clearly thought he meant the word that is spelt 'stationary'. There are many pairs of words like this, which sound the same but are spelt differently. They are called homophones or sometimes homonyms. Identify the pairs of homophones from the following clues. Example: One word means a place for keeping aircraft; the other word means a shaped piece of wood, metal, etc. on which you can hang clothes. Answer: Hangar/hanger. 1. One word means simple; the other means an aircraft. 2. One word means expected; the other word means condensed vapour. 3. One word is nautical; the other is central to the body. 4. One word means connections; the other is an animal. 5. One word means an occasion; the other is a herb. 6. One word means to hit; the other is a vegetable. 7. One word means permitted; the other means audible. 8. One word is a singer; the other is a sum of money. 9. One word is an animal; the other is an undercover fighter. 10. One word means kind; the other means searched for. 11. One means excluded; the other is a poet. 12. One word is a day; the other is a sweet. 13. One word means pursued; the other means pure. 14. One word means a woolly South American animal; the other means a Buddhist monk in Tibet or Mongolia. 15. These are the names of two particular people; one is a macho man; the other is a poet.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/homophones-answers

Homophones: Answers
Answers 1. One word means simple; the other means an aircraft: plain/plane. 2. One word means expected; the other word means condensed vapour: due/dew. 3. One word is nautical; the other is central to the body: naval/navel 4. One word means connections; the other is an animal: links/lynx. 5. One word means an occasion; the other is a herb: time/thyme. 6. One word means to hit; the other is a vegetable: beat/beet. 7. One word means permitted; the other means audible: allowed/aloud. 8. One word is a singer; the other is a sum of money. tenor/tenner. 9. One word is an animal; the other is an undercover fighter: gorilla/guerrilla. 10. One word means kind; the other means searched for: sort/sought. 11. One means excluded; the other is a poet: barred/bard. 12. One word is a day; the other is a sweet: Sunday/sundae. 13. One word means pursued; the other means pure: chased/chaste. 14. One word means a woolly South American animal; the other means a Buddhist monk in Tibet or Mongolia: llama/lama. 15. These are the names of two particular people; one is a macho man; the other is a poet: Rambo/Rimbaud.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/palindromes

Palindromes

The Oxford Word Challenge

An Easy Word Game Palindromes A palindrome is a word that reads the same if it is turned back-to-front. So the names Bob, Eve, and Otto are all palindromes. So is the name of the pop group Abba. Try to identify palindromic words from the following clues. Example Part of the body Answer Eye 1. Midday 2. A young dog 3. Flat 4. A word for addressing a lady 5. An Eskimo canoe 6. A system for detecting aircraft, ships, etc. 7. An action 8. Pieces of music for one person 9. Grass that grows on the seashore 10. In music, half a semibreve 11. Doctrine 12. Restorer

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/palindromes-answers

Palindromes: Answers

Answers
1. Midday - Noon 2. A young dog - Pup 3. Flat - Level 4. A word for addressing a lady - Madam 5. An Eskimo canoe - Kayak 6. A system for detecting aircraft, ships, etc. - Radar 7. An action - Deed 8. Pieces of music for one person - Solos 9. Grass that grows on the seashore - Marram 10. In music, half a semibreve - Minim 11. Doctrine - Tenet 12. Restorer - Reviver

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/kangaroo-words

Kangaroo Words

The Oxford Word Challenge

A Fiendishly Difficult Word Game Kangaroo Words Every schoolchild knows that kangaroos carry their babies in their pouches. Fewer people know about kangaroo words, which carry their own baby words with the same meanings. For example, the kangaroo word illuminated contains the synonym lit among its letters. Similarly exists hides the word is and deceased includes dead. Try to find synonyms in the following words: 1. Amicable. 2. Appropriate (adjective). 3. Salvage (verb). 4. Hostelry. 5. Encourage. 6. Recline. 7. Before. 8. Instructor. 9. Separate (verb). 10. Catacomb. 11. Indolent. 12. Precipitation. 13. Deliberate (verb). 14. Observe. 15. Transgression. 16. Unsightly. 17. Destruction. 18. Masculine. 19. Umpteenth. 20. Because. Can you find two synonyms inside these kangaroo words? 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. Alone. Container. Frangible. Falsities. Perambulate. Expurgated.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/kangaroo-words-answers

Kangaroo Words: Answers

Answers 1. amiable. 2. apt. 3. save. 4. hotel. 5. urge. 6. lie. 7. ere. 8. tutor. 9. part. 10. tomb. 11. idle. 12. rain. 13. debate. 14. see. 15. sin. 16. ugly. 17. ruin. 18. male. 19. nth. 20. as. 21. lone, one. 22. can, tin. 23. fragile, frail. 24. falsies, lies. 25. amble, ramble. 26. pure, purged.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/hermans

Hermans

The Oxford Word Challenge

A Fiendishly Difficult Word Game Hermans Hermans are sentences that use a pun on a persons name, modelled on the sentence: Shes my woman, said Herman. Hermans can include more complicated examples like: What comes after H? said I, Jay, Kay, Ella, and Emma. Suggest appropriate female names for the speakers of these sentences. Example: Bless this meal, said . . . Answer: Grace. 1. Can you see Ive been dieting? said . . . 2. Is that a horse I hear? asked . . . 3.Everything in the garden is lovely, said . . . 4.Im an egotist, said . . . 5.I only just got up, said . . . 6.Im shrinking! said . . . 7.Sing doh, ray, me, fah, soh, te, doh, said . . . 8.This house has two lavatories, said . . . 9.Im the greatest, said . . . 10.Annas not going anywhere, said . . . Now suggest suitable male first names for the speakers of these sentences: 11. I am the winner, said . . . 12. I cannot tell a lie, said . . . 13.That cant be a window, said . . . 14.Ive finished the excavation, said . . . 15.On your knees! shouted . . . 16.Im only joking, said . . . 17.Do you like my telescope? said . . . 18.I cant get mumps twice, said . . . 19.How does that famous soliloquy start? asked . . . 20.Over and out, said . . .

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/hermans-answers

Hermans: Answers
Answers 1. Lena. 2. Winnie. 3. Fleur or Flora. 4. Mimi. 5. Rose. 6. Violet. 7. Nola. 8. Lulu. 9. Charity. 10. Anastasia. 11. Victor. 12. Frank. 13. Isadore. 14. Doug. 15. Neil. 16. Josh. 17. Seymour. 18. Adam. 19. Toby. 20. Roger.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/russian-dolls

Russian Dolls

The Oxford Word Challenge

A Fiendishly Difficult Word Game Russian Dolls These puzzles are like Only Connect but they involve putting one word inside another word to make a third word. As with Russian dolls, you find one doll inside another doll. Example: Put the woman into a young fox or lion to make an angel. Answer: Put the word her inside the word cub and you get c-her-ub, that is cherub. 1. Put an insect into tarts to make underwear. 2. Put a word for always inside an animal to get excited. 3. Put a word for representing inside an insect to make a word meaning earlier. 4. Put a word for exists into your artistic inspiration to make a word meaning ill-treat. 5. Put the sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet inside the residue of burning to make a word meaning like a monkey. 6. Put a condiment inside a word for each to make a collection of psalms. 7. Put a heavenly being into a game to make a word for eternal. 8. Put a word meaning moved quickly inside a French house to make a tough stone. 9. Put a word for on inside a dog to make a line on a map. 10. Put human males into a doctrine to make a block of flats. 11. Put a silicate mineral inside a word for talented to make a word meaning friendly. 12. Put to rise into a peel to make gliding on a wide parachute. 13. Put a large vase into a gratuity to make a vegetable. 14. Put a conjunction inside a male admirer to make a headband. 15. Put a negative inside a number to make a projecting piece of wood. 16. Put a word meaning insert into access to make artistry. 17. Put a word meaning perform into miraculous food to get the Virgin Mary. 18. Put a song inside a fishy man to make a ship conveying merchandise. 19. Put a coarse word into chronic alcoholism to make dry periods. 20. Put a word for vomit into an evangelist to make one sign of pregnancy.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/russian-dolls-answers

Russian Dolls: Answers

1. Put an insect into tarts to make underwear. ant + pies = panties. 2. Put a word for always inside an animal to get excited. ever + fish = feverish. 3. Put a word for representing inside an insect to make a word meaning earlier. for + bee = before. 4. Put a word for exists into your artistic inspiration to make a word meaning ill-treat. is + muse = misuse. 5. Put the sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet inside the residue of burning to make a word meaning like a monkey. pi + ash = apish. 6. Put a condiment inside a word for each to make a collection of psalms. salt + per = psalter. 7. Put a heavenly being into a game to make a word for eternal. angel + chess = changeless. 8. Put a word meaning moved quickly inside a French house to make a tough stone. ran + gite = granite. 9. Put a word for on inside a dog to make a line on a map. onto + cur = contour. 10. Put human males into a doctrine to make a block of flats. men + tenet = tenement. 11. Put a silicate mineral inside a word for talented to make a word meaning friendly. mica + able = amicable. 12. Put to rise into a peel to make gliding on a wide parachute. ascend + paring = parascending. 13. Put a large vase into a gratuity to make a vegetable. urn + tip = turnip. 14. Put a conjunction inside a male admirer to make a headband. and + beau = bandeau. 15. Put a negative inside a number to make a projecting piece of wood. no + ten = tenon. 16. Put a word meaning insert into access to make artistry. interline + pass = painterliness. 17. Put a word meaning perform into miraculous food to get the Virgin Mary. do + manna = Madonna. 18. Put a song inside a fishy man to make a ship conveying merchandise. chant + merman = merchantman. 19. Put a coarse word into chronic alcoholism to make dry periods. rough +DTs = droughts. 20. Put a word for vomit into an evangelist to make one sign of pregnancy. retch + St Mark = stretch mark.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/anagrammed-places

Anagrammed Places

The Oxford Word Challenge

A Fiendishly Difficult Word Game Anagrammed Places Rearrange the letters of these words to make the names of countries, towns, or cities. Example: Diagnose Answer: San Diego. 1. Ancestral. 2. Launder. 3. Retches. 4. Blarneys. 5. Throwing. 6. Dominates. 7. Gartered. 8. Pairs. 9. Solo. 10. Stoned. 11. Ordeal. 12. Loiters. 13. Hasten. 14. Salvages. 15. Oration. 16. Erect. 17. Hordes. 18. Solemn. 19. Laity. 20. Also. 21. Chain. 22. Serial. 23. Penalties. 24. Regalia. 25. Ignorant.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/anagrammed-places-answers

Anagrammed Places: Answers

Answers 1. Lancaster. 2. Arundel. 3. Chester. 4. Barnsley. 5. Worthing. 6. Maidstone. 7. Tredegar. 8. Paris. 9. Oslo. 10. Ostend. 11. Laredo. 12. Estoril. 13. Athens. 14. Las Vegas. 15. Ontario. 16. Crete. 17. Rhodes. 18. Lemnos 19. Italy. 20. Laos. 21. China. 22. Israel. 23. Palestine. 24. Algeria. 25. Tir-nan-Og.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/rebuses

Rebuses

The Oxford Word Challenge

Rebuses Rebuses are groups of letters, numbers, pictures, etc. that represent words or phrases. IOU is a kind of rebus, representing the phrase I owe you. Most people know a puzzle in the form of a rhyme which starts; YY U R, which means Too wise you are . . . Try to solve the following rebuses. Example: Which two letters, followed by a number, sound like a word for a person of any kind? Answer: N E 1 (which sounds like anyone). 1. Which two letters of the alphabet sound like: (a) jealously, (b) a climbing plant, (c) a literary composition, (d) a number? 2. How many womens names (first names) can you create out of groups of letters? 3. Which four letters of the alphabet sound as if they mean Are you all right?? 4. Which sets of three letters of the alphabet, when spoken aloud, sound like words that mean respectively: (a) a flower; (b) a being; (c) an opponent; (d) vigour? 5. If B 9 means benign, can you think of: (a) a letter and a number which sound like earlier; (b) two letters and a number which sound like to diverge; (c) a letter, a number, another letter and another number which sound like to lessen your guilt? 6. Solve this rhyming puzzle from A New Collection of Enigmas (1810): To nothing add ten, with three-fifths of two score, And let them be joind by five hundred more; These rightly combind, will give you the name Of a city thats high in the annals of fame. 7. Which parts of the world do these two stand for? CCCCCCC &EEE 8. Which single letter expresses gratitude? 9. Decipher these rebuses: ALL 4 1 & 1 4 ALL D& GBO WAR AND PEA MYEC BX EWD&EDD THE SAND 10. Devise a rebus to represent the phrase Long time, no see. 11. Which popular song from 1941 could be symbolized simply by the letter X? 12. If you find question 9 simple, try to uncover the phrase symbolized by the single letters A, D, S, V, or R.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/rebuses-answers

Rebuses: Answers
Answers 1. (a) N-V, (b) I-V, (c) S-A, (d) A-T. 2. Some possibilities are K T (Katie), L C (Elsie), and L N (Ellen). If this is too easy, try sets of three letters: M L E, L N R . . . 3. R U O K. 4.(a) P N E (peony); (b) N T T (entity); (c) N M E (enemy); (d) N R G (energy). 5.(a) B 4 (before); (b) D V 8 (deviate; (c) X 10 U 8 (extenuate). 6. OXFORD (O + the Roman numeral X for ten + three-fifths of FORty + the Roman numeral D for 500). 7. The Seven Seas; Tripoli (or the Andes). 8. Q (which sounds like thank you). 9. All for one and one for all; damper sand (D + ampersand); bingo (B in GO); to cut a long story short (War and Peace shortened); appendectomy (append E C to M Y); beaten (B + the Roman numeral for ten); wined and dined (W in E D and D in ED); head in the sand. 10. Possibilities are E N T U R Y and E P O H (century and epoch without the C). 11. Deep in the Heart of Texas (which is the location of the letter X). 12. Possible answers (there may be thousands of others): A = the second of JanuAry (or the sixth of FebruAry, or the second of MArch . . .) D = dauntless aunt (i.e. Daunt less aunt). S = leiSure centre. V = the centre of graVity. R = the bitteR end.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/hidden-word-squares

Hidden Word Squares

The Oxford Word Challenge

A Fiendishly Difficult Word Game Hidden Word Squares The origins of many word games are hidden in the mists of history: nobody can tell who invented them. However, we know that the game of Hidden Word Squares was devised by Hubert Phillips, author of numerous puzzle books. Readers are presented with a short piece of nonsense verse. A word is hidden in each line of the poem. If these words are found and placed in order, they make up a word square (in which the words across are the same as the words down). The example is borrowed from Hubert Phillips himself. Example What gives a cynic ample food for thought? To have repeated when the tempest howls, This doom eternal, which descends unsought; You cant stop Reynards slaughter of your fowls. Answer The first line conceals the word camp (in cynic ample); the second line conceals the word aver (in have repeated); and so on. The hidden words make the following word square: C AM P A VE R M E T E P R E Y 1. Marianne stood on the train, Wringing her hands with glee: Soon she would arrive in town, A go-go dancer she would be. 2. The moon shone on the village inn, But no pal could Nellie see. She climbed upon a nag so fair: A novel setting for a love story. 3. Getting rid of visitors is not easy, Especially when they come as a surprise. I sleep uneasily, fearing their arrival, Thus Im made edgy, with bleary eyes. 4. Why call an elephant Jumbo? Are all the elephants fat? Most have an ear that is floppy,

But none the less dear, so thats that! 5. Now orders should always be heeded, Its no very hard task, I would say. If traffic lights are red or green, Only bad ropy drivers will disobey. 6. Writing verses (O men!) is quite simple, And poets are not mad, every one. You will like it once you have tried it, And sonnets are easily done. 7. The skipper at sea gave the order: A butter pat for all of the crews. The butter tub at last became empty, So margarine was the best able-seaman could use.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/hidden-word-squares-answers

Hidden Word Squares: Answers

1. Marianne stood on the train, Wringing her hands with glee: Soon she would arrive in town, A go-go dancer she would be. A R I A R I N G I N T O A G O G

2. The moon shone on the village inn, But no pal could Nellie see. She climbed upon a nag so fair: A novel setting for a love story. H O N E O P A L N A G S E L S E

3. Getting rid of visitors is not easy, Especially when they come as a surprise. I sleep uneasily, fearing their arrival, Thus Im made edgy, with bleary eyes. G R I D R I S E I S L E D E E D

4. Why call an elephant Jumbo? Are all the elephants fat? Most have an ear that is floppy, But none the less dear, so thats that! L A N E A R E A N E A R E A R S

5. Now orders should always be heeded, Its no very hard task, I would say. If traffic lights are red or green, Only bad ropy drivers will disobey.

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O V E R

R E D O

D R O P

6. Writing verses (O men!) is quite simple, And poets are not mad, every one. You will like it once you have tried it, And sonnets are easily done. O M E N M A D E E D I T N E T S

7. The skipper at sea gave the order: A butter pat for all of the crews. The butter tub at last became empty, So margarine was the best able-seaman could use. R A T S A B U T T U B A S T A B

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/doublets

Doublets

The Oxford Word Challenge

A Slightly Harder Word Game Doublets Doublets is a game which was invented by Lewis Carroll, who described it in these words: 'Two words are proposed, of the same length; and the puzzle consists in linking these together by interposing other words, each of which shall differ from the next word in one letter only. . . . As an example, the word 'head' may be changed into 'tail' by interposing the words 'heal, teal, tell, tall.' Thus Carroll changed 'head' into 'tail' in five moves: HEAD HEAL TEAL TELL TALL TAIL Try to make the following transformations in the specified number of moves. 1. Change CAT into DOG in three moves. 2. Change BOY into MAN in three moves. 3. Change HARD into EASY in five moves. 4. Change EAST into WEST in three moves. 5. Change ONE into TWO in eight moves. 6. Change BREAD into TOAST in seven moves. 7. Change SICK into WELL in four moves. 8. Change RICH into POOR in six moves. 9. Change GRASS into GREEN in seven moves. 10. Change TREE into WOOD in eight moves. 11. Change HATE into LOVE in three moves. 12. Change BLACK into WHITE in seven moves.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/doublets-answers

Doublets: Answers

Answers
1. CAT-COT-DOT-DOG or CAT-COT-COG-DOG. 2. BOY-BAY-MAY-MAN or BOY-BAY-BAN-MAN. 3. HARD-CARD-CART-CAST-EAST-EASY. 4. EAST-PAST-PEST-WEST or EAST-LAST-LEST-WEST. 5. ONE-OWE-EWE-EYE-DYE-DOE-TOE-TOO-TWO. 6. BREAD-BREAK-BLEAK-BLEAT-BLEST-BLAST-BOAST-TOAST. 7. SICK-SILK-SILL-WILL-WELL. 8. RICH-RICK-ROCK-ROOK-BOOK-BOOR-POOR. 9. GRASS-CRASS-CRESS-TRESS-TREES-TREED-GREED-GREEN. 10. TREE-FREE-FLEE-FLED-FEED-WEED-WELD-WOLD-WOOD or TREE-FREE-FLEEFLED-FEED-FEND-FOND-FOOD-WOOD. 11. HATE-HAVE-LAVE-LOVE or HATE-HAVE-HOVE-LOVE. 12. BLACK-BLANK-BLINK-CLINK-CHINK-CHINE-WHINE-WHITE.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/malapropisms

Malapropisms

The Oxford Word Challenge

A Slightly Harder Word Game Malapropisms

A malapropism is the mistaken use of one word for another. It is named after Mrs Malaprop, a character in Sheridans play The Rivals (1775), who was fond of using malapropos (i.e. inappropriate) statements like Illiterate him, I say, quite from your memory (meaning obliterate) or My affluence over my niece is very small (meaning influence). Can you correct the mistakes in the italicized words in these sentences? Example: The muscles around the stomach are known as the abominable muscles. Answer: Abdominal (abominable means detestable). 1. A prospectus is someone who searches for gold. 2. After a long air flight, it is reassuring to get your feet back onto terracotta. 3. I couldnt change his decision: it was a Fiat accompli. 4. I can assert the truth of it, without fear of contraception. 5. You can darken your eyelids with cascara. 6. If you swallow poison, you should take an anecdote. 7. I was prostate with grief. 8. She ate with a veracious appetite. 9. The garden was brightened by the red flowers of saliva. 10. A triangle with all its sides equal is called an equatorial triangle. 11. He was on the horns of an enema. 12. The doctor had told him he had very close veins.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/malapropisms-answers

Malapropisms: Answers
Answers 1. prospector ( a prospectus is a brochure advertising a school, enterprise. Etc.). 2. terra firma (terra firma means solid ground or dry land; terracotta is unglazed earthenware). 3. Fait accompli (a fait accompli is something that has been done and cannot be altered; a Fiat is a make of car). 4. contradiction (contradiction means denying the truth of something; contraception is the intentional prevention of pregnancy). 5. mascara (mascara is make-up used particularly to darken the eyelashes; cascara is a laxative). 6. antidote (an antidote is a medicine that counteracts a poison; an anecdote is a short account or story). 7. prostrate (prostrate means lying down; prostate is a gland in male bodies). 8. voracious (voracious means greedy or ravenous; veracious means truthful). 9. salvia (salvias are scarlet flowers; saliva is a liquid secreted in the mouth). 10. equilateral (equilateral means having all sides equal; equatorial means of or near the equator). 11. dilemma (someone on the horns of a dilemma is faced with equally unattractive alternatives; an enema is an injection into the rectum). 12. varicose veins (varicose veins are not necessarily close together: they are swollen).

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/plurals

Plurals

The Oxford Word Challenge

A Slightly Harder Word Game Plurals Is it media or mediums? Is it tomatoes or tomatos or tomatos? Find the correct plural form for the following words (we've used the Concise Oxford Dictionary as a reference). Example: Ox Answer:Oxen 1. Louse. 2. Mother-in-law. 3. Index. 4. Teaspoonful. 5. Crisis. 6. Phenomenon. 7. Court martial. 8. Incognito. 9. Opus. 10. Manservant. 11. Grant-in-aid. 12. Armful. 13. Addendum. 14. Stigma.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/plurals-answers

Plurals: Answers
1. Louse - lice. 2. mothers-in-law. 3. Index - indexes or indices. 4. Teaspoonful - teaspoonfuls. 5. Crisis - crises. 6. Phenomenon - phenomena. 7. Court martial - courts martial. (The plural of the Court not the procedure). 8. Incognito - incognitos. 9. Opus - opuses or opera. 10. Manservant - menservants. 11. Grant-in-aid - grants-in-aid. 12. Armful - armfuls. 13. Addendum - addenda. 14. Stigma - stigmas or stigmata.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/contronyms

Contronyms

The Oxford Word Challenge

A Slightly Harder Word Game Contronyms

Contronyms are words which have two opposite meanings, according to the context in which they occur. For example, with can mean alongside in Come with me but against or in opposition to in Hannibal fought with the Romans. And remember the pharmacist who unwisely advertises that he dispenses with accuracy! Can you identify these contradictory words? 1. To spray with powder or remove dust from. 2. Sanctified or damned. 3. Open to everybody or open to a restricted number of people. 4. Not good or very good. 5. Add to or remove from. 6. To open or shut. 7. Move gracefully or move clumsily. 8. To stick together or split apart. 9. A duty to notice things or a failure to notice things. 10. Remaining or departed. 11. That moves quickly or that does not move. 12. Very enthusiastic about something or very annoyed at it. 13. A three word phrase which means to like more or to like less. 14. Acceptance and approval or disapproval and punishment. 15. A two-word phrase meaning either working or refusing to work. 16. A two-word phrase meaning either definite or not possible. 17. A two-word phrase meaning a small leap or a massive leap. 18. A two-word phrase meaning to stop something and to start something.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/contronyms-answers

Contronyms: Answers
1. dust (the aircraft dusted the fields; Have you dusted this room?). 2. blessed (Blessed are the meek; Im blessed if I will!). 3. public (public building; public school). 4. bad (That was a bad move; Hes a real bad singer). 5. trim (She trimmed the dress with lace; Trim the pastry round the edge). 6. draw (curtains). 7. trip (She tripped across the fields; He tripped over the carpet). 8. cleave (Shall a man cleave unto his wife? Genesis 2; You can cleave the log in two with an axe). 9. oversight (She has the oversight of the works; My failure to check the meter was simply an oversight). 10. left (There is one cake left; She has just left). 11. fast (a fast horse runs; a fast colour does not run). 12. mad or wild. 13. think better of (I think better of him after he saved the cat; I have thought better of telling my boss hes a fool). 14. sanction (The king gave his sanction; They imposed sanctions on the warring parties). 15. industrial action. 16. no question (There is no question that he is stupid; Theres no question of my giving in). 17. quantum leap (In physics, this name means a sudden change in an atom or molecule; in general use it means a huge change). 18. wind up (The company was wound up; The clock started when I wound it up).

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/three-in-one

Three in One

The Oxford Word Challenge

A Slightly Harder Word Game Three in One Words are sometimes composed of other words. The word dustbin consists of dust plus bin, while together may appear to include three separate words: to, get and her. To reverse the process, which word can be made out of the letters in the three words moor, root, and tow? The answer (or at least, one answer) is tomorrow. In the puzzles below, try to find the eight-letter words which can be made from the letters of the sets of three words. Example: Soon, sun, toil. Answer: Solution. 1. Riot, rite, tone. 2. Agent, gnat, stage. 3. Filth, hot, tool. 4. Gone, nuts, rote. 5. Lids, new, rind. 6. Rim, sty, tins. 7. Lies, stone, tonsil. 8. Quit, tone, unit. 9. Emit, lime, stern. 10. Ale, lake, link.

http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/three-in-one-answers

Three in One: Answers

1. Riot, rite, tone. - interior 2. Agent, gnat, stage. - stagnate 3. Filth, hot, tool. - foothill 4. Gone, nuts, rote. - sturgeon 5. Lids, new, rind. - swindler 6. Rim, sty, tins. - ministry 7. Lies, stone, tonsil. - insolent 8. Quit, tone, unit. - quotient 9. Emit, lime, stern. - minstrel 10. Ale, lake, link. - alkaline