In each of these 20 problems, underline the two words that are most similar in meaning, or write them on your scratch paper. Guess if you are not sure of the answer. Get ready...
1. ambulate ambuscade walk run
Answer
2. confluence foresight prescience recumbent
Answer
3. cynic faultfinder pessimist stoic
Answer
4. confessor dumulcent gallate priest
Answer
5. glissade moorhen relucent shining
Answer
6. glucose meager pennon sugar
Answer
7. chill furbelow predict vaticinate
Answer
8. demission exorbitant jeepney resignation
Answer
9. axiom consanguinity maxim queen
Answer
10. erstwhile former hammock nonsense
Answer
11. bluff canvass debate isomerase
Answer
12. dreary epidural gloomy martyry
Answer
13. derringer edulcorate pistol preliterate
Answer
14. altitude cassia elevation papillon
Answer
15. daub endear kolkhoz plaster
Answer
16. anserine clement sandbag stun
Answer
17. blue burg cerulean cordate
Answer
18. deontic entwined hebetate obligatory
Answer
19. howdah irreal littoral seashore
Answer
20. conidium debacle disk planchet
For problems 21-25, 2 words are outside of a set of brackets with spaces. Each of the words on the outside is a synonym of a word that can be made by filling in the blanks in the brackets. A word can be made for the word on the left of the brackets, and a different one can be made for the word on the right of the brackets. The 2 words that can be made are homophones of one another. That is, they sound the same, but are different in spelling and meaning. Example:
Birds (---L) Disgusting
The answers are FOWL and FOUL.
21. Fly (-O--) Tender
Answer
22. Bucket (-A--) Wan
Answer
23. Drill (-O--) Peasant
Answer
24. Wail (---L) Globe
Answer
25. Passageway (-L--) Floated
These 18 problems conceal 4 words that, when read together, describe what you'll (hopefully) find at Puzz.com. Each problem looks something like this:
A time telling device : A device that keeps portals securely closed (first, 5).
The "first" and "5" in parenthesis indicate that the first definition given describes a 5 letter word. After removing 1 letter from somewhere in the first word, you can arrive at a word that means the same as the second definition that is given. In the example I just gave you, the answers are CLOCK and LOCK. Because "first" was in parenthesis, you would now take the first letter of the first word, "C," and write it down. If the parenthesis had contained "second" and "4," you would instead write "L." You would also have known that the second word had 4 letters, & the first word had 5 letters. When you have completed all of the puzzles, the letters you have written down will spell out the 4 words that are the solution to the puzzle. I hope you have fun with these brain teasers!
26. Something that flickers : Renown (first, 5).
Answer
27. Count : A pigment (second, 5).
Answer
28. You can be an aunt or uncle to one of these : Minutely accurate (first, 5).
Answer
29. A type of thief : Talk too much (second, 5).
Answer
30. Not suitable : A component part (first, 5).
Answer
31. Ionized form of oxygen : A region (second, 4).
Answer
32. The name of an ancient Greek philosopher : A Buddhist school (first, 4).
Answer
33. A weapon employed by knights : A rural road or path (second, 4).
Answer
34. An Australian bird : A letter of the Greek alphabet (first, 3).
Answer
35. A cloud form extending over a large area : Position (second, 6).
Answer
36. Senile : The longest river in the world (first, 5).
Answer
37. A sound : Something found on the face (second, 4).
Answer
38. A Greek word for "the people" : A demonstration (first, 5).
Answer
39. Increase : An alcoholic drink (second, 3).
Answer
40. A furred cape or hood : More than one small rodent (first, 5).
Answer
41. An augury : More than one man (second, 3).
Answer
42. An agent sent on a diplomatic mission : Ill will and jealousy (first, 5).
Answer
43. Dinner : Of high quality (second, 5).
Here's a few short teasers for you to solve. You've probably seen puzzles like these in a few places that use equal signs, and these really aren't much different. A few of these have probably appeared in other places before, but many of these are surely original. An example would probably serve better than an explanation: 26 L in the A. Answer: 26 letters in the alphabet. Some of the puzzles are taken from famous quotes, movie titles, and other sources. Many of them are easy, but a few are quite difficult! See how many you can solve.
Answer
45. 365 D in a Y
Answer
46. 2's C, 3's a C
Answer
47. 101 D
Answer
48. 7 D S
Answer
49. 7 W of the W
Answer
50. 12 D of C
Answer
51. 99 B of B on the W
Answer
52. P 76ers
Answer
53. The 5th E
Answer
54. 50 S on the A F
Answer
55. The O 13 C of A
Answer
56. C 22
Answer
57. 52 C in a D
Answer
58. G your K on R 66
Answer
59. The 7th V of S
Answer
60. 12 M in a Y
Answer
61. 18 H on a G C
Answer
62. 6 0's in a M
Answer
63. 4 S and 7 Y A
Answer
64. 14 D in a F
Answer
65. 100 Y in a C
Answer
66. 1000 Y in a M
Answer
67. The 4 H of the A
Answer
68. 4 W and a F
Answer
69. 12 S of the Z
Answer
70. 6 D of S
Answer
71. 31 D in O
Answer
72. 92 is the A N of U
Answer
73. 3600 S in an H
This next 40 questions is to some extent a parody of some tests (many of which are used by various high IQ societies) that purportedly measure high level mental abilities by using questions that consist almost entirely of obscure words like these. Still, if you can score high, it would seem likely that you are pretty smart; but if you don't score high, don't be discouraged, as I take all of the "legitimate" tests out there with a grain of salt. So for this test, you might as well use the entire shaker.... Try to determine which definition is the real one for each of the words given on the 20 problems below, & write the letter for each definition on a sheet of paper.
74. paraclete
A. A bird that is noteworthy because of its inability to avoid being stepped on.
B. A dentist's assistant.
C. A lawyer's assistant.
Answer
75. mingy
A. Imperceptible
B. Failing miserably.
C. Selfish and mean.
Answer
76. waniand
A. The waning of the moon and the bad luck sometimes associated with it.
B. A pale ox.
C. An instance serving to illustrate or explain.
Answer
77. piscatology
A. The study of fish.
B. The science of fishing.
C. The study of feline urine.
Answer
78. storaine
A. Rendered breathless, as from fright, astonishment, etc.
B. A synthetic substitute for cocaine used as an anaesthetic in spinal surgery.
C. A mistaken belief or perception.
Answer
79. narthex
A. A covered entranceway to a church.
B. Medication that aids in the regulation of sleep habits.
C. A vestibule or anteroom.
Answer
80. boletus
A. A variety of wild mushroom.
B. A sweet, flavored liquor.
C. A ripple, as in a lake or pond.
Answer
81. tarpon
A. A spear used for fishing by some coastal villagers.
B. A small fishing ship.
C. A large, edible fresh-water fish.
Answer
82. cocket
A. A document ensuring that a merchant's goods have been checked by a customs officer.
B. A license to carry poultry out of a country.
C. A severed abdominal pain.
Answer
83. mandrill
A. A hand held tool used for excavation.
B. A ferocious baboon with a deep blue face and a bright red bottom.
C. A small barracks.
Answer
84. screeve
A. A high-pitched screeching sound.
B. To draw pictures on a sidewalk for money.
C. An attachment on airplane wings that shakes off ice.
Answer
85. bummalo
A. A small dried fish used in chutney relish.
B. A variety of flying fish.
C. An emblem or token.
Answer
86. liblab
A. A worker who was pro union in the 19th century.
B. A specially designed office used to recreate crime scenes.
C. A book that treats a particular technological subject.
Answer
87. modoc
A. A jester in the Festival of Fools, which was popular in Renaissance England.
B. A person in a carnival game who lets people try to hit him with balls.
C. Confused doggerel.
Answer
88. abandannad
A. A pickpocket who steals scarves and kerchiefs.
B. A small, but swiftly flowing stream.
C. A card game (renamed) that is believed to have originated in China during the Ming Dynasty.
Answer
89. therblig
A. A school of Natural Healing that promotes certain herbs and exercise.
B. A time and motion study invented by F.B. Gilbreth, (word is anagram of name).
C. A house of ill repute.
Answer
90. jerque
A. A male mannequin.
B. To search for things that have been smuggled.
C. An alternate spelling for a dance that was popular during the 1950's.
Answer
91. popination
A. The process by which opium is manufactured.
B. Bar hopping.
C. The hurling of a football to the ground after a touchdown.
Answer
92. bdellometer
A. An early instrument for measuring atmospheric pressure, invented by Barton Dell.
B. A tuning fork.
C. A mechanical leech.
Answer
93. pilgarlic
A. A garlic tablet.
B. The greenish blue plume worn by Spanish soldiers during the Inquisition.
C. A person with a bald head that resembles a peeled garlic clove.
Answer
94. carmagnole
A. A lively song often accompanied by street dancing, popular during the French Revolution.
B. A disease of the liver that is in many cases terminal.
C. A type of derby that was worn in the late nineteenth century and originated in England.
Answer
95. spatung
A. A sea urchin.
B. A snow crab.
C. A shrewish woman.
Answer
96. nautch
A. A waterproof watch that is safe at great depths undersea.
B. A type of ancient hut.
C. A chorus line in India of nautch girls.
Answer
97. mantelet
A. A small shelf above a fireplace.
B. A bulletproof screen.
C. A Norwegian soldier.
Answer
98. sardoodledum
A. A gadfly
B. A type of radish
C. A melodrama
Answer
99. mahout
A. A metal boomerang with extremely sharp edges.
B. A prehistoric reptile with pointed tusks.
C. An elephant driver.
Answer
100. camisole
A. A container used to carry water or wine over long distances.
B. A short sleeveless garment for women.
C. A boastful, swaggering person.
Answer
101. lagan
A. Short, thin, diagonally cut tubular pasta.
B. A special gift or donation.
C. Goods thrown into the sea with a buoy attached so that they may be found again.
Answer
102. cymatium
A. A crowning molding in classic architecture.
B. The angle between an aircraft supporting surface (as a wing) and a horizontal transverse line.
C. A small chamber or cavity especially in a plant or animal body.
Answer
103. hoplite
A. A circle dance of Romania and Israel.
B. A heavily armed infantry soldier of ancient Greece.
C. A spittoon.
Answer
104. preterist
A. An architectual housing model.
B. An appetizer.
C. A person who enjoys reliving past memories.
Answer
105. pignus
A. The waning light from a flickering flame.
B. Someone who enjoys language games.
C. Property held as collateral against a debt.
Answer
106. nictitate
A. A very wealthy man.
B. Medical treatment using aloe and other healing herbs.
C. To flirt by winking the eye.
Answer
107. thesicle
A. A type of one-horse sleigh.
B. A small thesis or proposition.
C. A variety of Asian buzzard.
Answer
108. gawf
A. A shiny red apple.
B. A laugh that is accompanied by coughing.
C. A slow burning fuse that is used in underground explosions.
Answer
109. schesis
A. A variety of skunk.
B. That which sometimes follows Synthesis in a Hegelian model.
C. To make fun of people's accents and mannerisms.
Answer
110. kinnikinnik
A. A gambling game played with three small cups and a ball.
B. A young palm tree.
C. Indian smoking substance made from tree bark.
Answer
111. sindon
A. The tissue between the front and back legs of a flying squirrel that aids in flight.
B. A poisonous weed.
C. A book cover made of linen.
Answer
112. yashmak
A. An Indian biscuit.
B. An intense argument.
C. A face-veil worn by women of Moslem countries.
Answer
113. kilhig
A. Dysentery.
B. In logging, a short pole used to direct the way a tree will fall.
C. As sharp as nails.
Each of the following puzzles consists of a list of six words. You must decide which two of the words in each list are most similar in meaning. Some of the puzzles use obscure words, or obscure definitions. Example: Did you know that one of the meanings of the word NICE is "minutely accurate"? You have done quite well if you can answer six or more of these problems correctly, & if you answer more then ten correctly, you get an A+ on this quiz.
114. wing fatalistic pungle pennon knish tenuto
Answer
115. free divest jugate chape squalid filar
Answer
116. scurrilous congener gaggle magneton cluster junta
Answer
117. gift eparchy cine exsiccate unlade dry
Answer
118. repast disclimax cupule amorous lovesome portative
Answer
119. telepathy expressive revulsion epazote restoral withdrawal
Answer
120. polyclonal harken cushat echoing syzygy resonant
Answer
121. refute flapper miter lithic uptake comprehension
Answer
122. muleta laical programmed postlude secular withy
Answer
123. redeem fulfill massacre idealize perpetuate brant
Answer
124. cushy mechanistic encumber clog nervous mouton
Answer
125. einkorn crikey harrow slog torment lien
Answer
126. efficacious subserve stream freshet rifle formant
Answer
127. hirsute extended cycadeoid measly lingo hairy
Answer
128. long righteous supersubstantial criollo gibbous sesquipedalian
Answer
129. letch ineffable mescal hydrosere taboo dodder
Answer
130. Aymara Polabian Sukkoth Dionysus Bacchus Ceres
Answer
131. naught vibrissa match paragon sudser repulse
Answer
132. russet neomycin erudite monish warn squaw
Answer
133. matte maneuver sterling demarche proboscis volant
Some of the students in Mr. Joshua's class have submitted incorrect definitions to the words on a vocabulary test. See if you can figure out what the 20 words were by studying the flawed definitions. The number that follows the definition is the number of letters in the word. When you're finished, you can use the scale below to rank yourself. Because some of the words are quite obscure, you are encouraged to use a good dictionary & any other resources. Have fun!
134. A constantly roaming individual who is never angry (5).
Answer
135. A guy who wears a Scottish cap (9).
Answer
136. A cursed strongbox (9).
Answer
137. Falsely causing sweat (9).
Answer
138. Very small plants & animals in an area (5).
Answer
139. To put back into sets of two (6).
Answer
140. The right to drop anchor (8).
Answer
141. To drug an encased explosive (8).
Answer
142. An animal that excretes a fluid used in some writing tools (4).
Answer
143. The desire of an ill-tempered woman (8).
Answer
144. An insect that makes prolonged musical sounds (6).
Answer
145. To simultaneously avoid & pursue (5).
Answer
146. To shoot at someone from the bushes (9).
Answer
147. A fish that tastes like an onion (7).
Answer
148. To get back in bed (5).
Answer
149. Someone from planet Trif (8).
Answer
150. The helmet that is worn by riot police (6).
Answer
151. The amount, but in pennies only (7).
Answer
152. To construct a hill of sand (8).
Answer
153. A friend of two friends (5).
Answer
See how many of these you can solve.
These are puzzles that play on a well known saying, title or term.
Example: sprained ankle + "you're ugly!"
The answer is adding insult to injury. Some of these play on the positions of words
and letters, as well as their sounds, as you will see from the following.
154.
Answer
155.
Answer
156.
Answer
157.
Answer
158.
Answer
159.
Answer
160.
Answer
161.
Answer
162.
Answer
163.
Answer
164.
Answer
165.
Answer
166.
Answer
167.
Answer
168
Answer
169.
Answer
170.
Answer
171.
Answer
172.
Answer
173.
Answer
174.
Answer
175.
Answer
176.
Answer
177.
Answer
No, these puzzles do not involve the Queen of Hearts or Alice in Wonderland! Puzzles 1-20 each describe a different word; puzzles 21-40 also describe different words, but each word was made by removing the first letters from the answers to 1-20. Example: if one of the puzzles in the first set is listed as "A path," you might guess that the answer is TRAIL. One of the puzzles in the second set might be "A metal bar used to form a track for a vehicle." The answer to this would be RAIL. Every word in the first set appears headless in the second set, but not in any particular order (e.g. the answer to puzzle 21 is not necessarily the headless version of the answer to puzzle 1). If the answers you're coming up with don't seem to quite "fit," you've probably come up with the wrong answer(s). The answers are on this page. If you can solve more than 20 of these puzzles, I believe you'd make the Queen of Puzzledom proud. Happy puzzling!
178. The name of Hester's daughter in The Scarlet Letter.
Answer
179. A concave container for food.
Answer
180. A long, narrow band of flexible material.
Answer
181. Idle away time.
Answer
182. Not deep.
Answer
183. A prime number.
Answer
184. A suppurating sore on the skin.
Answer
185. Await settlement.
Answer
186. Something that will create sparks when struck against steel.
Answer
187. A representative specimen.
Answer
188. Order or rank.
Answer
189. A slight break.
Answer
190. Something that connects.
Answer
191. A short remaining piece.
Answer
192. Develop by cultivation.
Answer
193. An airship.
Answer
194. An affectedly modest individual.
Answer
195. Rise slowly.
Answer
196. A spinachlike vegetable.
Answer
197. Ordinary language.
Answer
198. A lout.
Answer
199. Copious.
Answer
200. A nocturnal person.
Answer
201. A vessel for bathing.
Answer
202. A large branch of a tree.
Answer
203. A stand for holding articles.
Answer
204. A mimic.
Answer
205. A light crimson color.
Answer
206. Primitive.
Answer
207. A girl.
Answer
208. An upper limb of the body.
Answer
209. Unyielding.
Answer
210. Regarded as sacred.
Answer
211. Walk with noticeable difficulty.
Answer
212. A British nobleman.
Answer
213. A fluid used to reduce friction in engines.
Answer
214. Equal.
Answer
215. A fluid used for writing.
Answer
216. Small bits of thread or fiber.
Answer
217. An outermost boundary.
Each of these puzzles consists of some letters that are strung together and are the initials for an organization, person, legislation, etc. The initials are followed by the category for what the initials represent. Try to figure out what each set of initials stands for. If you can answer more than 10 of these correctly, you've done extremely well!
218. SNL (TV show)
Answer
219. LBJ (person)
Answer
220. PLO (organization)
Answer
221. TWA (company)
Answer
222. FBI (organization)
Answer
223. CIA (organization)
Answer
224. BLT (food)
Answer
225. REM (phenomenon)
Answer
226. TLC (thing)
Answer
227. ERA (legislation)
Answer
228. NBA (organization)
Answer
229. IRA (finances)
Answer
230. IRA (organization)
Answer
231. NRA (organization)
Answer
232. NAFTA (legislation)
Answer
233. OPEC (organization)
Answer
234. LSD (drug)
Answer
235. ASVAB (test)
Answer
236. NOW (organization)
Answer
237. A.D. (time)