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

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9. axiom consanguinity maxim queen

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10. erstwhile former hammock nonsense

Answer

11. bluff canvass debate isomerase

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12. dreary epidural gloomy martyry

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13. derringer edulcorate pistol preliterate

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14. altitude cassia elevation papillon

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15. daub endear kolkhoz plaster

Answer

16. anserine clement sandbag stun

Answer

17. blue burg cerulean cordate

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18. deontic entwined hebetate obligatory

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19. howdah irreal littoral seashore

Answer

20. conidium debacle disk planchet

Answer


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

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22. Bucket (-A--) Wan

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23. Drill (-O--) Peasant

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24. Wail (---L) Globe

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25. Passageway (-L--) Floated

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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).

Answer


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.


44. 12 I in a F

Answer

45. 365 D in a Y

Answer

46. 2's C, 3's a C

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47. 101 D

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48. 7 D S

Answer

49. 7 W of the W

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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

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56. C 22

Answer

57. 52 C in a D

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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

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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

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73. 3600 S in an H

Answer


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.

Answer


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

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117. gift eparchy cine exsiccate unlade dry

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118. repast disclimax cupule amorous lovesome portative

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119. telepathy expressive revulsion epazote restoral withdrawal

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120. polyclonal harken cushat echoing syzygy resonant

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121. refute flapper miter lithic uptake comprehension

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122. muleta laical programmed postlude secular withy

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123. redeem fulfill massacre idealize perpetuate brant

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124. cushy mechanistic encumber clog nervous mouton

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125. einkorn crikey harrow slog torment lien

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126. efficacious subserve stream freshet rifle formant

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127. hirsute extended cycadeoid measly lingo hairy

Answer

128. long righteous supersubstantial criollo gibbous sesquipedalian

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129. letch ineffable mescal hydrosere taboo dodder

Answer

130. Aymara Polabian Sukkoth Dionysus Bacchus Ceres

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131. naught vibrissa match paragon sudser repulse

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132. russet neomycin erudite monish warn squaw

Answer

133. matte maneuver sterling demarche proboscis volant

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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.

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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.

Answer


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)

Answer