puzzle Archives – A Way with Words

Moon Palace (episode #1552)

Posted by Grant Barrett on August 17, 2020 · Add Comment

Griph

Posted by Grant Barrett on August 15, 2020 · Add Comment

Bug in Your Ear (episode #1537)

Posted by Grant Barrett on December 9, 2019 · Add Comment

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Takeoffs Word Game

Posted by Grant Barrett on March 23, 2019 · Add Comment

Quiz Guy John Chaneski proffers a puzzle he calls “F-Takeoffs,” which involves removing the initial letter F from a word to get an entirely different word. For example, if John orders some lumberjack tools by sending some scanned, printed orders over a phone line, what two words apply? This is part of a complete episode.
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Scat Cat

Posted by Grant Barrett on May 5, 2018 · Add Comment

The dilemma continues over how to spell dilemma! Grant and Martha try to suss out the backstory of why some people spell that word with an “n.” A lot of them, it seems, went to Catholic school. Maybe that’s a clue? Plus, the saying “Close, but no cigar” gets traced back to an old carnival [...]
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Flying Pickle

Posted by Grant Barrett on January 29, 2018 · Add Comment

How would you like to be welcomed to married life by friends and neighbors descending on your home for a noisy celebration, tearing off the labels of all your canned foods and scattering cornflakes in your bed? That tradition has almost died out, but such a party used to be called a shivaree. • The [...]
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