Puzzles

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 2:08 am

I found a pamphlet compiled and published by The Reader's Digest amongst some old reference works here.

I tried these word teasers and enjoyed the concept.

Thought I'd put them here:

"Kangaroo Words" by Ben O'Dell
A kangaroo word carries within its spelling, in normal order, a smaller word that is a perfect synonym for itself. For example, note how the word BLOSSOMS contains the word BLOOMS. See if you can find the synonym hiding in each word below.

1. EVACUATE
2. ENCOURAGE
3. PROSECUTE
4. CALUMNIES
5. RAPSCALLION
6. INDOLENT
7. PRATTLE
8. DIVERSIFIED
9. RAMPAGE
10. MATCHES
11. PERAMBULATE
12. PINIONED
13. JOVIALITY
14. CONTAINER
15. REGULATES
16. SPLOTCHES
17. SLITHERED
18. PERIMETER
19. CURTAIL
20. RESPITE

I didn't get SLITHERED.

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 1:28 pm

From Reader's Digest:

"Not So Easy"

How quickly can you find out what's unusual about this paragraph? It looks so ordinary you'd think nothing was wrong with it at all- and, in fact, nothing is. But it is unusual. Why? Study it, think about it, and you may find out. But you must do it without coaching: I'm not going to assist you in any way. No doubt, if you work at it for a bit, it will dawn on you. Who knows until you try? So hop to it, try your skill and pray for luck. Par is about half an hour.

--I could not do it in half an hour (KK).

Yooper · Post by **Yooper** » Tue Dec 28, 2010 9:33 pm

I'll try these out:

Evacuate=>Vacate
Encourage=>Nag
Prosecute=>Sue
Calumnies=>Lies
Rapscallion=>Rascal
Indolent=>Idle
Prattle=>Prate
Diversified=>Diverse
Rampage=>Rage
Matches=>Mates
Perambulate=>Ramble
Pinioned=>Pinned
Joviality=>Joy
Container=>Can
Regulates=>Rules
Splotches=>Spots
Slithered=>Slid
Perimeter=>Rim
Curtail=>Cut
Respite=>Rest

Did I get any right?

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Wed Dec 29, 2010 1:48 am

That's Great!

No. 2 and No. 8 need looking at again.

You know I didn't get SLITHERED, but I also sort of missed #8, by misspelling the word I figured was the synonym. (I had *veried*...)

You are much closer to getting #8 than I!

Yooper · Post by **Yooper** » Wed Dec 29, 2010 1:40 pm

Encourage=>Urge, actually, Nag isn't far off as a form of urging.

I wish I could spell "divide" as "divied", or create "divvied" from "diversified", but that won't work.

The best I can come up with is Diversified=>Rife.

diana · Post by **diana** » Wed Dec 29, 2010 2:48 pm

I'm pretty sure I've figured out the paragraph puzzle -- but if I put in the answer, won't it spoil things for people who want to work it out?

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Wed Dec 29, 2010 11:45 pm

The paragraph took me about 30 seconds...but then again I had seen it before. It's very clever though.

nbcatlover · Post by **nbcatlover** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 4:32 am

I think diverse is correct. Isn't perambulate "amble" and not ramble?

Yooper · Post by **Yooper** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 11:55 am

I think either ramble or amble would work, wander or move about on foot pretty well covers it.

The paragraph does bear close inspection, it is indeed unusual!