APPENDIX C.

Exercising Observation Skills

Your brain needs exercise to improve your mental agility. An active mind is an observing mind, and a key attribute of mental health. Wikipedia.org defines mental health as either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. This book probably won’t improve anyone’s emotional well-being, and it probably won’t help people avoid mental disorders. But it will certainly provide a workout for keeping your cognitive well-being in tip-top shape.

I initially constructed the puzzles in this appendix to torture (i.e., entertain) my family on holidays and other special occasions. Then I came up with an idea for an adolescent leadership camp. A key part of this vision was to demonstrate the power of group collaboration, brainstorming, and diversity of thought in general problem solving through team exercises. The puzzles have since evolved into foundations for those exercises.

In 2010, my wife and I started adapting many of these puzzles to the Geocaching community of southern New England by creating “mystery caches.” Geocachers represent the perfect audience for such mental exercise because they love good treasure hunts, especially ones that require some mystery to be solved through intellectual breakthroughs, eureka moments, or analytical detective work.

For examples of how these puzzles can be adapted to Geocaching, go to www.geocaching.com/seek/ and search for caches Hidden by: JWCOREY (our user name). These puzzles are the starting points for many of the puzzle cache descriptions. Feel free to reuse the puzzles in your local Geocaching hides. This community loves such fun.

EUREKA PUZZLES

These unique word search puzzles were crafted for teaching teamwork and diversity of thought. To solve them, you must deduce the theme by determining enough of the hidden elements that are disguised in a set of short sentences. The hidden elements could be words in the sentence, or words within words (as in the word searches presented in Chapter 2), or syllables, or letter sequences. The theme could be almost anything. There is something in each sentence that binds it to the other sentences as a set with a cohesive and well-defined identity.

The solution to each puzzle will usually be accompanied by an Aha! moment. You won’t have to ask if you have it right. You will know because everything will fit together in a way that could not be a coincidence. Eureka means I have found it, and that will be your response when the solution unfolds in your mind. Each puzzle has a title, a set of objectives, and a list of discrete sentences. The title is usually a subtle puzzle in itself, sometimes an obscure hint, or perhaps an anagram of a hint, or an obvious synonym, or even a direct hint. It usually won’t help you until you solve the theme. Once you know the theme, the title should make sense in some obscure way. Here is an example.

PUZZLE 13: SO LARS IS TIM?

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint, probably too subtle to understand the connection until you have discovered the common theme.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

1. Some inept, uneducated people fell into the scam-artist’s trap.
2. General Motors initiated the Saturn brand to compete with Japan.
3. There were only seven usable images in the whole batch of photos.
4. Nondescript, vague art hung in every room.
5. Opossums, koalas, and kangaroos are examples of marsupials.
6. Jupiter, Florida, is a popular retirement community.
7. If you concur, an usher will take you to your new seat.
8. The San Jose Mercury News is the primary newspaper in Silicon Valley.
9. Goofy and Pluto are the original Disney dogs.

Turn the page to see the answer.

Did you find it? Each sentence contains the name of one of the nine planets of our solar system. With that knowledge, the connection to the title should be possible to reason through. If you speak the title in a slurred way, you should come up with something close to “solar system.”

1. Some inept, uneducated people fell into the scam-artist’s trap.
2. General Motors initiated the Saturn brand to compete with Japan.
3. There were only seven usable images in the whole batch of photos.
4. Non-descript, vague art hung in every room.
5. Opossums, koalas, and kangaroos are examples of marsupials.
6. Jupiter, Florida, is a popular retirement community.
7. If you concur, an usher will take you to your new seat.
8. The San Jose Mercury News is the primary newspaper in Silicon Valley.
9. Goofy and Pluto are the original Disney dogs.

That was easy enough. Here’s a more obscure puzzle.

PUZZLE 14. IN THE NEWS

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains two hidden elements. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the two related hidden elements in each sentence and the theme that binds these sentences together as a set.

1. If the Red Sox win or the Yankees lose, we move up in the standings.
2. John’s outhouse was thirty meters down past his garage.
3. We left the brand-new establishment with a poor first impression.
4. They were astounded by how right he had been all along.

Turn the page to see the answer.

In Puzzle 14, the theme is two words hidden in each sentence. Each sentence has a compass direction (north, south, east, west) embedded as a hidden string and the more common word (up, down, right, left) aligned with the compass direction. The connection to the title is that the first letters of the compass directions can be anagrammed into the word news.

1. If the Red Sox win or the Yankees lose, we move up in the standings.
2. John’s outhouse was thirty meters down past his garage.
3. They were astounded by how right he had been all along.
4. We left the brand new establishment with a poor first impression.

Here is a final example where the elements are less obvious.

PUZZLE 15. NOISEMAKERS

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains two hidden elements. Together, the 24 hidden elements pertain to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the two related hidden elements in each sentence and the theme that binds these sentences together as a set.

1. The fishing ban jolted the ecology, and the amoebas soon overpopulated the pond.
2. It was an odd story about three homeless hoboes involved in a love triangle.
3. Ensnared in the trap was the young wolf that escaped from the Alaska zoo.
4. The unorganized, impromptu barbecues were the highlight of the summer.
5. To enhance their flavor, the ravioli needed some sharp Parmesan.
6. No audit violations occurred in the transaxle assembly unit.
7. Zigzagging among the rose’s thorns, the bug left a distinct trail.
8. The university chancellor stated that he too was a thespian once.
9. After she turned the charm on, I carefully moved in to sit around the fire.
10. Across a wide spectrum, Pete set the bar for blue ribbon gossip.
11. The last topic Colonel Smith presented was the effectiveness of flu tests.
12. The woman doling out the mixed rum drinks at the bar was quite effcient.

Turn the page for a hint to get you started.

In the noisemaker puzzle, the hidden elements are all musical instruments. See if you can now find all 24 of them.

These three examples of eureka puzzles should give you the general idea. The themes of the puzzles that follow are very diverse. Keep these observations in mind as you try to solve them:

•  A funny sentence structure or odd word usage is usually a good place to start looking.

•  These puzzles are exercising your observation skills. Look for word connections, words within words, patterns of sounds, or patterns of syllables or phrases.

•  For many of the puzzles, you need to get outside your normal frame of reference and observe the words and structures from a different perspective.

•  Read the instructions carefully. They sometimes contain other clues that will help you adjust your perspective and achieve a complete solution.

•  There are some meager hints at the end of this Appendix, if you are looking for a nudge in the right direction.

•  The best way to solve these puzzles is with a group of people. You should find that brainstorming leads to solutions more quickly, with multiple people barking out what they see. These puzzles were created to demonstrate that a group, with diverse perspectives, can reach a solution more rapidly than a single person.

•  The puzzles start off requiring very basic knowledge. They are ordered so that they are successively more difficult (although my estimation of difficulty may not coincide with yours). Most can be understood and solved by children over 10 years old. A few of the later puzzles require high school knowledge, and a few may be biased toward baby boomer knowledge of popular culture.

PUZZLE 16. CREDIT, GREETING, ST. LOUIS, BUSINESS, UNION?

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

1. We sold an antique end table.
2. His kids begged for a clubhouse.
3. We need a person in each role.
4. Her face was scarred, but she was beautiful.
5. Little deuce coupe referred to a 1932 Ford model B coupe.
6. The dog could hear the high pitch, but not us.
7. Sneaking in stealthily, he tiptoed.
8. Sometimes an amusing joke reflects reality.
9. Some of our team left before the end.
10. The sixties were downright wild.
11. Christmas Eve never lasts long enough.
12. A diamond is a rhombus but not always square.
13. Freight trains carried hobos at night.
14. A mud wasp adeptly constructed a multi-hole nest.
15. If I veered right, I could avoid the wreck.
16. There is not enough time left.
17. In the theatre, you want to put your mobile phone on vibrate.
18. She hit the jackpot right after me.

PUZZLE 17. OLD AND NEW

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains two hidden elements that are related. Together, the two elements from each sentence form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the two hidden elements and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

1. Every mark on the map specified a new job site.
2. None of the other radio acts was as good as Amos and Andy.
3. Elected in 1856, James Buchanan was President at the genesis of the Civil War.
4. Samuel Morse’s revelation of the telegraph was a breakthrough.
5. The celebrity judges included Dr. Ruth and Magic Johnson.
6. A young Luke Skywalker joins the Jedi exodus from the rebel alliance.
7. The musical numbers included one Peter Frampton song.
8. Many old proverbs were first coined by the Romans.
9. The song Hey Jude was about John Lennon’s son.

PUZZLE 18. MINIMUM VOCATION

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

1. The jury’s decision was a foregone conclusion.
2. Of all the roles in Winnie the Pooh, I opted to play Eeyore.
3. In the mountains of Northern India, natural springs are plentiful.
4. There was increased incidence of asthma in every age group.
5. It took about a half an hour to reach the summit.
6. She bought some very feminine bras, Kashmir sweaters, and sheer scarves.
7. The radio was blaring.
8. On the very first play of the game, my new jersey was covered in mud.
9. Farmers were the primary landowners in colonial New England.
10. Out on Boston common, tanagers were singing their dull songs.
11. She needed the payments spread over months to afford the loan.
12. She did a horrible job of vacuuming the floor.
13. The coroner examined the cerebral cortex as the interns watched intently.
14. The color adobe is a soft, red tone for southwestern décor.
15. If you really want to know about Uncle Al, ask Aunt Edna.

PUZZLE 19. TEMPT US, FUDGE IT

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

•   Construct a 19-letter anagram, relating to the theme, using the first letter of each sentence.

1. Each salmon thrashed upstream against the current.
2. Every weekend brought a new reason to binge.
3. Even sugary raisins tantalized the mice into the trap.
4. Earlier, she had promised to lease me stereo equipment.
5. For every action, there was an equal and opposite reaction.
6. I led a decadent life of excess and drugs.
7. Immediately after missionaries settled the coast, there was growth.
8. It was a minute lens scratch that marred the photo.
9. Mom entertained the kids while dad napped.
10. Next, he raised his arms over his head.
11. Nobody could teach our children better than Alice.
12. None of my early childhood friends were at the reunion.
13. Nora’s horse placed second by a nose.
14. Outside, a bearded bum begged for a quarter.
15. She had to raise a son on her own.
16. The only way to go was up and to the left.
17. They put forth their best effort, night after night.
18. Tiger Woods drove up in a Buick Century.
19. Up until yesterday, the situation seemed to make sense.

PUZZLE 20. A HEFT Y MONOLOG POEM

Across ten states, a few oceans and seas this Eureka puzzle has strange properties A thimble or a cannon can be forged from iron ore as can railroads that travel from Ohio to Baltimore Travel around and make twenty sawbucks each trip in a wheelbarrow, a car or even a battleship You might see a dog with a shoe or a hat while you work hard to become a rich fat cat This monolog poem is hefty with many a clue so the puzzle below is simpler to do.

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains multiple hidden elements that form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

•   Determine the single missing element.

•   Determine an anagram of the title that defines this puzzle’s theme.

1. The General Electric Company sponsored deep-water workshops to research coastal wind energy.
2. From North Carolina to Pennsylvania, we drove through hundreds of miles of calm pacific wilderness.
3. We have cruised on the Baltic, the Adriatic, and the Mediterranean seas.
4. Good oriental cuisine was hard to find along Interstate 91 from Derby Line, Vermont to New Haven Connecticut.
5. It cost James only $10 to see Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie in a New York theater in 1945.
6. The final four teams included Illinois, Duke, Indiana, and Kentucky.
7. I read in GQ magazine that Sal Bando’s son was a surprisingly short linebacker who now lived in Scranton Pennsylvania.
8. The Titanic was designed and built to circumvent North Atlantic icebergs.
9. The planning board walked briskly to the parking lot when the meeting adjourned.
10. The newest Charles Schwab office opened in West Virginia and specialized in large estates.

PUZZLE 21. YULETIDE EUPHORIA

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

•   Determine the one missing element in the context of this theme, alluded to by the title.

1. Evading the wild animals was critical to survive.
2. Armed guards were needed to control the crowd in the bar.
3. Cubic zirconium is now a primary export of Iraq.
4. Wise men know how to avoid sounding silly.
5. You just can’t ignore the specialties on this menu.
6. Delayed flights heading west had trouble making up time in the strong wind.
7. Effortlessly, the fleet deer evaded the wounded wolf.
8. HIV rates across the world have not reduced by that much.
9. Elbow grease was a necessity to break the lug nuts from the wheel.
10. Jade stones were used to line the entry to the Taj.
11. Empty pages made up over half the photo album.
12. Entire villages were wiped out by the tsunami that hit southern Japan.
13. Pizza kitchens flourished in the suburban buildup.
14. Vehicle sales skyrocketed after advertisements were seen on TV.
15. Zenith set television standards with a display refresh rate of 60 hertz.
16. Seeing her enjoy his gift made him feel even more romantic.
17. Estate sales have blossomed in these troubled times.
18. Before long, the baby would outgrow its crib.
19. Cane sugar is cheaper to refine and transport in bulk.
20. Exhausted, the marathon runner entered the arena for the final lap’s climax.
21. Island natives were the best guides on the bus and boat tours of Hawaii.
22. Jeeps could not make it up the steep, rutty hill without slipping.
23. Oval shapes dominated the op art displayed above the piano.
24. Ace Ventura had never seen a pet ape from Africa.
25. Teaching hospitals provide the best experience for a medical student.

PUZZLE 22. THREE FOR A QUARTER

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint, but probably too subtle to understand the connection until you have discovered the common theme.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences below and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

•   Determine the one element that does not fit the theme perfectly.

1. After the markets close at 4 p.m., the local bars around Wall Street get very busy.
2. Husbands and wives were sleeping in separate beds until the late 1960s.
3. In the race for mayor, the independent candidate led the early polls by over 10 points.
4. Janitorial costs had risen 11% in the past year.
5. I think it was 1964 when Julie Andrews won the Oscar for best actress.
6. Mom wore an apron only once a year, when cooking Thanksgiving dinner.
7. Most of today’s big action movies are augmented with computer-generated 3D imagery.
8. My prolific younger brother has just published his sixth romance novel.
9. Next February, the Super Bowl will be held in Dallas for the first time ever.
10. The ratio of frequencies of two musical notes one octave apart is 2:1.
11. We thoroughly assessed both of the options before we made our decision.
12. My son searched through four junk yards before he found a 1970 VW bus.

PUZZLE 23. ATL AS STARS

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element and a reference to a country. Together, the hidden elements and the countries mentioned in each sentence form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

•   Determine the connection between the hidden elements and the country references.

1. In ancient Greece, athletes competed in the decathlon donned in the colors of their flag.
2. Most of the Italian parishioners were appalled at the priest’s non-traditional opinions.
3. Filipino casinos lost thousands of customers when Macao legalized gambling.
4. Grandfather’s untimely death ensured a long, drawn-out legal battle for his German estate.
5. Number lines help Vietnamese students visualize the continuum of integers.
6. It is rare to find a Norwegian child that enjoys eating Brussels sprouts.
7. The French celebrate New Year’s Eve with a noisy outburst at the stroke of midnight.
8. After listening to the wry wit of the Canadian funnyman, I laughed hysterically.
9. The Polish labor union decided to take a big risk and boycott a wage freeze.
10. Our Belgian tent provided a safe haven from the mosquitoes and the wind.
11. The girl from Ecuador was runner-up in the Miss World pageant.
12. Veterans of the Revolutionary War saw the English withdraw from the colonies with honor.

PUZZLE 24. AKA DR. BLACK

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

•   Once you know the theme, deduce the three missing elements.

•   Determine how the title relates to the deceased subject of the theme.

1. A forensic CPA presented a community property balance sheet.
2. In our ballroom dance class we learned rumba, tango, waltz, and etiquette.
3. Most red-blooded Americans eat hot dogs with catsup, mustard, and relish.
4. Kent honed his bowie knife until it was razor-sharp.
5. Rose rented a studio with a small kitchenette and a Murphy bed.
6. Raytheon’s executive dining room was reserved for the big-wigs.
7. A flywheel must revolve real fast without the slightest wobble.
8. The Red Sox held their team banquet at the JFK Library.
9. Let’s avoid a formal presentation and do a whiteboard discussion.
10. Pine, spruce, and cedar are coniferous, aromatic evergreen trees.
11. Jane’s bathroom was off-limits until the plumber showed up Monday.
12. I can still remember my father singing We Shall Overcome.
13. His anniversary gift included candles, tickets for Neil Diamond, flowers, and wine.
14. A great pub must have a billiard room, a dart board, and good draught beer.
15. She can even study in a noisy dormitory with her headphones on.
16. I wrenched my back on a trampoline at the local gymnasium.
17. After a good tongue-lashing, Oscar let the young punk go free.
18. We lounged around on the lanai for three hours doing crosswords.

PUZZLE 25. A THESPIAN’S PROMO

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains multiple hidden elements. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the 32 hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

•   Anagram the title into a more appropriate three-word title.

1. The chairman of the yearbook committee then looked into each estimate.
2. I sent a warm telegram asking them to surface their issues by March.
3. The artful whippet leapt high and pulled ahead with some flash in the last lap.
4. Slipping horribly, the delivery truck needed four-wheel drive in the brown ice.
5. Local frogs should eradicate the snails but they also lessen the flies.

PUZZLE 26. A PRIX FIXE MENU OF ZEROS

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains three related hidden elements. Together, the 21 elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The three elements in each sentence also form a triplet that is a distinct subtheme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together.

•   Discover three hidden elements in each sentence and the subtheme that binds each sentence’s subtheme together.

•   One of the three theme words in each sentence identifies a numeric position in each sentence. Extract the letter in the specified position from each sentence. Anagram the seven letters into a word that hints at the theme.

1. Twelve studies were published on the topic of adult literacy.
2. A gigantic production anomaly was due to an inexcusable human error.
3. Alex, the CTO, demanded the big incentives, but would he fund them?
4. Ski lodge three has serviced millions of customers since it opened in 1990.
5. Good cops weigh teenaged offenders, check them for gang tattoos, and examine their records.
6. Don decided to bake a low-calorie, homemade cake from scratch using honey instead of sugar.
7. We teamed with MIT to study some galaxies that emit six distinct bands of microwave radiation.

PUZZLE 27. SIGNATURES

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

1. The hurricane-force wind was unyielding for more than two hours.
2. Two stopovers were needed to get home from Tokyo.
3. Ice storms force us to drive with reduced speed, limited visibility, and caution on slick roads.
4. The accident happened very fast, and none of the dead endured any pain.
5. There was no park in Grenoble that would allow dogs.
6. We do not entertain guests in our back patio very often.
7. Pushing youngsters into the pool is the wrong way to teach them to swim.
8. Many men work in garages without proper ventilation for painting or welding.
9. The blue team emerged victorious after the hard-fought game.
10. She has gone way past my threshold of tolerance for nosiness and gossip.

PUZZLE 28. IT IS QUANTIT Y, NOT QUALITY

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains multiple hidden elements. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern and connection to a common subtheme. The subtheme of each sentence is different and, along with all the hidden elements, relates to a larger theme. The title is a subtle hint to the overall theme.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Find the theme hidden in each sentence and the multiple hidden elements connected to that theme within each sentence. The number of hidden elements in each sentence is indicated by the italicized word in the sentence.

1. Since I am on the second shift for four weeks in a row, my bedtime will be very early.
2. After five p.m., I will slip into the bar, relax with some literature, turn the volume of the music up, and have a cordial.
3. “Tonight’s boxing program is a five-part slugfest,” expounded the overweight announcer.
4. “Oh, my!” I swatted five revolting termites laying eggs in the damp wood next to the electric panel.
5. Beleaguered by a light year of rain in Darfur, long-distance racers ran eight miles in choking dust over some terrible military trails with bad footing.

PUZZLE 29. FREE BIRD

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains two hidden elements that go together in a certain way. Combined, the pairs of elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the two hidden elements in each sentence and deduce the connection between those elements and the theme that binds together the 25 pairs of elements.

1. Blindfolded and facing the piñata, the young boy raised his bat.
2. Solidified magma becomes black and porous volcanic rock.
3. Straight ahead, we could see the canyon narrow.
4. Hardly anyone had dry eyes as Lou Gehrig walked off the diamond.
5. Stiffness in her back caused her to be tentative on the diving board.
6. White House offcials had selected the wrong host.
7. Neatly avoiding two defenders, Michael Jordan went up for a tap-in.
8. Strong odors were coming from the old icebox.
9. Wisecracks from a witty comedian can make an audience howl.
10. Sickened by his friend’s death, he went for a meditative walk with his dog.
11. Slippery, icy roads need to be driven with both hands on the wheel.
12. Tough acrylic polishes protected her fingernails.
13. Tightly strung and close to losing his temper, he pondered his conundrum.
14. Cleaning out his top drawer, he finally found his dog whistle.
15. Thinking out loud, I talked to myself and walked on down the trail.
16. Clearing my throat and prepared for rejection, I rang her doorbell.
17. Highlighting the parade was a spectacular float with a young boy flying a kite.
18. Sober alcoholics are easy to misjudge.
19. Simple Simon is a nursery rhyme about a man obsessed with pie.
20. Crazy outlaws and lawmen gathered at the town saloon.
21. Pretty soon, his ex-wife would be completely out of the picture.
22. Smarting from the insult, she snidely replied, “How hip.”
23. Cut each shirt collar so there is room for a button.
24. Dry towels were used to shine up the old trombone.
25. Lightning struck the mugger just before he threw a knife at her.

PUZZLE 30. MY ACORNS

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

•   Once you have uncovered the hidden element, put the phrases in the correct order.

•   Determine the subtle connection to the title.

1. Email is getting harder to handle.
2. No one thinks Florida is red-state territory.
3. Boston educators firmly opposed reading essays that had included religious dogma.
4. Any fool that eats raw fish is fortunate to hurl.
5. Did Elvis always drink liquor after screen tests?
6. Senior engineers verified each new test harness.
7. Fortunately, our uncle remained totally healthy.
8. Shareholders elected company officers next door.
9. After failing to enjoy recreational therapy, he is remarkably dull.

PUZZLE 31. UNBIASED MEDIATOR’S PRONOUNCEMENTS

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

•   Construct a multi-word anagram using the last letter of each sentence and determine how it relates to the title and the theme.

1. The bank’s safe was in a vault and protected by an alarm.
2. First, we went outside to breathe in Hawaii’s beauty.
3. Wave interference occurs when two waves collide in a medium.
4. John Wooden hosted this year’s charity ball for UCLA alumni.
5. Obstruction of justice is a common charge for a politician.
6. Leon was so high on heroin, he didn’t recognize you.
7. Insider trading was under intense scrutiny at the SEC.
8. Red, yellow, and orange decorations were brought out in the Fall.
9. The Who would play their rock operas with a supporting orchestra.
10. The referee called a low blow on the boxer in red trunks.
11. The union decided to strike three weeks before the end of the year.
12. She was home, running on her treadmill, when she got the call.
13. Hunting is allowed if you are out of the game reserve.
14. This is the first time we got no hits searching on the web.
15. Police suspected foul play and cordoned off the area.
16. The ducks were over a pumpkin field flying east toward Maine.
17. We balked at their second offer, and they adjusted their price up.
18. With six strikes in seven frames, she was feeling energized.
19. Auburn hair and fair skin are common among people from Latvia.

PUZZLE 32. TOTALLY IRRATIONAL

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as an almost complete set.

•   Determine the one missing element. This will help you determine the connection with the title.

1. The stage hands were the first to find the emergency exit.
2. She talked and talked about nothing but mystery novels.
3. Every paraplegic aches to walk again under their own power.
4. Each missile was housed inside a deep silo north of Offutt AFB.
5. The talent show included several age-old dance acts.
6. Both ankles have to be taped before each game.
7. Democrats did not want to freeze tax rates in an election year.
8. Most authors are outwardly egocentric and proud of it.
9. Even with dry clothes on, we still felt chilled.
10. Her scalp has developed a dry, itchy rash.
11. Later, after 30 painful push-ups, I longed for a long nap.
12. His luck apparently ran out when he rolled that last seven.
13. Locals started to riot after the touchy incident at ground zero.
14. That USDA choice leg of lamb dangled from Fido’s mouth.
15. The beast let out a deep sigh and vanished into the night.
16. The defendant replied, “I am innocent, Your Honor.”
17. The lab tech measured the width to be exactly two microns.
18. An amalgam made of Ag and Hg is used in most dental fillings.
19. You must be a math whiz to solve that puzzle.
20. The third keynote address introduced the six-sigma quality model.
21. The weather prediction model takes two hours to compute.
22. Memphis is the home of traditional southern BBQ.
23. UCLA home games are played in the Rose Bowl.

PUZZLE 33. THIS HOUND AMUSED SICK PEOPLE

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

•   Construct an anagram using the first letter of each sentence and determine how it relates to the title and the theme.

1. Lunch consisted of salad and pizza made with garlicky dough.
2. Out beyond the reef was a stealthy manta ray.
3. Most of yesterday’s mail was for me.
4. An obese comedian bellowed a huge guffaw.
5. Violet taught her children to sew.
6. I have never broken the law.
7. Four p.m. is the best time for afternoon tea.
8. Penny wanted a brand-new hair-do.
9. At night we sang around the campfire.
10. Predictably, the native New Yorkers preferred the lean pastrami.
11. Roaming the fields, the bison grazed on alfalfa.
12. The lightweight umbrella used for shade on sunny days is known as a parasol.
13. No event had generated so much hoopla.
14. Yesterday, we ate baked ziti.

PUZZLE 34. SNOOP DOG’S AMIGO

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences below and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

1. Joe Biden already owned a cocker spaniel and four basset hounds.
2. Country music with banjoes, jugs, and fiddles provided the ambiance for eating crawfish.
3. Ten years later, aftershocks of the market crash were still being felt.
4. Johnny Carson resided at 200 Amber Lane in Malibu during the wintertime.
5. We all sat quietly through the unpleasant analysis of business trends.
6. The recipe called for canned tomatoes and garlic simmered over low heat.
7. We were so grateful that the landlord had installed two new deadbolts.
8. Curiously, the accused and the victim’s family came to court stoned.
9. The thousand people who signed the petition needed to be verified as voters.
10. The wedding band contained a two-carat emerald and four small diamonds.
11. Bing Crosby still seemed unashamed of himself and his spoiled youngsters.
12. Jefferson City airport’s runways could not handle an airplane as big as a 747.
13. It is bad luck in Africa to squish a banana with your foot.
14. The blood oranges we ate made us sick, and we broke into tears.

PUZZLE 35. AARDVARKS DON’T BUZZ

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains two hidden elements. Together, one of these elements forms an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The other hidden element forms a different pattern or connection to another theme. So you are looking for two strings of hidden elements relating to two different and somewhat opposite themes. The title is a subtle hint for both themes.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover two different sets of the hidden elements in the sentences below and deduce the themes that bind those elements together.

•   Determine the connection between the title and the hidden elements.

1. Our foes were powerless as we smashed through their defenses.
2. They stoned the prisoner before authorities could restore sanity.
3. It was high time that we made a decision.
4. The GIs were searching fearlessly, with their rifles loaded.
5. Feeling no pain anymore, he was admitted to another hospital.
6. The new walls were entirely ready to be plastered.
7. We humbly asked to get paid under the table.
8. I made a list and then hammered home the main point.
9. If she amends the document, his effort will have been wasted.
10. Our inventory was low as our business tanked.
11. We turned to prayer and meditation as the planes bombed us.
12. The flag was ripped but could still carry the message to our troops.

PUZZLE 36. L AND SHARK

Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.

To solve this puzzle, you need to:

•   Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

•   Put the sentences in their proper order based on the hidden theme. One of the sentences has no defined position, so put it last.

•   Once the sentences are in the proper order, the first letter of the first sentence, the second letter of the second sentence, and so on up to the sixteenth letter of the sixteenth sentence, will provide a clear explanation of the theme and help you make sense of the title.

1. We got soaked as I hailed one of the green-and-white checkered cabs.
2. After a serious brownout, energy supplies started to recover.
3. If he gets on the green in two, he will have a shot at an eagle.
4. Was it 1958 when the song The Purple People Eater hit the charts?
5. Many people drink orange juice only for breakfast.
6. Don’t you think this puzzle is full of suspicious white noise?
7. A telephone book nowadays has more yellow pages than white pages.
8. Dawn played the Beatles’ White Album over and over when she felt blue.
9. The waiter asked each guest if they preferred red or white wine.
10. Deep Purple concerts concluded with powerful white-light bursts.
11. There were twelve people named Bass in the Orange County white pages.
12. A total eclipse happens once in a blue moon.
13. My red, bloodshot eyes indicated just how exhausted I was.
14. Slow down when you see yellow lights.
15. Is it strange that the blacksmith is the only bachelor over 30 years old?
16. Charlie Brown and Lucy sang White Christmas with the carolers.

SEQUENCE PUZZLES

Sequence puzzles are one of the staples of IQ tests and brain-teaser books. The key is to identify some pattern that helps you deduce the next letter, number, symbol, or picture. These puzzles are great mental exercises, but many of them become rather one-dimensional. Here are some simple examples:

 

J, F, M, A, M, J, J, ? (A is next: the first letters of the months of the year)

1, 4, 9, 16, 25, 36, ? (49: the square of the sequence of counting numbers)

0, T, T, F, F, S, S, ? (E: the first letter of the sequence of counting numbers)

There are jillions of sequence puzzles, and many of them are mind-benders. Here is my all-time favorite. This is either trivial or impossible for most people.

PUZZLE 37. WHAT’S NEXT? (PART 1)

What is the next symbol in this sequence? When you deduce it, you will know it is correct. If you don’t see the solution within 10 seconds, you probably won’t see it in 10 hours. Most of the people who have struggled with this puzzle were bamboozled until I gave them a hint. The only hint I will offer is that its solution takes perception, not reason; an elementary school student is as likely to solve it as an adult.

Here is a sequence that is a little tougher because it takes both perception and reasoning.

PUZZLE 38. WHAT’S NEXT? (PART 2)

Here is a relatively challenging sequence that requires only a high school education to solve but demands some pretty abstract reasoning. This one is not easy.

PUZZLE 39. WHAT’S NEXT? (PART 3)

10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 22, 24, 31, 100, ?

Here is a more traditional sequence. Although this one is a little more indirect than usual, it should be solvable by anyone versed in American history.

PUZZLE 40. FROM MARTHA TO MICHELLE

23, 1, 10, 13, 13, 1, 10, 22, 8, 20, 16, 20, 6, 16, 2, ?

PUZZLE 41. INITIAL ORDERS

Use the appropriate letter to complete the following sequences. When you have solved them all, each letter of the alphabet will have been used once. The who would know column provides a hint for each sequence.

Example: S-M-T-?-T-F-S

answer: W for Wednesday (Days of the week)

If a sequence ends in an ellipsis (…) that means that there are many more elements of the sequence. If a sequence does not end in an ellipsis that means it is a complete set. The number of elements in a complete set sequence is also a good hint in some cases.

Sequence	Who would know?
1.   R-O-Y-G-B-?-V	Leprechaun
2.   O-T-T-F-F-S-S-?-N-T-…	Countess
3.   ?-S-D-F-G-H-J-K	Secretary
4.   T-Q-P-?-H-O-…	Shaper
5.   D-?-N-G-C-M-M-S-N-V-N-N-R	History major
6.   A-D-T-F-F-S-S-E-N-T-J-?-K	The Joker
7.   I-V-?-L-C-D-M	Caesar
8.   ?-R-M-F-S-L-T	Maria
9.   M-V-E-M-J-S-?-N-P	Your son
10. C-A-P-A-T-G-C-L-V-L-?-S	Movie star
11. A-B-G-D-E-?-E-T-I-K-…	Olympian
12. K-F-S-T-F-F-S-S-E-F-S-?-S	Student
13. W-A-J-M-M-A-J-?-…	Mint worker
14. G-E-L-?-D-J-J-R…	Rabbi
15. S-F-C-M-L-C-B-M-?-G	War protester
16. P-C-L-F-W-C-W-?…	Bride
17. O-T-H-?-T-H-M-…	Numeroligist
18. S-M-H-D-?-M-Y-D-C-M	White rabbit
19. H-H-L-B-B-C-N-?-F-N-…	Mr.Wizard
20. H-P-T-T-S-?-F-F-S-R	Hoyle
21. K-Q-R-B-?-P	Russian
22. C-C-D-B-D-D-P-V-?	Elf
23. K-P-C-O-F-?-S	Biology major
24. P-?-F-S-T-S-L-C-R	Casey
25. O-S-C-?-S-B-T-D-…	Ballgame singer
26. P-T-F-C-G-G-S-?-L-L-P-D	Caroler

RELATIVE-ANTONYM-SYNONYM-HOMOPHONE (RASH) PUZZLES

When my kids were young, I spent a lot of time driving them to and from school and commuting to work on Los Angeles freeways. I listened to music on the car radio and enjoyed teaching my children the songs and artists that I liked. After a few years, they were familiar with many classic rock and roll artists, and they became interested in indentifying songs and artists. As grade school students, they would constantly ask, “Daddy, who does this song?” Always looking for ways to teach them while having fun, I would give them a hint in the form of a simple puzzle. My hints were often in the form of synonyms, antonyms, and such.

Example:

“This is the stinkbugs” (a beetle relative and a homophone for Beatle)

or

“This is the ant-listens” (a combination of syllables that includes an ant relative, bee, and an antonym of listens, tells)

My girls would try to decipher my hint to determine the correct artist. Because this was a verbal game, homophones, homographs, and homonyms became part of the code. They loved this game, and when they were older, I formalized the puzzle rules and handed out a written version at our holiday gatherings. I call them RASH puzzles.

Rash Puzzle Rules

The clues are mixtures of components (usually syllables) that, when verbally replaced with appropriate counterparts, will integrate into answers that correspond to the puzzle’s theme.

 

1. Relatives are “like” things. Apples and oranges are relatives in the fruit family; Elly Mae and Jethro are relatives in the Beverly Hillbilly family; Mars and Jupiter are relatives in the family of planets.
2. Antonyms are opposites: black and white, will and won’t, now and then.
3. Synonyms are different words with similar meanings: yellow and amber, cold and brisk, trash and rubbish, near and close.
4. Homophones/homonyms. Homophones are pronounced the same, have different meanings, and may or may not have the same spelling: merry, marry, and Mary. Homonyms have the same spelling and pronunciation but different meanings: bank (edge of a river, carom, or depository).
5. Some of the clues are a stretch. Get over it! I have poetic license. If you try to make up one of these puzzles on your own, you will understand the need to provide a clue that is as close as you can get and plenty good enough to help solve the puzzle.
6. If you can get a part of a clue, you can usually reason through the twisted combination of “nyms” to get the whole answer.
7. Some of the homonyms are not exact. For example, day may be as close as I could get to Dave. Such rough homonyms are denoted in italics to alert the solver to beware.
8. Hyphens separate single-syllable clues. For example, Gas-yuk could translate to air (synonym for gas)—ick (synonym for yuk). This results in Eric (translating the appropriate homophones).
9. Multiple words with no space constitute a single syllable or word. (For example, foursidedfigure could be replaced by square, rhombus, rectangle, etc.)
10. Underlined words or letters are not replaced; they are left as-is. (For example, the stays as the.)

PUZZLE 42: RASH MUSICAL ARTISTS

Example: Stoop Old Neil Young

Neil (a homonym of kneel, a synonym for stoop) and Young (an antonym of old)

1. Beers Fall-mug

2. Me Also

3. Lupine-thugs Castletrenches-craft

4. The Criminals

5. Mute Tails

6. Congestion

7. Dog St-odds

8. Genuflect Emerald

9. Float Ocean-anxious

10. The Cashew Sisters

11. Hot-work

12. EllieMay Tax

13. Ominous Curves

14. Pal Sacred

15. Evil Guests

16. Blackbirds-ant, Photos and Grind

17. Magenta Deluge

18. Humor-ankle Dallas

19. Shirtarm Lose-lumber

20. Trailed Blimp

21. Shorthaircut Sellingdrugs

22. Auto-win Kriskringle-nope

23. Coldblooded Dike

24. Temperamental Pinks

25. Pumpkineater Angelofmary

26. Head-patella Dinero

27. Chasm Bald-daughter

28. Swift-iron PC

29. Belief Muddy-H2O Renaissance

30. Maleturkey Trivial or the Liver-waves

31. The Virtuous Siblings

32. Look-lowinfat Belowaveragegrade-off

33. Spade

34. The Against Bottoms

35. The Joint Fraternity

36. Oilrig ampersand the Bones

37. Hipbone Iron-meadow

38. UKwatercloset-isn’t Leg-weak

39. Pub-bikinitop Gait-beach

40. Regal Sadmood Rant-street

41. Handtruck Excuse

42. Awesome-empty Alive

43. Regular-hobo

44. Utilityvehicle Less-daughter

45. Stylish-past

46. Toastmaster Mallet

47. Pointer-jones

48. Soil, Zephyr and Terminate

49. Pryopen Egglayer-bores

50. Bison Coil-pasture

PUZZLE 43: RASH CAPITALS

Example: Happy-isn’t-ourstar Madison

Mad (Antonym of happy) + is (antonym of isn’t) + son (homynym of sun, synonym of ourstar)

1. Frenchman’sname

2. Autos-off burg

3. Pieceofchain-off

4. Heathen Ringo

5. Happy-isn’t-ourstar

6. Mt.-rind-nose

7. Summermonth-ofcourse

8. Hooter-sheepnoise-shin

9. Candlewax-inconvenience-hear

10. Wizardcity-alloy

11. Chriskringle price

12. Sweetie-yes-doozie

13. Spinnaker-en

14. Buck-under

15. Row-wasp-a

16. Timid-also

17. Heaven-road-surprise

18. Grease-lamewalk-Zadora

19. Ants-grade

20. Poor-smallhill

21. Termite-orange-isn’t

22. Yaw-field

23. Takeoff-hum

24. UnivTeacher-ego-smart

25. Coil-meadow

26. July-yes

27. Girl-sleepletter

28. Malecard-daughter

29. Honest-cavalryshelter

30. From-sneakalook-a

31. Cook-against-daudhter Stand-cofee

32. Familyroom-minkcoat

33. Pepper Pond Town

34. Bag-stuff-women-piggy

35. Snack-empty

36. Fold-er-van

37. Redskin-orange-isn’t

38. Relaystick Facemakeup

39. Night Lawncuttings

40. Pro-rope

41. Choochoo–2000pounds

42. Ticker-chevy

43. Mt.-Wrigleys-wed

44. @-campinglight

45. Maple-fa-abode-pa Stand-golfstart

46. Payment-nullify

47. Blaeken-otherwise-zap

48. Huge pebble

49. Worker-heavyweight

50. Follicle-isn’t-icechunk

PUZZLE 44: RASH CL ASSIC TV SHOWS

Example: Hades Road Sadness = Hill Street Blues

Hades (synonym for Hell which is a rough Homonym of Hill) Road (synonym or relative of Street) Sadness (synonym of Blues)

1. The Sweetie-bumexposers

2. Ear Tennisnil Free-look

3. Paddling also Venetian’s Chuckle-tavern

4. Mrs. Noggin

5. The Roll-cross Dossiers

6. Unknown Hike

7. The Detective SUV Dam Exposition

8. Put Stupid

9. Windfall

10. Bray

11. The Lady to Malekin

12. The Front Inane-movingtruck place

13. Every B&B the Genus

14. Poppy Avenue

15. The Dusk Area

16. The Few Adores of Bread-ant Cheek-be

17. Alphabet’s Banal Paladin Hand-dance

18. Rod-vapor

19. Basic’s Narrow Spun of Games

20. Eve Dozen

21. The Firestarter-jewels

22. The Divorce Customize Less Movie

23. The Slant-meadow Mountain-goats

24. Stay Addamsfamilycousin to Castor

25. The Ricefield Fist Exhibit

26. Muscle the Iron

27. Evade Bricklayer

28. The Tangible PC-bashfuls

29. Harbinger-axed

30. The Tame Crazy North

31. Hurrahs

32. Pointat * Straw * Fool * Dullpain

33. Peril

34. Woodenrod-missy

35. Live-prudish

36. Frank Went-hooray

37. Navajohome’s Goats

38. Friday Morning Dead

39. Assignment Cinchy

40. PhD Murder-challenge

41. Tow-mesh

42. Espy Search

43. Em-Who-Legume-Lowgrade Aqua

44. Pinballgizmo

45. Ogle Wonder of Denimjoint

46. 118.3ml-i-rev’s Nose-takeoff

47. Eleven-eleven Dusk Disrobe

48. Sandwichislands Fin-Alas

49. The Solo Vagabond

50. Grit-chevy or Ourstar

PUZZLE 45: RASH GAMES

Example: Mandarin-praguenative-his Chinese checkers

Chinese (relative of Mandarin) check (a homonym for Czech, which is a synonym of praguenative) hers (antonym of his)

1. Agreement Riverspan

2. Scramble-plank

3. Commotion-benefit

4. Minutia Chase

5. Hush-plunders

6. Ort-malemoose

7. Eightfoottwobyfour Prod-him

8. Original-marbles

9. Stereo-parrotname

10. Stone, Shears, Essay

11. Vodka Drippy

12. Exponent-orb

13. Carpet-wasp

14. Neckpain-dined

15. Rat-snare

16. Select-tibia-gassy

17. Skip-whiskey

18. Evil-glove

19. Regular Wed-X Fraternity

20 Peepers Hambone-lock

21. Blink-ask-mail

22. Sylvester’sbird answers

23. Berserk Octets

24. Swagger-self

25. Legume-yield

26. Sonarecho Patsy

27. Teensy Chasm

28. Front-wildlife-off

29. Leather and Pursue

30. Garble-golfprop Hog

31. Invoice-lawns

32. Goodfortune-intersect

33. Sweets-acreage

34. Gosh-alas-depositing

35. Jackass Bigcymbal

36. Breathmint-digit

37. Twist the Glass

38. Label

39. Crimson Fido

40. Yank of Conflict

41.Jesters-orb

42. Seashore nonconsonant-pasture-cry

43. Liquid-rabbit

44. Uncertainty

45. Needle-dance

46. Suspend-mister

47. Average-curd-look

48. Raspy Dashing

49. Belt-him

50. Uppertorso

PUZZLE 46: RASH BRANDS

Example: Ear Ant Seam = IBM

Ear (relative of eye, homophone for I) Ant (relative of bee, homophone for B) seam (synonym for hem, which is a rough homophone for em, which is a homophone for M)

1. Legjoint-guy Patsy-swear

2. Head-daughter and Throne-boy

3. Forgiveness-nights Straightens

4. Fire-admonish

5. Trinket-Starwarssage

6. Vector-archaicyou-forward

7. Gunk-tern

8. Agent and Venture

9. Pitch-when

10. Speak-cheer Pasture

11. Maiden Pacific

12. Stitch-ankle

13. Formerwife-loaded Anchored

14. Seamammals Distant-halt

15. Envious Pygmy

16. Murder-journals

17. Snub-patella

18. Private Acoustic

19. Berkeley-caridentifier Descend

20. Winner’s Classified

21. Heaven. Heck. Noggin

22. Comeoutwinners

23. Nile. Serene

24. New Fleet

25. Curly-rat Gender

26. Gist-soup-stop

27. Engine-hiinspanish

28. Wedded Broadcast-queues

29. Tony Muck

30. Jeering

31. Specific Dynamos

32. Barbarian-croak

33. Glacialsound Castleprotector-and

34. Me-Drunk—Load-soft

35. Lead-does

36. Nuts Proceed-fa

37. Bond’sboss Wow BottomSeam

38. Bro-bull

39. Alaskanbear

40. Asian Articulate

41. Ambiguous-pester

42. Sage Alarmer

43. Troika Dorothy’saunt

44. Notquite Evening-gman-ourstar

45. Bullseye

46. Precision

47. Lookout Spices

48. Peterbilt-Sunrise-chevy

49. Mystics Column-stag

50. Termite-stoned-ma’am Shrub

PUZZLE 47: RASH ANIMATED CHARACTERS

Example: Max-ankle Rodent = Min (antonym of max) Knee (relative of ankle, homonym of “nie”) Mouse (synonym of rodent)

1. Greenshade Lubricant

2. Haze-antler Segment-noisemaker

3. Oak-him Brownie

4. Who-meadow Sly-hay-polo

5. Silo-joint Massage-steer

6. Darling Fowl

7. Glitch-tern-kisser

8. Child’swound

9. Snorkle–Paid

10. Turkey-meadow Coif-left

11. Could-golfprop Estuary

12. Dinger Prawn-star

13. Free-look SUV–Fur

14. Scream

15. Brutal-re Dopeslap Chateau

16. She-either

17. Money-via the Aloof Spirit

18. Canyon of a Forest

19. Guzzle-tail Smith

20. Howitzer Coffee

21. Color-you, Coif-us or John-I

22. Seethrough Felon

23. Touch-formerspouse the Kitty

24. Auto-pasture

25. Over-rover

26. Ms. Pa-gunk

27. Rare Pot-here

28. Yellowstone Congruent

29. Hitchhike-each

30. Energetic Re-bench

31. Annoy or Hyde

32. Badger-digout Mutt

33. Lumber-bond

34. Bothers Roll-previouslyknownas

35. Kentucky Formalwear

36. Stupid-boyfriend

37. Chasm Prop-daughter

38. Maid-the-duchess

39. Scuttlebutt Dark-annum

40. A Dog out the Chapeau

41. Wondering Canyon

42. Foolish Avoid

43. Hooter-Ethel She. Understood-max

44. Parsley-ernie

45. Dinero-podmember

46. Interference Black

47. Enormous All Derriere

48. Cow-sparkle

49. Fiddle-chime

50. Venus

GAMES AND OTHER MENTAL EXERCISES

The remainder of this appendix introduces some other stimulating mental exercise for improving your observation skills and enjoying the English language.

Crossword Puzzles

Boredom brought me to crossword puzzles. In the 1980s, I traveled more and more on business, enduring long and longer flights. Before laptop computers, a 5-hour coast-to-coast or 10- hour international flight was lots of time to kill. After I read the newspaper cover to cover, all that was left to consume time was that crossword puzzle, begging to be tested. I must have tried 20 puzzles before I finally finished one. It seemed quite difficult, but I did persevere. I learned that if I’d put a puzzle down for a while; when I picked it up again later, I’d inevitably make more progress. I just had to clear my mind and see it from a fresh perspective.

Although there are numerous crossword puzzle authors, Will Shortz of The New York Times is my favorite crossword editor. His puzzles are not the hardest, the funniest, the most error-free, the cheapest, or the most available. But for my taste, he’s the best, simply because his style seems incredibly fair, entertaining, and consistent. The Times puzzles progress in difficulty as the week progresses, easiest on Mondays and most difficult on Saturday. On Sundays there is a larger special themed puzzle that is usually Thursday-ish in difficulty.

Over three decades and 4 million air miles, I have become good at crosswords. Not great, but good enough. I can almost always solve The Times puzzles completely, although sometimes it takes me a few hours and an occasional search on the internet for that one critical answer, usually some entertainment-oriented question (my weakness). Saturday and Sunday puzzles are the ones I look forward to enjoying with my wife.

Although doing a crossword puzzle alone is fun, doing one with a friend or spouse can be even more rewarding. Puzzles offer great mental exercise, and reasoning out loud with someone else can be a real eye-opener. There is no better example of the power of diverse thinking than working through a puzzle together and observing how your thought patterns differ. My wife and I have learned an immense amount about each other by reasoning through crossword puzzles on long drives, airplane flights, and snowy Sunday afternoons. These incredibly rich communications sessions have helped us understand each other’s perspectives, outlooks, reasoning patterns, and priorities. No kidding. Try it.

SCRABBLE^®

Scrabble^® provides some of the best mental exercise there is. Although many online sites offer Scrabble^®, the board game between two people is still the best way to play. Scrabble^® is up there with chess and bridge as one of the three classic games of skill. I played Scrabble^® extensively when I was younger; I have probably played monthly for the past 20 years as an entertaining diversion. Scrabble^® experts, the world-class tournament players, are nuts. Some of them spend almost every waking hour categorizing words and organizing Scrabble^® inventories in their memories. They study dictionaries and word forms. They exercise their mental abilities by anagramming words endlessly.

A Scrabble^® expert will outscore an amateur every time, regardless of the lousy tiles he picks out of the bag. Several good books provide important word lists, basic strategies, and more complete advice. Here are a few pointers for the average person who is just starting to play Scrabble^®. This advice will probably improve your average score by 50 to 100 points per game.

1. Two-letter words are the primary connectors for high-scoring words. Memorize all 101 of the two-letter words in The Official SCRABBLE^® Players Dictionary.

   

1. Never use a blank tile unless you are making a high-scoring play (50 points or more). Blanks are the most flexible tiles in the bag. They significantly improve your chances of making high-scoring plays, especially plays using all seven letters in your rack (called a bingo).
2. Never use an S tile unless you are making a high-scoring play (30 points or more). S tiles give you tremendous flexibility to add to an existing word and use all seven letters in your rack. If you can’t score 30 points, make a play worth less and save the S tile for your next play.
3. If making the highest scoring play in your hand leaves you with tiles that are difficult to use in forming new words (for example, five vowels, or 3 Gs, or 4 Ts), consider making a lower scoring play that leaves you with a more flexible rack of tiles for your next turn.
4. H is one of the most valuable scoring tiles. It is a very common letter in the English language, and there are 10 two-letter words with H that make it easy to use. Note that H is worth four points, but it occurs just as frequently as many of the one-point letters (see Figure 1-1).
5. U is one of the least valuable tiles unless you also have a Q, in which case it becomes invaluable. The U is difficult to play and score well. Although U is worth only one point, it occurs as infrequently as many of the higher count letters. (Again, see Figure 1-1.)
6. Learn the obscure but important three-letter and four-letter words that use the high-scoring tiles: J, K, Q, X, and Z. These are some good ones to remember:

   J: raj, taj, jeu

   K: auk, koi, khi, kay, kex

   Q: qua, quay, qaid, qat

   X: cox, dex, lux, oxo, oxy, pyx, xis

   Z: adz, adze, biz, coz, fez, wiz, zoa, zoon, zee, zed, zax, zek

With just these tips, you will be amazed at how much more fun you will have and how much more competitive you will be playing Scrabble^®. You must work on three other things to become an advanced player: anagramming, reading the board for scoring opportunities and placement, and vocabulary and word knowledge. Most of these skills come from playing and practicing and from daily mental exercise, not from studying.

Capable Scrabble^® players should have fun solving the next puzzle. See if you can determine the significance of the following short paragraph.

PUZZLE 48. Scrabble^® PERTINENCE

This “joked hoax” paragraph is crazy. A young informed novice will be able to determine a unique virtue of its elegant words.

Once you solve this puzzle, try to create your version. I predict you will find this task challenging. I did.

Word Mastermind

When I was in high school, my best friend and I played a one-on-one thinking game that was simple to explain but required tremendous skills in deduction and word forming. It provided great mental exercise and could be played anywhere with just a pencil and paper. Here are the rules.

Object: Guess the opponent’s five-letter word in the fewest number of turns.

Setup: Each player thinks of a five-letter word and writes it at the top of a piece of paper, folding the top of the page down to conceal it.

Play:

1. Player 1 states any five-letter word as a guess at Player 2’s hidden word.
2. Player 2 determines the hits and announces a two-digit assessment. The first digit corresponds to the total number of shared letters. The second digit identifies how many of those letters are in the right place. For example: if Player 1’s word is crypt and Player 2 guessed party, the hit assessment would be 4-0 (4 shared letters and none of them in the right spot).
3. Player 2 then makes a guess at Player 1’s word, and Player 1 determines the hits and announces the two-digit assessment.
4. Players must make accurate assessments. A player who makes an inaccurate assessment forfeits the game.
5. Play alternates back and forth until one player guesses the exact word (a hit assessment of 5-5). The player who guesses the opponent’s word in the fewest turns wins.

An example game is shown at the top of the next page.

This game is addicting and much more a battle of wits than it seems at first glance. The English language has jillions of five-letter words, so the possibilities are endless. Logical thinking plays an important role in this game. Good players can almost always guess the word in seven or fewer turns. It sometimes helps to write out the alphabet at the top of your paper so that you can visualize the letters, cross out the ones you have eliminated, and reason through the remaining possibilities.

Dictionary

My parents taught us a great game when I was young that has been morphed into the popular commercial board game Balderdash. The original version that I learned is equally fun and requires no equipment other than a dictionary and some paper and pencils. It provides excellent mental exercise, and it builds communications skills in some interesting ways.

Rules: The game Dictionary can be played with 4 to 10 people. The object is to achieve a certain number of points. With 4 to 7 people, the first player who scores 10 points wins. With 8 to 10 people, the first one player who scores 5 points wins. You can define the threshold for winning at any level, or confine the game to two or three rounds for each player based on the time available.

A game consists of multiple rounds. In each round, one player acts in the role of dictionary master. The dictionary master rotates clockwise among the players from round to round. Each player is given a pad of paper to write down definitions. It is important that each player’s pad of paper look exactly the same so that when multiple definitions are read from these papers, no one can tell who the author was.

The dictionary master looks through the dictionary, selects an obscure word, and announces that word to the other players. The master writes down the word and its primary definition in a concise form on a piece of paper. The definition can be paraphrased, as long as the essence of the definition is conserved. Each of the other players writes down the word and their proposed definition, and gives their pad to the dictionary master. It is important to write legibly.

The dictionary master puts the definitions in random order and reads them all aloud. The dictionary master then asks each player, starting with the player to the left, which definition is correct. Each player must commit to one definition. Once every player has committed, the dictionary master announces the correct definition and tabulates player’s scores as follows:

1. A player earns 1 point for selecting the correct definition.
2. Players earn 1 point for every player who selects their proposed definition. (Exception: A player can select their own definition to bluff or influence others, but cannot earn a point for selecting it.)
3. The dictionary master earns 2 points if no player selects the correct definition.

Strategy: For the dictionary master, the key is to find a word that is counterintuitive to its word formation, sound, or structure (prefix, suffix, root, and so on). For the players, the key is to create a credible definition based on their knowledge of roots, prefixes, suffixes, sounds, syllables, and the general feel of the word provided.

It is critical for players to get outside their realm of comfort. A known sports expert is likely to be associated with having created sports-oriented definitions, a science teacher with science-oriented definitions, and a professional nurse with medical terms. So this game is inherently a game of competing communications. A lot of bluffing and a lot of reasoning are involved. It is a great group game that allows people to open up in exercising their communications skills.

Fun Thought Problems and Brain Teasers

Some problems are best solved with a paper and pencil, some with a computer, some with a long analysis. There are also great problems that are more fun to solve in your head. These are appropriate for playing while driving, running, or camping, where you have no facilities but the use of your brain. A key aspect of these problems is that they must have a simple perspective that makes the problem solvable without any tools. Here is a good one that came from a timed Mathematics Association of America test that we took in high school.

PUZZLE 49. SUM FUN

What is the sum of the numbers from 1 to 1000?

If you look at this the right way, the solution is easy to reason through in your head.

Here is a more complex puzzle to noodle over. It forces you to reason about an infinite sequence. This is hard for most people, but the answer is easy to see if you look at it from the right perspective.

PUZZLE 50. PERCENTAGE POSER

What percentage of positive integers is represented with at least one 7? See if you can come within 5% just by reasoning in your head. Then work the solution out on paper.

The next brain teaser will not be solvable in your head unless you are truly a genius. Feel free to use paper and pencil. This one is a classic.

PUZZLE 51. THE GENIUS

Ralph meets his old high school classmate Norton at a Mensa party. Norton greets Ralph: “I didn’t know you were a genius. See if you can pass my genius test.”

Norton: “I am going to tell you some facts about my three sons. As soon as you know their ages, stop me. The sum of their ages is 13. The product of their ages is your age. My eldest son weighs 81 pounds.”

Ralph: “Stop. I know their ages.”

Norton: “You must be a genius. You stopped me at exactly the right time.”

Can you determine the ages of Norton’s sons from the information given? There is a unique answer of three integers. No fractions are involved.

Puzzle Hints

The hints that follow should help you get started with many of the puzzles. For additional puzzle-solving hints, go to walkerroyce.com. Search for Puzzle 52 somewhere on that site.

Puzzle 1: Observations of an orthopedic surgeon

Count the number of words (hyphenated words count as only 1) and ask yourself how that could relate to the text.

Puzzle 2: Vowel blends

Try to think through 3- and 4-letter words that could begin or end with the digraphs. AA and UU require 6-letter words, II requires 5 letters, and the rest can be done in 4 letters or less. There are better answers, but the words are pretty obscure.

Puzzle 3: Consonant blends

My solution required one 8-letter word (HH), four 6-letter words (DF, GP, KK, WW), seven 5-letter words, five 4-letter words, and eight 3-letter words.

Puzzle 4: Letter sequences

No hint.

Puzzle 5: First impressions

Same hint as Puzzle 1.

Puzzle 6: A questionable preoccupation with vocabularies

As you read the text, notice how much your glottis is used in an unpressured way. If that doesn’t help, read the chapter on English as a Romance language.

Puzzle 7: Word safari

Most of the animals in this puzzle are well known, but there are several obscure 3-letter words that are animals. A web-search for 3-letter Scrabble^® words should help you identify many of the lesser known animals.

Puzzle 8: Word geography

This puzzle is challenging, but searching for the most populous cities in some of the less populated states is a good way to uncover a few of the obscure city names.

Puzzle 9: Symbol hunt

A web-based search of keyboard symbols may help. Also, realize that many of the letter keys and number keys can be represented by words (e.g., be, bee, see, won, etc.)

Puzzle 10: Anagram trivia

Part 1: No additional hints.

Part 2: There are two vowels and one consonant.

Part 3: There are two consonants and one vowel.

Puzzle 11: Postal abbreviation words

Start by finding SD, MT, NH, MD, NM, and TN. Once you have marked off those words (and there is only one possibility for each), the rest should be straightforward.

Puzzle 12: Could Jefferson write?

I am a ‘FIERCE PUNSTER’ and you can anagram those letters into two of the words in the preamble that are the instances of abuse.

Eureka Puzzle Hints

Plan it!

Puzzle 14: In the news

Read the directions!

Puzzle 15: Noisemakers

Read the directions!

Puzzle 16: Credit, greeting, St. Louis, business, union?

The element in sentence 12 is in plain sight.

Puzzle 17: Old and new

The first letters of each sentence can be anagrammed into a hint that goes with the title.

Puzzle 18: Minimum vocation

The title is an anagram of the first letters of the 15 hidden elements, and only 1 element is in plain sight.

Puzzle 19: Tempt us, fudge it

Sentences 8, 13, and 18 have elements in plain sight.

Puzzle 20: A hefty monolog poem

The opposite of monopsony.

Puzzle 21: Yuletide euphoria

Note the total number of elements and add 1 for the missing element. The theme of this puzzle is similar to the theme of Puzzle 2.

Puzzle 22: Three for a quarter

Think about how many total elements there are and the sorts of sets that have that many elements. Word placement in the sentences is important in determining the element that does not fit perfectly.

Puzzle 23: Atlas stars

Look for capital letters.

Puzzle 24: Aka Dr. Black

This is one of my favorite puzzles. You shouldn’t need another clue, but I just gave you one anyway.

Puzzle 25: A thespian’s promo

One of the words of the anagrammed title is parts.

Puzzle 26: A prix fixe menu of zeros

One of the hidden elements in each sentence is a number. Use that number to solve the anagram.

Puzzle 27: Signatures

Sentence 7 is the only sentence with an element in plain sight.

Puzzle 28: It is quantity, not quality

The subthemes in each sentence are hidden in plain sight.

Puzzle 29: Free bird

This puzzle is easy as pie.

Puzzle 30: My acorns

Anagram the title.

Puzzle 31: Unbiased mediator’s pronouncements

Starting from a sports perspective will help you solve this one.

Puzzle 32: Totally irrational

This one is hard to see, especially since most of the hidden elements are small.

Puzzle 33: This hound amused sick people

The ends justify the means. The title is a beauty. Slur it together a little.

Puzzle 34: Snoop Dogg’s amigo

Add up all the numbers in the sentences. The resulting calendar year is good context for solving this puzzle.

Puzzle 35: Aardvarks don’t buzz

If you only get half of the elements, you probably need to do some research into the other half.

Puzzle 36: Land shark

Yes, it is about colors, but where would you find this color scheme?

Puzzle 37: What’s next? (part 1)

Symmetry is beautiful.

Puzzle 38: What’s next? (part 2)

Symmetry is key, and there is only one remaining symbol.

Puzzle 39: What’s next? (part 3)

Only one of the numbers is in base 10.

Puzzle 40: From Martha to Michelle

The title names are the wives of this sequence.

Puzzle 41: Initial orders

The white rabbit in Alice in Wonderland was always worried about time.

Puzzle 42: RASH musical artists

Beers Fall-mug is Brews Spring-Stein or Bruce Springsteen.

Me also is You too or U2.

Puzzle 43: RASH capitals

Frenchman’s name is Pierre. Autos-off Burg is Carson City.

Puzzle 44: RASH classic TV shows

The Sweetie-bumexposers is The Honeymooners. Ear Tennisnil Free-look is Eye love loose-see or I Love Lucy.

Puzzle 45: RASH games

Riverspan is Bridge.

Puzzle 46: RASH brands

These brands are well-known corporate names, not individual products.

Fire-admonish (axe-censure) is Accenture.

Puzzle 47: RASH animated characters

Animated characters include characters from cartoons, movies, comic books, and comic strips.

Seethrough Felon is Shere Kahn (Sheer Con) from Disney’s The Jungle Book.

Puzzle 48: Scrabble^® pertinence

Get out a Scrabble^® bag of tiles.

Puzzle 49: Sum fun

Pair up the numbers that add up to 1000 (1 and 999, 2 and 998…etc.).

Puzzle 50: Percentage poser

Don’t look at this problem from zero to infinity. Think about it from infinity to zero.

Puzzle 51: The genius

Start by writing down all the possibilities. Then remember that even though you don’t know the genius’s age, the genius does know his own age.