Quizmaster Frank Paul's Wordplay Wizardry Challenge
Frank Paul has once again put his puzzle-solving skills to the test with a trio of brain teasers that require linguistic wizardry. In this challenge, we're tasked with finding all possible examples of each puzzle using words from a standard English dictionary.
**Puzzle 1: Word Swap**
This puzzle involves pairing two words where three consecutive consonants in the first word are replaced by three consecutive vowels in the second word. For instance, "In a gentle way; social environment" becomes "mildly" and "milieu".
Solutions:
* Splits open; writing desk -> bursts, bureau
* Good qualities; requiring much exertion -> strengths, strenuous
* Peers; a nephew of Donald Duck -> lords, Louie
**Puzzle 2: Word Chain**
Here, we need to find three words where the first and last letter of the first word are removed to make the second, and the first and last letter of the second word are removed to make the third. For example, "Definitive, Indian drink, dolt" becomes "Classic, lassi, ass".
Solutions:
* Astronomical event, fastens, body part -> eclipse, clips, lip
* Most cheerful, relatives, detach -> jauntiest, aunties, untie
* Most ostentatiously bold, red areas, only Black man to win a Wimbledon singles title -> brashest, rashes, ashe
**Puzzle 3: Word Loop**
This puzzle is a bit more complex. We need to find an answer in the form of AB, BC, CA, where A, B, and C are individual words. The question is "Talk at length; immediately; keep back". Can you find the correct sequence?
Solutions:
* Disadvantage; minor circus attraction or distracting spectacle; decisive confrontation -> downside, sideshow, showdown
* Buttocks; an item used by skirt-wearing equestrians; a breed of pig -> backside, sidesaddle, saddleback
* Bit by bit, or in an unsystematic and fragmentary way; typically shortly after waking, around midday or in the evening; a clock or watch -> piecemeal, mealtime, timepiece
**Puzzle 4: Code Breaker**
The final puzzle involves finding three hidden numbers next to each other. To solve it, you need to look for the answer "seven, zero, eight" by turning an image upside down.
Solution: seven, zero, eight
Frank Paul has once again put his puzzle-solving skills to the test with a trio of brain teasers that require linguistic wizardry. In this challenge, we're tasked with finding all possible examples of each puzzle using words from a standard English dictionary.
**Puzzle 1: Word Swap**
This puzzle involves pairing two words where three consecutive consonants in the first word are replaced by three consecutive vowels in the second word. For instance, "In a gentle way; social environment" becomes "mildly" and "milieu".
Solutions:
* Splits open; writing desk -> bursts, bureau
* Good qualities; requiring much exertion -> strengths, strenuous
* Peers; a nephew of Donald Duck -> lords, Louie
**Puzzle 2: Word Chain**
Here, we need to find three words where the first and last letter of the first word are removed to make the second, and the first and last letter of the second word are removed to make the third. For example, "Definitive, Indian drink, dolt" becomes "Classic, lassi, ass".
Solutions:
* Astronomical event, fastens, body part -> eclipse, clips, lip
* Most cheerful, relatives, detach -> jauntiest, aunties, untie
* Most ostentatiously bold, red areas, only Black man to win a Wimbledon singles title -> brashest, rashes, ashe
**Puzzle 3: Word Loop**
This puzzle is a bit more complex. We need to find an answer in the form of AB, BC, CA, where A, B, and C are individual words. The question is "Talk at length; immediately; keep back". Can you find the correct sequence?
Solutions:
* Disadvantage; minor circus attraction or distracting spectacle; decisive confrontation -> downside, sideshow, showdown
* Buttocks; an item used by skirt-wearing equestrians; a breed of pig -> backside, sidesaddle, saddleback
* Bit by bit, or in an unsystematic and fragmentary way; typically shortly after waking, around midday or in the evening; a clock or watch -> piecemeal, mealtime, timepiece
**Puzzle 4: Code Breaker**
The final puzzle involves finding three hidden numbers next to each other. To solve it, you need to look for the answer "seven, zero, eight" by turning an image upside down.
Solution: seven, zero, eight