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Find a single word answer with the property that compound words formed from the answer have a word in common with compound words formed from each of the following :

Selection

Text version:

BERRY  BOTTLE  CRYSTAL   CUSHION   FLY      HIGH  
HIKE   INDEX   KETTLE    MARKET    MUSTARD  PLAYER  
POT    RED     RING      ROCKET    SALAD    SNOW    
SWEET  TIME    TROPICAL  VACUUM    VOICE    WINE


For example: the words FAMILY, RADISH, SKI are connected in this way by CHESTNUT:

family tree - chestnut tree, horseradish - horse chestnut, waterski - water chestnut.

Updates and clarifications upgraded:

  1. The answer is associated with the two types of compound words used: open and closed.
  2. There is a different link word for each of the 24 grid words.
  3. The grid shape was cracked by M Oehm in a comment:

    The 6x4 grid looks a bit like an advent calendar.

  4. Inspiration: To Do, Or Do Without by Hugh Meyers.
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    $\begingroup$ Just to make sure that I'm understanding the question right: Say the one word answer is A, then for each B on the list, there exists some other word C such that both C-B (or B-C) and C-A (or A-C) are valid compound words? $\endgroup$
    – DqwertyC
    Commented Dec 4, 2017 at 23:50
  • $\begingroup$ @DqwertyC - exactly and neatly defined! There is a shortcut to hitting upon the answer to this question - then finding the connecting words. (The title is just generic.) $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Dec 5, 2017 at 6:30
  • $\begingroup$ I have proposed an edit to include the $\LaTeX$ (latex) version of the $6\times 4$ word grid :) $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Commented Jul 19, 2018 at 5:15

4 Answers 4

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I think the answer is:

window.

The associated compound words could be:

bayberry — bay window
glass bottle — windowglass
crystal lattice — lattice window
seat cushion — window seat
flyscreen — windowscreen
high time — time window
tax hike — window tax
index case — window case
electric kettle — electric window
transfer market — transfer window
french mustard — french window
player-manager — window manager
pot marigold — marigold window
rose-red — rose window
keyring — Windows key
rocket launch — launch window
salad dressing — window dressing
snowmobile — Windows Mobile
sweet shop — shop window
time frame — window frame
tropical storm — storm window
vacuum cleaner — window cleaner
voice box — window box
winemaker — windowmaker

Some of these work better than others, but a few, especially cleaner and dressing, fit remarkably well. I'm sure I haven't got all the intended answers and some are a bit of a stretch. Googling "window" yiedls a lot of stuff related to our favourite OS and consequently I've taken the liberty to include references. (I find Windows key acceptable, but Windows Mobile a bit of a stretch. Perhaps a windows mobile might be something hanging in the window of a nursery. Funny how many things you can combine with French and with bay.)

Possible links I didn't use: sash, front, shopping, light, pane, sill, picture.

Finally, the hints:

The answer is associated with the two types of compound words used: open and closed. — Like compound words, windows may also be open and closed.

The 6x4 grid looks a bit like an advent calendar. — A classical advent calendar has 24 small windows.

Inspiration: To Do, Or Do Without by Hugh Meyers. — That puzzle was about doors, which are related to windows in that they are openings in walls.

(My first thought was that the answer could be door here, too. There were some promising pairs, for example door / bottle opener and keyring / door key. But when I learned about the window tax and saw the window cleaner and widow dressing solutions, I changed my mind to window.)

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  • $\begingroup$ Wonderful! I had only two differences (8. Therapeutic 24. Bar) and the first of these isn't as good as yours. Happy didn't fall for the trap door. $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Jul 25, 2018 at 6:51
  • $\begingroup$ One more on my side, blind which I had for 18 (again yours is popular). No need to update your answer. $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Jul 25, 2018 at 7:00
  • $\begingroup$ Congratulations! @Tom I'm honored. I noticed this because I got an upvote on the referenced puzzle but arrived too late to contribute. I guess you could say I came in through the back door. $\endgroup$
    – Hugh Meyers
    Commented Jul 25, 2018 at 7:00
  • $\begingroup$ @HughMeyers - I'm in awe of your posts. I don't have your poetic abilities! This was easy to make but hard to solve. $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Jul 25, 2018 at 7:05
  • $\begingroup$ Last ones, for pot I had plant and for ring curtain. (Apols for all comments I may tidy up.) $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Jul 25, 2018 at 7:20
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I'll take a guess at this. The answer could be:

Christmas
This fits the category "seasonal", although I haven't been able to find all combinations yet...

Some of the combos might be:

crackerberry
bottle tree
crystal ball
cushion flower??
fly box
high time (as hinted by OP)
hike ??
index card
kettlebell
market day
white mustard
cardplayer
flowerpot
red light
seal ring
rocket ??
green salad
snowberry
sweet pickle
Father time
tropical disease
vacuum ??
voice box
rose wine

Some possible link words that I haven't used yet:

block, present, eve, carol, beetle, ham, creep, cake, fern, cookie, club, stocking, list, season, cactus, happy, merry, cheer, pudding, star, tide, factor

Thanks M Oehm for noting the grid is shaped like:

an advent calendar

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    $\begingroup$ I had the same thought, but couldn't find too many links that really worked. I also tried to use every link just once, which made everything more difficult. For what it's worth, I had market day and mustard tree. And I think the 6x4 grid looks a bit like an advent calendar. $\endgroup$
    – M Oehm
    Commented Dec 7, 2017 at 13:39
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks! I also tried using every link just once at first, but filled out the doubles anyway. I'll add a list of link words I haven't used yet. Maybe we can figure out the rest. $\endgroup$
    – Levieux
    Commented Dec 7, 2017 at 13:47
  • $\begingroup$ Correct grid interpretation (thanks M Oehm)! Great selections above but there is another word which is fitting for the grid cells. This word is also associated (in action) to the two compound hyponym types used. $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Dec 7, 2017 at 14:40
  • $\begingroup$ On the High time today in the hint. I thought it was Dec 6 today (I've now wound my watch on) so the High was supposed to clue that position in the grid - although I might get away with saying it's high time can mean past the time. Unintentionally High is linked directly with the answer via a 20th Century detective novel. Apologies for this misdirection as I know this puzz involves so many options. $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Dec 7, 2017 at 15:49
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Well a partial answer here:

The required word is BLUE

As, the possible compound words from the grid are

Berry - Black Berry
Kettle - Electric Kettle
Tropical - Tropical Sea
Rocket - Sky Rocket
Hike - Mountain Hike
Sweet - Sweet Lime
Time - Time Eternal
Red - Blood Red

And all the added words on the RHS of the above list can combine with

Blue to form meaningful compound-words such as
Black and blue,
Electric blue,
Sea blue,
Sky blue,
Mountain blue,
Lime blue
Eternal Blue
Blue Blood

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    $\begingroup$ Right idea (no connecting 'and' is used) and looking for a different word which compounds with all examples. The compound words are present in Wiktionary (except for one pair which is in Wikipedia main heading). $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Dec 7, 2017 at 11:29
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Could the word be:

GARDEN

The possible word combinations that I could find are these:

1.

TEA | BERRY
TEA | GARDEN

Teaberry => Tea Garden

2.

BOTTLE | PARTY
GARDEN | PARTY

Bottle Party => Garden Party

3.

ROCK | CRYSTAL
ROCK | GARDEN

Rock Crystal => Rock Garden

4.

LARGE or SQUARE | CUSHION | BEADS or LESS or LINER or LINERS or WALL
LARGE or SQUARE | GARDEN | BEADS or LESS or LINER or LINERS or WALL

Large Cushion => Large Garden
Square Cushion => Square Garden
Cushion Beads => Garden Beads
Cushionless => Gardenless
Cushion Liner(s) => Garden Liner(s)

5.

HOUSE or FLOWER | FLY | SPRAY or SHEET
HOUSE or FLOWER | GARDEN | SPRAY or SHEET

Housefly => House Garden
Flowerfly => Flower Garden
Fly Spray => Garden Spray
Fly Sheet => Garden Sheet

6.

HIGH | CENTRE(S) or MAINTENANCE or STREET
GARDEN | CENTRE(S) or MAINTENANCE or STREET

High Centre(s) => Garden Centre(s)
High Maintenance => Garden Maintenance
High Street => Garden Street

7.

SUMMER or ROADSIDE | HIKE
SUMMER or ROADSIDE | GARDEN

Summer Hike => Summer Garden
Roadside Hike => Roadside Garden

8.

BOTANIC | INDEX
BOTANIC | GARDEN

Botanic Index => Botanic Garden

9.

TEA | KETTLE | LAKE or LAKES
TEA | GARDEN | LAKE or LAKES

Tea Kettle => Tea Garden
Kettle Lake(s) => Garden Lake(s)

10.

VERTICAL | MARKET | BASKET
VERTICAL | GARDEN | BASKET

Vertical Market => Veritcal Garden
Market Basket => Garden Basket

11.

MUSTARD LESS or LIKE or SEEDS
MUSTARD LESS or LIKE oe SEEDS

Mustardless => Gardenless
Mustardlike => Gardenlike
Mustard Seeds => Garden Seeds

12.

SECRET | PLAYER
SECRET | GARDEN

Secret Player => Secret Garden

13.

FRAGRANT or STACKED or TEA or VEGETABLE | POT | PLANT or PLANTS
FRAGRANT or STACKED or TEA or VEGETABLE | GARDEN | PLANT or PLANTS

Fragrant Pot => Fragrant Garden
Stacked Pot => Stacked Garden
Teapot => Tea Garden
Vegetable Pot => Vegetable Garden

14.

RED | FLOWERS or LIGHT(S)
GARDEN | FLOWERS or LIGHT(S)

Red Flowers => Garden Flowers
Red Light(s) => Garden Light(s)

15.

FRONT | RING | ROAD(S)
FRONT | GARDEN | ROAD(S)

Front Ring => Front Garden
Ring Road(s) => Garden Road(s)

16.

ROCKET | LIKE
GARDEN | LIKE

Rocketlike => Gardenlike

17.

SALAD | LESS or LIKE
GARDEN | LESS or LIKE

Saladless => Gardenless
Saladlike => Gardenlike

18.

SNOW | PEA(S)
GARDEN | PEA(S)

Snow Pea(s) => Garden Pea(s)

19.

SWEET | PEA(S)
GARDEN | PEA(S)

Sweet Pea(s) => Garden Pea(s)

20.

TEA | TIME
TEA | GARDEN

Teatime => Tea Garden

21.

TROPICAL | HOUSE
GARDEN | HOUSE

Tropical House => Garden House

22.

NON | VACUUM | ER or LIKE
NON | GARDEN | ER or LIKE

Nonvacuum => Nongarden
Vacuumer => Gardener
Vacuumlike => Gardenlike

23.

WONDERFUL | VOICE | FUL
WONDERFUL | GARDEN | FUL

Wonderful Voice => Wonderful Garden
Voiceful => Gardenful

24.

NON | WINE | LIKE
NON | GARDEN | LIKE

Nonwine => Nongarden
Winelike => Gardenlike

Open or closed words have been separated by |.

You could replace the related words (highlighted in bold) with ANSWER to get it's compound words.

Note: Sorry for the bad markup formatting. Still learning!

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  • $\begingroup$ Great work, but looking for recognised compound words, for e.g. 1. blue/answer doesn't seem one. $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Jul 21, 2018 at 5:41
  • $\begingroup$ @Tom: I have also updated the answers, and added links to wiktionary site wherever applicable. Wanted to check with you if my "ANSWER" is the correct one, else will think about alternate answer. $\endgroup$
    – Shadow
    Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 13:30
  • $\begingroup$ Shadow - many great fits here, though there is another answer which doesn't use: less, like, non. For a direct way to the word look at what elements of the grid, as identified in comment, may be called. $\endgroup$
    – Tom
    Commented Jul 23, 2018 at 13:43
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ By the way, write “$\$$\implies$\$$” to generate $\implies$ or “$\$$\Rightarrow$\$$” to generate $\Rightarrow$. Otherwise, $(+1)$ :) $\endgroup$
    – Mr Pie
    Commented Jul 25, 2018 at 10:48

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