4
$\begingroup$

Over time I am worn and worn away like anything else

A close cousin of mine treks through desert though I prefer the forest

Double the third and remove the first and I become a little bit explosive

Remove the last and you may see yourself in me someday

What am I?

This has gone through the sandbox.

Improve this question
$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ Love. The word is love. $\endgroup$
    – Adriano Varoli Piazza
    Commented Aug 29, 2016 at 17:59

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
14
$\begingroup$

Are you

camo (as in, camouflage)?

Over time I am worn and worn away like anything else

Camo is certainly worn, as clothing; not sure about being worn away.

A close cousin of mine treks through desert though I prefer the forest

Camel (close in spelling/pronunciation), a desert dweller. Camo is commonly seen with the dark green/forest color scheme, though 'desert' and 'urban' camo schemes are also used.

Double the third and remove the first and I become a little bit explosive

CAMO -> AMMO.

Remove the last and you may see yourself in me someday

CAMO -> CAM. I can see myself when i look at recordings from my webcam.

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
5
  • $\begingroup$ +1 I was thinking of just that, you beat me to interpreting the clues. $\endgroup$
    – lmnopcdefg
    Commented Aug 29, 2016 at 16:41
  • $\begingroup$ Worn away = worn away from home? $\endgroup$
    – Mithical
    Commented Aug 29, 2016 at 16:43
  • $\begingroup$ When I read "Worn away" I think more in terms of eroding. $\endgroup$
    – dcfyj
    Commented Aug 29, 2016 at 16:58
  • $\begingroup$ Great answer! Love this site and you guys as well. $\endgroup$
    – Jack Pan
    Commented Aug 29, 2016 at 18:14
  • $\begingroup$ Worn away – maybe because the US military is phasing out blue camouflage in their uniforms? Just a thought. $\endgroup$
    – Munesawagi
    Commented Aug 29, 2016 at 18:17
2
$\begingroup$

carbon dioxide

The first clue:

CO2 sequestration into its unattached constituents occurs slowly over time

Second:

Methane is produced by camels; forests use CO2 for photosynthesis

Third:

Remove carbon and double the second oxygen, and you get O3 -- ozone -- a potent oxidative accelerant

Fourth:

Carbon monoxide -- CO -- is deadly, and is used as a meat preservative because of the very trait that renders it lethal -- it strongly attaches to hemoglobin, making it unable to accept or release oxygen ...

Improve this answer
$\endgroup$
1
  • $\begingroup$ How is CO2 a close cousin of camels? $\endgroup$
    – Jack Pan
    Commented Aug 29, 2016 at 22:52

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge you have read our privacy policy.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.