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I cannot be a lego - but can be a lincoln log

I cannot be false - but can be true

I cannot be royalty - but can be regal

I cannot be a tree - but can be a bushel

I cannot be happy - but can be ___

Can you figure out the pattern and the next in the sequence?

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  • $\begingroup$ Is lincon log or lincoln log ? $\endgroup$
    – Arulkumar
    Aug 12, 2016 at 8:03
  • $\begingroup$ @lois6b No mistake on my part, sigh. And Lincoln log $\endgroup$
    – Jason_
    Aug 12, 2016 at 8:23
  • $\begingroup$ By "the next in the sequence", do you mean finding an acceptable completion for the last statement in the puzzle, or finding a sixth statement that continues some pattern that extends across the five in the puzzle? $\endgroup$
    – Gareth McCaughan ♦
    Aug 12, 2016 at 9:58

3 Answers 3

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Could it be

mad

Rationale:

Lincoln log = Abraham Lincoln
true = Harry S. Truman
regal = Ronald Reagan
bushel = George W. Bush
mad = James Madison

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  • $\begingroup$ Very nice. This was correct! $\endgroup$
    – Jason_
    Aug 12, 2016 at 16:42
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ ok, I'm clearly missing something obvious...but how does the third hint apllies?, I'm not seeing it $\endgroup$
    – Lamak
    Aug 12, 2016 at 16:53
  • $\begingroup$ @Lamak: I am curious about that. The only thing I can think is that in certain accents atom and the word on the right of the equals may be pronounced the same... $\endgroup$
    – Chris
    Aug 12, 2016 at 18:22
  • $\begingroup$ The third one is quite a stretch $\endgroup$
    – Areeb
    Aug 12, 2016 at 19:51
  • $\begingroup$ @Stume, can you edit, I changed the third line to clear it up. $\endgroup$
    – Jason_
    Aug 12, 2016 at 20:44
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The answer might be:

Satisfied

Because:

Lego vs Lincoln Log:

Lincoln logs are similar to Legos but came first

False vs True:

I suppose True came before False

Cell vs Atom:

Atoms make Cells and came first

Tree vs Bushel:

I'm not completely sure

Happy vs ___

I said satisfied because you have to be satisfied to be happy.

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  • $\begingroup$ Well, cells are made of atoms but with the bushel is the other way around - you cut a tree and make it into planks, and then use them to make a bushel. $\endgroup$
    – rhsquared
    Aug 12, 2016 at 11:03
  • $\begingroup$ @RadoslavHristov yeah I know, that's the only part that threw me off $\endgroup$
    – Areeb
    Aug 12, 2016 at 11:03
  • $\begingroup$ I'm sure you do. Even with the rest I can see some vague similarity but the general picture just evades me. $\endgroup$
    – rhsquared
    Aug 12, 2016 at 11:21
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Perhaps :

One or the other

Because :

Seems to be to be quite a contrary pattern though .. Meaning you cannot be both at the same time.. Unlike for example, Cold & Smelly.. That can be perfectly acceptable.

So given that I would guess the answer to the last one is :

Sad ?

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