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This is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.
If a word conforms to a special rule, I call it a BFF Word™.
Use the examples below to find the rule.
| BFF Words™ | Not BFF Words™ |
|---|---|
| gourd | bakery |
| catch | horizon |
| wizardly | doorplate |
| birdbath | bonding |
| merchants | albino |
| finish | rikshaw |
| alert | fighter |
| hybrid | beats |
| mothers | deprive |
| costume | grayhen |
What is the special rule these words conform to?
A BFF Word is one where:
If you remove two letters, you are left with an anagram of an animal which is a common household pet ("man's best friend", hence 'BFF' - Best Friends Forever).
Namely:
GOURD = GOURD 🡒 DOG;
CATCH = CATCH 🡒 CAT;
WIZARDLY = WIZARDLY 🡒 LIZARD;
BIRDBATH = BIRDBATH 🡒 RABBIT;
MERCHANTS = MERCHANTS 🡒 HAMSTER;
FINISH = FINISH 🡒 FISH;
ALERT = ALERT 🡒 RAT;
HYBRID = HYBRID 🡒 BIRD;
MOTHERS = MOTHERS 🡒 HORSE;
COSTUME = COSTUME 🡒 MOUSE.
Furthermore, the non-BFF Words exhibit a different but related pattern - namely that:
If you remove two letters, you are left with an anagram of an animal which is not a common household pet!
BAKERY = BAKERY 🡒 BEAR;
HORIZON = HORIZON 🡒 RHINO;
DOORPLATE = DOORPLATE 🡒 LEOPARD;
BONDING = BONDING 🡒 DINGO;
ALBINO = ALBINO 🡒 LION;
RIKSHAW = RIKSHAW 🡒 SHARK;
FIGHTER = FIGHTER 🡒 TIGER;
BEATS = BEATS 🡒 BAT;
DEPRIVE = DEPRIVE 🡒 VIPER;
GRAYHEN = GRAYHEN 🡒 HYENA.
