Questions tagged [wordplay]
A form of wit in which the used words become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement.
1,467
questions
3
votes
0answers
38 views
A progressive Riley
Okay. This is the first Riley I've written, and it gets progressively harder as you go along, so here goes. I wrote this, and then realized that I used a mispronunciation of the target, so I had to ...
5
votes
1answer
198 views
How do you feel?
Someone's spilled coffee
On your white shirt.
The report you spent
Four hours on,
Ruined in the rain.
And someone's decided
That it'd be funny if you found,
Dragon dung in your in-...
5
votes
3answers
730 views
As the Ferris wheel turns
It's a lovely evening in Letterland and all the little letter couples have gone down to the seaport promenade to stroll about and ride the Ferris wheel.
As the Ferris wheel turns, those on the ...
-3
votes
2answers
103 views
What am I? (ft. cool poems)
Without me,
There would be no vowel.
Though consonants would exist,
The alphabet thrown in the bowel.
But, now, another problem occurs,
For bowels exist not,
When, Death, I am yours.
...
2
votes
2answers
87 views
A word challenge/competition! (ft. Categorically Deceiving words) [on hold]
Here are the rules:
A Categorically Deceiving word is one whose letters can be mixed around to form a new word which belongs to the same category as the original (e.g. red and green belong to the ...
16
votes
2answers
1k views
What is a Romeo Word™?
In the spirit of the What is a Word™/Phrase™ series started by JLee, a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles.Template taken from Rubio.
Finally made a formal What is a Word puzzle after the ...
10
votes
6answers
1k views
Wordplay addition paradox
There are words from which you can remove a "chunk", leaving a new word. Like this:
...
6
votes
3answers
614 views
Wordplay subtraction paradox
There are words from which you can remove a "chunk", leaving a new word. Like this:
...
20
votes
1answer
1k views
Farmer needs to get his word across the river
In the spirit of the classic river-crossing puzzles:
...
9
votes
2answers
291 views
An Ode Full'a Herrin's
Dear smart friend,
How witty sire alway look!
Here's ag'in an ol' ode,
For you, fiend, a puzzler's game!
Demeanour means imp's English name introduction.
Small film halves film ...
14
votes
3answers
884 views
Modulus Operandi
These words have a remarkable form of self-symmetry:
ANDROCENTRIC
CONDESCENDED
EXTRATEXTUAL
RESETTLEMENT
SUBMERSIBLES
What is it?
Afterword:
It is ...
14
votes
1answer
257 views
Anagram of an anagram
My anagram's anagram is a furious lady.
My anagram's anagram is a comic military force.
My anagram's anagram is to sell weapons to a flamboyant guy.
What are we anagramming?
13
votes
3answers
787 views
This one's for Matthew:
I tend nations damaged, with many a crater
Spilt blood, nothing lost! That's a strong indicator
Reason's right if I act; out something charged!
Rounds for the charger, allows losing large... ...
38
votes
2answers
2k views
Salt, pepper, herbs and spices
This puzzle is dedicated to an avid violinist.
Who is the violinist?
I got lots of upvotes for my previous "one-liner wonder" so thank you very much! Since you guys liked it, I have made another. ...
0
votes
9answers
2k views
What has eight eyes but no i in the name? [closed]
What has eight eyes with none in the name?
People travel from across USA to see this
12
votes
2answers
234 views
Chrysanthemum bejeweled with dew drops
If you squint, you might be able to see letters in the reflections of some of the dew drops. Those will help get you started.
In this puzzle, the adventure begins just after 12 o'clock and the ...
1
vote
5answers
231 views
How fast can you “DOCK” the “SHIP”? [closed]
You have to reach DOCK from SHIP in the minimum number of tries with the following rules.
You are only allowed to change one letter at a time.
You have to keep the word length the same.
At each step ...
10
votes
1answer
340 views
Mirror Mirror on the wall, who's the richest of them all? (I make billions #7)
Mirror Mirror on the wall, who's the richest of them all? (I make billions #7)
Clue group 1:
This spa provides a great relaxation rub. Earbuds are included too.
I compared virtual machines, and ...
6
votes
1answer
107 views
An Efficient Riley
My prefix is for my infix.
My suffix recalls a baritone or a bass.
My whole is quite dreamy - what am I?
7
votes
2answers
180 views
Puzzling Knight has a Message for all- Especially Newcomers
Of all the more than a Trillion messages he can deliver, he has especially selected this message for all.
Follow his(normal chess moves for the Knight) path to get the message.
His journey starts ...
13
votes
1answer
166 views
No Halves Hath the Heptagram
Here is the heptagram:
Rules are the same as for the octagram. However, the heptagram has the very nice property that all words are unique. I.e., as you go around, you will not encounter any ...
12
votes
5answers
683 views
I make billions (#5)
I make bullions balloons billions (#5)
Main clues:
These statues are wonderful! I'm going to invest in the sculptor.
Move faster! I need to finish the 18th hole and return this golf ...
5
votes
4answers
467 views
I make billions (#3)
I make billions (#3)
My products are quite edgy,
But most have been a bust,
I'm only one of many,
Lord knows who we can trust,
I'm not a politician,
Yet I work with presidents,
...
10
votes
5answers
462 views
Here is my description. Now, tell me, what am I?
This is not a location, but if you specifically spelt me with an 's' you would spot me in several bedrooms.
I could go on, but I feel that's enough of me for now.
What am I?
HINT 1: 29/06/19
HINT ...
6
votes
1answer
101 views
Mono-Tonic Crpytic-Clues
Answer for this puzzle is one word. All of the following clues have the same enumeration, but I am hiding it from you ;)
$500 note (?)
You ended up turning around (?)
Substance emitted through ...
5
votes
1answer
136 views
Omni-Riley-Rebuses
Partially inspired by MetaZen’s Four Directions Series :)
North:
East:
South:
West:
This puzzle is a part of Ooohh, it all makes sense now! :D
4
votes
1answer
118 views
Cryptic, then Crossword, then Clues
Answer is one word.
{1}{2}{3}{4} (6)
{1} [a] (7)
{2} [b][c][d][e] (6)
{3} [f] (3)
{4} [g][h][i] (6)
[a] Bonding family in cod (7)
[b] Container fight (3)
[c] Considering ...
23
votes
1answer
647 views
I make billions
I make billions,
I never spend less than $1000,
I'm a man in black,
I'm a force of nature,
I'm the original,
Audiences of all ages have seen me.
Who / what am I?
19
votes
2answers
642 views
Step into the Octagram
The diagram below shows a partially-filled "octagram". Step into it, if you dare!
At every vertex in a long word.
Flowing into every vertex are two short words. Anagrammed together, these two short ...
24
votes
3answers
2k views
The Confused Alien
A rather serious and studious alien has landed on Earth with the prime directive to communicate with all Earthlings.
With his advanced statistical methods and the vast computing power aboard his ship,...
10
votes
1answer
437 views
Anagram Within an Anagram!
The second poem is an anagram of the first poem. Both poems are separated by "~" to indicate they are both anagrams of each other.
The aim of all is but to nurse the life
With honour, wealth, and ...
4
votes
1answer
121 views
Make it right and you'll be fine
We are just some of many
One or more on every line
Don't jump to conclusions
...
10
votes
2answers
429 views
If you snatch, I trade
If you snatch, I trade.
If you work with bites, I isolate,
If you work with celestial bodies, part of me protects.
If you work with the land, I divide.
What am I?
Give the reasoning for each line!...
20
votes
1answer
2k views
How many children?
My mother often has how many children?
This is what I like to call a "one-line wonder". It's a very short riddle, and there are no clues in the title. Hope you enjoy! :)
P.S. The answer is not
13
votes
2answers
766 views
Hit the Bulls Eye with T in the Center
There are 3 Rings with “T” in the center. In each ring, letters are distinctly different - 16 in the outer, 8 in the middle, 4 in the inner rings.
Hit the Bulls Eye by making sixteen different four ...
1
vote
1answer
196 views
A sentence with all numbers [closed]
Crazy thought.
Can you make an (grammatically correct) english sentence using english words which are all
numbers? Each word in that sentence must represent a number. I am
expecting a minimum 6 ...
20
votes
2answers
1k views
Setting up the trap
Start with eleven in one e four e six;
add what is missing from otherhood, oke, icks;
improving position, go upwards by one;
mix up for organs, remove fifty-one.
Add to the end an ...
7
votes
1answer
158 views
Who Am I? (A Dead Guy)
You seek him who died at sea,
Try and find who he might be.
A heart that did not wilt in flame,
Writ on Roman stone is his name.
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change,
Into ...
14
votes
1answer
689 views
In a Fish that is not a Fish
Righteous head of a snake that is a snake,
Aback, held in a fish that is not a fish.
Now, I'm beauty in disguise,
Despite being, to most, nightmarish.
I am looking for two answers... One on the ...
10
votes
1answer
232 views
You may find me… puzzling
I am within my rights to stay silent.
I am abandoned in the middle.
I am held in by spirit.
I am African capital.
Who or what am I?
7
votes
2answers
135 views
Common Marsupials and Rare Antelopes
Following the surge of riddles from senpais: this by jafe, and this by Rand al'Thor
I hide as a puzzle in Malaysian spoon,
Bounding sturdy monument and sturdy wood.
Upside-down in common ...
10
votes
1answer
316 views
I wish, I yearn, for an answer to this riddle
In a creature is my natural home.
Have me in your meal and you'll become me.
(With me, this line would be adjacent.)
Experts take more time with me.
In winter wear, I might be half a mile.
11
votes
1answer
207 views
I'm yearning in grey
I have made films on wood.
I have stopped by a park.
Going outside late makes me happy.
I'm yearning in grey.
What is my name?
5
votes
0answers
132 views
Professor Annity’s invention
The following morning, I found my mentor, Professor Annity, busily cleaning up after what looked like a series of curious experiments. As I entered the lab, she fixed me with a familiar sort of ...
3
votes
2answers
220 views
Absent Employee's Password
You are the boss at an engineering firm.
Recently a rather eccentric employee named Mr. Robemer made an abrupt exit when you accused him of devoting his worktime to his hobbies. Robemer stormed out ...
6
votes
2answers
249 views
A Fairy Chess Ladder
This is yet a fairyly ordinary word ladder on the chessboard.
Sequence:
PAWN > KNIGHT > ROOK > QUEEN > KING
Rules:
Each step you can do ONE of the following:
1) Add a letter
2) ...
5
votes
4answers
3k views
Fastest way from 10 to 1 with everyone in between
I got inspired by this question from trolley813 to make this puzzle.
How fast one can get from TEN to ONE, passing each number in between?
The rules are simple:
You are only allowed to change ...
11
votes
5answers
4k views
Fastest way from 8 to 7
Inspired by this great question by Uvc (actually, it's the same logic but with different words).
How fast one can get from EIGHT to SEVEN?
The rules are the same:
You are only allowed to change one ...
7
votes
1answer
181 views
Stars of the Celestial Bagua
Check this out:
Okay, it might be more impressive if I show you what is moving along the arrows:
At every vertex in a long word.
Flowing in to every vertex are two short words ("inputs"). ...
24
votes
8answers
6k views
As easy as Three, Two, One… How fast can you go from Five to Four?
You have to reach Four from Five in the minimum number of tries with the following rules.
You are only allowed to change one letter at a time.
You have to keep the word length the same.
At each step ...
