Questions tagged [wordplay]
A puzzle which incorporates a form of wordplay, such as puns, or which requires wordplay in order to find the solution.
1,989
questions
-1
votes
1answer
144 views
It sounds dirty but it is not [closed]
It sounds dirty but it is not
In fact, very innocent
It is wet, long and slimy
Some find it magnificent
What is it?
2
votes
1answer
114 views
On the subject of anagrams
How many words or phrases shown below (Blockquotes) are anagrams of the phrases or the words listed here in this entire puzzle-including the answer?
A dry plow
Sword
Where is the Lord’s, Ted?
No
...
7
votes
4answers
311 views
Yesterday, I Had Tears (return)
Totally inspired by Yesterday I had Tears by @MrPie, thinking I had an answer, it led to a poem of it's own...
Riddle Me That:
I'm filled with tears,
You won't see me cry;
I've been seen for years,
...
4
votes
1answer
164 views
A word for an evil thief, when read backwards, becomes valuable (by definition)
This word, that will take god's gift to you away from you,
when read backwards, is something of sentimental value.
33
votes
1answer
3k views
0
votes
0answers
147 views
My wish that I can't see
There's fire outside. The world is collapsing, it's over. It's not going to be just fine; it's never going to be. I sing nothing. This is not of mine. $\sin\theta \sec\theta$ is all I have, even ...
10
votes
2answers
306 views
Yet I am lovable
Transpose neighboring letters until the word LOVABLE is formed in the outermost petal of this rosette:
The rosette above consists of 13 petals, each containing a word. The words spiral outward from ...
5
votes
1answer
169 views
Fill in the blanks with numbers
A simpler version of this puzzle was by @Sid on PSE
Fill in the blanks with the number in words
Here is a bit challenging version
Fill in the blanks with numbers (in words) for the following:
This ...
6
votes
1answer
361 views
Why does "If it's ready made, this will get me down! (5)" clue REACH?
If it's ready made, this will get me down! (5)
This is from the Metro newspaper cryptic crossword for Dec 14, 2021. I already had R _ A _ H, so the answer was fairly obviously REACH and this was ...
10
votes
1answer
405 views
And we could all use a little change
"Sometimes, I feel like I could use some change in life."
"Prudent thought. Know, however, that to change one must first destroy."
"How am I supposed to do that?"
"...
14
votes
2answers
378 views
9
votes
3answers
809 views
The urban gardener
You are the urban gardener of Wordtown and you would like to plant a letter at each intersection (marked with "#") such that every street becomes a familiar word. Horizontal streets must ...
2
votes
2answers
283 views
Which State is this
Which state does the following riddle describe?
A kingdom that deceives perception
It is an illusion
Entry by Magic potion
2
votes
1answer
73 views
Same word fills all the blanks (again)
This puzzle is linked to
Same word fills all the blanks
and its sequels. Some creative thinking is required.
In the following sentence, fill in the blanks using the same word or its split versions (no ...
10
votes
1answer
402 views
Restore the table runner
The holidays are coming. Time to get out the beautiful table runner my grandmother quilted by hand...
Oh, no! Moths got to it!
Can you help me to restore it?
For those who prefer text only:
...
5
votes
2answers
131 views
Friends or Foes?
Text version of clues:
Center of the hearth?
Year ring? Yes!
Crazy place?
Sound sleep?
Summer house?
Twenty winds?
Wave hello?
Ten times an unknown?
Only ground?
Strong by chance?
Soul-nourishing ...
22
votes
1answer
373 views
The Video Gamers' Double-Duty Crossword 2
See the original HERE
Video games — Trivia vs Wordplay — one more time:
Here are twenty crossword clues that describe twenty video games. Solve them if you'd like! Or, if you treat each clue as ...
9
votes
2answers
526 views
Don't take these too literally (A British sensation)
Don't take these too literally.
Homophones and other liberties are taken.
My prefix is
My prefix is found at a funeral
My infix at any salon
My suffix is found at a table
My whole is just three ...
1
vote
1answer
426 views
Reflex and complex
My prefix is a part of a reflex
My infix is very complex
my suffix is more than two
but the whole thing is not true
What am I?
4
votes
1answer
115 views
My whole is not my whole, but to post this riddle seems like my whole
My prefix is my prefix
My suffix is my suffix
My infix is my infix
My whole is not my whole, but to post this riddle seems like my whole.
24
votes
1answer
1k views
Don't Play With Me, Riley
My suffix’s prefix’s prefix’s suffix
My prefix’s suffix’s suffix’s prefix
My infix’s prefix’s suffix’s infix
Don’t play with me
Who am I?
1
vote
1answer
101 views
Rootin' Tootin' Riley Riddle
Its suffix sounds like a slithering snake.
Its prefix is given again in green grass.
Its infix appears as an arbitrary article.
Its whole rhymes with whence it does pass.
It's a ...
10
votes
3answers
432 views
Riley is leaving
My suffix is growing.
My infix is packing.
My prefix is moving.
My whole is earning.
Hint upon request:
22
votes
1answer
2k views
HEY... what are you doing?
With H I taste good.
With E I smell good.
With Y I snoop in the hood.
What am I... with HI?
17
votes
3answers
2k views
A cinematic masterpiece in matchsticks
Polanski's magnificent Chinatown (my all-time fourth favourite film) was produced among numerous other movies by Robert Evans, the second anniversary of whose death is today1.
What better excuse for a ...
60
votes
1answer
2k views
Escape across the floorboards
A mad lexophile sits alone in his apartment obsessively rearranging his Scrabble tiles and writing words on every available surface, even filling each floorboard with a word. The Scrabble tiles have ...
4
votes
1answer
139 views
What's the longest radiation-hardened Scrabble word?
Let's define a radiation-hardened word (a homage to radiation-hardened quines in programming) to be a word that, with any one letter removed, is still a valid English word. For example, "seat&...
10
votes
1answer
762 views
Caught in a Casual Fling
Spin me thrice and I end like this
Thrice more and I end with meat
Once more and I end with a stinger
Thus spun all around,
I'm played with by flingers
What am I?
8
votes
2answers
630 views
Terminator? Nah
Resonate me to leave me whole.
Tamper with me to leave me good.
Gather me to leave me alone.
Trim me to leave me empty.
What would happen if you retrieve me?
Subtle Hint:
Moderate Hint:
Decisive ...
6
votes
1answer
197 views
Mull over this!
My suffix is done to stew
My prefix a distilled brew
My infix is within
My outfix makes 10 out of 10
What am I?
4
votes
1answer
188 views
I could be a fruit or an embarrassing faux pas
I could be a fruit or I could be an embarrassing faux pas
I could be what you want with one that drops your jaw
I could be more boring, just a descriptor of your days
I could be many things, but I go ...
8
votes
3answers
560 views
See You Again with a one-line wonder
I have three faces, two sides and one rear end.
What am I?
I haven't been on Puzzling in a while. After my 100th post, I took a break. But I thought now I'd come around again. The riddle might be ...
7
votes
1answer
167 views
Ten Numbers for 10 Words
Ten words, 10 numbers.
Can you:
Match each number to the word it belongs with?
Show the reason they are matches?
Tell me a word matches with the number FOUR?
WORDS
NUMBERS
SUIT
ELEVEN
SEER
FIFTY-...
6
votes
1answer
990 views
Toilet Paper Math?
Ben stared in dismay at the hundreds of bits of paper scattered around his room. This was going to be a lot of work.
His brother waltzed in and picked up a larger sheet.
"Watchya doin' writin' ...
4
votes
1answer
167 views
The Happy Heptet
I have here a happy heptet of little riddles, or is it an octet?
===============================
His eyes were plucked out by the tip of a knife,
And his skin was shaved off with the blade.
He was ...
3
votes
2answers
151 views
Not really seen - what am I?
Half of me is all the same.
The other half is just a proposition.
When I'm observed, I'm not really seen.
Probably because I'm in full opposition.
Hint:
7
votes
1answer
286 views
A Station Story
A friend of mine who works with computers sent me this handwritten short story in the post with no explanation whatsoever.
It raises many questions, for one he usually just emails me, and he's never ...
6
votes
1answer
200 views
An unusual source of inspiration?
In each row of the table below, a word* is missing (in Column B). This word can be paired separately with the two either side of it (in Columns A and C) to form another English word or phrase, ...
57
votes
1answer
2k views
Decipher this message for instructions to decipher this message
NINTH UNDUE COMICAL BURGER CUTLETS SLITS TURTLE REGRESS SORTS PROPHET SQUATS PUPPY ANGINA DUDS SKUNK TIGHT ODD TERSE COLONEL DIVED SOON AREA DIARIST SKUNK DREAD HASH RENTER DOWDY MAMAS GURGLE PORPOISE ...
8
votes
1answer
1k views
Life, uh, Finds a Way
[Rated PG-13 for language}
I saw someone wearing a "Life happens" t-shirt, which is a fine enough sentiment, but not the most common turn of phrase. It made me wonder...
How fast can you ...
0
votes
1answer
288 views
The name of the picture
Yesterday, I dabbled in a bit of computer art:
While @AxiomaticSystem was quick to find out the secret procedure I used to create it they left one mystery intact:
What is the name of the picture?
...
7
votes
1answer
510 views
Defeating one is all it takes
Hundreds of soldiers formed a line in front of me. Behind them was the prize.
The rightmost soldier proclaimed, "You might be able to defeat one of us, but that would be all it takes."
"...
4
votes
1answer
845 views
Arrogant and violent
You will (3),
as to dodge my (4),
you must duck down (5).
What is the 5 letter word?
1
vote
1answer
193 views
Connecting Wall: Pairing Up
This is a connecting wall with a twist. Instead of 16 single words, this connecting wall has pairs of words. As usual, find the four groups which connect the pairs, bearing in mind it might not be ...
4
votes
1answer
537 views
Go high, go bye, go die
STEAL my prefix and go high.
STEAL my suffix and go bye.
STEAL my infix and go die.
Leave me be and go STEAL!
-4
votes
2answers
432 views
I think I've created a new type of puzzle: "Word ___"
I think I've created a new type of puzzle. I call it "Word ___"
Here is how to solve it:
The word in the above blank is the answer for this puzzle.
Step 1: Make a copy of the equations, but ...
9
votes
1answer
244 views
State Identification (States of significance)
Here is a short identification puzzle inspired by a road trip across the U.S.
There are four sets of clues, each identifying a state.
Please identify each state and what they have in common/why they ...
3
votes
2answers
522 views
Eduardo's Krazy English Kwiz
Eduardo is having a dream the night before his English quiz. Actually it's a nightmare. His teacher hands him the quiz and says "Hello, Eduardo. To wake up confident and rested, just answer this ...
4
votes
5answers
325 views
Three riddles of a common (and repetitive) format
What do you call it when a historically discredited means of contraceptive is vindicated by new research?
I was just looking over my son's book report on speed reading strategies; what are you doing ...
2
votes
1answer
494 views
You should mind your P's first
This should be short and sweet.
Given his strength, he must be the almighty. Given his health, he must use ointments. Given his status, should we board his ark?
Hint 1:
Hint 2:
Hint 3:
Hint 4:
...
