Questions tagged [wordplay]

A puzzle which incorporates a form of wordplay, such as puns, or which requires wordplay in order to find the solution.

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7 votes
0 answers
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A mysterious importance

These words. They have a poetry to them, do they not? A mystical or religious significance? Perhaps they were born of the fundamental, ancient stuff of reality, from water or metal. Or maybe just ...
isaacg's user avatar
  • 6,695
20 votes
1 answer
1k views

Infiltrate the Imposter Ring

POWER has arrived late to the puzzle, and another word has stolen its place! Who is the imposter? Notes: This style of puzzle (connect-wall) requires you to group 16 words into four groups of four. I ...
Luke's user avatar
  • 535
7 votes
0 answers
297 views

Emoticon text code

I found this text on my phone. Is there a genius out there that is able to tell me what this means? Edit: I received a similar message again:
David's user avatar
  • 808
7 votes
1 answer
330 views

Who’s missing from this group of stars?

You’ve recently joined the Grey Elm, an exclusive VIP club, as an event organizer. Tonight’s event in particular features a lot of starpower, going by these aliases: Black-DRAGON GreenTurtleShells ...
azi's user avatar
  • 238
8 votes
1 answer
248 views

Ordered Vowelburgers™ as many as possible

I wanted to order Vowelburgers™ as many as possible, and came up with one idea. But for the purposes of giving a puzzle, I'm concealing what the idea was. Here are the Vowelburgers™ I've received, ...
Dannyu NDos's user avatar
  • 4,401
9 votes
1 answer
465 views

Sort 25 words into five groups

Arrange these 25 words into five groups of five. I initially created this puzzle for my friends but none of them have solved it yet, so I have posted it here to make sure it was not too hard! For a ...
Luke's user avatar
  • 535
17 votes
1 answer
791 views

Magical Spellchecker

As a fifth year in Hogwarts, you’ve begun working as a part-time spellchecker, earning gold to pay off your costly tuition. First years and second years, who are just getting the hang of crafting ...
spherical-wug-in-a-vacuum's user avatar
-1 votes
1 answer
199 views

Back Word Puzzle [closed]

There's a puzzle given to my friend by his professor. Answer is one real word only. Puzzle: ifhgormt Clue: "Sometimes you have to go forward by going backwards" zyx..
Curiospire's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
1k views

Two 10-letter words consisting of 20 unique letters?

I'm looking for two words, 10 letters each, 20 unique letters. Below are my by-hand attempts. https://www.wordunscrambler.net/word-list/10-letter-words-with-no-repeating-letters Find words with 3 or ...
user87072's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
5k views

Note to self: DO NOT FORGET!

Just found this connecting wall on a scrap of paper in my pocket. I know I created it as a reminder about something... I just can't for the life of me remember what! Can you help me recall what the ...
Stiv's user avatar
  • 140k
4 votes
1 answer
284 views

Find four related words in a word search [closed]

This puzzle was given to me by a friend, who had received it from his professor. This puzzle contains a word search with 4 hidden words. Your task is to identify these 4 words. The solution to the ...
Curiospire's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
225 views

Filling a 5x5x5 grid

Inspired by this. On each line to the left is the position of a word, and to the right is the "snyptic clue" not a cryptic clue (duh) for the word, along with the word's length. The 5x5x5 ...
Sny Smartie's user avatar
  • 2,270
11 votes
2 answers
638 views

Nothing but pairs of a kind

The objective is to reduce a given word to nothing in a series of steps. At each step, remove every occurrence of an adjacent pair of letters of your choosing. For example: Problem: Reduce ...
SlowMagic's user avatar
  • 13.8k
11 votes
1 answer
829 views

What is an Electronic Word™?

This puzzle is in the spirit of the What is a Word/Phrase™ series started by JLee with a special brand of Phrase™ and Word™ puzzles. For certain integers, there exist some corresponding Electronic ...
Dannyu NDos's user avatar
  • 4,401
12 votes
1 answer
477 views

Aquatic Giants – Heyawake / Marching Bands

This is part 52 of the puzzle series Around the World in Many Days. Each part is solvable on its own. “One, two, three, four, five, I love marine wildlife.” – unknown Dear Puzzling, The grid on the ...
Jafe's user avatar
  • 78.1k
12 votes
1 answer
368 views

Comfolding Origins

Unfortunately, this image is too big for me to provide a transcription. Hint:
Sny Smartie's user avatar
  • 2,270
10 votes
1 answer
1k views

What is a Universal Word™?

If a word conforms to a rule, I call it a Universal Word™. Can you figure out the pattern? Universal Words™ Not Universal Words™ acclaim proclaim lecture talk pajama sleep coupon grocery ...
Alan Bagel's user avatar
12 votes
1 answer
807 views

An easy positive riddle

A window with no glass A student with no class A sea in any season An epistle? No, a threesome
Benthegeolologist's user avatar
19 votes
1 answer
525 views

Almighty threats!

There's rhyme and reason behind the following 10-step sequence of words and phrases: 1. HUSK 2. BE COMELY 3. TRACKED 4. NOT HOOK 5. KICK TIPS 6. CUSP 7. ALMIGHTY 8. THREATS 9. BEFIT 10. ? The name ...
Stiv's user avatar
  • 140k
3 votes
2 answers
255 views

Longest word where each prefix is another word

What is the longest English word, e.g. “someword” where “s”, “so”, “som”… “someword” are all also valid English words? The longest such word I could come up with is 6 letters: Can you do better?
Peter Pepper's user avatar
18 votes
1 answer
658 views

Alphabetic string theory

According to alphabetic string theory, the words we see are merely the visible portions of highly convoluted loops of multi-dimensional alphabetic string. For example, here is what we see in our space-...
SlowMagic's user avatar
  • 13.8k
2 votes
0 answers
131 views

Time Rules - a fraud case

Agent J of Time Rules, a sub-division of the Bureau of Inter-temporal Fraud Force (BIFF) shook his head. Since 2041, when quantum computers had inadvertently created entanglement through time, rogue ...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
12 votes
1 answer
508 views

Which one is 10?

To allow new users to solve this puzzle and earn reputation points, I encourage all users whose reputation is 200 or more to not post an answer until 48 hours after this question is posted. Thank you! ...
Will Octagon Gibson's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
172 views

Double Scramble 2: End of Year Scramble?

Following on from the Scary Sequence is another overly done scrambling. We have a sequence that is doubly scrambled (both the order and the terms themselves). Can you reverse out the sequence and re-...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
18 votes
3 answers
946 views

PSE Advent Calendar 2023 (Day 8): A Quilt for Santa

This puzzle is part of the Puzzling Stack Exchange Advent Calendar 2023. The accepted answer to this question will be awarded a bounty worth 50 reputation.< Previous Door Next Door > Mrs. Claus ...
Aaron Windsor's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
237 views

Once upon a tile in Hollywood

Bon Venndredi, the three overlapping ellipses create seven disjoint regions. Each ellipse represents an as yet unknown category. Your job is to place the tiles in the regions and deduce the ...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
19 votes
1 answer
2k views

Can One Solve This Scary Sequence?

The following terms appear in a sequence. Unfortunately, they are scrambled (both the original terms and their order). Theory, Policeman?, Contest, Clarice, Bad Act, One in Rome, Fashionable, Confess,...
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
563 views

Can you employ all 26 letters using three 11-letter, three 10-letter, or three 9-letter words?

I'd like to take the premise of my previous (and insofar, only other) post and extend it. Are there any wordsets that cover all 26 letters across... Three 11-letter words, Three 10-letter words, or ...
user87072's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

Three 8-letter words with at least 23 different letters

I have literally dozens of wordsets containing 22 different letters, but haven't been able to crack 23, and DEFINITELY not 24. Can you do it? Here are as many of mine as I feel like posting, to get ...
user87072's user avatar
21 votes
1 answer
2k views

curious inflection of English words

The agent-noun form of lingerie is frank. The present-participle form of military actions is lying. The past-tense form of sheep is permanent. The past-participle form of six-pack is urn. ...
msh210's user avatar
  • 12.6k
8 votes
1 answer
920 views

MOVING PICTURES

(8 5 -> 9 6) also as electrophenic in introduced known kuhn's of operation phrase provide respiration revolutions scientific structure support the thomas to ventilatory (3 4 -> 4 6) book ...
empyreu's user avatar
  • 395
7 votes
1 answer
500 views

Blunt Talk, Shrubby Barquentine

Clues: I stand in the East, facing West in all directions A day’s sail, just across the line Unlucky year, a ship ran aground... A different world, different age Set the stage, elemental alias... [...
Tyler's user avatar
  • 1,093
5 votes
1 answer
476 views

Am odd expression?

As any mathematician will tell you there are many expressions involving X. X can mark the spot. XX is male. XXX is naughty. XXXX is naughtier still. But how can XXXXX be M?
AlteringIntegral's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
195 views

At Last, the Crown

Clues:[contextual images] [Fanta logo on treble clef] [Winning slot machine] Instructions: Name That Sith _ _ I _ _ _ _ _
Tyler's user avatar
  • 1,093
3 votes
1 answer
273 views

The Fellowship of the Square

What brings these four fellows together? ...
SlowMagic's user avatar
  • 13.8k
12 votes
2 answers
1k views

A Trivial Pursuit #22 (Art and Literature 4/4): Bookstore

This is part 22 of A Trivial Pursuit, a 25-part puzzle hunt. Each part is solvable on its own, with the exception of the meta-puzzle at the end. Yesterday, I was asked to create some window displays ...
Stiv's user avatar
  • 140k
3 votes
1 answer
207 views

A hive buzzing with words

A turtle that goes into battle on a cart. (16) That which is overshadowed by the front. (10) A vital component of gaining speed. (12) A time measuring device that has gained wisdom through the ages....
web adventurer's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
296 views

What was her sentence suggestion?

I'm a judge, and I'm currently judging a littering case. I was going to go with the usual sentence of a public hanging, but when I texted my friend she gave me a much better idea The problem is that I'...
Ichthys King's user avatar
  • 1,395
5 votes
0 answers
219 views

10 friends of a triangular baseball batter

"I'll do it tomorrow" "Lattices and nets are my forte" The paved one A shadowy character A place where organic and inorganic meet Older brother of a piece of text A job title. Do ...
web adventurer's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
294 views

Word connect: pair up the words

Connect the words by pairs as appropriate. Each word on the left connects to one word on the right, and vice versa. CSV version (horizontal): ...
Dannyu NDos's user avatar
  • 4,401
13 votes
7 answers
1k views

A Trivial Pursuit #18 (Sports and Leisure 3/4): Connected

This is part 18 of A Trivial Pursuit, a 25-part puzzle hunt. Each part is solvable on its own, with the exception of the meta-puzzle at the end. Sometimes one connect-wall puzzle just isn't enough... ...
Stiv's user avatar
  • 140k
11 votes
1 answer
1k views

The Wug Test For Grownups

Jean Gleason has invented a brand new test for adults to try, not just kids!
empyreu's user avatar
  • 395
-2 votes
1 answer
260 views

VI or LVE, answer is half a dozen [closed]

The answer to this is half a dozen. I get that VI is 6, but LVE? How is that in any way a dozen?
jacamac's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

Cryptic crossword phrase 'One left'

What does the term ‘one left’ mean in relation to cryptic crosswords? I can see from some answers that it basically means to add a letter ‘L’ to the definition answer, but this clue has me stumped… ...
Danielle's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
893 views

Relative of a Glue

If zero plus six is a relative of a glue and four plus two is one who rides around and two plus two (or four) can harm or heal you, then what plus what equals a chemical compound? Looking for the ...
Chrone's user avatar
  • 2,187
12 votes
1 answer
627 views

A Trivial Pursuit #13 (Geography 3/4): Things Fall Apart

This is part 13 of A Trivial Pursuit, a 25-part puzzle hunt. Each part is solvable on its own, with the exception of the meta-puzzle at the end. Identify the 26 words clued by the images below, then ...
Stiv's user avatar
  • 140k
18 votes
1 answer
954 views

A Trivial Pursuit #11 (Science and Nature 2/4): The Search

This is part 11 of A Trivial Pursuit, a 25-part puzzle hunt. Each part is solvable on its own, with the exception of the meta-puzzle at the end. Okay, let me tell you a story... I’ve got a terrible ...
Stiv's user avatar
  • 140k
16 votes
1 answer
751 views

Excuse me, I don't wear pointy hats!

There's a guy moving into my neighbourhood. People have seen him do some strange, reality-bending things, like materialising objects out of thin air and moving things around telekinetically with a ...
Chrone's user avatar
  • 2,187
13 votes
2 answers
490 views

Build-an-Animal Workshop

If I wear a canine head, I’ll become hard like a rock. But if I wear a cervid head, I’ll be almost as soft as a sock. If I wear a fish tail, I’ll be dead and rotting on a plain. But if I wear a ...
Chrone's user avatar
  • 2,187
4 votes
1 answer
496 views

"Pawn Placement" - a GCHQ word association puzzle (video game edition)

If instead of video games you're looking for board games, check out Stiv's "Guess Where?" puzzle! ;) Instructions (adapted from The GCHQ Puzzle Book (2016) and the introductory puzzle here ...
samm82's user avatar
  • 7,252

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