Animal Anatomy Puzzler

You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.

I’m Martha Barnette.

And I’m Grant Barrett.

And coming in fresh from his turn at center field is our main player, our quiz guide, John Chaneski.

Hi, John.

Hi, Grant. Hi, Martha.

I’m not sure exactly how fresh I am, but I am ready to go nonetheless.

The answers to every clue in this quiz contain both the name of an animal and the name of a body part.

It’s called animal anatomy, I call it.

Of course, now many of these terms are derived from a comparison of an object to the body part of a specific animal,

but the answers, though, are typically nouns or adjectives that refer to something that is not actually an animal part.

For example, even though horse flesh contains an animal, horse, and a body part, flesh, it actually refers to horses.

Now, dog leg, though, contains an animal, dog, and a body part, leg,

but it refers to a sharp bend in a road or route.

Right?

Right.

Got it?

Good.

You understand.

Now, here are your clues.

Here’s the first one.

A high, close-fitting turnover collar used especially for sweaters.

A butterfly collar?

No, not a butterfly.

How about a turtleneck?

A turtleneck.

Yeah, that’s our animal and our body part.

Turtleneck.

Good.

How about a large cask or barrel?

Large cask or barrel?

Large.

Is there…

In the U.S., it’s a unit equal to 63 gallons or 238 liters.

Oh, thanks.

That helps.

Is it a hog something?

Oh.

Yeah.

A hog’s head?

Yes, it is a hog’s head.

Very good.

This is used to describe a sofa or other piece of furniture with a rising section between two lower sections.

Boa constrictor that swallowed it.

No, camelback?

Camelback, indeed, yes.

I’m trying to do a question like that without using the word hump.

And there, I’ve done it.

Now, this is an informal term for a diploma.

Sheepskin.

Sheepskin, yes, sheepskin.

Now, this word describes a pattern and also a type of cloth with that pattern.

It’s also called broken twill weave.

Or houndstooth.

No, it’s not houndstooth. It’s the other one.

How about herringbone?

It is herringbone, yes. Broken twill weave is herringbone.

It resembles sort of stair steps or a W shape.

Now, this adjective is used to describe a lens that produces strong visual distortion

to create a wide hemispherical or panoramic image.

Fish eye.

Fish eye, yes.

And finally, we try not to throw insults around here.

This adjective seems an insult to lapines.

Hair brained.

Hair brained, exactly.

And speaking of brains, the body part we’re working with today,

you guys are using yours perfectly.

Nice job.

All right, well, I think the seventh inning stretch is over,

and they’re calling you back out to the field, John.

Got to get back out there.

I just squirt of Gatorade and I’m back out in the field.

See you guys later.

It’s supposed to go in your mouth, not your hair, but okay.

Not until after the game.

Thanks, John.

We’ll talk to you next week.

Talk to you then.

And we’d love to talk with you about any aspect of language whatsoever.

So give us a call, 877-929-9673,

or send your questions and stories about words to words@waywordradio.org.