Container Clue Word Game

You are listening to A Way with Words. I’m Martha Barnette.

And I’m Grant Barrett, and we’re joined now by our quiz guy, Greg Pliska. Hello, Greg.

Hello.

Hello, Grant. Hi, Martha.

How you doing, Greg?

This week, we’re going to look at something we call a container clue.

In a container clue, the answer word is divided into two words, one of which is inserted or contained inside the other.

For example, the word knowing, K-N-O-W-I-N-G, consists of the word now inside the word king.

Okay. Very good.

Oh, whoa.

Right?

Or the word masonry is the word sun, S-O-N, inside the word merry.

That’s cool.

Container clues always include some indication of which word is the container and which word is the contents.

Usually a word like holding or swallowing or tucked into.

Also to help limit the parameters of today’s puzzle, every answer is a Greek or Roman god or goddess.

Oh, we like this part.

I thought you’d like that.

If you’ve got your pencils ready, let’s start.

Here’s your first one.

Not now in a 12-step program.

So it’s probably AA.

I was going to say Atalanta, but at a later date?

No.

But you’ve got AA is right.

That’s the 12-step program.

So A is probably the first letter, and A is probably the last letter.

Yep, and something, a synonym for not now is inside that.

Oh, Athena.

Athena.

Very good.

Then.

Athena, not now in a 12-step program.

Oh, that’s good.

Okay, here’s another one for you.

Encountered among white-tailed ruminants.

So that’s a deer or a mule deer?

Yeah, deer is right.

And you’re looking for something among that.

So is it Demeter?

Demeter is correct.

Encountered as in met, M-E-T, inside of among deer.

Nice.

White-tailed urminants.

Yeah.

New Age Training Seminar is held in Virginia.

New Age Training Seminar.

So in Virginia, you got V-A, right?

That’s right.

That’s the outside part.

The New Age Training Seminar.

And you know what else I should tell you?

The answer is five letters long.

Which you would know if you were doing a crossword puzzle.

So that helps too.

Vesta.

Vesta with Est, the Earhart Seminar training.

Very good.

In the middle of Virginia, VA.

Here’s one that you’ll find easier, I bet.

That woman’s embracing me.

That woman.

So the woman is on the outside.

Yep.

And me is on the inside.

Hermes?

Hermes, yes.

That woman’s hers, as in belonging to, embracing me.

Yep.

Okay.

Your answer is four letters long, and your clue is little woman seen around the United Nations.

Juno.

Ooh, good.

Quick.

Wow.

You in and little woman from Little Women.

Yeah, Jo is the main character.

Jo is one of the little women, and she’s around UN, the United Nations.

Nice.

For Juno.

Oh, you guys are good.

Here’s another five-letter one.

Bovine regurgitation includes letter from Athens.

Because no show is complete without mentioning bovine regurgitation.

Right.

Bovine regurgitation.

Cupid.

Cupid.

Oh, I see.

Cud around a letter from Athens, pi.

Here’s one more for you.

Sound of hesitation amid laughter.

Four letters.

So the sound of hesitation is or

Or something else.

There’s another sound of hesitation.

Hera.

Hera.

The sound of hesitation, inside laughter.

Ha.

Very nice.

I appreciate all the work that went into it, Greg.

Thank you so much.

You’re very welcome.

It’s my pleasure.

If you’ve got a question about words or slang or language or grammar or punctuation

Or something that stumped you or befuddled you,

Give us a call, 877-929-9673,

Or send an email to words@waywordradio.org.