Definitely Cryptic Quiz

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 here he is, that masked man, John Chaneski, our quiz guy.

Hey, John.

John, take off a mask.

Hello, Martha.

How are you doing?

It’s much easier to do the quiz without the mask.

It really is.

I take it that you have a quiz for us today?

I do.

Yeah.

I call it definitely cryptic because we’re going to talk about cryptic clues, as we sometimes do.

Now, we’re talking about charade cryptic clues.

We’ve discussed those.

They involve cluing two words that combine to form the answer, like disk and over to make discover.

But some charade-like clues, they outright give you a letter to add, like T and his to make this.

Right?

Okay.

Now, the letter we’re working with today is just A, just a definite article.

This definite article can be used to make a cryptic clue.

For instance, a fight can be about.

There we go.

Okay.

Okay.

So I’ll give you two clues.

Let’s kind of run together.

One is a definition of the answer, and the other clue is a noun that if you add the definite article, makes the answer.

Okay.

And do you add the definite article to the beginning?

To the beginning.

Always to the beginning of the noun, right.

All right.

For example, if I said profit once more, that would clue the word again.

Yes, again.

Very good.

Now, sometimes the clue has two words.

Sometimes the definition has two words.

We’ll deal with that one.

All right.

Let’s see how it goes.

Okay.

Here we go.

Oak seed maize.

Acorn.

Acorn.

Yes.

Very good.

Acorn maize.

And then the maize is corn, and the oak seed is acorn.

Nicely done.

Oh, is that kind of maize?

I was…

Yeah.

I can’t imagine what I was picturing just now.

I was tricky right out of the gate, and I appreciate Grant picking up on that.

Very nice.

How about glass container slightly open?

Ajar.

Ajar.

Nice.

Ajar.

Good.

Expel lacking rain.

Oh, so dry.

Dry, drought.

Dusty.

Desert.

Lacking rain.

What’s the word that describes a desert?

Arid.

Oh, arid.

Oh, arid.

Nicely done.

It doesn’t matter if you get it accidentally.

Your unconscious did the work.

It wasn’t an accident.

The conscious wasn’t involved.

That’s right.

Mind like water.

Try this one.

Climb odor.

Climb.

Ascent.

Yes, ascent.

Nice.

Tiny part male cat.

Adam.

Adam.

Oh, a Tom.

Got it.

Martha’s in the groove.

She’s got her eyes closed.

She’s all clenched up here.

All clenched up.

She’s just a floating presence in the studio.

How about hospital section trophy?

Hospital section trophy.

Award.

Award, yes.

Very good.

Finally, you old nautical agreement.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye.

Aye, that’s correct.

Aye and ye.

John, you get an A for this quiz.

Thanks, John.

Oh, thank you.

That’s so great.

And a gold star, if I could top her.

And an A-ward.

A-ward, yeah.

Thanks, John.

We’ll talk to you next week.

Thanks, Grant.

Thanks, Martha.

See you next week.

All right.

Bye-bye.

And if you want to talk about language with us, the number to call is 877-929-9673.

We’re also taking your emails at words@waywordradio.org.