Deletion Flat Word Game

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

And I’m Grant Barrett. And joining us now is our quiz guy, John Chaneski.

Hello, John. What’s up, buddy?

Hey, John.

Thanks, Grant. Hi, Martha. Everything’s great. We’re getting all excited.

Max is starting kindergarten in a week, so we’re all gearing up for that. Can’t believe it.

I’ve met Max. He’s a bright kid.

Thank you.

Imagine that.

I don’t know who you adopted him from.

Who’s his real dad?

Shh, don’t tell anybody.

But listen, I got a quiz for you guys today that could be kind of challenging, I think.

Oh, good.

Okay, good.

Yeah, I like those.

Even if I get them all wrong, they’re more fun.

That’s right.

Good, good.

It’s based on a strange little puzzle called a flat, F-L-A-T, a flat.

Okay.

Now, flats are short verses that contain wordplay, and the verse itself clues the answers to that wordplay.

In a deletion flat, you take one of the words and remove a letter from somewhere in the middle, and you get another word in the verse.

Okay?

Here’s an example.

He’s seven feet tall and big as a tank, the meanest marine that you’ve ever blank.

Had to think?

No.

No.

No, you’ll take one of the words I gave you already and delete one of the letters and you’ll get what goes in the blank.

Scene.

Scene.

Scene.

Take the V out.

The meanest marine that you’ve ever seen.

So it’s seven.

Okay.

Take out the V from the word seven and you get the answer seen.

So, yes, the answers will not rhyme with the verse.

Instead, I’ve made the place word that is holding the place of the answer.

I’ve made that rhyme with the verse.

Okay?

Here we go.

Here’s the first one.

My sister is a Leo.

My brother is a Cancer.

But the Zodiac is something with which I do not answer.

Bother.

Bother is right.

My sister is a Leo.

My brother is a cancer, but the zodiac is something with which I do not bother.

Good.

Okay.

Here’s the next one.

In court, the lawyer would talk a lot.

At home, he was quiet and often what?

Kurt.

Kurt.

Kurt.

Take out the O from court and you get Kurt.

What are you doing, Grant?

Are you writing down the words?

In both cases, yeah, I am.

But in both cases, the word appeared early in the verse, so I just got to it.

Yeah.

Okay.

All right, give us another one here.

Here’s another.

I’ve got to catch up with Grant.

The reception was excellent, the groom sighed with bliss.

But the bride was beside herself.

We ran out of this.

With bliss.

We ran out of wit.

Somebody’s running out of wit.

I don’t mind.

Wow, these are tough.

You want to remove a letter from a word in the second half of the verse.

The reception was excellent, the groom sighed with bliss.

But the bride was beside herself.

We ran out of this.

Brie!

Brie!

We ran out of brie!

Oh, God.

For heaven’s sake.

Beside herself, she ran out of brie.

For heaven’s sake.

Who eats brie at a wedding?

Well.

You may not kiss the brie.

I needed the bride.

Okay.

All right.

All right.

Let’s do another one.

Twirling some string will amuse your pet cat.

Don’t try it with hornets.

You’ll find that they…

That.

Sorry, twirling?

Twirling some string will amuse your pet cat.

Right.

Don’t try it with hornets.

The sting.

Sting.

String and sting.

Very good.

A little easier, yeah.

Okay, now we’re getting the hang of it.

Good, yeah.

Here we go.

I’m head over heels for my senior prom dress.

It’s as light as a feather, a gift from my…

Guess.

Father.

My father.

Father, right.

Feather to father.

Feather to father.

That’s good.

Okay, here’s the last.

Oh.

Sorry.

He put a silver ring on her finger just to make restitution, bought her a delicate brooch made of gold.

Much solution?

Much finer?

Finer is right.

Finger to finer.

Finger to finer.

Delete the G.

You guys did just great.

That was wonderful.

Those are tricky, John.

They were.

Yeah, those were some toughies, though.

All right.

Thank you, John.

We’ll see you next time.

See you then.

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