Fix The Headlines Word 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 we’re joined once again by our quiz master, John Chaneski. Hello, John.

Hi, Grant. Hi, Martha.

Hi, John.

I think that as you get older, the world gets funnier because you can’t see things as well, and your mind inserts surreal substitutes.

Right.

I thought it was just because you forgot old jokes and all the old jokes seem new again.

That’s right.

Well, here’s an example. I was scanning some headlines, and I saw one that said, Times reporter faces expulsion from chain.

And I thought, what?

He’s off the snow day list?

Nobody calls this guy?

No.

Obviously, it was Times reporter faces expulsion from China.

Oh.

So, yeah.

Okay.

And that was all I needed to make this quiz.

Let’s see if you can fix these headlines that have just one word transposed, the letter transposed, okay?

These are, for the most part, actual headlines from a variety of different sources and newspaper sections, okay?

Okay.

Good.

Here we go.

Top shops in Denver open door to millions of sales.

Pot shops.

Yes.

Pot shops in Denver open door to millions in sales.

Divorces lead to Dasher parenting.

I have no idea what that is.

Dasher parenting.

Shared parenting.

Yes.

Shared parenting.

Very good.

I ran unclear deal to take effect January 20.

Nuclear instead of unclear.

Very good.

Very nice.

That was actually a common transposition.

Yes.

We see that a lot.

Every once in a while, I’ll love a softball.

It’s okay.

This is actually the headline that inspired this quiz.

Okay.

Tarantino uses popular news and gossip website.

Suze.

Yes, Tarantino sues popular news and gossip website.

Apparently, Gawker published a script.

No, they linked to it.

Oh, they linked to it, right.

Yeah, they didn’t publish it.

Oh, but they also had a bounty for $10,000 for the person who could publish it.

Oh, wow.

I literally just glanced at the screen, and I’m like, it says, Tarantino uses Poppy Bissler.

So what?

Is this a news story?

Here’s the next one.

Amazon offers linked with ads.

Offers linked?

Linked must be the word.

Unless it’s sad.

Linked with sad.

Kindle.

Yes, Amazon offers Kindle with ads.

Very good.

Nice.

New Deal and Honeybee deaths.

Lead.

New Deal?

Yes, New Lee.

New Lee Desk.

Here’s one from local New York news.

Motions indeed in Yonkers’ corruption case.

Motions?

Motions denied?

Yes, motions denied in Yonkers’ corruption case.

Well done.

And here’s the last one.

This was from a sports section.

Tens give up chance to close gap on Raptors.

Tens?

Yeah.

Nets.

Yes, let’s give up a chance to close gap on Raptors.

That was a gem, though, John.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Thanks, John.

Give the family a hug for us, will you?

Will do.

You too, guys.

Bye-bye.

See you next week.

Take care.

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