Quiz Guy John Chaneski has a happy time with a word puzzle whose answers all include the word happy. Try this: “The nickname of Xaviera Hollander, as derived from the title of her bestselling 1971 memoir.” This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Happy Word Puzzle”
You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Grant Barrett.
And I’m Martha Barnette, and we’re joined now by our quiz guy, John Chaneski.
Hey, John.
Hi, Grant. Hi, Martha. How are you guys?
Hey, buddy.
What’s going on?
Well, this is a very simple puzzle, but I wanted to do something cheerful.
Simple quizzes usually cheer you up, Grant. Isn’t that true?
I’m a simpleton. I’m easy to please.
That’s right.
Now, the answers to each of the clues I’m going to give you start with the word happy.
Happy.
Happy.
Okay.
For example, if I said, this phrase might describe someone who managed to successfully erect a tent.
You might answer, happy camper.
Happy camper, right.
Nice and easy.
Okay, yeah.
Let’s begin.
All right.
All right.
This two-word phrase describes a situation in which an unexpectedly good result occurs from what might otherwise be perceived as a mishap.
Happy ending.
No.
No?
That’s no.
Happy chance.
Happy accident.
Right, happy accident.
Happy Chance is another version, I guess, but yeah, Happy Accident.
I like Happy Accident.
Yeah.
Here’s the next.
This is the nickname of Zeriera Hollander, as derived from the title of her best-selling 1971 memoir.
The Happy Hooker.
Happy Hooker is right.
Or perhaps someone who creates rugs and is very bad about that.
Crochet.
I used to do that.
Yeah.
This four-word simile presupposes that bivalves are, by nature, quite cheerful and content.
Happy as a clam.
Happy as a clam.
Very good.
We’re zipping through these.
In this 1996 sports comedy film, Bob Barker beats the crap out of Adam Sandler’s title character.
It’s Happy Madison.
Is that it?
No, it’s a different one.
That’s a mix of his titles.
Yeah.
I have no idea.
He’s a hockey player turned golfer.
Happy.
Right.
I forget the name of it.
Oh, Happy.
I don’t remember.
I’ll give you that one.
It’s Happy Gilmore.
Happy Gilmore.
There we go.
Now, let’s see how much you know about music.
This is a type of dance music typified by a very fast tempo coupled with solo vocals and sentimental lyrics.
Really?
Yeah.
I don’t know.
Happy chant?
Happy trance?
Happy.
No, but.
Happy drum, happy beat, happy techno, happy jungle.
No.
But I like that you know—
Happy club, happy house, happy—
Happy hop.
No, but without the word happy, it’s a word that means very intense, sort of like a gamer.
You might call someone, if someone’s a video gamer and they do it all the time, you say that they’re very this.
Or if they’re a punk rocker, you say, man, that guy’s—
Hard?
Oh, happy hardcore.
That’s it.
Happy hardcore.
Oh, yeah.
I did not know that one.
Very good.
No idea.
Wow.
Happy hardcore.
Let’s move on.
Now, literature. In the first line of Anna Karenina, Tolstoy said these were all alike, but that every unhappy one is unhappy in its own way.
Happy families.
That’s right. Every happy family is alike, but every unhappy one is unhappy in its own way.
Isn’t that on a Chinese menu, too, happy family?
That’s right, yeah.
Ants crawling up a tree, and I don’t know. I don’t remember what it is.
It’s some sort of combo meal.
We used to actually go to a local Chinese place near us that was called Happy Family.
We loved it.
Yeah.
Here’s the next one.
This one’s a little easier.
Television.
This show inspired several spinoffs, including Laverne and Shirley and Mork and Mindy.
It wasn’t Happy Nights.
No.
It was Happy Days.
Happy Days.
Happy Days is right.
Now let’s move on to the category of cuisine.
These typically come with a toy and consist of burger, fries, and chocolate milk.
And apparently a voice that sounds a little like this.
It’s a happy meal.
Happy meal is right.
My kids actually, when they see the golden arches, they just say happy meal.
It’s happy meal.
Oh, look, Dad, happy meal.
So, all right, whatever, if we must.
Our next subject is musical theater.
This tune was the theme song to The Roy Rogers Show and was written by Dale Evans.
Oh, yes.
How could we forget?
Happy trails to you.
Nice work, guys.
That’s the puzzle.
Thank you very much.
Happy to have you here.
Happy to be here.
I’ll see you next time.
Well, if you’d like to talk about nouns, verbs, slang, punctuation, or words and how we use them, call us.
We’d be happy to hear from you.
1-877-929-9673.
Or send an email to words@waywordradio.org.
