Our Quiz Guy John Chaneski has a word game called “Words of the Year,” based on phrases containing each month’s three-letter abbreviation. So, an ancient demonym would be TroJAN, for January, and a Derby Day cocktail would be a Mint JULep, for July. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Month Word Game”
You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Martha Barnette.
And I’m Grant Barrett. And on the line is our quiz guy, John Chaneski. Hello, john John.
Hi, Grant. Hi, Martha.
How you doing?
What’s cooking, bro?
I’m doing great. I was walking through the farmer’s market on the way to the studio here and just enjoying it.
It’s so warm out. I smelled lavender and apples and perfume.
And you thought of me.
It was a great day. Of course I thought of you.
New York hasn’t smelled the same since you left, Grant, just so you know.
I did bring those shoes and socks with me.
That’s good.
You know, guys, this is not the time of the year for the words of the year, but I’ve written a puzzle called words of the year.
Okay.
So let’s do it.
I’m going to give you clues to several words.
Each one will contain a three-letter abbreviation for a month of the year.
For example, if I gave you the clue, this ancient demonym also applies to something that can harm your computer, you might say.
Virus.
Yeah.
A particular kind of virus.
Trojan.
Yes, Trojan.
And it has J-A in it.
Oh, good, good.
All right.
Now, yeah, if you’re near a piece of paper and you want to write down the three-letter abbreviations for the month, that might help you.
I’m happy to know what I was doing.
Also known as a TLA.
A TLA?
Yeah, three-letter abbreviation.
Three-letter abbreviation.
That’s right.
We’re just going to keep abbreviating things today.
Okay, we’re going to do one of each.
We already did January, so that’s out.
That’s off the table, okay?
Here we go with the first.
And but and or are famous examples of this word type.
Conjunction.
June.
Conjunction.
That’s it.
Very good.
I like you give the word and give the month.
I appreciate that.
You’re welcome.
As Archie Bunker once said, I’m not a man of carnival instinctuals like you.
Illustrating what?
Malapropisms.
Malapropism.
What’s the month?
April?
Oh, yeah.
APRs.
I’m spelling it in my head.
Capital punishment has never been a detergent to crime.
He used to say that, too.
This 1944 film takes place entirely on the titular craft.
They could have used a few more of these on the Titanic.
Lifeboat?
Lifeboat.
And the month?
Is February.
February, very good.
This is a person whom can tell you when to use who and when to use whom.
A grammarian.
Augustus Caesar.
Yes.
A grammarian, right.
And Caesar is correct as well because we have March in there.
M-A-R.
Good.
Now, this word means to begin something, like a presidency, perhaps?
Inaugurate.
Inaugurate.
And the month is?
August.
August.
August.
Right.
Fits right in there.
This is the only answer that does not appear in the middle of the word.
It’s a drink of bourbon, sugar, and mint over crushed ice.
Oh, yeah.
We had them in Louisville at the Derby.
They’re awful.
Julep.
Julep from Persian for rose water, I believe.
Gulab.
Very good.
I love getting extra information here.
And there’s our July right there.
Julep.
There you go.
Here’s another drink.
This one is made of orange liqueur with lemon juice and brandy.
It’s also an accessory for a motorcycle.
Sidecar.
Sidecar in our month?
December, D-E-C.
Yes, also hidden in there.
What month is that?
Yep.
Okay.
Very good.
Someone who watches you while you take a test is not just a spectator.
They are most likely this.
A proctor in October.
Your October proctor is here.
Here he comes.
Good.
A Boston fern, a wandering Jew, and an African violet are all examples of these.
Tricky.
One more time, please.
A Boston fern, wandering Jew, and an African violet are all examples of these.
They’re all plants.
They’re all house plants.
Yes, house plants.
And what’s our month in there?
Oh, look at you.
SEP.
All right.
SEP.
Very good.
For September.
Very good.
Nice work, guys.
That was great.
And we’ve come to the end of the year.
Thanks, John.
Thank you, guys.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
If you’ve got a question about anything that we talk about on the show or want to do a little wordplay yourself, give us a call, 877-929-9673, or tell us the whole thing and email words@waywordradio.org.
