Quiz Guy John Chaneski has a take-off word quiz. All the answers to this quiz involve removing the letter E from a word to form another word. For example, if the clue is “The man at the piano played the black keys with skinny, knobby fingers,” what two words does that suggest? This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “A Take-Off Quiz Takes the “E” out of Words to Make Other Words”
You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it. I’m Grant Barrett.
And I’m Martha Barnette, and joining us now is our quiz guide, John Chaneski. Hey, John.
Hey, Martha. Hello, Grant.
What’s up, bud?
Well, this is a quiz on something we’ve done before. We’ve done takeoffs before. That’s where we take off the first letter of a word to get another word.
Now, this time we’re going to make two words by taking the letter E from the start of a word. Okay? Only E now.
For example, if I said that the man played the piano’s black keys with skinny, knobby fingers, that would clue the two words ebony.
Ebony and bony.
Yes, and bony. Yes, very good. Here we go.
I’ve seen some strange, spooky things at one of the Great Lakes.
Eerie?
Eerie and…
Yeah.
Eerie and eerie.
Yeah, very good.
It seems like the monarch is just barely making a living.
Pop, pop.
No, I was going to say popper, but that’s not quite right.
He’s eking out a living?
Yes, because he is a king.
King, right. Eking and king, right.
It gives me great joy when I show up long after the party is to have started.
You’re elated.
It elates me when I am late, yes, apparently.
You know, they ran away to get married.
Well, not ran, really.
More like moved along with great bounding strides.
They loped as they loped.
They loped as they loped.
I must spoil that one.
Wow, he can really act in a theatrical manner.
Oh, he just has a little dust in his eye.
He is a moat.
Well, he is emoting.
He’s a moat.
Emote, moat.
Now, I’ll make sure you have everything you need for your camping trip.
Including a witty bon mot.
Equip.
Yes.
I will equip you with?
Equip.
Equip, yes.
Now, this reception was in your honor.
You shouldn’t have tried to crawl away through the heating duct.
Escape?
Event.
Event.
Event and vent, yes.
That baby raptor must have thought the tip of my shoelace was a worm and tried to eat it.
Baby raptor?
Eagle and agle.
Aglet.
Close.
Eaglet and aglet.
Oh, yeah.
Eaglet and aglet, yes.
It’s unusual to see those star-like flowers in a bouquet for a spring holiday.
They usually bloom in the late summer and early autumn.
Easter and aster.
Easter and aster, yes.
Finally, he has such a high opinion of himself.
Let’s leave.
Oh, ego and go.
Ego and go.
That’s it.
Very good.
And on that note, it’s time for me to go.
You guys have been great.
Thanks, John.
You always say that even when we do poorly, but we appreciate it nonetheless.
It’s because I love you guys.
You’re wonderful.
You too, man.
Take care.
Thanks, John.
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