Our multi-talented Quiz Guy Greg Pliska, served as musical composer for the television documentary Flying Monsters 3-D. That experience inspired him to create a puzzle using phrases that have the same letter appearing three times in a row. For example, where will you find trumpets and trombones? In the braSS Section. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Three of the Same Letter Quiz”
You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Martha Barnette.
And I’m Grant Barrett, and we’re joined now by our quiz guy, John…
No, Greg Pliska. Hello, Greg.
No, actually, I’m John Chaneski, dressed as Greg Pliska.
We haven’t heard from you in a while. What’s going on in your world?
Most recently worked on a new documentary called Flying Monsters 3D, which is the first ever made-for-TV 3D movie.
For real?
Really?
Now, are you still in the puzzle business?
I am always in the puzzle business.
And in fact, today’s puzzle I thought of while I was working on the 3D movie because I thought, what, you know, what is that phrase, 3D, what words and phrases have three of the same letters in a row?
Now, there are a fair number that are legitimate phrases, but I’ve also come up with a few invented ones that I think you’ll enjoy.
In any case, I’ll give you a clue to the phrase, and you see if you can come up with the answer.
Okay.
All right.
So for example, if I said the three members of the Bee Gees, you’re looking for a phrase that describes them that has three of the same letter in a row.
Something Gibb Brothers.
There you go.
The Gibb Brothers.
Oh, I see.
So it doesn’t have to be a single word.
Okay.
Right.
And in fact, I don’t think there are any single words that have got three of the same letter in a row.
They have to at least be hyphenated to work.
Very good.
All right, here we go.
One, three, five, seven, and nine as a group.
Odd digits?
Here we go.
Yes, very good.
Odd digits.
Not odd numbers because then you’d have to go on, but those are the odd digits.
The nobility, the clergy, and the commoners in medieval France.
Medieval France.
Class?
The three estates.
The three estates.
Grant, you got an A in history, didn’t you?
Hello.
How are you doing?
Very nice.
Okay, here’s your next one.
Where you’ll find trumpets and trombones?
Brass section.
Brass section.
How are you doing this?
What’s your secret?
Frontal lobe.
Frontal lobe.
I sent him the answers yesterday.
Oh, okay.
Here you go.
Van Gogh’s sunflowers, for example.
Well, it’s a painting.
Right.
You’ve heard that Van Gogh, right?
Yeah.
Sunflowers.
But what kind of painting are we talking about?
Oh, Still Life.
Very good.
Still Life.
Thank you.
Very good.
That was teamwork, too.
Three Ls in a row.
Yeah, nice.
I was stumped.
Okay.
Do battle with as a buccaneer.
Something you would see in Errol Flynn movies all the time.
So something with swords?
Yep.
Swords.
Two people facing off would…
Dual…
Cross swords.
Cross swords.
Very nice.
All right.
Here’s a good one.
Coding for certain breads or pastries.
Frosting, icing.
Glaze.
No.
Yeah.
Glaze?
Yep.
Glaze.
Egg glaze.
No.
You’re looking for a word with two Gs at the end of it.
Oh, egg glaze.
Very good.
Egg glaze.
I was trying to put something after it.
Okay.
Yep.
No, egg glaze.
This is tricky.
Someone who writes iPhone software.
App programmer.
Oh, good.
Yeah, very nice.
Good one.
App programmer.
Where you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Witness stand.
Oh.
Witness stand.
Very good.
Yes.
I was going to say, am I making this harder than it should be?
The thing is, just find that double letter first and then see what you can make of it, right?
Exactly.
All right.
Here’s a couple that are a little more fanciful.
These next ones get a little bit more silly.
Betting on an ancient Chinese pastime.
Mahjong gambling?
Yes, mahjong gambling.
I wasn’t sure if there were two Gs in mahjong.
You’ve got to put two Gs in mahjong.
How about stuff that seeps out of your RV?
What?
Winnebago ooze.
Winnebago ooze.
Oh, nice.
Got to take that into the shop.
It’s got a lot of Winnebago ooze.
And how about loose-fitting Hawaiian lingerie?
Moo-moo undies?
Yes, exactly.
Moo-moo underwear.
Kind of antithetical to the whole point of the moo-moo.
Yes, I think so.
Anyway, that’s the batch for today.
Oh, wow.
You make me happy with three Ps.
Thanks, Greg.
Very wonderful stuff.
We’ll talk to you again next week.
It’s a pleasure.
It’s good to be back.
If you’ve got a question about wordplay, language, grammar, slang, or anything related to the stuff that comes out of your mouth and not spit.
Or ooze.
877-929-9673 or email us words@waywordradio.org.
