Tom Swifty Game

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 Chaneski. Hello, John.

Hi, Grant. Hi, Martha. How are you?

Hi, John. Doing well.

What’s cooking over there, buddy?

Well, you know what? We just signed Max up for this after-school science class, you know, sort of on Fridays.

He’s going to go once a week to this guy, Carmelo, the science fellow.

Not to be confused with Bill Nye, the science guy.

Right, right. But I was thinking I should get some sort of nickname like that.

But the best I could come up with is John the Puzzle Don, and that just doesn’t work for me.

Nice, nice.

Well, John the Puzzle Don Juan.

Yeah.

Speaking of puzzles.

Yes?

Today’s puzzle is based on a classic form of humor, the Tom Swifty.

Okay.

Okay, you’re familiar with Tom Swifties, I assume?

Mm—

It’s a phrase in which a quoted sentence is linked by a pun to the manner in which it is said.

For example, pass me the shellfish, Tom said crabbly.

Right. That’s pretty basic, okay?

Sometimes the pun is a little more clever, such as,

Won’t be sticking my arm in a lion’s mouth again, Tom said, offhandedly.

So those are examples of Tom Swifties.

What I’ll do is I’ll give you a quote, and then you fill in the blank with the appropriate adverb.

For example, if I said, guess I’ll skip school today, Tom said.

I was going to say hookily, truantly.

I guess I’ll skip school today.

Absently.

Absently, right.

I guess I’ll skip school today, Tom said.

Absently.

Very good.

Thank you.

Let’s see how you do with the quiz proper.

Here it is.

Why I happen to be a great linebacker, Tom said.

Gosh, blockingly, tacklingly.

Offensively.

Try the other way.

Defensively.

Very good.

I happen to be a great linebacker, Tom said, defensively.

Defensively.

It’s the nerd hour.

Okay.

This next one requires a little bit of acting.

Let’s see if I can do it.

Stop.

You can’t go any further, Tom said.

Haltingly.

Haltingly.

Very good, yes.

Where’s my Oscar?

Here’s another one.

Number one, I’m going to travel to Tibet.

Number two, I’ll study for two years in a monastery.

And number three, I’ll write a philosophy book that will change the world, Tom said.

It’s about lists and stuff?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that word will help.

It has a list in it?

Yeah.

Idealistically?

Idealistically?

Idealistically.

Idealistically.

Oh, my heavens.

Yeah, that’s a tough one, dude.

Okay, this one should be easier.

Here we go.

I’m canning peaches, Tom said.

I’m canning peaches?

Yeah.

He said…

Jarringly.

Jarringly.

Very good, yes.

Again, five years of acting school.

Right there.

I hope it was worth it.

Bachelor of Fine Arts.

There we are.

Okay, here’s the next one.

One, three, five, seven, nine, eleven.

Tom said…

Primly?

Oddly?

Oddly, yes.

That’s what he said.

Well, I said primly because of prime numbers.

Never mind.

Oh, that’s bad.

But nine was not prime numbers.

Grant’s playing with the letters.

Here’s another one.

My calendar seems to be missing a few pages, Tom said.

Datelessly?

No.

Weekly?

No.

Weekly?

I’ll try the acting part again, better again.

My calendar seems to be missing a few pages.

Oh, I get it.

Lackadaisically.

Indasically, very good.

It’s terrible.

Yes.

That’s terrible.

You got it.

Thank you.

That’s great.

This one you think you’ll like a lot better.

It will be a lot less groan-inducing.

I play guitar in a U2 cover band, Tom said.

Pluckily?

Edgily.

Edgily, right.

Here’s the next one.

This one, again, is a long adverb, so I hope you’ll be able to get this one.

Here comes the acting.

All right.

Ow!

You guys really know how to hurt a vampire, Tom said.

Garlic? Crossley?

No.

That’s really good.

That works, but that was good.

Mistakenly?

No.

You’re close.

You’re close.

It starts with a P.

Oh, there we go.

Painstakingly.

Painstakingly.

Very good.

This one’s also long, but I think it’ll be a lot easier to get.

Here’s the next to last one, the penultimate.

One. Let’s have a look under the hood, Tom said. I just want to say all of your acting

Sounds like William Shatner. Thank you. Let’s have a look under the hood. He said mechanically.

Mechanically. Very good. And here’s the last one. It’s very appropriate. You really enjoyed

That puzzle? Tom asked.

Quizzically. Quizzically is right.

Oh my

Gosh, John. I think the Oscar for

Best Supporting Quiz Guy goes

To…

You this week. I hope it’s John the Puzzle, Don.

Oh, that’s great.

Terrific. Thank you. Thanks, John,

For the fun one. Tom Swifties are always good.

Oh yeah. Nothing like a good

Adverb. You guys take care. Alright. Bye-bye.

Bye-bye. And if you have a question

About adverbs or nouns

Or adjectives or any kind of wordplay,

Give us a call, 1-877-929-9673.

That’s 1-877-WAYWORD

Or send an email to words@waywordradio.org.