Word Reversals Game

You’re listening to A Way with Words. I’m Grant Barrett.

And I’m Martha Barnette. And joining us now is our quiz guy, John Chaneski. Hi, John.

Hi, Martha. Hi, Grant.

Hey, buddy. What’s up?

Oh, things are good here. It’s raining, but it’s a really nice, nice cool day. It’s not too cold, and it’s just New York’s looking great.

So, John, what do you have in that canvas shopping bag there?

I have, what’s funny you shouldn’t mention, the canvas shopping bag, I have a little quiz called Get Back.

Now, I’m always trying to come up with something different, but I thought it might be okay just to bring out my canvas bag that has a bunch of old stuff in it.

Just have a quiz about one of the most simple forms of wordplay, the reversal.

I’ll give you a clue to a two-word phrase.

The second word is the first word spelled backwards.

All right?

Simple enough?

Oh, my goodness.

Okay, sure.

For example, if I said, sketch Beaver Cleaver’s dad, you would say.

Draw Ward.

Draw Ward.

Good.

Here we go with the first one.

Give the cold shoulder to baked goods.

I was going to say shun news, but that’s not going to do it.

Give the cold shoulder to baked goods.

Baked goods, yes.

Wow.

Snub buns.

Snub buns is right.

Yeah, I try not to snub buns.

I enjoy them.

So here we go with the next one.

Become acquainted with someone who studies hard.

No wonk.

Yes, no wonk.

Nice.

How about celebrity vermin?

Star rats.

Star rats, like Ben and those guys who were in that movie.

Trim the bowling equipment.

Trim the bowling.

Snip pins.

Snip pins, yes.

Well done, Grant.

How about abscond with a hammer?

Abscond with a hammer?

Loot tool.

Loot tool, yes.

Don’t loot tool.

Just a little PSA for you there.

I like this one.

Let’s try this.

The buckle, the leather, the holes.

And that’s about it.

I’m going to belt.

Yeah, I’m not doing anything.

Another term for a belt.

Think of.

Think of straight jackets.

Strap.

Strap parts.

The buckle, the leather holes.

That’s pretty much what you got.

Okay, okay.

Let’s try this one.

Send back a stopwatch.

Remit timer.

Yes, remit timer.

Good.

And finally, highlighted the pastries.

Something your waiter might do.

He highlights the pastries.

He’s trying to push them.

Lists, recites, tells.

What part of the meal are the pastries?

Dessert.

Stressed.

Stressed dessert.

Stressed desserts.

Stressed desserts.

Yes.

So they stress them back.

Okay, very good.

Thanks, guys.

You were a lot of fun.

Thanks, John.

Thanks for having me.

Bye-bye.

If you’d like to talk with us on the air about words and how we use them, call us 877-929-9673 or send an email to words@waywordradio.org.