Word Challenge: Non-Rhyming Y-Ending Words

You are listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.

I’m Martha Barnette.

And I’m Grant Barrett.

And entering stage right, pursued by a bear, it’s our quiz guy, John Chaneski.

Whoa, it’s a bear!

It’s a small bear, but a bear, nonetheless.

It’s a tiny little bear.

It’s a tiny little teddy bear, but it’s because it’s tied to my ankle.

That’s why it’s pursuing me.

Today’s quiz is pretty simple.

I’ll clue a two-word phrase in which both words end in why.

Why?

Why not?

One thing you should know is that none of the two-word phrases will rhyme.

So, hurdy-gurdy, roly-poly, none of those today.

Got it?

Got it.

Okay, good.

All right.

Here we go.

It’s where my wife, Jennifer, and I spent a whole day last week participating in our civic obligation.

Oh.

Jury duty.

Yes.

Oh, gotcha.

Jury duty.

Yeah.

If you’re looking for the closest galaxy, this is the one.

It’s not Andromeda or the Pinwheel Galaxy.

In fact, you’re soaking in it.

The Milky Way.

Milky Way, yes.

I like to think that if you chant this nickname of this former Queen of England in Ireland three times while looking in a mirror, she will appear with a tomato juice cocktail for you.

Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary.

Watch it.

He said it three times.

Oh, no.

Red rum, red rum, red rum.

There’s the cocktail.

Look at that.

That’s nice.

A little celery stick.

Only those who aren’t fans of spiders or snakes or lizards would use this term that describes two different modes of locomotion.

How about creepy crawly?

Yes, creepy crawly.

Very good.

Yeah.

It costs $11.20 to take the New Jersey Turnpike from Trenton to Newark.

Why, that’s excessively exorbitant.

It’s thievery.

Oh, we’ve talked about this term on the show before.

That’s really interesting. Highway robbery.

Yes, highway robbery. Oh, I love a good callback. That’s good.

This term for a small crime, like shoplifting a candy bar, makes it sound like you’ve got a personal gripe against the shop owner.

A personal gripe against the shop owner.

Yeah, don’t be so…

Petty.

Petty thievery.

Yeah, or petty.

Or larceny.

Either one is fine. Petty thievery, petty larceny, yes.

Both of those N and Ys.

Very good.

It’s what you need to study up on before you go to your new GP.

They’re going to ask you about it.

So, did great-great-grandpa have any issues?

Your family history?

Yes, your family history.

You can find schools like this in Annapolis, Maryland, Colorado Springs, Colorado, and West Point, New York.

Military Academy.

Yes, Military Academy.

The sentence, I’ll have another authentic, always dreaming sovereignty, majestic prince.

Sounds fun, but it merely lists five winners of this annual competition.

Kentucky Derby.

Yes, Kentucky Derby.

And right now I’m going to go do something with that list.

You guys were fantastic.

I’ve got to go do some more puzzles.

Oh, my bear.

Take my bear.

Come here.

Come here, Fuzzy.

Come here, Fuzzy.

Thanks, John.

We’ll talk to you next week.

See you then.

Take care.

Bye-bye.

Bye, John.

And we’d certainly love to hear from you, 877-929-9673, or send all your thoughts about language to words@waywordradio.org.

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