Sunday, August 08, 2010

NPR Sunday Puzzle (July 25, 2010): Make Your Own Spoonerism Riddle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (July 25, 2010): Make Your Own Spoonerism Riddle:
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 1, 2010): Make Your Own Spoonerism Riddle:
Q: This is a two-week creative challenge. Come up with a riddle that starts off with 'What's the difference between' and involves a spoonerism. A spoonerism is when consonant sounds are interchanged. For example, 'What's the difference between an ornithologist and a loser in a spelling bee?' The answer: 'One is a bird watcher, and the other is a word botcher.'
Hmm... not much to comment on this week. Obviously this is different than most of Will's puzzles in that it is open-ended and is a two week challenge. Start collecting your ideas and we'll discuss them all in two weeks after the deadline.
Winner:
What's the difference between a wedding chapel and a restaurant's daily specials? One is a marrying venue, the other is a varying menu.

Runners-Up:
What’s the difference between a guinea hen and a young witch? One is a wild chicken and the other is child wicken.

What’s the difference between a dasher and a haberdasher? One makes short spurts and the other makes sports shirts.

44 comments:

  1. Again, this is a TWO week challenge. Don't post any outright spoilers unless you want to give away your submission. If you have a good riddle, click on the NPR link in the post and then remember it so we can talk about it after the deadline.

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  11. Well, enough, kiddies. Does anyone want to present a real challenge for the rest of us to play with, while Will takes two weeks off? For a time I tried to make one whose answer was PLACIDO DOMINGO, since DODO and a good chunk of FLAMINGO are already there, but I could never streamline it. Any help would be welcome -- in fact, I yield all rights!

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  12. More spoonerisms which, at this point, are no longer original.

    http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/redeye-puzzler/2010/07/shill-warts-choonerism-spallenge.html

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  13. Just wanted to give the Blaine community a heads up that AMC is starting a new spy drama series this Sunday called RUBICON.

    It revolves around a bunch of supersmart geeky intelligence analysts who find deep meaning in crossword puzzles, not that we know anyone like that.

    http://www.amctv.com/originals/Rubicon/

    I'm not affiliated with the show in any way, but I saw the first episode and it looks great. Supposedly the second episode is the one that hooks you.

    Joe Bob says check it out.

    Or, perhaps, what is the difference between your new favorite TV show and a long-haired attention-whore criminal defense attorney who will defend just about anyone getting roll call in high school?

    -- Other Ben

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  14. I haven't seen an episode of RUBICON yet, but David Bianculli did a review of it on Fresh Air a few days ago. Here's a link to that story: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128794048

    Based on that, and Other Ben's recommendation, I plan to tune in on Sunday night.

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  15. OK, MrScience. These pairs of words have opposite meanings - more and less, wily and dumb, mini and maxi, nary and many, wary and rash. The first words in the pairs all have something in common that the second words do not. What is it?

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  16. Eleanor, it's late, so let me address your puzzle with this abbreviated post stating that both of US must like sandwiches.

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  17. StarchRival, it's apparent you've never been called clueless, although you may have found the query a bit - mild. Speaking of sandwiches, don't you find it curious that the meats on a club sandwich are all smoked?

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  18. Blaine, in your editorial house cleaning, I think you missed one that is at least as potentially offensive as the deleted ones.

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  19. Lorenzo is quite correct. I don't think I should identify which one.

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  20. Dave, sorry to leave you hanging back there. The King James is Lebron James who sucked during the playoffs. A la Lorenzo, he could have been subjected to layoffs, but instead fled to Miami. If you can't take the Heat, then who can you take?

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  21. Whoa! That's what happens when I go on vacation with the family. I didn't expect this to become a place for dirty jokes.

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  22. Hey, gang. Heading to Lake Michigan tomorrow with no internet. Have fun with these (already submitted).
    1)What’s the difference between a September fairway and the top of the USS Merrimack?
    2) What’s the difference between the life of the party and the Christmas tree decorator?
    3)What’s the difference between microbes and Floridians?
    4)What’s the difference between a royal flush and an overly talkative Irishman?
    5)What’s the difference between a tool and die guy and a male juror?
    6)What’s the difference between a goofy gecko and a sorcerer’s apprentice?
    7)What’s the difference between a jet-setting sheep and a travelling pig?
    8)What’s the difference between being dragged through the sky by a boat and being dragged through the mud by the media?
    No answers until I get back. (Some are obvious). You are all too good.

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  23. I submitted a riddle similar to #8 (same answer). I guess it was an obvious spoonerism, but your riddle is better than mine.

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  24. 1 ) What is the difference between an an-noying part in math and a-gnawing cow?
    2 ) What's the difference between the bottom part of a fraction and a wrestler?
    3 )What is the difference between cattle grazing near the railroad and cats
    4 ) What is the difference between items that are missing one of a pair and the results of one finding a cheating mate paired with someone else.
    5 ) What’s the difference between reveille and first place ribbon in a dog show?
    6 ) Difference between celebrity stalkers and celebrity homeys
    7 ) What’s the difference between a person living in a fishing village and a gem collector
    8 ) What’s the difference between the spirit-possessed person in 17th century Salem Mass. and the love struck pair who eloped
    9 ) What’s the difference between a gunslinger and a mean babysitter
    10 ) What ‘s the difference between a type of crawling and molls
    11 ) What is the difference between someone who goes on a lot of cruises and the kissing bandit
    12 ) What’s the difference between something that feeds your inner muse and something you may need to feed while you are feeding your muse.
    13 ) Difference between police squad and a bomb squad

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  25. 1. Charlotte Covatica / Consuelo Vanderbilt
    2. A disappointed golf pro / An affectionate pet owner
    3. An historic English house / An ordinary English "bog"

    The third is not original with me. My sister blurted it out while reporting on a field trip made by her art class.


    Answers-Use next letter. / (clue)

    1. GNTRD ROHCDQ / (cache mari)
    2. LHRRDC SGD BTS / (obvious)
    3. KTSNM GNN / (postal code CH66 7NL)

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  26. ...between Glenn Beck and a caucasian imposter?

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  27. Lorenzo, are we talking right winger?

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  28. Eleanor, thanks to the clues provided by StarchRival, I think I solved your puzzle. OK?
    (Still working on some of your spoonerisms.)

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  29. I know after Sunday we will be on to something new but can some of you (us) who gave clues on this week's board go back and give answers at that point here or somewhere. Eleanor, you are good. I am still working on yours.

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  30. I submitted mine last Sunday and now I can't remember what it was. Will didn't call yesterday so now I will never know. Dang, it took some work too!

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  31. 1) Golfers know a fairway is a wreck by Sept.
    2) Pretty bad. Answer later.
    3) I garden in the summer.
    4) No clue. Answer later.
    5) Predicated / Dedicated
    6) No clue. Too easy. Answer later.
    7) If I have to dial this one in, I'll use my cell.
    8) Way too easy.

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  32. Eleanor, in keeping with this fortnight's theme: What's the difference between an impasse and one of your sandwich layers?

    More for others to chew on: dale and hill, fill and void, mind and lose, mild and racy, torn and sure, norm and rare, amok and sane, fall and rise, maze and path, thin and wide, mute and grow, gala and wake, trix and bran

    From your club "cart": indeed, snored, kindly, warily, snared
    Having a bigger appetite, I infilled cheese between the club's smoked meats.

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  33. I prefer my sole from Dover and my ham from Doover. I'll keep trying.

    StarchRival, your appetite reminds me of basketball, particularly a power forward who can shoot from the three point line.

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  34. 1 numerator ruminator
    2 denominator knee dominator
    3 moos to choo choo choose to mew-mew
    4 socks 'n' shoe shocks ensue
    5 beat of a bugle and beaut of a beagle
    6 paparazzi rapperposse (suspect)
    7 resides on docks
    8 bewitched and beheaded
    9 takes a shot
    10 lobster moves
    11 ship lover

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  35. eleanor, was your #8 parasailin and a candidate often dragged thru the mud or did I miss the boat

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  36. What’s the difference between a September fairway and the top of the USS Merrimack?
    One is a divoted wreck and the other is a riveted deck.
    What’s the difference between the life of the party and the Christmas tree decorator?
    One is scintillating and the other is tinselating.
    What’s the difference between microbes and Floridians?
    Some microbes live in compost while some Floridians live in Palm Coast.
    What’s the difference between a royal flush and an overly talkative Irishman?
    One is a gambling rarity and the other is a rambling Garrity.
    What’s the difference between a tool and die guy and a male juror?
    One is a dedicated precision man and the other is a predicated decision man.
    What’s the difference between a goofy gecko and a sorcerer’s apprentice?
    One is a whacky lizard and the other is a lackey wizard.
    What’s the difference between a jet-setting sheep and a travelling pig?
    One is a global mutton and the other is a mobile glutton.
    What’s the difference between being dragged through the sky by a boat and being dragged through the mud by the media?
    One we’re talking about parasailin’ and the other we’re talking about Sarah Palin.

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  37. Eleanor,

    What's the difference between an impasse and one of your sandwich layers?
    One's a stalemate, the other's a mail state

    Was your appetite/basketball reference a clue to a player's name fitting the puzzle (couldn't come up with one) or something else?

    Your original smoked solution got me going to the longer words. Did you find any others of "infilled" length or longer?

    You may want to explicitly post your puzzle solution for others who lurkingly played along. I appreciated your side puzzle, as I'm sure others (such as MrScience) did.

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  38. StarchRival, I really enjoy the back and forth.

    I could never get past 3 for a single word, which led to my basketball post. All five players have a name and number. Point guard=1, shooting guard=2, small forward=3, power forward=4 and center=5. 4 and 5 usually play close to the basket. When a 4 can go out and shoot from the 3 point line, he "stretches" the defense away from the basket

    Sooo, a power forward who can shoot from the 3 point line is called a "stretch 4".

    Some more triples:
    What a clogged drain gets.
    Ex-Cruiser.
    Cheesed for the camera.

    Came up with an "0n Air Challenge". Don't think Will would use it so I'm posting on this week's blog to give the gang something to do for the rest of the week.

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  39. Almost forgot, I asked my Mom for help on your spooner. She got the same answer with a different riddle: the difference between an impasse and a guy's inability to ask for directions.

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  40. Eleanor, I enjoyed it too. I thought that if the basketball mention wasn't another clue, it was an indirect reference to the word length. Not familiar with that term even though I'm a b-ball fan.

    As per your Mom's answer: male state?

    As for your other triples:
    snaked
    Nicole (good one!)
    smiled

    I'll stop posting in this thread now, but per your M-OR-E riddles in this week's topic:
    I see you're being "proper". Your 1st answer isn't Rare (but is full of cheer), and your 3rd isn't dumb. I gave myself plenty of space to solve #2, and celebrated with a candy bar. I'll work more on 4 & 5 later.

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For NPR puzzle posts, don't post the answer or any hints that could lead to the answer before the deadline (usually Thursday at 3pm ET). If you know the answer, submit it to NPR, but don't give it away here.

You may provide indirect hints to the answer to show you know it, but make sure they don't assist with solving. You can openly discuss your hints and the answer after the deadline. Thank you.