Word Power: Test Your Knowledge of These Common Crossword Puzzle Answers
Certain otherwise obscure words show up repeatedly in crossword grids because they’re short, full of vowels or both. Take your solving skills to the next level by studying some crosswordese.
Aria
A: Plot of land
B: Circle of refracted sky visible to underwater divers
C: Opera song for one accompanied voice
Answer: C—Opera song for one accompanied voice
As in, “On days when she awoke in a cheery mood, Lesley would sing arias from L’elisir d’amore in the shower.”
Test your knowledge of these evocative adjectives!
Answer: B—Sea eagle
As in, “An erne snatched a fish from just under the water’s surface.”
You’ll love these amazing facts about the English language!
Answer: A—Emperor of Russia
As in, “DNA from living relatives was used to authenticate the suspected remains of Tsar Nicholas II.”
Test your knowledge of these royal terms.
Answer: C—Point of a pen
As in, “The secret to Derrick’s elegant handwriting was a fountain pen with a flexible nib.”
Up for another vocabulary challenge? Test your Word Power on words containing “P” and “Q.”
Answer: C—Anger
As in, “The decision to make Parade Avenue a pedestrian-only street drew a mixture of praise and ire from citizens.”
Admit it: you’re probably guilty of uttering these redundant phrases.
Answer: A—Light beige
As in, “Ondrej convinced his landlord to let him add some colour to his apartment’s ecru walls.”
Can you pass this quiz of fourth grade spelling words?
Ilia
A: Bacteria capable of causing sickness
B: Large bones in the upper half of the pelvis
C: Ear-shaped seashell
Answer: B—Large bones in the upper half of the pelvis
As in, “Sylvia fractured both her ilia by falling off her motorcycle.”
Find out how these 10 body parts got their names.
Answer: A—Very dry
As in, “Having moved to an arid climate, Vikram opted not to waste water on a lawn.”
Check out the English words that have different meanings in other languages.
Answer: B—Craving to eat substances that aren’t foods
As in, “Young kids aren’t usually diagnosed with pica because it’s normal for them to chew on everything.”
You’ll never look at these palindrome words the same way again.
Nard
A: Person with an intense interest in a topic
B: Narcotics officer
C: Aromatic Himalayan plant
Answer: C—Aromatic Himalayan plant
As in, “Nard is mentioned in the Bible as an erotic scent.”
How well do you know your insect terms? Put your vocabulary to the test.
Stoa
A: Guard who remains immobile so long as there’s no threat
B: Covered walkway supported by evenly spaced columns
C: Unit of 100 soldiers
Answer: B—Covered walkway supported by evenly spaced columns
As in, “The Stoa Poikile (“painted stoa”) of ancient Athens featured illustrations of battles.”
Take to the skies without leaving your chair by exploring these aviation terms.
Answer: C—Make something last by using it frugally
As in, “Lucie eked out her remaining funds until her late paycheque finally arrived.”
These tricky crossword clues will leave you stumped!
Etui
A: Accusation of betrayal
B: Musical composition for improving finger dexterity
C: Small ornamental case
Answer: C—Small ornamental case
As in, “Xuejiao kept sewing needles and a thimble in an antique silk etui.”
Brush up on these other words that will help you solve crossword puzzles.
Épée
A: Fencing sword with a bowl-shaped guard
B: French epic
C: Lace on the shoulder of a gown
Answer: A—Fencing sword with a bowl-shaped guard
As in, “Paralympian épée fencers wear metal-lined aprons over their legs and wheelchairs.”
Familiarize yourself with these other famous French words.
Ode: A—Lyric poem that addresses its subject in an irregular metre
As in, “Pablo Neruda wrote odes to such commonplace objects as his socks, an onion and a bar of soap.”
Next, test your knowledge of these Canadian slang terms!