Sunday, February 27, 2022

ROMAN NUMERAL CRYPTOLOGY (Round 6) (FINAL ROUND)

How to Play:

To decode the solution to each entry, first convert the Arabic numeral to its Roman numeral counterpart. Then, inferring from puns and riddles within the cryptic clue, break down the logical structure of each entry to figure out the answer.

Example:

➤ "9 sits inside a pigpen at retirement age": SIXTY

[The answer is "sIXty" derived from the rules: 9 becomes IXwhich is then inserted inside the word "sty" because the cryptic clue says "IX sits inside a pigpen." Another word for pigpen is "sty", so putting IX inside "sty" results in "sIXty". Part of the pun / solution is 60 is also a retirement age.]

➤ Roman Numeral Key:

[I = 1 / V=5 / X=10 / L=50 / C=100 / D=500 / M=1000]

Round 6:

➤ "Deli meats are stored in 1001 rooms in Mexico": ________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ "2 cool man, in the end": ________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ "59 potions are needed for mixed-up anger": ________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ "Actor Pacino is on the side of 506 pain relievers": ________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ "20 year-long oil reign, not quite an epoch": ________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ "1501 foodless people with acute pangs comprise a remarkable and outstanding thing": ________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ "154 Gods on downward slope": ________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ "Wind instrument jumbled up 1009 times": ________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛



Monday, February 21, 2022

SUBSTITUTION RULE (Round 7)

How to Play:

This brainteaser has two variations, both involving well-known persons.

Variation 1 entries are made-up names resulting from substituting a random letter in both the first and last name of a well-known person. Solving each entry requires a bit of guessing (or reverse substituting) to figure out the real identity of the well-known person.

Variation 2 entries are silly 2-word phrases resulting from substituting a random letter in both the first and last name of a well-known person. Solving each entry requires a bit of guessing (or reverse substituting) to figure out the real identity of the well-known person.

Example:

Variation 1:

➤ TOBY GILL = ____________ 

[The answer revealing the well-known person is TONY BILL, arrived at by substituting "N" for "B" in the first name, "TOBY", and substituting "B" for "G" in the last name, "GILL".]

Variation 2:

➤ MAD PEST = ____________ 

[The answer is MAE WEST, arrived at by substituting "E" for "D" in the first word, "MAD", and substituting "W" for "P" in the last word, "PEST".]

Round 7:

Variation 1:

➤ ERIN BAND = ____________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ VERN LANG = ____________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ DALE MARON = ____________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ ARNE RICH = ____________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ RAUL ANZA = ____________ 

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

Variation 2:

➤ NEON UZIS = ____________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ LAZY GAGS = ____________ 

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ CALL JUNE = ____________ 

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ GOGI BERRY = ____________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ ECON MUSE = ____________

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


PAST ROUNDS (For your solving pleasure!):






Friday, February 18, 2022

THIS & THAT (Round 7)

How to Play:

Each correct answer is a common "_______ & _______" phrase, such as "THIS & THAT". To solve, simply switch out one letter in each clue word with a different letter to reveal a common "_______ _______" phrase.

Example:

➤ _______ & _______

(bell / chair)

[Answer: switch out the "e" in "bell" to "a" and the "r" in "chair" to "n" to come up with the common "_______ _______" phrase, "BALL & CHAIN".]

Round 7:

➤ _______ & _______

(ratio / to)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


➤ _______ & _______

(x / ys)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


➤ _______ & _______

(ships / balsa)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


➤ _______ & _______

(fun / soon)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


 _______ & _______

(sticky / stores)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


➤ _______ & _______

(yield / streak)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


➤ _______ & _______

(cooties / dream)

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ _______ & _______


(norse / muggy)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ _______ & _______

(prize / job)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

➤ _______ & _______

(collars / gents)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

PAST ROUNDS (For your solving pleasure!):

BRAINWRACK!: THIS & THAT (Round 1)

BRAINWRACK!: THIS & THAT (Round 2)

BRAINWRACK!: THIS & THAT (Round 3)

BRAINWRACK!: THIS & THAT (Round 4)

BRAINWRACK!: THIS & THAT (Round 5)

BRAINWRACK!: THIS & THAT (Round 6)

Saturday, February 12, 2022

PLAINLY STATED (Round 5)

How to Play:

Each entry's correct answer is a made-up 2-word phrase. Both words are 4 letters long and comprise, in sequence, the abbreviations of 4 consecutive U.S. states. Clues are given as a solving aid and state abbreviations can be used more than once in each answer set. Could it be more plainly stated?

Example:

➤ ______ * ______

(Dinner for Shamu?)

[Answer: The 2-word phrase is "ORCA MEAL", which correctly answers the clue, "Dinner for Shamu?". Contained within the 2-word phrase are 4 consecutive U.S. postal abbreviations: "OR" & "CAfor Oregon & California, which combine to create the word "ORCA"; and "ME" & "ALfor Maine & Alabama, which combine to create the word "MEAL".]

Round 5:

➤ ______ * ______

(Husk of large tropical nut?)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


➤ ______ * ______

(Mental anguish?)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


➤ ______ * ______

(Ample roadway?)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


➤ ______ * ______

(Result of Rep's win or loss?)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


➤ ______ * ______

(Killer whale matriarch?)


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

Thursday, February 3, 2022

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS (Round 2)

How to Play:

Each round of this game lists 5 categories (or sets) consisting of 5 set elements that belong to one of the specific categories (or sets) listed in random order at the top. Figure out which category is associated with each of the 5 set elements, or which of the 5 set elements are associated with each category. Categories are used just once.

Example:

Categories: BIRDS * 50'S MOVIES * COUNTRIES * U. S. PRESIDENTS * CELESTIAL BODIES *

SET 1 CATEGORY = U. S. PRESIDENTS 

1. U. S. G.
2. J. K. P.
3. J. F. K.
4. G. W.
5. R. W. R.

[Answer: based on the initial impressions of "J. F. K.", the suspected category is "U. S. PRESIDENTS", which can then be crossed off from the list. Figure out who / what the remaining four are.]


⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛

Round 1:

Categories: * BEATLES SONGS * WOMEN AUTHORS * ASTRONOMICAL TERMS *
* BASEBALL TEAMS * CLASSICS (BOOKS) *

SET 1 CATEGORY = _____________

1. A. T. O. T. C.
2. R. C.
3. G. W. T. W.
4. D. Q.
5. F.

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


Categories: * BEATLES SONGS * WOMEN AUTHORS * ASTRONOMICAL TERMS *
* BASEBALL TEAMS * CLASSICS (BOOKS) *

SET 2 CATEGORY = _____________

1. A. B.
2. C. R.
3. S. F. G.
4. N. Y. Y.
5. S. M.

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


Categories: * BEATLES SONGS * WOMEN AUTHORS * ASTRONOMICAL TERMS *
* BASEBALL TEAMS * CLASSICS (BOOKS) *

SET 3 CATEGORY = _____________

1. J. A.
2. M. W. S.
3. I. A.
4. H. L.
5. F. O.

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


Categories: * BEATLES SONGS * WOMEN AUTHORS * ASTRONOMICAL TERMS *
* BASEBALL TEAMS * CLASSICS (BOOKS) *

SET 4 CATEGORY = _____________

1. H. J.
2. I. W. T. H. Y. H.
3. L. I. B.
4. E. R.
5. L. I. T. S. W. D.

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


Categories: * BEATLES SONGS * WOMEN AUTHORS * ASTRONOMICAL TERMS *
* BASEBALL TEAMS * CLASSICS (BOOKS) *

SET 5 CATEGORY = _____________

1. B. H.
2. C.
3. G.
4. S. S.
5. R. G.

⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛⌛


PAST ROUNDS (For your solving pleasure!):

BURIED TREASURE (1 Round Only)

How to Play : Buried within each sentence entry is a precious gemstone for you to find. Upon finding all ten, re-arrange the sentences order...