# Describe a city using only one-syllable words, try to guess other posters' cities **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [January 22, 2025, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256 "2025-01-22T15:39:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Old\_Wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecccb3/32.png) [@Old\_Wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Old_Wench)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/81 "2025-01-22T22:19:25Z")
Deleted, wrong thread ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/82 "2025-01-22T22:30:00Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Sounds like you’re describing the Cajuns. Pretty sure they’re describing the Métis. But I can’t think of the name of the city, and don’t want to go look it up. > [@Ellecram](#): > > > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > > Used to be known as the place of a word that means ground grain. Grew things folks live in on the grain land. Now known as the place of a word that means bloom but is said the same as the word that means ground grain. > > All I can come up with is Flour/Flower but don’t know if those are cities > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > You’re right so far (as nicknames, not the actual name). And it’s one city, not plural (though like most it’s swallowed some smaller ones as it grew.) Nobody yet? I thought that would be easier. Answer’s in the spoiler, so if you want to keep guessing don’t read it. Rochester, NY. When the flour production mostly moved out further west they wanted to change the nickname to something they thought prettier. They do have a lot of lilacs and hold a Lilac Festival every spring which is rather a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/83 "2025-01-22T22:32:16Z")
> [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > [@HeyHomie](#): > > > > Sounds like you’re describing the Cajuns. > > Pretty sure they’re describing the Métis. But I can’t think of the name of the city, and don’t want to go look it up. > > > [@Ellecram](#): > > > > > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > > > > Used to be known as the place of a word that means ground grain. Grew things folks live in on the grain land. Now known as the place of a word that means bloom but is said the same as the word that means ground grain. > > > > All I can come up with is Flour/Flower but don’t know if those are cities > > > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > > > You’re right so far (as nicknames, not the actual name). And it’s one city, not plural (though like most it’s swallowed some smaller ones as it grew.) > > Nobody yet? I thought that would be easier. > > Answer’s in the spoiler, so if you want to keep guessing don’t read it. > > Rochester, NY. When the flour production mostly moved out further west they wanted to change the nickname to something they thought prettier. They do have a lot of lilacs and hold a Lilac Festival every spring which is rather a big deal. I am so glad you gave us the answer! I was totally stumped. ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/84 "2025-01-22T22:33:30Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > Named after Brit Duke; had been Dutch. Should be “name from Brit Duke; had been Dutch”. I need a nap. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/85 "2025-01-22T22:34:15Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > Meat we use to make red sauce. This one got lost. Any one? Not USA city ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/86 "2025-01-22T22:35:10Z")
Bologna ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/87 "2025-01-22T22:35:28Z")
I’m guessing Bologna, Italy, except that what Americans call Bologna has no business being anywhere near Bolognese sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/88 "2025-01-22T22:35:30Z")
No but getting closer lol ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/89 "2025-01-22T22:36:24Z")
Can also be made on grill in summer ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/90 "2025-01-22T22:40:40Z")
I was thinking sausage, but can’t come up with anything that fits the clue. I’m also trying to think outside Italy in case red sauce refers to something else. I’m stumped. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/91 "2025-01-22T22:43:51Z")
Hamburg, Germany I use a lot of hamburger when I make spaghetti sauce but had to call it red sauce to keep it one syllable ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/92 "2025-01-22T22:45:32Z")
Ah. While I’m familiar with the term being used that way, I call it “ground beef” in that form and would probably have taken a long time to remind myself lots of folks call the raw stuff hamburger, too. We do call spaghetti sauce “red sauce” here commonly enough, so that was no problem. In fact, there’s even the term, maybe mostly used by foodies, to refer to a classic Italian-American restaurant as a “red sauce place,” as opposed to more modern or Northern Italian or just classical European Italian fare. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/93 "2025-01-22T22:50:01Z")
I would have gone with “meat served on a bun, can be with cheese”. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/94 "2025-01-22T22:51:14Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Ah. While I’m familiar with the term being used that way, I call it “ground beef” in that form and would probably have taken a long time to remind myself lots of folks call the raw stuff hamburger, too. > > We do call spaghetti sauce “red sauce” here commonly enough, so that was no problem. In fact, there’s even the term, maybe mostly used by foodies, to refer to a classic Italian-American restaurant as a “red sauce place,” as opposed to more modern or Northern Italian or just classical European Italian fare… I am not much of a cook and did my best. I am the one who shared the story of boiling my lasagna noodles one at a time in separate pots for more than 15 years lol. It’s understandable that I would not get the correct cooking terms with something like this 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/95 "2025-01-22T22:52:25Z")
What place name springs forth with a smell, not an herb but makes the tears flow it grows in damp earth in May or June. Known as ramps or chive like. What big town is this? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/96 "2025-01-22T23:03:23Z")
No, no – your terms are fine. My brain just wasn’t wired to recognize “hamburger” as ground beef. Just a matter of my local dialect. Many, many people use that term in that way just fine. It just didn’t occur to me. ^As for the above, Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/97 "2025-01-23T00:26:32Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > Should be “name from Brit Duke; had been Dutch”. New York ---
**Author:** ![SunUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SunUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunUp)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/98 "2025-01-23T00:31:38Z")
Naturally! Instead of a free-for-all, should we maybe take turns? Let the first person to get the city currently in play try a description of their own, and then everyone else try to guess it? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/99 "2025-01-23T01:04:38Z")
That sounds reasonable, if the OP is up for it. I’ll start with a softball: Wings and weck. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2025, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256/100 "2025-01-23T01:24:37Z")
> [@SunUp](#): > > Let the first person to get the city currently in play try a description of their own, and then everyone else try to guess it? That discourages me from guessing if I don’t have another one ready to play. And I usually don’t. It would also have stalled the whole thread when nobody got mine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/describe-a-city-using-only-one-syllable-words-try-to-guess-other-posters-cities/1013256.md?page=6)