# Puzzle: Cross off words as the clues eliminate them. What is left? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 19, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045 "2015-04-19T16:20:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/1 "2015-04-19T16:20:20Z")
(Inspired by two puzzles posted by **Idle Thoughts** earlier this year) Work the puzzle and spoil the answer once you have it. Using the clues, eliminate words one by one until only a few are left. Each clue will result in at least one word in each column being eliminated. The remaining words, correctly interpreted, are the solution to the puzzle. +++++++ \*\* The Words:\*\* **Column A** ------- **Column B** ------- **Column C** LAMP------------SPIN ------------- SMILE AGILE------------ORB --------------KNEW ART---------------RAN---------------REVOLVER GALLERY--------OMAHA------------TIME WING------------STONEWARE-----TRUTH AIL---------------TRAIPSE----------VAGRANT SPOKANE-------RWANDA----------MEASURING BELIE------------CHIN--------------APPLY GRAPH-----------HOGGING---------RESEARCH MANTRA----------MERIDIAN--------DISEASE GLAND-----------WORTH-----------CHANT HURRY-----------REGRET-----------PAY RODE------------DETERMINE------SEAL PEACE-----------CAME-------------PONDER TREE -------------HERRING---------MANGE GRANGE---------YACHTS-----------FIN PENSIVE---------SAD---------------NEEDLES JOKES------------PIE----------------MALT SEASIDE--------CUB----------------PIRATES HAD--------------LARGELY----------SIRE GERANIUMS-----TOO---------------IDES TOGA------------SWAPS------------GLANCED ALMS------------ASSAULT----------ILL +++++++ **The Clues** : 1. Cross off any two words in the same column that can be anagrammed together to form the name of a former U.S. President (first _and_ last names). 2. Cross off any word which can become the name of a common fruit if one letter is changed to a different letter. 3. Cross off any word that can become the name of a country if a single letter is added somewhere to the word. 4. Cross off any word that can become another common word if a “QU” doublet is added somewhere to the word. 5. Cross off any one syllable word that can become a common three syllable word if a single letter is added somewhere to the word. 6. Several of the remaining words in each column have something in common regarding an achievement. Cross off all of those words. 7. Cross off both words when any of the remaining words are anagrams of each other. The final un-crossed off words can be read from top to bottom to reveal some others that recently were not crossed off. They are the answer to this puzzle. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/2 "2015-04-19T20:59:26Z")
Is the achievement known worldwide or only in the US? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/3 "2015-04-19T21:47:24Z")
> [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](#): > > Is the achievement known worldwide or only in the US? This is a pretty big hint… but I’d have to say that while the achievement is best known in the United States, it is certainly not unknown abroad. Indeed, I can say for certain that the Queen of England is aware of the achievement. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2015, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/4 "2015-04-19T23:17:03Z")
I’ve eliminated 30 and I’m done for now. Still not much idea on the achievement the only idea I have only eliminates two of them. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/5 "2015-04-20T03:09:44Z")
It seems like a very good puzzle, but also very hard. You might think about posting a hint a couple times a day, like how many words are eliminated by one of the clues. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/6 "2015-04-20T19:23:24Z")
Question: does Clue 6 refer to a single achievement, or one per column? ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/7 "2015-04-20T19:46:41Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Question: does Clue 6 refer to a single achievement, or one per column? Never mind; I figured out what the achievement is, and it applies to all columns. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/8 "2015-04-20T19:51:32Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > Never mind; I figured out what the achievement is, and it applies to all columns. Kudos! Indeed the achievement does. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/9 "2015-04-20T20:02:23Z")
1. Cross off any two words in the same column that can be anagrammed together to form the name of a former U.S. President (first and last names): HOGGING + STONEWARE = GEORGE WASHINGTON RWANDA + HERRING = WARREN HARDING GLANCED + REVOLVER = GROVER CLEVELAND 2. Cross off any word which can become the name of a common fruit if one letter is changed to a different letter: PEACE - becomes PEACH GRAPH - becomes GRAPE GRANGE - becomes ORANGE TIME - becomes LIME APPLY - becomes APPLE FIN - becomes FIG 3. Cross off any word that can become the name of a country if a single letter is added somewhere to the word: BELIE - becomes BELIZE HAD - becomes CHAD TOGA - becomes TONGA RAN - becomes IRAN CHIN - becomes CHINA CUB - becomes CUBA TOO - becomes TOGO MALT - becomes MALTA 4. Cross off any word that can become another common word if a “QU” doublet is added somewhere to the word: ART - becomes QUART AIL - becomes QUAIL ALMS - becomes QUALMS PIE - becomes PIQUE SIRE - becomes SQUIRE SEAL - becomes SQUEAL ILL - becomes QUILL 5. Cross off any one syllable word that can become a common three syllable word if a single letter is added somewhere to the word: RODE - becomes RODEO CAME - beceomes CAMEO SMILE - becomes SIMILE IDES - becomes IDEAS 6. Several of the remaining words in each column have something in common regarding an achievement. Cross off all of those words: [SPOILER]Kentucky Derby winners: VAGRANT (1876) SPOKANE (1889) CHANT (1894) AGILE (1905) MERIDIAN (1911) WORTH (1912) REGRET (1915) OMAHA (1935) PENSIVE (1944) ASSAULT (1946) PONDER (1949) DETERMINE (1954) SWAPS (1955) ORB (2013) [/SPOILER]7. Cross off both words when any of the remaining words are anagrams of each other: DISEASE - SEASIDE GALLERY - LARGELY PIRATES - TRAIPSE GERANIUMS - MEASURING Note that this assumes that none of the anagrams were crossed off earlier, in which case the remaining word might be part of the solution. Here are the words I have left: [SPOILER]LAMP WING GRAPH GLAND HURRY TREE JOKES SPIN YACHTS SAD KNEW TRUTH RESEARCH PAY MANGE [/SPOILER] ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/10 "2015-04-20T20:33:21Z")
The answer is: [SPOILER]KNEW + WING + GLAND + PAY + TREE + YACHTS New England Patriots - rather appropriate, considering that the NFL schedule will be announced this week and traditionally the Super Bowl champions play the first game (on Thursday of the first week)[/SPOILER] 1. Cross off any two words in the same column that can be anagrammed together to form the name of a former U.S. President (first and last names): HOGGING + STONEWARE = GEORGE WASHINGTON RWANDA + HERRING = WARREN HARDING GLANCED + REVOLVER = GROVER CLEVELAND LAMP + JOKES = JAMES POLK MANTRA + HURRY = HARRY TRUMAN RESEARCH + TRUTH = CHESTER ARTHUR 2. Cross off any word which can become the name of a common fruit if one letter is changed to a different letter: PEACE - becomes PEACH GRANGE - becomes ORANGE GRAPH - becomes GRAPE TIME - becomes LIME APPLY - becomes APPLE FIN - becomes FIG MANGE - becomes MANGO 3. Cross off any word that can become the name of a country if a single letter is added somewhere to the word: BELIE - becomes BELIZE HAD - becomes CHAD TOGA - becomes TONGA SPIN - becomes SPAIN RAN - becomes IRAN CHIN - becomes CHINA CUB - becomes CUBA TOO - becomes TOGO MALT - becomes MALTA 4. Cross off any word that can become another common word if a “QU” doublet is added somewhere to the word: ART - becomes QUART AIL - becomes QUAIL ALMS - becomes QUALMS PIE - becomes PIQUE SIRE - becomes SQUIRE SEAL - becomes SQUEAL ILL - becomes QUILL 5. Cross off any one syllable word that can become a common three syllable word if a single letter is added somewhere to the word: RODE - becomes RODEO CAME - beceomes CAMEO SMILE - becomes SIMILE IDES - becomes IDEAS 6. Several of the remaining words in each column have something in common regarding an achievement. Cross off all of those words: [SPOILER]Kentucky Derby winners: VAGRANT (1876) SPOKANE (1889) CHANT (1894) AGILE (1905) MERIDIAN (1911) WORTH (1912) REGRET (1915) OMAHA (1935) PENSIVE (1944) ASSAULT (1946) PONDER (1949) DETERMINE (1954) SWAPS (1955) ORB (2013)[/SPOILER] 7. Cross off both words when any of the remaining words are anagrams of each other: DISEASE - SEASIDE GALLERY - LARGELY PIRATES - TRAIPSE GERANIUMS - MEASURING I have one word left over: SAD, which is a one-syllable word, so I have a feeling it’s a Clue 5 word ---
**Author:** ![kk\_fusion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kk_fusion/32/15276_2.png) [@kk\_fusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kk_fusion)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/11 "2015-04-20T20:38:25Z")
squad ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/12 "2015-04-20T20:41:48Z")
> [@kk\_fusion](#): > > squad Of course - I keep pronouncing it like it rhymed with “sad” for some reason. And here’s a hint about what the words in Clue 6 have in common: I don’t know about Queen Elizabeth, but certainly her late mother would have been interested ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/13 "2015-04-20T20:52:55Z")
Well done! Well done! I resisted the urge to post any more hints because I thought someone might just come through without help. Faith is rewarded! Awesome work on a very tough puzzle, **That Don Guy**. [spoiler] HM Queen Elizabeth II attended the Kentucky Derby in 2007. [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/14 "2015-04-20T21:52:26Z")
The OP said at least one word in each column would be eliminated by each clue. I got stuck on finding the fruit in column 2, and unless I missed it, it hasn’t been mentioned in any of the spoilers. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/15 "2015-04-20T22:03:15Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > The OP said at least one word in each column would be eliminated by each clue. I got stuck on finding the fruit in column 2, and unless I missed it, it hasn’t been mentioned in any of the spoilers. **TonySinclair** , you are absolutely right. I apologize. I had “DEMON” and replaced it with “ASSAULT” at the last minute. Grr… And I tried so hard to avoid errors. Rats. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2015, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/16 "2015-04-20T22:39:34Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > **TonySinclair** , you are absolutely right. I apologize. I had “DEMON” and replaced it with “ASSAULT” at the last minute. Grr… And I tried so hard to avoid errors. Rats. No worries; it’s an excellent puzzle, among the best I’ve seen in a fairly long life of enjoying puzzles like this. And I no longer have enough hair to pull some out in frustration. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rhodes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhodes/32/273_2.png) [@Rhodes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhodes)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/puzzle-cross-off-words-as-the-clues-eliminate-them-what-is-left/718045/17 "2015-04-21T00:17:41Z")
Got it! Clue 1 took a while to go thru the list of presidents. And 6 was the hardest. I never would have guessed it without googling a couple dozen combinations of the remaining words.