# What do you call these types of puzzles? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [October 3, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601 "2012-10-03T17:15:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/1 "2012-10-03T17:15:19Z")
They are visual word puzzles. Here’s an example: DEDROWNINGBT Answer: Drowning in Debt Often they will also have words on top or under each other or in different shapes. I like them and would like to find more but not sure what to look for. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/2 "2012-10-03T17:47:27Z")
You mean an anagram? ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/3 "2012-10-03T17:52:19Z")
Rebus, maybe? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/4 "2012-10-03T17:53:00Z")
I’ve heard them called several things, but I don’t know if there’s an official name. Polish IQ test, College IQ test, College entrance exam… Sailor CCCCCCC ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/5 "2012-10-03T18:00:31Z")
Sailor on the seven seas. I had one middle school teacher call them wuzzles (word puzzles) and I’ve seen them called webus (because a rebus is pictures so a webus uses words.). cut the rest ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/6 "2012-10-03T18:03:23Z")
> [@Palooka](#): > > Rebus, maybe? That got me [this fun link](http://www.fun-with-words.com/rebus_puzzles_01.html). This was just awful: O\_ER\_T\_O\_ Painless operation ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Hartwick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@Dave\_Hartwick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Hartwick)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/7 "2012-10-03T18:04:27Z")
I googled “visual word puzzle” and found some sites. One calls them [Dingbats](http://www.kensquiz.co.uk/table-top-quizzes/word-puzzles/dingbats) and there was a series of books called Word Winks. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/8 "2012-10-03T18:10:23Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > cut > the rest A cut above the rest. Myself I’m ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/9 "2012-10-03T18:15:27Z")
I’ve heard them called Wacky Wordies. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/10 "2012-10-03T18:33:42Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > A cut above the rest. > > Myself I’m I’m beside my self. You guys got what I am talking about 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/11 "2012-10-04T02:54:57Z")
I’ve seen them called Whatzits, but I think that’s a trademarked name. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-call-these-types-of-puzzles/636601/12 "2012-10-04T14:27:10Z")
Definitely Dingbats - the Mail on Sunday (UK newspaper) has them on their puzzle page every week. Though quite possibly “Dingbats” is a trademark as well - I’m pretty sure there’s a board game version. ETA: I feel I must point out that I rarely read (much less buy) the Mail on Sunday :).