Word play, a la Will Shortz

[twickster]

I’ve got a Will Shortz Puzzle-A-Day calendar, and yesterday’s stumped me. Here 'tis:

@Will Shortz

If the word POND were an adjective, the comparative form would be PONDER. If EARN were an adjective, the superlative would be EARNEST. Think of a familiar four-letter word that can have either -ER or -EST added to the end to make a new word unrleated in meaning to the original. All three words are uncapitalized. Bouns hint" the original four-letter word is an informal term.

[Zeldar]

Just to clarify, does it have both the -er and -est endings?

[twickster]

Yes. XXXX is a word, XXXXER is a word, and XXXXEST is a word, with no two of those words related to any other.

[Zeldar]

There are almost too many words ending in -er that have no relation to the word they might be a comparative to, like mother, proper, jumper, etc., but the difficulty (as I assume you have found) is getting -est words to do that to the same root. In fact, I’m having trouble with the -est thing altogether.

Here’s a joke reply: count. You have to misspell the -est part.

[Sunshine_and_Smiles]

I was tempted (ha!) to say “temp” but then I realized that that really doesn’t count as a word on its own.

[Thudlow_Boink]

@Sunshine and Smiles

I was tempted (ha!) to say “temp” but then I realized that that really doesn’t count as a word on its own.

I’ll bet that’s it, since “temp” is indeed an informal term (to refer to a temporary employee).

[Zeldar]

@Thudlow Boink

I’ll bet that’s it, since “temp” is indeed an informal term (to refer to a temporary employee).

Good point. It gets my vote.

[twickster]

Sunshine and Smiles shoots – and scores!

Congrats, that was it!

[Sunshine_and_Smiles]

@twickster

Sunshine and Smiles shoots – and scores!

Congrats, that was it!

Well, that’s a surprisingly satisfying way to start my day. Alright!