# Wordplay

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 1, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888 "2008-01-01T16:34:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888/1 "2008-01-01T16:34:05Z")

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The first list of the new year!

As always – either put your answer in spoilers, or just add a few items to the list, so those who come along more than five minutes from now can play as well.

What do all of the following words have in common?

EARN  
CREPT  
THEME  
TOE  
COPE  
GRAVE  
GROOVE  
DEAD  
KINDLE  
POLICE  
GEM  
EON  
SHE  
CITE  
MANE  
RUBE

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**Author:** ![Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/48db29/32.png) [@Key\_Lime\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Key_Lime_Guy)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888/2 "2008-01-01T16:37:33Z")

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RANGE  
DODGE

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**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888/3 "2008-01-01T16:38:48Z")

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Ear  
Rose  
Travel

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888/4 "2008-01-01T16:49:15Z")

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**Key Lime Guy** : Yes.  
**olivesmarch4th** : No.

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**Author:** ![3acresandatruck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/e79b87/32.png) [@3acresandatruck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3acresandatruck)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888/5 "2008-01-01T17:37:15Z")

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store  
cone

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**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888/6 "2008-01-01T19:59:00Z")

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They’re all in capitals? 😃

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**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888/7 "2008-01-01T20:23:11Z")

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Beast  
Folk  
Poke  
Clan (in more ways than one!)  
Gram

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888/8 "2008-01-01T22:52:24Z")

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**3acresandatruck** : Yes.  
**Quartz** : true, but irrelevant, as you know.  
**Sternvogel** : Not exactly. I think you’re on the right track, but it’s not as random as you seem to think it is.

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**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888/9 "2008-01-01T22:54:55Z")

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You can replace the E with a Y and it will still be a valid English word

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**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888/10 "2008-01-01T23:29:14Z")

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**cmkeller** ’s guess is correct.

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**Author:** ![FloatyGimpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/floatygimpy/32/7750_2.png) [@FloatyGimpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloatyGimpy)\
**Post date:** [January 1, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wordplay/431888/11 "2008-01-01T23:34:21Z")

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Bust?

Almost, I see now.