Puzzles and Riddles

Eight words for the joy of a puzzle, and the fun of figuring it out.

Meet each word one at a time, then take the quiz to lock them in.

1. 1 riddle noun
2. 2 mystery noun
3. 3 puzzle verb
4. 4 solve verb
5. 5 tricky adjective
6. 6 keen adjective
7. 7 suddenly adverb
8. 8 sharply adverb

Nelson's word

noun

Riddle. A noun. I file it under a tricky question you solve for fun. It hides its answer on purpose, then dares you to find it. What has hands but cannot clap? A clock. That is a riddle. Some riddles rhyme, and some do not, but every one holds a secret. When a friend says, I have a riddle for you, get ready to think. State it precisely: a riddle is a puzzle made of words.

Gramma told us a riddle about a river that has no water.

Nelson's word

noun

Mystery. A noun, and one I file with care. It names something not yet known, a thing that begs to be explained. Who left the muddy footprints? Where did the noise come from? Those are mysteries until someone finds the answer. A mystery is not scary; it is a question waiting for its truth. When a book is called a mystery, it holds a secret, and it hands you the clues one by one. Keep this one filed close: a mystery is what we do not know yet.

The missing lunchbox was a mystery until we found it under the bench.

Vinny's word

verb

Puzzle! As a verb, it means to confuse, to twist a mind into knots until the person cannot figure it out! When the last clue puzzles the class, it stumps them, it stops them cold. That is the verb, and it is mine. But watch out, this word has a secret identity! Sit it in a sentence as a thing, a jigsaw puzzle with a thousand pieces, and now it is a noun, an object you build. Same word, different job. We sort those hats in Practice.

The last clue puzzles the whole class every single time.

Vinny's word

verb

Solve! To crack it wide open, to find the answer at last! When you solve a riddle, you beat it. When the detectives solve the case, they win. That is the verb, and it is a heroic one, because solving takes brains and grit. You gather the clues, you think it through, and then, POW, the answer is yours. A puzzle that no one can solve is just a puzzle; a puzzle you solve is a victory. Learn this word, and every riddle becomes a mountain you can climb.

The detectives solve the case before the sun goes down.

Jake's word

adjective

Tricky. Oh, this one is fun, and it is mine. As an adjective, tricky describes a thing that is hard to do or figure out, the kind that makes you stop and think twice. A tricky riddle, a tricky knot, a tricky question on a test. Its Frown is simple, the thing that is easy from the start. Could we be more specific than saying a puzzle was hard? We could say it was tricky, which means it fools you a little before you win. Same picture, sharper edges.

The riddle was tricky, and it took us all afternoon.

Jake's word

adjective

Keen. An adjective, mine, describing a mind or an eye that is sharp and quick to notice. A keen detective sees the clue that others walk right past. A keen ear catches the whisper in the next room. Its Frown is dull, the eye that misses things. Could we be more specific than saying someone was smart at noticing? We could call them keen, and the reader pictures a person who does not miss a thing. Magnifique.

Her keen eyes spotted the tiny clue on the floor.

Benny's word

adverb

Suddenly. An adverb, and I coach this one hard, because it changes everything in a snap. It means all at once, without warning. You are stuck on a riddle, and then, suddenly, the answer arrives. Hear the shape of it: sudden plus the -ly that turns it into an adverb. Sudden is the surprise; suddenly tells how a thing happens, in a flash. Want your writing to grab a reader? Drop suddenly in front of the surprise, and watch them sit up. You can make any story jump, and this word is how.

Suddenly the answer popped into her head.

Benny's word

adverb

Sharply. An adverb, and a strong one, so let me coach you on it. It means in a quick, clear, cutting way. A teacher speaks sharply when the words come fast and firm. A road turns sharply when it bends hard, not slow. Sharply tells how something is done: with a sharp edge to it. Build it the same way as suddenly, sharp plus -ly. When you want a reader to feel a quick, cutting snap, sharply is your word. Make it sharper, and this is exactly how.

The teacher looked sharply at the class and everyone got quiet.