by Walker Royce
Turn the page to see the answer.
In Puzzle 14, the theme is two words hidden in each sentence. Each sentence has a compass direction (north, south, east, west) embedded as a hidden string and the more common word (up, down, right, left) aligned with the compass direction. The connection to the title is that the first letters of the compass directions can be anagrammed into the word news.
If the Red Sox win or the Yankees lose, we move up in the standings.
John’s outhouse was thirty meters down past his garage.
They were astounded by how right he had been all along.
We left the brand new establishment with a poor first impression.
Here is a final example where the elements are less obvious.
PUZZLE 15. NOISEMAKERS
Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains two hidden elements. Together, the 24 hidden elements pertain to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.
To solve this puzzle, you need to:
• Discover the two related hidden elements in each sentence and the theme that binds these sentences together as a set.
The fishing ban jolted the ecology, and the amoebas soon overpopulated the pond.
It was an odd story about three homeless hoboes involved in a love triangle.
Ensnared in the trap was the young wolf that escaped from the Alaska zoo.
The unorganized, impromptu barbecues were the highlight of the summer.
To enhance their flavor, the ravioli needed some sharp Parmesan.
No audit violations occurred in the transaxle assembly unit.
Zigzagging among the rose’s thorns, the bug left a distinct trail.
The university chancellor stated that he too was a thespian once.
After she turned the charm on, I carefully moved in to sit around the fire.
Across a wide spectrum, Pete set the bar for blue ribbon gossip.
The last topic Colonel Smith presented was the effectiveness of flu tests.
The woman doling out the mixed rum drinks at the bar was quite effcient.
Turn the page for a hint to get you started.
In the noisemaker puzzle, the hidden elements are all musical instruments. See if you can now find all 24 of them.
These three examples of eureka puzzles should give you the general idea. The themes of the puzzles that follow are very diverse. Keep these observations in mind as you try to solve them:
• A funny sentence structure or odd word usage is usually a good place to start looking.
• These puzzles are exercising your observation skills. Look for word connections, words within words, patterns of sounds, or patterns of syllables or phrases.
• For many of the puzzles, you need to get outside your normal frame of reference and observe the words and structures from a different perspective.
• Read the instructions carefully. They sometimes contain other clues that will help you adjust your perspective and achieve a complete solution.
• There are some meager hints at the end of this Appendix, if you are looking for a nudge in the right direction.
• The best way to solve these puzzles is with a group of people. You should find that brainstorming leads to solutions more quickly, with multiple people barking out what they see. These puzzles were created to demonstrate that a group, with diverse perspectives, can reach a solution more rapidly than a single person.
• The puzzles start off requiring very basic knowledge. They are ordered so that they are successively more difficult (although my estimation of difficulty may not coincide with yours). Most can be understood and solved by children over 10 years old. A few of the later puzzles require high school knowledge, and a few may be biased toward baby boomer knowledge of popular culture.
PUZZLE 16. CREDIT, GREETING, ST. LOUIS, BUSINESS, UNION?
Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.
To solve this puzzle, you need to:
• Discover the hidden elements and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.
We sold an antique end table.
His kids begged for a clubhouse.
We need a person in each role.
Her face was scarred, but she was beautiful.
Little deuce coupe referred to a 1932 Ford model B coupe.
The dog could hear the high pitch, but not us.
Sneaking in stealthily, he tiptoed.
Sometimes an amusing joke reflects reality.
Some of our team left before the end.
The sixties were downright wild.
Christmas Eve never lasts long enough.
A diamond is a rhombus but not always square.
Freight trains carried hobos at night.
A mud wasp adeptly constructed a multi-hole nest.
If I veered right, I could avoid the wreck.
There is not enough time left.
In the theatre, you want to put your mobile phone on vibrate.
She hit the jackpot right after me.
PUZZLE 17. OLD AND NEW
Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains two hidden elements that are related. Together, the two elements from each sentence form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.
To solve this puzzle, you need to:
• Discover the two hidden elements and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.
Every mark on the map specified a new job site.
None of the other radio acts was as good as Amos and Andy.
Elected in 1856, James Buchanan was President at the genesis of the Civil War.
Samuel Morse’s revelation of the telegraph was a breakthrough.
The celebrity judges included Dr. Ruth and Magic Johnson.
A young Luke Skywalker joins the Jedi exodus from the rebel alliance.
The musical numbers included one Peter Frampton song.
Many old proverbs were first coined by the Romans.
The song Hey Jude was about John Lennon’s son.
PUZZLE 18. MINIMUM VOCATION
Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.
To solve this puzzle, you need to:
• Discover the hidden elements and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.
The jury’s decision was a foregone conclusion.
Of all the roles in Winnie the Pooh, I opted to play Eeyore.
In the mountains of Northern India, natural springs are plentiful.
There was increased incidence of asthma in every age group.
It took about a half an hour to reach the summit.
She bought some very feminine bras, Kashmir sweaters, and sheer scarves.
The radio was blaring.
On the very first play of the game, my new jersey was covered in mud.
Farmers were the primary landowners in colonial New England.
Out on Boston common, tanagers were singing their dull songs.
She needed the payments spread over months to afford the loan.
She did a horrible job of vacuuming the floor.
The coroner examined the cerebral cortex as the interns watched intently.
The color adobe is a soft, red tone for southwestern décor.
If you really want to know about Uncle Al, ask Aunt Edna.
PUZZLE 19. TEMPT US, FUDGE IT
Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.
To solve this p
uzzle, you need to:
• Discover the hidden elements and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.
• Construct a 19-letter anagram, relating to the theme, using the first letter of each sentence.
Each salmon thrashed upstream against the current.
Every weekend brought a new reason to binge.
Even sugary raisins tantalized the mice into the trap.
Earlier, she had promised to lease me stereo equipment.
For every action, there was an equal and opposite reaction.
I led a decadent life of excess and drugs.
Immediately after missionaries settled the coast, there was growth.
It was a minute lens scratch that marred the photo.
Mom entertained the kids while dad napped.
Next, he raised his arms over his head.
Nobody could teach our children better than Alice.
None of my early childhood friends were at the reunion.
Nora’s horse placed second by a nose.
Outside, a bearded bum begged for a quarter.
She had to raise a son on her own.
The only way to go was up and to the left.
They put forth their best effort, night after night.
Tiger Woods drove up in a Buick Century.
Up until yesterday, the situation seemed to make sense.
PUZZLE 20. A HEFT Y MONOLOG POEM
Across ten states, a few oceans and seas this Eureka puzzle has strange properties A thimble or a cannon can be forged from iron ore as can railroads that travel from Ohio to Baltimore Travel around and make twenty sawbucks each trip in a wheelbarrow, a car or even a battleship You might see a dog with a shoe or a hat while you work hard to become a rich fat cat This monolog poem is hefty with many a clue so the puzzle below is simpler to do.
Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains multiple hidden elements that form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. To solve this puzzle, you need to:
• Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.
• Determine the single missing element.
• Determine an anagram of the title that defines this puzzle’s theme.
The General Electric Company sponsored deep-water workshops to research coastal wind energy.
From North Carolina to Pennsylvania, we drove through hundreds of miles of calm pacific wilderness.
We have cruised on the Baltic, the Adriatic, and the Mediterranean seas.
Good oriental cuisine was hard to find along Interstate 91 from Derby Line, Vermont to New Haven Connecticut.
It cost James only $10 to see Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie in a New York theater in 1945.
The final four teams included Illinois, Duke, Indiana, and Kentucky.
I read in GQ magazine that Sal Bando’s son was a surprisingly short linebacker who now lived in Scranton Pennsylvania.
The Titanic was designed and built to circumvent North Atlantic icebergs.
The planning board walked briskly to the parking lot when the meeting adjourned.
The newest Charles Schwab office opened in West Virginia and specialized in large estates.
PUZZLE 21. YULETIDE EUPHORIA
Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.
To solve this puzzle, you need to:
• Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.
• Determine the one missing element in the context of this theme, alluded to by the title.
Evading the wild animals was critical to survive.
Armed guards were needed to control the crowd in the bar.
Cubic zirconium is now a primary export of Iraq.
Wise men know how to avoid sounding silly.
You just can’t ignore the specialties on this menu.
Delayed flights heading west had trouble making up time in the strong wind.
Effortlessly, the fleet deer evaded the wounded wolf.
HIV rates across the world have not reduced by that much.
Elbow grease was a necessity to break the lug nuts from the wheel.
Jade stones were used to line the entry to the Taj.
Empty pages made up over half the photo album.
Entire villages were wiped out by the tsunami that hit southern Japan.
Pizza kitchens flourished in the suburban buildup.
Vehicle sales skyrocketed after advertisements were seen on TV.
Zenith set television standards with a display refresh rate of 60 hertz.
Seeing her enjoy his gift made him feel even more romantic.
Estate sales have blossomed in these troubled times.
Before long, the baby would outgrow its crib.
Cane sugar is cheaper to refine and transport in bulk.
Exhausted, the marathon runner entered the arena for the final lap’s climax.
Island natives were the best guides on the bus and boat tours of Hawaii.
Jeeps could not make it up the steep, rutty hill without slipping.
Oval shapes dominated the op art displayed above the piano.
Ace Ventura had never seen a pet ape from Africa.
Teaching hospitals provide the best experience for a medical student.
PUZZLE 22. THREE FOR A QUARTER
Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint, but probably too subtle to understand the connection until you have discovered the common theme.
To solve this puzzle, you need to:
• Discover the hidden elements in the sentences below and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.
• Determine the one element that does not fit the theme perfectly.
After the markets close at 4 p.m., the local bars around Wall Street get very busy.
Husbands and wives were sleeping in separate beds until the late 1960s.
In the race for mayor, the independent candidate led the early polls by over 10 points.
Janitorial costs had risen 11% in the past year.
I think it was 1964 when Julie Andrews won the Oscar for best actress.
Mom wore an apron only once a year, when cooking Thanksgiving dinner.
Most of today’s big action movies are augmented with computer-generated 3D imagery.
My prolific younger brother has just published his sixth romance novel.
Next February, the Super Bowl will be held in Dallas for the first time ever.
The ratio of frequencies of two musical notes one octave apart is 2:1.
We thoroughly assessed both of the options before we made our decision.
My son searched through four junk yards before he found a 1970 VW bus.
PUZZLE 23. ATL AS STARS
Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element and a reference to a country. Together, the hidden elements and the countries mentioned in each sentence form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.
To solve this puzzle, you need to:
• Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.
• Determine the connection between the hidden elements and the country references.
In ancient Greece, athletes competed in the decathlon donned in the colors of their flag.
Most of the Italian parishioners were appalled at the priest’s non-traditional opinions.
Filipino casinos lost thousands of customers when Macao legalized gambling.
&
nbsp; Grandfather’s untimely death ensured a long, drawn-out legal battle for his German estate.
Number lines help Vietnamese students visualize the continuum of integers.
It is rare to find a Norwegian child that enjoys eating Brussels sprouts.
The French celebrate New Year’s Eve with a noisy outburst at the stroke of midnight.
After listening to the wry wit of the Canadian funnyman, I laughed hysterically.
The Polish labor union decided to take a big risk and boycott a wage freeze.
Our Belgian tent provided a safe haven from the mosquitoes and the wind.
The girl from Ecuador was runner-up in the Miss World pageant.
Veterans of the Revolutionary War saw the English withdraw from the colonies with honor.
PUZZLE 24. AKA DR. BLACK
Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains a hidden element. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The title is a subtle hint.
To solve this puzzle, you need to:
• Discover the hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.
• Once you know the theme, deduce the three missing elements.
• Determine how the title relates to the deceased subject of the theme.
A forensic CPA presented a community property balance sheet.
In our ballroom dance class we learned rumba, tango, waltz, and etiquette.
Most red-blooded Americans eat hot dogs with catsup, mustard, and relish.
Kent honed his bowie knife until it was razor-sharp.
Rose rented a studio with a small kitchenette and a Murphy bed.
Raytheon’s executive dining room was reserved for the big-wigs.
A flywheel must revolve real fast without the slightest wobble.
The Red Sox held their team banquet at the JFK Library.
Let’s avoid a formal presentation and do a whiteboard discussion.
Pine, spruce, and cedar are coniferous, aromatic evergreen trees.