Eureka!

by Walker Royce

  Jane’s bathroom was off-limits until the plumber showed up Monday.

  I can still remember my father singing We Shall Overcome.

  His anniversary gift included candles, tickets for Neil Diamond, flowers, and wine.

  A great pub must have a billiard room, a dart board, and good draught beer.

  She can even study in a noisy dormitory with her headphones on.

  I wrenched my back on a trampoline at the local gymnasium.

  After a good tongue-lashing, Oscar let the young punk go free.

  We lounged around on the lanai for three hours doing crosswords.

  PUZZLE 25. A THESPIAN’S PROMO

  Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains multiple hidden elements. 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 32 hidden elements in the sentences and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

  • Anagram the title into a more appropriate three-word title.

  The chairman of the yearbook committee then looked into each estimate.

  I sent a warm telegram asking them to surface their issues by March.

  The artful whippet leapt high and pulled ahead with some flash in the last lap.

  Slipping horribly, the delivery truck needed four-wheel drive in the brown ice.

  Local frogs should eradicate the snails but they also lessen the flies.

  PUZZLE 26. A PRIX FIXE MENU OF ZEROS

  Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains three related hidden elements. Together, the 21 elements form an obvious pattern or connection to a common theme. The three elements in each sentence also form a triplet that is a distinct subtheme. 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.

  • Discover three hidden elements in each sentence and the subtheme that binds each sentence’s subtheme together.

  • One of the three theme words in each sentence identifies a numeric position in each sentence. Extract the letter in the specified position from each sentence. Anagram the seven letters into a word that hints at the theme.

  Twelve studies were published on the topic of adult literacy.

  A gigantic production anomaly was due to an inexcusable human error.

  Alex, the CTO, demanded the big incentives, but would he fund them?

  Ski lodge three has serviced millions of customers since it opened in 1990.

  Good cops weigh teenaged offenders, check them for gang tattoos, and examine their records.

  Don decided to bake a low-calorie, homemade cake from scratch using honey instead of sugar.

  We teamed with MIT to study some galaxies that emit six distinct bands of microwave radiation.

  PUZZLE 27. SIGNATURES

  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.

  The hurricane-force wind was unyielding for more than two hours.

  Two stopovers were needed to get home from Tokyo.

  Ice storms force us to drive with reduced speed, limited visibility, and caution on slick roads.

  The accident happened very fast, and none of the dead endured any pain.

  There was no park in Grenoble that would allow dogs.

  We do not entertain guests in our back patio very often.

  Pushing youngsters into the pool is the wrong way to teach them to swim.

  Many men work in garages without proper ventilation for painting or welding.

  The blue team emerged victorious after the hard-fought game.

  She has gone way past my threshold of tolerance for nosiness and gossip.

  PUZZLE 28. IT IS QUANTIT Y, NOT QUALITY

  Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains multiple hidden elements. Together, the elements form an obvious pattern and connection to a common subtheme. The subtheme of each sentence is different and, along with all the hidden elements, relates to a larger theme. The title is a subtle hint to the overall theme.

  To solve this puzzle, you need to:

  • Find the theme hidden in each sentence and the multiple hidden elements connected to that theme within each sentence. The number of hidden elements in each sentence is indicated by the italicized word in the sentence.

  Since I am on the second shift for four weeks in a row, my bedtime will be very early.

  After five p.m., I will slip into the bar, relax with some literature, turn the volume of the music up, and have a cordial.

  “Tonight’s boxing program is a five-part slugfest,” expounded the overweight announcer.

  “Oh, my!” I swatted five revolting termites laying eggs in the damp wood next to the electric panel.

  Beleaguered by a light year of rain in Darfur, long-distance racers ran eight miles in choking dust over some terrible military trails with bad footing.

  PUZZLE 29. FREE BIRD

  Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains two hidden elements that go together in a certain way. Combined, the pairs of 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 two hidden elements in each sentence and deduce the connection between those elements and the theme that binds together the 25 pairs of elements.

  Blindfolded and facing the piñata, the young boy raised his bat.

  Solidified magma becomes black and porous volcanic rock.

  Straight ahead, we could see the canyon narrow.

  Hardly anyone had dry eyes as Lou Gehrig walked off the diamond.

  Stiffness in her back caused her to be tentative on the diving board.

  White House offcials had selected the wrong host.

  Neatly avoiding two defenders, Michael Jordan went up for a tap-in.

  Strong odors were coming from the old icebox.

  Wisecracks from a witty comedian can make an audience howl.

  Sickened by his friend’s death, he went for a meditative walk with his dog.

  Slippery, icy roads need to be driven with both hands on the wheel.

  Tough acrylic polishes protected her fingernails.

  Tightly strung and close to losing his temper, he pondered his conundrum.

  Cleaning out his top drawer, he finally found his dog whistle.

  Thinking out loud, I talked to myself and walked on down the trail.

  Clearing my throat and prepared for rejection, I rang her doorbell.

  Highlighting the parade was a spectacular float with a young boy flying a kite.

  Sober alcoholics are easy to misjudge.

  Simple Simon is a nursery rhyme about a man obsessed with pie.

  Crazy outlaws and lawmen gathered at the town saloon.

  Pretty soon, his ex-wife would be completely out of the picture.

  Smarting from the insult, she snidely replied, “How hip.”

  Cut each shirt collar so there is room for a button.

  Dry towels were used to shine up the old trombone.

  Lightning struck the mugger just before he threw a knife at her.

  PUZZLE 30. MY ACORNS

  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 have uncovered the hidden element, put the phrases in the correct order.

  • Determine the subtle connection to the title.

  Email is getting harder to handle.

  No one thinks Florida is red-state territory.

  Boston educators firmly opposed reading essays that had included religious dogma.

  Any fool that eats raw fish is fortunate to hurl.

  Did Elvis always drink liquor after screen tests?

  Senior engineers verified each new test harness.

  Fortunately, our uncle remained totally healthy.

  Shareholders elected company officers next door.

  After failing to enjoy recreational therapy, he is remarkably dull.

  PUZZLE 31. UNBIASED MEDIATOR’S PRONOUNCEMENTS

  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.

  • Construct a multi-word anagram using the last letter of each sentence and determine how it relates to the title and the theme.

  The bank’s safe was in a vault and protected by an alarm.

  First, we went outside to breathe in Hawaii’s beauty.

  Wave interference occurs when two waves collide in a medium.

  John Wooden hosted this year’s charity ball for UCLA alumni.

  Obstruction of justice is a common charge for a politician.

  Leon was so high on heroin, he didn’t recognize you.

  Insider trading was under intense scrutiny at the SEC.

  Red, yellow, and orange decorations were brought out in the Fall.

  The Who would play their rock operas with a supporting orchestra.

  The referee called a low blow on the boxer in red trunks.

  The union decided to strike three weeks before the end of the year.

  She was home, running on her treadmill, when she got the call.

  Hunting is allowed if you are out of the game reserve.

  This is the first time we got no hits searching on the web.

  Police suspected foul play and cordoned off the area.

  The ducks were over a pumpkin field flying east toward Maine.

  We balked at their second offer, and they adjusted their price up.

  With six strikes in seven frames, she was feeling energized.

  Auburn hair and fair skin are common among people from Latvia.

  PUZZLE 32. TOTALLY IRRATIONAL

  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 an almost complete set.

  • Determine the one missing element. This will help you determine the connection with the title.

  The stage hands were the first to find the emergency exit.

  She talked and talked about nothing but mystery novels.

  Every paraplegic aches to walk again under their own power.

  Each missile was housed inside a deep silo north of Offutt AFB.

  The talent show included several age-old dance acts.

  Both ankles have to be taped before each game.

  Democrats did not want to freeze tax rates in an election year.

  Most authors are outwardly egocentric and proud of it.

  Even with dry clothes on, we still felt chilled.

  Her scalp has developed a dry, itchy rash.

  Later, after 30 painful push-ups, I longed for a long nap.

  His luck apparently ran out when he rolled that last seven.

  Locals started to riot after the touchy incident at ground zero.

  That USDA choice leg of lamb dangled from Fido’s mouth.

  The beast let out a deep sigh and vanished into the night.

  The defendant replied, “I am innocent, Your Honor.”

  The lab tech measured the width to be exactly two microns.

  An amalgam made of Ag and Hg is used in most dental fillings.

  You must be a math whiz to solve that puzzle.

  The third keynote address introduced the six-sigma quality model.

  The weather prediction model takes two hours to compute.

  Memphis is the home of traditional southern BBQ.

  UCLA home games are played in the Rose Bowl.

  PUZZLE 33. THIS HOUND AMUSED SICK PEOPLE

  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.

  • Construct an anagram using the first letter of each sentence and determine how it relates to the title and the theme.

  Lunch consisted of salad and pizza made with garlicky dough.

  Out beyond the reef was a stealthy manta ray.

  Most of yesterday’s mail was for me.

  An obese comedian bellowed a huge guffaw.

  Violet taught her children to sew.

  I have never broken the law.

  Four p.m. is the best time for afternoon tea.

  Penny wanted a brand-new hair-do.

  At night we sang around the campfire.

  Predictably, the native New Yorkers preferred the lean pastrami.

  Roaming the fields, the bison grazed on alfalfa.

  The lightweight umbrella used for shade on sunny days is known as a parasol.

  No event had generated so much hoopla.

  Yesterday, we ate baked ziti.

  PUZZLE 34. SNOOP DOG’S AMIGO

  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 below and deduce the theme that binds those elements together as a set.

  Joe Biden already owned a cocker spaniel and four basset hounds.

  Country music with banjoes, jugs, and fiddles provided the ambiance for eating crawfish.

  Ten years later, aftershocks of the market crash were still being felt.

  Johnny Carson resided at 200 Amber Lane in Malibu during the wintertime.

  We all sat quietly through the unpleasant analysis of business trends.

  The recipe called for canned tomatoes and garlic simmered over low heat.

  We were so grateful that the landlord had installed two new deadbolts.

  Curiously, the accused and the victim’s family came to court stoned.

  The thousand people who signed the petition needed to be verified as voters.

  The wedding band contained a two-carat emerald and four small diamonds.

  Bing Crosby still seemed unashamed of himself and his spoiled youngsters.

  Jefferson City airport’s runways could not handle an airplane as big as a 747.

  It is bad luck in Africa to squish a banana with your foot.

  The blood oranges we ate made us sick, and we broke into tears.

  PUZZLE 35. AARDVARKS DON’T BUZZ

  Consider the following list of grammatically correct short sentences. Each sentence contains two hidden elements. Together, one of these elements forms an obvious pattern or connection t
o a common theme. The other hidden element forms a different pattern or connection to another theme. So you are looking for two strings of hidden elements relating to two different and somewhat opposite themes. The title is a subtle hint for both themes.

  To solve this puzzle, you need to:

  • Discover two different sets of the hidden elements in the sentences below and deduce the themes that bind those elements together.

  • Determine the connection between the title and the hidden elements.

  Our foes were powerless as we smashed through their defenses.

  They stoned the prisoner before authorities could restore sanity.

  It was high time that we made a decision.

  The GIs were searching fearlessly, with their rifles loaded.

  Feeling no pain anymore, he was admitted to another hospital.

  The new walls were entirely ready to be plastered.

  We humbly asked to get paid under the table.

  I made a list and then hammered home the main point.

  If she amends the document, his effort will have been wasted.

  Our inventory was low as our business tanked.

  We turned to prayer and meditation as the planes bombed us.

  The flag was ripped but could still carry the message to our troops.

  PUZZLE 36. L AND SHARK

  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.

  • Put the sentences in their proper order based on the hidden theme. One of the sentences has no defined position, so put it last.

  • Once the sentences are in the proper order, the first letter of the first sentence, the second letter of the second sentence, and so on up to the sixteenth letter of the sixteenth sentence, will provide a clear explanation of the theme and help you make sense of the title.