A note on printing. This file prints with the answers. They are hidden and can be revealed en mass by dragging the mouse over the word areas. Brushing the mouse over the already revealed words gives the answer for just that word based puzzle. To print a dedicated puzzle paper click here.
Real words link by one to another of the same length through changing one letter each time starting from the first given word until the final given word. The competitive element is to do this in as few words as possible. To make one's own puzzle the start and end words must be somehow culturally related.
(From 'More Doublets' in Wakeling, 22 and 67)
| BAT | TEA | MUM | BOAT | NOUN | BOWLER | |
| mat | pea | bum | bolt | noon | bowled | |
| MAN | pet | bud | bold | moon | cowled | |
| POT | dud | bald | morn | cooled | ||
| DAD | bard | more | cooked | |||
| bars | mere | looked | ||||
| OARS | here | locked | ||||
| herb | licked | |||||
| VERB | wicked | |||||
| WICKET | ||||||
| CRY | PLANT | SHIP | FLOUR | LIES | HORSE | OPEN |
| Coy | plans | slip | floor | lees | house | oven |
| cot | plats | slap | flood | fees | rouse | even |
| cut | peats | soap | blood | feet | route | eves |
| OUT | beats | soak | brood | fret | routs | eyes |
| BEANS | sock | broad | free | bouts | dyes | |
| DOCK | BREAD | tree | boats | does | ||
| TRUE | brats | dots | ||||
| brass | dote | |||||
| GRASS | date | |||||
| GATE | ||||||
| CAR | HOAX | JACK | JOE | DINNER | TILES | UNIT |
| can | coax | sack | doe | sinner | tills | knit |
| VAN | coal | sick | die | singer | tells | knot |
| cool | silk | did | linger | sells | knob | |
| FOOL | sill | aid | longer | seals | snob | |
| JILL | and | conger | sears | snub | ||
| ANN | confer | stars | snug | |||
| coffer | stare | slug | ||||
| COFFEE | state | slur | ||||
| SLATE | sour | |||||
| FOUR | ||||||
(Most examples from Wakeling, 22; 67)
Any three or more letters from the previous word links it to any next dictionary word. The links must be different each time and the words must not be of directly related meaning (like a noun followed by its verb etc.). The links go on until the final given word is achieved. The competitive element is to do this in as few links as possible. To make one's own puzzle the start and end words must be somehow culturally related.
(Simplified rules at variance from 'Syzygies' in Wakeling, 35-40)
| KNIFE | DEMAND | SPREAD |
| (nife) | (and) | (read) |
| manifest | candied | readiness |
| (man) | (ied) | (ines) |
| workman | applied | shines |
| (ork) | (ppl) | (shin) |
| FORK | SUPPLY | vanquishing |
| (anqu) | ||
| BANQUET | ||
| COOK | DOG | WALRUS |
| (coo) | (dog) | (wal) |
| scooping | endogen | walker |
| (pin) | (gen) | (alk) |
| pinned | gentry | alkaline |
| (inne) | (ntr) | (line) |
| DINNER | intricate | linear |
| (cat) | (nea) | |
| CAT | neat | |
| (eat) | ||
| BEATLES | ||
Each anagram comes from some of its puzzle words or word according to the clue in its puzzle. The competitive element is speed of completion. Colouring the anagrams differently makes it easier. To make one's own puzzle the clue must make logical sense with the anagram as a whole.
(Adapted rules towards those of the standard crossword from 'Anagrammatic Sonnet' in Wakeling, 35-40)
| Blue dry one | Yonder |
| Breaking story: she won't | Hot news |
| Builder who says, "let's rap." | Plaster |
| Cast in a Carry On | Antics |
| Commonly used? We don't | Wonted |
| Going back to O Forge | Forego |
| I am dry too often to be counted | Myriad |
| I tried to put things away | Tidier |
| I went to tie a cord | Twine |
| Mammal saw eel | Weasel |
| Not raised as yet | Yeast |
| Not to try elm | Myrtle |
| Result of the war | Wreath |
| The wig heavy on the head | Weight |
| To ride through a dangerously populated street | Rioted |
| White and fleecy in Rome | Merino |
| No colour bias to her wit | Whiter |
(Examples adapted from Wakeling, 31; 69)
Wakeling, E. (ed.) (1995), Rediscovered Lewis Carroll Puzzles, New York: Dover Publications, 22, 31, 35-40, 67, 69, 71.