Word Power Quiz: Can You Define These Common Crossword Puzzle Answers?
These crossword puzzle answers will be familiar to anyone who solves puzzles regularly, but do you know what they actually mean? Put your vocabulary to the test by matching the word with its proper definition.
Crossword Puzzle Answers Quiz
What does aria refer to?
A: Plot of land
B: Circle of refracted sky visible to underwater divers
C: Opera song for one accompanied voice
Answer: C—Opera song for one accompanied voice
As in, “On days when she awoke in a cheery mood, Lesley would sing arias from L’elisir d’amore in the shower.”
What does erne refer to?
A: Tall vase on a pedestal
B: Sea eagle
C: White fur made from ermine
Answer: B—Sea eagle
As in, “An erne snatched a fish from just under the water’s surface.”
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What does tsar refer to?
A: Emperor of Russia
B: Traitor
C: Successful entrepreneur
Answer: A—Emperor of Russia
As in, “DNA from living relatives was used to authenticate the suspected remains of Tsar Nicholas II.”
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What does nib refer to?
A: Small gold nugget
B: Mug handle
C: Point of a pen
Answer: C—Point of a pen
As in, “The secret to Derrick’s elegant handwriting was a fountain pen with a flexible nib.”
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What does ire refer to?
A: Distaste
B: Envy
C: Anger
Answer: C—Anger
As in, “The decision to make Parade Avenue a pedestrian-only street drew a mixture of praise and ire from citizens.”
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What does ecru refer to?
A: Light beige
B: Espresso foam
C: Sourdough starter leftover after baking
Answer: A—Light beige
As in, “Andrea convinced her landlord to let her add some colour to her apartment’s ecru walls.”
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What does ilia refer to?
A: Bacteria capable of causing sickness
B: Large bones in the upper half of the pelvis
C: Ear-shaped seashell
Answer: B—Large bones in the upper half of the pelvis
As in, “Sylvia fractured both her ilia by falling off her motorcycle.”
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What does arid refer to?
A: Very dry
B: Void of air
C: Solid as a rock
Answer: A—Very dry
As in, “Having moved to an arid climate, Vikram opted not to waste water on a lawn.”
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What does pica refer to?
A: Tiny fish used to exfoliate feet
B: Craving to eat substances that aren’t foods
C: Hot pepper
Answer: B—Craving to eat substances that aren’t foods
As in, “Young kids aren’t usually diagnosed with pica because it’s normal for them to chew on everything.”
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What does nard refer to?
A: Person with an intense interest in a topic
B: Narcotics officer
C: Aromatic Himalayan plant
Answer: C—Aromatic Himalayan plant
As in, “Nard is mentioned in the Bible as an erotic scent.”
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What does stoa refer to?
A: Guard who remains immobile so long as there’s no threat
B: Covered walkway supported by evenly spaced columns
C: Unit of 100 soldiers
Answer: B—Covered walkway supported by evenly spaced columns
As in, “The Stoa Poikile (“painted stoa”) of ancient Athens featured illustrations of battles.”
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What does eke refer to?
A: Frighten someone without intending to
B: Sneak past someone
C: Make something last by using it frugally
Answer: C—Make something last by using it frugally
As in, “Lucie eked out her remaining funds until her late paycheque finally arrived.”
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What does etui refer to?
A: Accusation of betrayal
B: Musical composition for improving finger dexterity
C: Small ornamental case
Answer: C—Small ornamental case
As in, “Xuejiao kept sewing needles and a thimble in an antique inlay etui.”
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What does épée refer to?
A: Fencing sword with a bowl-shaped guard
B: French epic
C: Lace on the shoulder of a gown
Answer: A—Fencing sword with a bowl-shaped guard
As in, “Paralympian épée fencers wear metal-lined aprons over their legs and wheelchairs.”
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What does ode refer to?
A: Lyric poem that addresses its subject in an irregular metre
B: Ambiguous prophecy whose meaning is understood only in retrospect
C: Song that laments a death
Ode: A—Lyric poem that addresses its subject in an irregular metre
As in, “Pablo Neruda wrote odes to such commonplace objects as his socks, an onion and a bar of soap.”
Ready to put these crossword puzzle answers into play? Here are 20 printable crossword puzzles to get you started.
