My husband and I play a word game together nearly every day. We do this with a television show that we watch, and take turns giving the clues while we pause the show. Then we watch to see how the celebrities and actual contestants do, compared with our success.
It passes a half hour during breakfast quite nicely and we have a lot of laughs about some of the words and some of the clues – both ours and the ones on the show.
Last week, my dearest husband had a lot of laughs – and all of them at my expense. But, truthfully, he was justified. I was pretty confused.
It all started with the word “inflatable.” I was giving the clues and told him it was “pool toy, blow up.” He guessed “inflate,” “inflates,” “inflated,” and – after my frantic head nodding – “inflation.” It was beyond me to come up with any additional ways to help him (because I didn’t think of saying “Cain’s brother”), so we didn’t get that round. I had run out of time.
When it was my turn to give clues the second time, the words were simply absurd. First of all, I had to get him to say “expiration date.” It took me about ten words (which is nearly all you get), but I finally got it. The very next clue was “Radiohead.”
Well, duh. I don’t even know what that is. Someone who holds a boom box on their shoulder? A square-headed person?
I finally came up with, “television cabeza.”
And he got it!!
It was his turn next, and the second word he was trying to get me to say was the word, “rodeo.” His clue was “Calgary Stampede.” Hmmm.
I started to guess by saying, “Is that where Jesus died?” He shook his head, with a very puzzled look on his face.
Then he added the clue, “horses.” It was my turn to look befuddled.
And then he said, “bulls.”
That didn’t help me at all. There were horses and bulls at the cross? Where were they hiding that tidbit in Sunday School? I think I stumped my hubby with my guesses of “Jesus,” “crucify,” and “cross.” He finally got out “this isn’t my first ____!”
That’s when I finally said “rodeo,” just as time was running out. But I was confused. So I asked him what a rodeo had to do with anything in the Bible.
Matt explained to me that the Calgary Stampede was a rodeo and that the place where Jesus was crucified is called “Calvary.”
“Calvary?” I echoed, puzzled. “I thought that was the army infantry.”
“No,” he explained patiently, “that’s “CAValry. CALvary is the crucifixion site.”
Normally, I’m pretty good with words and when playing word games. But I was totally flummoxed that day and we laughed all the way through the championship round. Which, by the way, included the word “hunch.” I had a hunch we weren’t going to get that one, either.
read it all and loved it as usual – I do a game called word scapes – which gives me cause for alarm that I cannot find the simple four letter words – but as you appropriately said –
Mom’s phrase – I am often flummoxed as well!! what a great word – befuddled is pretty good too! Keep up the great pod – always get something out of it!!
Much love and happy Irish day – went to dinner at our Cornerstone restaurant and she had a lovely lady come and play the bagpipes -way too loud to talk while she played her first song, but then she pulled out a smaller version and it was pretty cool!!!
as Mom would say — More ANON!