🔤 ROOT DETECTIVE
FER means 'to carry.' What does it mean to DEFER a decision?
Carrying it to LATER (postpone)
If a movie review said the villain was BENIGN, would that be a scary villain?
No! 😊 BENIGN = harmless, gentle
MUNDANE — Which is the CORRECT synonym: (A) magical (B) ordinary (C) exciting
(B) ordinary — The others are OPPOSITES!
HUMBLE is to ARROGANT as GENUINE is to ___
PHONY / FAKE / DECEITFUL (opposites — authentic vs fake)
There's a skin care brand called 'Emollient Plus.' Based on the name, what do you think their products do?
SOOTHE or SOFTEN the skin
CRED means 'believe.' If someone is INCREDULOUS, what does it mean?
NOT believe you (IN = not + CRED = believe)
A restaurant review says the service was CORDIAL. Should you go there?
😊 Yes! CORDIAL = warm and friendly
SATIATE — After dinner, you feel SATIATED. Are you (A) hungry (B) completely full (C) slightly sick
(B) completely full — satiate = fully satisfied
DOCTOR is to HOSPITAL as DJ is to ___
CLUB/CONCERT (person : workplace)
In Squid Game, the VIPs watch people suffer for entertainment. What word means 'lack of mercy'?
Unscramble: SSLUHRET
RUTHLESS
FORM means 'shape.' If something is AMORPHOUS, what does this mean?
NO shape (A = without + MORPH = shape)
Your college counselor says: 'Your application is FORMIDABLE.'
😊 or 😠? Should you be proud or worried?
HOODWINK — Your friend says 'I got hoodwinked!' Did they get (A) tricked (B) robbed (C) ignored?
(A) tricked — hood over eyes = can't see the truth
INSTAGRAM is to VALIDATION as TIKTOK is to ___
ATTENTION / DOPAMINE / ENTERTAINMENT (platform : what users seek)
Kanye West is known for making controversial statements with complete confidence, even when people disagree. What word describes speaking with an 'air of certainty'?
Which one fits Kanye's energy? (A) RETICENCE (B) CONVICTION (C) HESITATION (D) DIFFIDENT
Answer: (B) CONVICTION
Why the traps work:
MALEFICENT vs BENEFICENT vs MAGNIFICENT. Only ONE of these means 'doing good.' Which one, and why are the other two TRAPS?
BENEFICENT = doing good (BENE = good + FIC = doing) → MALEFICENT = doing evil (MAL = bad) — Disney villain trap! → MAGNIFICENT = great/impressive (MAGN = great, NOT about good/bad morally)
Same emotion. Different intensity. Rank them.
DESPONDENT → WISTFUL → MOROSE → MELANCHOLY → INCONSOLABLE
PRUDENT — Your advisor says 'Be prudent with your college applications.' Should you (A) apply to as many schools as you can (B) apply only to reach schools (C) apply to a balanced list?
(C) balanced, well-thought-out — prudent = wise, careful
PROCRASTINATE is to DEADLINE as DIET is to ___
CHEAT DAY / TEMPTATION / JUNK FOOD (thing you avoid : thing that breaks it)
In The Hunger Games, Katniss has to figure out who's trustworthy based on subtle hints, not direct statements. What word means 'to hint or suggest indirectly'?
Hint: One of our 🔊 COMMUNICATION words. Starts with "IN" and has a sneaky 🐍 vibe.
INSINUATE
This word doesn't exist. Make it make sense.
MALANIMVOLDICT
What does it mean? Prove it with roots.
Same emotion. Different intensity. Rank them.
APPREHENSIVE → AGHAST → TREPIDATIOUS → MORTIFIED → PETRIFIED
OSTENSIBLE vs OBVIOUS — Your friend gives an OSTENSIBLE reason for missing your party. Is that their REAL reason or their FAKE reason?
FAKE/SURFACE reason — ostensible = appearing to be true but possibly not
MISERLY is to GENEROSITY as COWARDLY is to ___
BRAVERY/COURAGE (both LACK the quality)
Elon Musk buying Twitter, changing it to X, firing everyone, then hiring some back, then launching random features at 2am — unpredictable, changing suddenly based on whim.
No hints. Two ways to win:
Full points: CAPRICIOUS
Half points: ERRATIC, UNPREDICTABLE, MERCURIAL, IMPULSIVE