Golomb’s Gambits: Anagrams
March 6, 2010 |  by Solomon Golomb
Crossword-style definitions are given for each word in each of the following sets of words. The words in each set are permutations (anagrams) of the same letters. Starred words are uncommon.
A. A set of five letters
1. Analyze grammatically
2. Asparagus unit
3. Precedes moi or ski
4. Fraction of a Turkish piaster*
5. Fruit
6. Harvests
7. Kept in reserve
8. Imitators
9. Musical sign*
10. Ravishes
11. Translucent green quartz
12. Trims
13. Weaken again
14. Wyatt and family
B. A set of six letters
1. Assign new actors
2. Bills of fare
3. Boxes for oranges
4. Furniture wheel
5. Insertion marks
6. Provides food
7. Responds to a stimulus
8. Small residues
C. A set of six letters
1. Clergyman
2. Cuts of entrails used as food
3. Elf, pixie, or fairy
4. Lively spirit
5. Narrow band
6. Most mature
7. Malicious person
D. A set of six letters
1. Drink of the gods
2. Dweller on a Mediterranean isle
3. Horse’s gait
4. Passport for a car*
5. Renounce a belief
6. Stupor
E. A set of six letters
1. Basic foodstuff
2. Crayon drawing
3. Flower leaves
4. Folds in cloth
5. Least colorful
6. Thin metal sheets
F. A set of five letters
1. Fresh-water ducks
2. No longer fresh
3. Pertaining to bristles*
4. Rob
5. Smallest
6. Stories
G. A set of five letters
1. Big
2. Bright shine
3. British composer
4. Fit for a king
5. Rags-to-riches author
6. Type of beef
H. A set of five letters
1. Brava or Rica
2. English racetrack
3. Layers of paint
4. Mexican dish
5. Puccini opera
6. Seaside

Crossword-style definitions are given for each word in each of the following sets of words. The words in each set are permutations (anagrams) of the same letters. Starred words are uncommon. Check your answers.

A. A set of five letters

1. Analyze grammatically

2. Asparagus unit

3. Precedes moi or ski

4. Fraction of a Turkish piaster*

5. Fruit

6. Harvests

7. Kept in reserve

8. Imitators

9. Musical sign*

10. Ravishes

11. Translucent green quartz

12. Trims

13. Weaken again

14. Wyatt and family

B. A set of six letters

1. Assign new actors

2. Bills of fare

3. Boxes for oranges

4. Furniture wheel

5. Insertion marks

6. Provides food

7. Responds to a stimulus

8. Small residues

C. A set of six letters

1. Clergyman

2. Cuts of entrails used as food

3. Elf, pixie, or fairy

4. Lively spirit

5. Narrow band

6. Most mature

7. Malicious person

D. A set of six letters

1. Drink of the gods

2. Dweller on a Mediterranean isle

3. Horse’s gait

4. Passport for a car*

5. Renounce a belief

6. Stupor

E. A set of six letters

1. Basic foodstuff

2. Crayon drawing

3. Flower leaves

4. Folds in cloth

5. Least colorful

6. Thin metal sheets

F. A set of five letters

1. Fresh-water ducks

2. No longer fresh

3. Pertaining to bristles*

4. Rob

5. Smallest

6. Stories

G. A set of five letters

1. Big

2. Bright shine

3. British composer

4. Fit for a king

5. Rags-to-riches author

6. Type of beer

H. A set of five letters

1. Brava or Rica

2. English racetrack

3. Layers of paint

4. Mexican dish

5. Puccini opera

6. Seaside