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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.460 A hinder {hamper; posterior} B house {NV} B import {NV} A incense {infuriate; perfume for burning} B increase {NV} B initiate {NV} B insert {NV} B insult {NV} B intern {NV} A intimate {~ relations; to suggest} A invalid {cripple; erroneous} B invite {NV} G is {form of to be; plural of i} B jagged {slashed or cut; having a zigzag edge} C Job BCF jubilate {rejoice; joyous song} CF junker/Junker 3A lather {suds; lath worker; lathe worker} A lead {~ pipe; ~ astray} B {past tense verb; adjective} BE legged {past tense verb; adjective} CF Lima B live {~ in peace; ~ audience} B lives {~ in peace; for all of our ~} D lower {to let down; frown} F manes {plural of mane; Roman gods} F mate {friend; type of tea} N mead A minute {60 seconds; tiny} B misconduct {NV} BE mobile {movable; wind-blown sculpture} B moderate {NV} EG molar {back tooth; chemical term} A moped {brooded; fun vehicle} B mouse {rodent; to hunt them} B mouth {NV} A mow {pile of hay; to cut down} B multiply {verb; adverb} A number {decimal ~; more numb} B object {thing; complain} E offense {sports term; attack} 3DG os {bone; esker; pl. of o} A overage {too old; surplus} BD paralyses {plural noun; singular verb (UK)} A pasty {pastelike; British meat pie} 3FG pate {head; food paste; porcelain paste for ceramics} A peaked {sharply pointed; unhealthy looking} A peer {equal; one who pees} B perfect {verb; adjective} G periodic {regularly occurring; ~ acids, HIO4 and related substances} B permit {NV} C Placer C polish A poll {head; group of students} B predicate {NV} N premise A present {current; Christmas ~} E primer {intro book/material (US); device for priming} B proceeds {goes; income} B produce {give rise to; fruits and vegetables} B progress {to move forward; work in ~} A project {planned undertaking; to throw forward} N prospect B protest {NV} A pussy {cat; infected} B putter/putting {golf club; one that puts} DG rabat {clerical garment; pottery piece used for polishing} DG rabbi {clerical garment; Jewish religious official} B ragged {teased; tattered} F re {pertaining to; 2nd note of scale} B read {present tense; past tense} C Reading F real {actual; former Spanish coin} B rebel {NV} B recess {NV} B recoil {NV} B record {NV} D recreate {relax; create again} 3BD redress {compensate; compensation; dress again} B refill {NV} B refund {NV} B refuse {NV} B regress {NV} B reject {NV} N repent {regret; creeping} B replay {NV} D represent {stand for; present again} B rerun {NV} D research {investigate; search again} A resent {be indignant; sent again} D reserve {hold back; serve again} D resign {quit; sign again} D resolve {settle dispute; solve again} D resort {vacation spot; sort again} F resume {work summary; restart} A river {watercourse; one who rives} F rose {flower; wine} DE routing {making a route for (US spelling); woodworking term} A row {a fight; ~,~,~ your boat} DF sake {purpose; Japanese drink} 3AF salve {ointment; salvage; hail!} N second B segment {NV} B separate {NV} A severer {cutter; more severe} 3AG sewer {one who sews; storm ~; head servant at table} A shower {one who shows; ~ stall} B syndicate {NV} A singer {one who singes; one who sings} A skied {past tense of ski; past tense of sky} A slaver {slave taker; drool} A slough {swamp; cast-off} A sow {~ seeds; female pig} A stingy {meager; able to sting} B subject {NV} A supply {in a supple way; ~ and demand} B survey {NV} B suspect {NV} N swinger {whopper; one that swings} CF tang {flavor; Chinese dynasty} A tarry {covered in tar; dawdle} A tear {~ down; shed a ~} A thou {you; slang for thousand} A thymic {of thyme; of thymus} A tier {one who ties; row or rank} B torment {NV} A tower {one who tows; leaning ~} B transfer {NV} B transplant {NV} B transport {NV} DG unionized {~ labor; ~ hydrogen} B upset {NV} G us {we; plural of u} B use {NV} A violist {viol player; viola player} A wind {~ the clock; north ~} CF worms A wound {injury; wrapped around} N yak {ox; laugh} ==> english/homophones.p <== What words have four or more spellings that sound alike? ==> english/homophones.s <== air, aire, are, ayr, ayer, e'er, ere, err, heir cense, cents, scents, sense eau, eaux, O, oh, owe ==> english/j.ending.p <== What words and names end in j? ==> english/j.ending.s <== Following is a compilation of words ending in j from various dictionaries. Capitalized words and words marked as foreign are included, but to keep the list to a managable size, personal and place names are excluded. aflaj plural of falaj (Cham) benj variant of bhang - hemp plant (NI2) bhimraj the rachet-tailed drongo (F&W) Bhumij branch of Munda tribes in India (NI3) Chuj a people of Northwestern Guatemala (NI3) esraj an Indian musical instrument with 3 or 4 strings (OED2) falaj a water channel as part of the ancient irrigation system of Oman (Cham) Funj variant of Fung - a people dominant in Sennar (NI3) gaj Omanese coin (NI2) genj a common type of cotton cloth in Sudan (F&W) gunj a grannery in India (NI2) hadj variant of hajj (NI3) haj variant of hajj (NI3) hajilij the bito - a small scrubby tree that grows in dry parts of Africa and Asia (NI2) hajj pilgimage to Mecca (NI3) hij obsolete form of hie or high (OED2) Jubaraj variant of Yuvaraja - the male heir to an Indian pricipality (OED2) kaleej variant of kalij (NI3) kalij any of several crested Indian pheasants (NI3) kankrej guzerat - a breed of Indian cattle (NI3) kharaj a tax on unbelievers (NI2) Khawarij plural of Kharijite - a member of the oldest religious sect of Islam (NI3) khiraj variant of kharaj (NI2) kilij a Turkish saber with a crescent shaped blade (RHD) kurunj variant of kurung - the Indian beech (NI2) Maharaj variant of Maharaja - East Indian prince (OED2) munj a tough Asiatic grass (NI3) naranj Maldive Island name for mancala - an Arabian board game (CD) pakhawaj a doubleheaded drum used in Indian music (OED2) raj rule (NI3) saj the Indian laurel (NI2) samaj Hindu religious society (NI3) sohmaj variant of samaj (NI2) somaj variant of samaj (NI2) svaraj variant of swaraj (F&W) swaraj local self-government in India (NI3) taj a tall conical cap worn by Moslems (NI3) tedj variant of tej (OED2) tej Ethiopian mead (OED2) Viraj in Hindu Mythology, the mysterious primeval being when differentiating itself into male and female (F&W) Yuvaraj same as Jubaraj (OED2) Yuveraj same as Jubaraj (OED2) Yuvraj same as Jubaraj (OED2) zij Persian astronomical tables (F&W) This list is almost certainly not complete. For example, on page 187 of Beyond Language, Dmitri Borgmann has "Udruj" in a word list. What reference he dug this word out of is unknown; the combined efforts of the NPL electronic mailing list could not produce the source of this word. So additions to this list will be welcomed by the author. REFERENCES CD - The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia, 1911 Cham - Chambers English Dictionary, 1988 F&W - Funk & Wagnall's New Standard Dictionary of the English Language, 1941 NI2 - Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition, 1942 NI3 - Webster's Third New International Dictionary, 1981 OED2 - Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, 1989 RHD - Random House Dictionary of the English Language, 1966 --- Dan Tilque -- dant@logos.WR.TEK.COM ==> english/ladder.p <== Find the shortest word ladders stretching between the following pairs: hit - ace pig - sty four - five play - game green - grass wheat - bread order - chaos order - impel sixth - hubby speedy - comedy chasing - robbers effaces - cabaret griming - goblets vainest - injects vainest - infulae Xref: bloom-picayune.mit.edu rec.puzzles:18142 news.answers:3073 Newsgroups: rec.puzzles,news.answers Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!usc!wupost!uunet!questrel!chris From: uunet!questrel!chris (Chris Cole) Subject: rec.puzzles FAQ, part 6 of 15 Message-ID: <puzzles-faq-6_717034101@questrel.com> Followup-To: rec.puzzles Summary: This posting contains a list of Frequently Asked Questions (and their answers). It should be read by anyone who wishes to post to the rec.puzzles newsgroup. Sender: chris@questrel.com (Chris Cole) Reply-To: uunet!questrel!faql-comment Organization: Questrel, Inc. References: <puzzles-faq-1_717034101@questrel.com> Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1992 00:09:01 GMT Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu Expires: Sat, 3 Apr 1993 00:08:21 GMT Lines: 2063 Archive-name: puzzles-faq/part06 Last-modified: 1992/09/20 Version: 3 ==> english/ladder.s <== Using every unabridged dictionary available, the best yet found are: hit ait act ace pig peg seg sey sty four foud fond find fine five play blay bray bras baas bams gams game green grees greys grays grass wheat theat treat tread bread order older elder eider cider cides codes coles colls coals chals chaos order ormer armer ammer amper imper impel sixth sixty silty silly sally sably sabby nabby nubby hubby speedy speeds steeds steers sheers shyers sayers payers papers papery popery popely pomely comely comedy griming priming prising poising toising toiling coiling colling collins collies dollies doilies dailies bailies bailees bailers failers fablers gablers gabbers gibbers gibbets gobbets goblets chasing ceasing cessing messing massing masting marting martins martens martels cartels carpels carpers campers cambers combers cobbers combers robbers vainest fainest fairest sairest saidest saddest maddest middest mildest wildest wiliest winiest waniest caniest cantest contest confest confess confers conners canners fanners fawners pawners pawnees pawnces paunces jaunces jaunced jaunted saunted stunted stented stenned steined stained spained splined splines salines savines savings pavings parings earings enrings endings ondings ondines undines unlines unlives unwives unwires unwares unbares unbared unpared unpaged uncaged incaged incased incised incises incites indites indices indicts inducts indults insults insulas insulae infulae This is not another travelling salesman - it is merely finding the diameter of connected components of that graph. The simple algorithm for this is to do one depth first search from each word, resulting in an O(n*m) worst case algorithm (where n is the number of words, and m is the number of arcs). In practice, it is actually somewhat better, since the graph breaks down into many connected components. However, the diameters (and solutions) depend on what dictionary is used. Here are the results from various dictionaries: From /usr/dict/words (restricted to words all lower case alphabetical) (19,694 words): sixth - hubby (46 steps) From the official scrabble players dictionary (94,276 words): effaces - cabaret (57 steps) From the british official scrabble words (134,051 words): vainest - infulae (73 steps) From webster's ninth new collegiate dictionary (abridged) (78, 167 words): griming - goblets (56 steps) From all of the above, merged (180,676 words): vainest - injects (58 steps) To see the effect the dictionary has on paths, here are the lengths of the shortest paths these pairs, and for the ones mentioned in previous posts, for each dictionary (a - means that there is no path using only words from that dictionary): UDW OSPD OSW W9 ALL hit - ace 5 3 3 5 3 pig - sty - 5 4 5 4 four - five 6 6 5 7 5 play - game 8 7 7 8 7 green - grass 13 4 4 7 4 wheat - bread 6 6 6 6 6 sixth - hubby 46 9 9 - 9 effaces - cabaret - 57 - - 33 vainest - infulae - - 73 - 52 griming - goblets - 22 19 56 15 vainest - injects - - 72 - 58 ==> english/less.ness.p <== Find a word that forms two other words, unrelated in meaning, when "less" and "ness" are added. ==> english/less.ness.s <== base -> baseless, baseness light -> lightless, lightness sound -> soundless, soundness wit -> witless, witness ==> english/letter.rebus.p <== Define the letters of the alphabet using self-referential common phrases (e.g., "first of all" defines "a"). ==> english/letter.rebus.s <== A first of all, midday B fifth of bourbon, starting block C fifth of scotch D end of the world, back of my hand E end of the line, beginning of the end F starting friction, front G middle of the night, starting gate H end of the earth, top of the heap, middle of nowhere I next of kin J center of project K bottom of the deck, two of a kind L bottom of the barrel, starting line M top of my head N center of attention, final countdown, end run O second in command P bottom of the heap, the first of painters, starting point Q at the front of the queue, top quality R middle of the road, center of inertia S _Last of the Mohicans_, start of something big T top o' the morning, one's wit's end, bottom of my heart, last, central U second guess V center of gravity W end of the rainbow, top of the world X wax finish, climax Y top of your head, center of the cyclone, early years, final extremity Z led zeppelin ==> english/lipograms.p <== What books have been written without specific letters, vowels, etc.? ==> english/lipograms.s <== Such a book is called a lipogram. A novel-length example in English (omitting e) exists, titled _Gadsby_. Georges Perec wrote a French novel titled _La Disparition_ which does not contain the letter 'e', except in a few bits of text that the publisher had to include in or on the book somewhere -- such as the author's name :-). But these were all printed in red, making them somehow ``not count''. Perec also wrote another novel in which `e' was the only vowel. In _La Disparition_, unlike _Gadsby_, the lipogrammatic technique is reflected in the story. Objects disappear or become invisible. We know, however, more or less why the characters can't find things like eggs or even remember their names -- because the words for them can't be used. Amazingly, it's been ``translated'' into English (by Harry Mathews, I think). Another work which manages to [almost] adhere to restrictive alphabetic rules while also remaining readable as well as providing amusement and literary satisfaction (though you have to like disjointed fiction) is _Alphabetical Africa_ by Walter Abish. The rules (which of course he doesn't explain, you can't help noticing most of them) have to do with initial letters of words. There are 52 chapters. In the first, all words begin with `a'; in the second, all words begin with either `a' or `b'; etc, until all words are allowed in chapter 26. Then in the second half, the letters are taken away one by one. It's remarkable when, for instance, you finally get `the' and realize how much or little you missed it; earlier, when `I' comes in, you feel something like the difference between third- and first-person narration. As one of the blurbs more or less says (I don't have it here to quote), reading this is like slowly taking a deep breath and letting it out again. ---- Mitch Marks mitchell@cs.uchicago.edu ==> english/multi.lingual.p <== What words in multiple languages are related in interesting ways? ==> english/multi.lingual.s <== Synonymous reversals: Dutch: nier (kidney), French: rein French: etats, English: state ==> english/near.palindrome.p <== What are some long near palindromes, i.e., words that except for one letter would be palindromes? ==> english/near.palindrome.s <== Here are the longest near palindromes in Webster's Ninth Collegiate: catalatic footstool red pepper detonated locofocos red spider dew-clawed nabataean retreater eisegesis possessor stargrass foolproof ratemeter webmember ==> english/palindromes.p <== What are some long palindromes? ==> english/palindromes.s <== The first words spoken were a palindrome: Madam, I'm Adam. or perhaps: Madam in Eden, I'm Adam. The response, of course, must have been: Eve Napolean's lament: Able was I ere I saw Elba. Has been improved with: Unremarkable was I ere I saw Elba, Kramer, nu? A fish is a: laminar animal Other palindromes in ascending length (drum roll please): Dennis sinned. Sir, I'm Iris. Sup not on pus. Name no one man. Naomi, did I moan? Enid and Edna dine. Revenge Meg? Never! No lemons, no melon. A Toyota's a Toyota. Ma is a nun, as I am. He harasses Sarah, eh? Niagara, O roar again! He lived as a devil, eh? Nurse, I spy gupsies, run! Sit on a potato pan, Otis! Slap a ham on Omaha, pals! A slut nixes sex in Tulsa. Rats live on no evil star. Ten animals I slam in a net. Go deliver a dare, vile dog. Was it a car or a cat I saw? Was it Eliot's toilet I saw? Al lets Della call Ed Stella. Draw, O Caeser, erase a coward. Did Eve salt an atlas? Eve did. No pinot noir on Orion to nip on. Naomi, sex at noon taxes! I moan. Evil I did dwell; lewd did I live. Yo, bad anaconda had no Canada boy . Egad! A base tone denotes a bad age. Satan, oscillate my metallic sonatas. Red dude kill lion. No ill-liked udder. I roamed under it as a tired, nude Maori. To Peru, named llama mall 'De Manure Pot'. Straw? No, too stupid a fad. I put soot on warts. Now, Ned, I am a maiden nun; Ned, I am a maiden won. Here we no got conical ill lilac in octogon ewer, eh? Salamander a ton now. Raw war won not, a Red Nam, alas. Fool! A dog lives sad a boxer, Rex. O bad ass evil god aloof! 'Tenor Octopus Night' netted a cadet tenth ginsu pot, coronet. Won total, I am a pro. Bali radar I labor. Pa, mail a tot now! Yo, boy! Trap gnus, nude. 'Kangaroo Rag' naked unsung party, O boy! Did I strap red nude, red rump, also slap murdered underparts? I did! Doc, note: I dissent. A fast never prevents a fatness. I diet on cod. So regards Rat's Lib: regrets no more hero monster gerbil stars' drag Eros. Degas, are we not drawn onward, we freer few, drawn onward to new eras aged? Garret, I ogle. Enemy democrats party; trap star comedy men, eel goiter rag. Sagas emit taxes, rat snot, or pastrami. I'm Arts, a proton star - sex at times a gas. Dr. Ana, Cataracts. Uranium enema smarts if fist rams, Amen! Emu in a rust car at a canard. T. Eliot, top bard, notes putrid tang emanating, is sad; I'd assign it a name: gnat dirt upset on drab pot toilet. Those wonderful proper names: Dennis, Nell, Edna, Leon, Nedra, Anita, Rolf, Nora, Alice, Carol, Leo, Jane, Reed, Dena, Dale, Basil, Rae, Penny, Lana, Dave, Denny, Lena, Ida, Bernadette, Ben, Ray, Lila, Nina, Jo, Ira, Mara, Sara, Mario, Jan, Ina, Lily, Arne, Bette, Dan, Reba, Diane, Lynn, Ed, Eva, Dana, Lynne, Pearl, Isabel, Ada, Ned, Dee, Rena, Joel, Lora, Cecil, Aaron, Flora, Tina, Arden, Noel, and Ellen sinned. A poem: Mood's mode! Pallas, I won! (Diaper pane, sold entire.) Melt till ever sere, hide it. Drown a more vile note; (Tar of rennet.) Ah, trowel, baton, eras ago. The reward? A "nisi." Two nag. Otary tastes putrid, yam was green. Odes up and on; stare we. Rats nod. Nap used one-erg saw. (May dirt upset satyr?) A toga now; 'tis in a drawer, eh? Togas are notable. (Worth a tenner for Ate`.) Tone liver. O Man, word-tied I. Here's revel! Little merit, Ned? Lose, Nap? Repaid now is all apedom's doom. -- Hubert Phillips: Headmaster's Palindromic List on his Memo Pad: Test on Erasmus Dr of Law Deliver soap Stop dynamo (OTC) Royal: phone no.? Tel: Law re Kate Race Ref. Football. Caps on for prep Is sofa sitable on? Pots- no tops XI--Staff over Knit up ties ('U') Sub-edit Nurse's order Ned (re paper) Canning is on test (snub slip-up) Eve's simple hot dish (crib) Birch (Sid) to help Miss Eve Pupil's buns Reaper den T-set: no sign in a/c Use it Red roses Put inkspot on stopper Run Tide Bus? Prof.--no space Rev off at six Caretaker (wall, etc.) Noel Bat is a fossil Too mand d*** pots Lab to offer one 'Noh' play-- Wal for duo? (I'd name Dr. O) or 'Pals Reviled'? See few owe fees (or demand IOU?) Sums are not set. -- Joyce Johnson (_New_Statesman_ competition in 1967. 126 words, 467 letters) Some word (not letter) palindromes: So patient a doctor to doctor a patient so. Girl, bathing on Bikini, eyeing boy, finds boy eyeing bikini on bathing girl. In German: Ein Neger mit Gazelle zagt im Regen nie. In Serbo-Croat: Ana voli Milovana. Ana nabra par banana. Imena Amen nema, a me mi. U pero soli i los o repu. Ako jad moli silom daj oka. Odano mati pita: a ti pitam, o nado? Evo sam iza padam mada pazim asove. v v v v A krt u razu mi laze no one zalim u zaru trka. Palindromes in other languages that are palindromes in English: Hebrew: aba or abba, English: dad German: tat, English: deed The timeless classic: A man, a plan, a canal; Panama? Has been improved by: A dog, a plan, a canal: pagoda! -- anonymous A man, a plan, a cat, a canal; Panama? -- Jim Saxe, plan file @ CMU, 9 October 1983 A man, a plan, a cat, a ham, a yak, a yam, a hat, a canal--Panama! -- Guy Jacobson, plan file @ CMU late 1983 A man, a plan, a caret, a ban, a myriad, a sum, a lac, a liar, a hoop, a pint, a catalpa, a gas, an oil, a bird, a yell, a vat, a caw, a pax, a wag, a tax, a nay, a ram, a cap, a yam, a gay, a tsar, a wall, a car, a luger, a ward, a bin, a woman, a vassal, a wolf, a tuna, a nit, a pall, a fret, a watt, a bay, a daub, a tan, a cab, a datum, a gall, a hat, a fag, a zap, a say, a jaw, a lay, a wet, a gallop, a tug, a trot, a trap, a tram, a torr, a caper, a top, a tonk, a toll, a ball, a fair, a sax, a minim, a tenor, a bass, a passer, a capital, a rut, an amen, a ted, a cabal, a tang, a sun, an ass, a maw, a sag, a jam, a dam, a sub, a salt, an axon, a sail, an ad, a wadi, a radian, a room, a rood, a rip, a tad, a pariah, a revel, a reel, a reed, a pool, a plug, a pin, a peek, a parabola, a dog, a pat, a cud, a nu, a fan, a pal, a rum, a nod, an eta, a lag, an eel, a batik, a mug, a mot, a nap, a maxim, a mood, a leek, a grub, a gob, a gel, a drab, a citadel, a total, a cedar, a tap, a gag, a rat, a manor, a bar, a gal, a cola, a pap, a yaw, a tab, a raj, a gab, a nag, a pagan, a bag, a jar, a bat, a way, a papa, a local, a gar, a baron, a mat, a rag, a gap, a tar, a decal, a tot, a led, a tic, a bard, a leg, a bog, a burg, a keel, a doom, a mix, a map, an atom, a gum, a kit, a baleen, a gala, a ten, a don, a mural, a pan, a faun, a ducat, a pagoda, a lob, a rap, a keep, a nip, a gulp, a loop, a deer, a leer, a lever, a hair, a pad, a tapir, a door, a moor, an aid, a raid, a wad, an alias, an ox, an atlas, a bus, a madam, a jag, a saw, a mass, an anus, a gnat, a lab, a cadet, an em, a natural, a tip, a caress, a pass, a baronet, a minimax, a sari, a fall, a ballot, a knot, a pot, a rep, a carrot, a mart, a part, a tort, a gut, a poll, a gateway, a law, a jay, a sap, a zag, a fat, a hall, a gamut, a dab, a can, a tabu, a day, a batt, a waterfall, a patina, a nut, a flow, a lass, a van, a mow, a nib, a draw, a regular, a call, a war, a stay, a gam, a yap, a cam, a ray, an ax, a tag, a wax, a paw, a cat, a valley, a drib, a lion, a saga, a plat, a catnip, a pooh, a rail, a calamus, a dairyman, a bater, a canal--Panama. --Dan Hoey, 'discovered' in 1984. Dan goes on to say "...a little work on the search algorithm could make it several times as long." The entire book _Satire: Veritas_ is a palindrome, it starts "Sir, I stra..." and ends "... Art, sir, is Satire: Veritas." References: Palindromes and Anagrams Howard W. Bergerson Dover Publications New York, 1973 ISBN 0-486-20664-5. The Oxford Guide to Word Games, chapter 11, titled "Palindromes" Tony Augarde ==> english/pangram.p <== A "pangram" is a sentence containing all 26 letters. What is the shortest pangram (measured by number of letters or words)? What is the shortest word list using all 26 letters in alphabetical order? In reverse alphabetical order? ==> english/pangram.s <== The single-letter words that have meanings unrelated to their letter shapes or sounds, position in the alphabet, etc. are: a - indefinite article; on; in; at; to; he; him; she; her; they; them; it; I; have; of; all c - 100; cocaine; programming language d - 500 e - base of natural logs; eccentricity; enlarging g - acceleration of gravity; general ability; $1000; general audience i - one; unit vector in x direction; personal pronoun; in; aye j - one; unit vector in y direction k - 1000; 1024; strikeout; unit vector in z direction l - 50; ell; elevated railroad m - 1000; em; pica; an antigen of human blood n - an indefinite number; en; an antigen of human blood o - oh q - quality of oscillatory circuit R - one of the three Rs; restricted audience t - t-shirt u - upper class v - five w - w particle x - unknown quantity; atmospherics; adults only y - unknown quantity; YMCA z - unknown quantity; buzzing sound; z particle It is therefore advisable to exclude single-letter words, with the possible exception of 'a'. As always, word acceptability varies with the dictionaries used. We use these: 9C - Merriam-Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, 1986 NI3 - Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary, 1961 NI2 - Merriam-Webster's New International Dictionary, Second Edition, 1935 OED - Oxford English Dictionary with Supplements, 1933 - 85 '+' indicates obsolete, dialectical, slang, or otherwise substandard word. Some exceptional pangrams: Using only words in 9C: Sympathizing would fix Quaker objectives. (5 words, 36 letters) Quick brown fox, jump over the lazy dogs. (8 words, 32 letters) Pack my box with five dozen liquor jugs. (8 words, 32 letters) Jackdaws love my big sphinx of quartz. (7 words, 31 letters) The five boxing wizards jump quickly. (6 words, 31 letters) How quickly daft jumping zebras vex. (6 words, 30 letters) Quartz glyph job vex'd cwm finks. (6 words?, 26 letters) Cwm, fjord-bank glyphs vext quiz. (6 words, 26 letters, Dmitri Borgmann) Using words in 9C and NI3: Veldt jynx grimps waqf zho buck. (6 words, 26 letters, Michael Jones) Using words in 9C, NI3 and NI3+: Squdgy fez, blank jimp crwth vox. (6 words, 26 letters, Claude Shannon) Using words in 9C, NI3, NI2 and NI2+: Phlegms fyrd wuz qvint jackbox. (5 words, 26 letters, Dmitri Borgmann) Some exceptional panalphabetic word lists: jackbox viewfinder phlegmy quartz (4 words, 31 letters, Mary Hazard) benzoxycamphors quick-flowing juventude (3 words, 36 letters, Darryl Francis) Some exceptional nearly panalphabetic isogrammatic word lists: blacksmith gunpowdery (2 words, 20 letters) humpbacks frowzy tingled (3 words, 22 letters) Some exceptional panalphabetic word lists with letters in alphabetical order: Using only words in 9C: a BCD ef ghi jack limn op querist ulva wax oyez (11 words, 37 letters) ABC defog hijack limn op querist ulva wax oyez (9 words, 38 letters) Using words in 9C and NI3: a BCD ef ghi jak limn op qres to uva wax oyez (12 words, 34 letters) ABC defy ghi jak limn op qres to uva wax oyez (11 words, 35 letters) ABC defy ghi jak limn opaquers turves wax oyez (9 words, 38 letters) scabicide afghani jokul manrope querist purview oxygenize (7 words, 51 letters) Using words in 9C, NI3 and NI3+: a BCD ef ghi jak limn op QRS to uva wax yez (12 words, 32 letters) ABC defy ghi jak limn op QRS to uva wax yez (11 words, 33 letters) ab cad ef ghi jak limn op qre stun vow ox yez (12 words, 34 letters) ABC defy ghi jak limn op querist uva wax yez (10 words, 35 letters) Using words in 9C, NI3, NI3+, NI2 and NI2+: ABC def ghi jak limn op qre struv wax yez (10 words, 32 letters) ABC def ghi jak limn opaquer struv wax yez (9 words, 34 letters) Using words in 9C, NI3, NI3+, NI2, NI2+ and the OED: ABC defog hij klam nop QRS tu vow XYZ (9 words, 29 letters, Jeff Grant) ABC def ghi jak limn op qres tu vow XYZ (10 words, 30 letters) ABC defog hij klam nop querist uvrow XYZ (8 words, 33 letters, Jeff Grant) ABC defyghe bij sklim nop querist uvrow XYZ (8 words, 36 letters) ABC defog hijack limnophil querist uvrow XYZ (7 words, 38 letters, Jeff Grant)