INTRODUCTION:
Note: You may skip this introduction if you are already familiar with the rules.
Mutatis is a word-chain exercise game. Given the first and last word in the chain, you are challenged to fill in "mutant" words according to the following rules:
From the second word, each word comprises the letters of the word that precedes it except for one letter that is changed. The order of the letters may also be changed.
You may fill in only standard English words and loanwords (words "borrowed" from other languages that have become standard usage). Slang or colloquial words as well as proper nouns (that require capitalization, such as names of people, places, nations, languages etc.) are not allowed.
Example:
Given the words start and begin, the following chain demonstrates a possible solution to the exercise:
start>trait>train>grain>reign>begin
NOW FOR YOUR WEEKLY EXERCISES
Given the following head and tail word couples, fill in the missing words to obtain appropriate Mutatis word-chains according to the rules described above.
1. book>page.
2. page>book. Don't use any of the words that you used in exercise 1!
3. blunt > … > sharp.
4. sharp > … > blunt. Don't use any of the words that you used in exercise 3!
5. affirm> … > pledge.
6. pledge > … > affirm. Don't use any of the words that you used in exercise 5!
Solution
Note: You may skip this introduction if you are already familiar with the rules.
Mutatis is a word-chain exercise game. Given the first and last word in the chain, you are challenged to fill in "mutant" words according to the following rules:
From the second word, each word comprises the letters of the word that precedes it except for one letter that is changed. The order of the letters may also be changed.
You may fill in only standard English words and loanwords (words "borrowed" from other languages that have become standard usage). Slang or colloquial words as well as proper nouns (that require capitalization, such as names of people, places, nations, languages etc.) are not allowed.
Example:
Given the words start and begin, the following chain demonstrates a possible solution to the exercise:
start>trait>train>grain>reign>begin
NOW FOR YOUR WEEKLY EXERCISES
Given the following head and tail word couples, fill in the missing words to obtain appropriate Mutatis word-chains according to the rules described above.
1. book>page.
2. page>book. Don't use any of the words that you used in exercise 1!
3. blunt > … > sharp.
4. sharp > … > blunt. Don't use any of the words that you used in exercise 3!
5. affirm> … > pledge.
6. pledge > … > affirm. Don't use any of the words that you used in exercise 5!
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| Printable Mutatis ex. 3-4 |
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| Printable Mutatis ex. 1-2 |
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| Printable Mutatis ex. 5-6 |
SOLUTION OF LAST WEEK'S CHALLENGE
Answer to exercise 1
noon>soon>nods>dots>stud>dusk
Answer to exercise 2
dusk>sunk>nuns>noun>noon
Answer to exercise 3
black>cable>table>lathe>wheat>white
Answer to exercise 4:
white>witch>watch>latch>chalk>black
Answer to exercise 5:
atomic>action>notice>entice>center>regent>energy
Answer to exercise 6:
energy>greedy>degree>decree>creeds>secret>escort>comets>sitcom>atomic
BY THE WAY
If you wonder why I chose the name Mutatis for this game, it is short for the Latin expression Mutatis Mutandis which approximately means "changed as was necessary". It also appears to hint that the game entails the evolution of one given word into another through "mutant" words.
Answer to exercise 1
noon>soon>nods>dots>stud>dusk
Answer to exercise 2
dusk>sunk>nuns>noun>noon
Answer to exercise 3
black>cable>table>lathe>wheat>white
Answer to exercise 4:
white>witch>watch>latch>chalk>black
Answer to exercise 5:
atomic>action>notice>entice>center>regent>energy
Answer to exercise 6:
energy>greedy>degree>decree>creeds>secret>escort>comets>sitcom>atomic
BY THE WAY
If you wonder why I chose the name Mutatis for this game, it is short for the Latin expression Mutatis Mutandis which approximately means "changed as was necessary". It also appears to hint that the game entails the evolution of one given word into another through "mutant" words.
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