Diabolically Arcane

Puzzles, posts, news and general word-chat.

September 21 2010

Eeny-Meeny-Miny-Mho

Don’t ask me to explain precisely what mho means. In lay terms let’s settle for a reciprocal unit of resistance, and move on.

mho More the point for us, MHO derives from OHM, reversed – and that’s the gist of this week’s Brainstorm. Choose an existing word, spin it, and hey presto – there’s the antonym. Simple enough? Not when you’re aiming to fill a genuine niche in the language, or hoping to create an elegant and pronounceable word.

Tyro reversed, say, makes oryt, which is pretty tough to say, compared to eikoor, or even better: ruetama. Then again, choose a word that already exists, like boon (a flipflop of noob) to express the idea. All of which suggests that any experienced Stormer (or ruetama) will choose wisely which word to rotate.

A few more shots:

nuf – work (and krow – leisure)

oohay – gentleman

pollawsdoc – truth

yednys – Melbourne

pots – go

Enough to get an inkling, I hope. This is a brief Storm, with deadline 6pm Thursday, as we may have some late-week hijinks with a certain sporting event slated for the weekend.

Reversible prizes will be awarded in FIVE categories. Best pair of doubles (like the nuf and krow example), best niche filler, most pronounceable outcome, best use of an existing word (like pots and boon, perhaps) and the most utterly evisluper.

Comments

JD — 21 September at 09:22AM

Not quite sure where this storm is heading, but for the moment I'll take inspiration from Agent 86.
Lortnoc = chaos

SB — 21 September at 09:35AM

A movie sequel: sciryl & sicum

SB — 21 September at 09:37AM

Sorry - that should have been

sciryl & cisum

Mr X — 21 September at 09:54AM

An entry for the sixth category - least successful attemept:

level = uneven

JD — 21 September at 11:14AM

Margana = ordered

JD — 21 September at 11:37AM

Gitfaz = anorexic

dg — 21 September at 11:52AM

evol = hate

dg — 21 September at 11:56AM

pu = flat

ML — 21 September at 12:14PM

doof - inedible substance

foor - floor and

opakak - a native NZ bird that CAN fly

SB — 21 September at 12:14PM

liaf = succeed
deeccus = fail

ML — 21 September at 12:44PM

yob = girl

god = cat

SK — 21 September at 02:27PM

How about an oxymoron category-

knob = don't have sex

SK — 21 September at 03:53PM

A double-

recap = slow down, pacer = move forward (Drallig-style)

...and another poor taste effort-

lecrap = unbundle (...in Paris)

Mr X — 21 September at 05:15PM

alucard = a blood donor

Mr X — 21 September at 05:21PM

How to use a mynotna in conversation:

Can we go to Disneyland in the holidays, Dad?

Amabo. (No, we can't)

SK — 21 September at 05:36PM

Late, pre-wolf = de-flowered?

SK — 21 September at 05:50PM

Or...

Late, pregnig = no more Morning Glory

Ok I'll stop with the dubious taste stuff. How about...

Sag drat sum = pleasant odour

DA — 21 September at 07:32PM

Hey some diputs ideas here! Apologies for the delayed response. Yeah, you guessed it, Quiz Land.

Some additions:

rebos = drunk, and dezoob = not

krap = drive

amgine = no-brainer

nartaps = decadent

lepsog = ballocks

JS — 21 September at 07:33PM

A pair: sumarongi (pundit) and tidpun (ignoramous)
stunstrops: people who hate sports (known associates are fubbstrops, revolstrops and nafstrops)

JD — 21 September at 07:53PM

Netslede = classy

DA — 21 September at 08:09PM

Of course that would be natraps.

Netslede is all class, JD - and so's your gitfaz: very evarg.

SK, I wonder if Drallig = Ttabbo? (Do your head in, those double negatives.)

As for alucard - sheer X. Highly roop.

ML — 22 September at 10:47AM

ekoj = not funny

delrang = staight & smooth

walnirehtom = helpful advice

dopi = a vinyl collector

Mr X — 22 September at 11:16AM

Yrubdarb - to win despite incredibly bad luck

ML — 22 September at 11:29AM

gnabgib = the end of the universe

smart array = An anti-public transport lobby group

JD — 22 September at 12:25PM

Modnoc = Fertility aid

DA — 22 September at 12:33PM

Labinnah - vegetarian

DA — 22 September at 12:35PM

Nolfet - glue

PRS — 22 September at 12:36PM

looc = daggy

ckabward = advantage

licnep = eraser

esare = restore

erotser = destroy

deyortsed = created

wolnworb = loser

ebirt = loner

PRS — 22 September at 12:49PM

detoved = satanic (if you'll pardon the pun)

derouved = abstained

depoleved = diminished

Mr X — 22 September at 01:40PM

Ratava - a well written, low-budget indy movie with great acting

Mr X — 22 September at 02:56PM

4891 - The year in which humanity will live in a utopia free of tyranny or war.

DA — 22 September at 03:06PM

Some trimmers today. Inspired by Mr X's dip into numbers:

0.2 bew - Dark Ages

Riosnob - bonjour

yekrut - smash

lekoy - ubanite, versus repardnod - not.

DA — 22 September at 03:06PM

Sheesh - urbanite. (Gotta be careful where you park your r's.)

JD — 22 September at 04:11PM

Tolemaps = Critical analysis of the Arthurian dynasty (presented in musical form)

Mr X — 22 September at 05:07PM

Fittingly, this is a contender for most unpronounceable:
ttohsekao: to speak briefly and to the point.

JD — 22 September at 06:19PM

Cinesra = Nectar
Ratcen = Arsenic

PRS — 22 September at 08:35PM

azukay = European monks

lanigiro = plagiarism

flah - twice

DA — 22 September at 10:21PM

Flah - very nice PRS.

Gorf - prince

Stratagem - small nuns

PRS — 22 September at 10:33PM

yawtrap - finished

PRS — 22 September at 11:21PM

wercs - fix

or, since it's late at night

wercs - abstain

part - free
trap - whole

PRS — 23 September at 01:15AM

woble - knee

JD — 23 September at 08:00AM

Drawer = punishment

JD — 23 September at 09:39AM

I can't take the credit for this, but it's worth a snigger.
Strap on

PRS — 23 September at 10:12AM

levart - veg

ciost - wimp

elacs shom - viscosity scale (inspired by ohm/mho)

falt - bumpy

kram - fail (in the exam sense)

PRS — 23 September at 01:08PM

Opps, should be

talf = bumpy

ML — 23 September at 03:53PM

Nemo = a kid born with '999' tattooed on his head

JS — 23 September at 05:30PM

lufecarg: Dancing With the Stars contestant
nosnah: racially tolerant

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