RDAU_10-11_Oct_Nov Issue

1. tine n. (tighn) A black piano key B baby hare C fork prong 2. misandry n. ('mih-san-dree) A hatred of men B hatred of robots C hatred of musicals 3. petrichor n. ('peh-truh-kor) A fossilized egg B earthy smell during rain C intense fear 4. gutter n. ('guh-ter) A book’s inner margins B tough loss C hunting knife What’s the word for the plastic tip at the end of a shoelace? How about the cardboard sleeve on a to-go coffee cup? If you said aglet and zarf , you’ll ace this quiz of oddly specific terms for things that you (maybe) never knew had names. Enjoy the esoteric, then turn to p. 126 to be let in on the fun. 9. punt n. (puhnt) A barn owl’s nest B bottle’s bottom indent C awkward fall 10. mondegreen n. ('mahn-duh-green) A rookie detective B misheard lyric C plant hybrid 11. patzer n. ('paht-ser) A backup goalie B snake milker C bad chess player 12. grommet n. ('grah-muht) A metal-ringed hole B organic fertilizer C ugly dog 13. philtrum n. ('fil-truhm) A gap between eyebrows B first joint of middle toe C groove above lips 14. clowder n. ('klow-der) A herd of elephants B group of cats C pack of camels 15. paresthesia n. (par-uhs-'thee-zhuh) A skin prickling B eye twitching C ear ringing 5. obelus n. ('ah-buh-luhs) A oboe duet B white of the eye C division sign 6. palindrome n. ('pal-uhn-drohm) A self-driving car B reversible word C cream-colored horse 7. finial n. ('fih-nee-uhl) A decorative knob B last meal C infinity symbol 8. wamble v. ('wahm-buhl) A lose a bet B talk to yourself C feel nausea BY Sarah Chassé reader ’ s digest 162   OctOber/NOvember 2026 WORD POWER