A Wordwise Revival Trivia Quiz

Answer: An outside chance

AN is split on the outside of the word CHANCE

An outside chance is a phrase that describes something occurring as being a remote possibility, or a long shot. For example, there is an outside chance that the bottom team will defeat the top team this week. (Tell 'em they're dreaming).

"Outside Chance" was also the name of one of the singles released by The Turtles from their second album "You Baby" (1966). The song was written by Warren Zevon but it failed to chart for the band.

Answer: All over the world

The word ALL sits over the word WORLD.

The phrase, basically, means everywhere on Earth. For example, the way we communicate may be different, but language is used by people all over the world.

The hint indicated that the phrase is also the title of an ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) single. The song was part of the soundtrack to the movie "Xanadu" (1980) and is featured in a scene that involves a dance routine between Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly and Michael Beck. This would be the third single from the movie that ELO released that managed to reach the Top 20 of the US Billboard Hot 100 charts.

Answer: Crosswise

The X is the CROSS and the WISE is made up of a string of the letter Y (Ys)

Crosswise means diagonally. For example, cut the carrot crosswise. It can also mean in the shape of a cross.

In pop culture, Crosswise is an autobot from the Cybertron (Transformers) universe. He is described as being a monster hunter who, at times, calls himself Smokescreen.

Answer: Double agent

The word AGENT appears twice i.e. it doubles up.

A double agent is an intelligence officer who pretends to work for one country while the truth of the matter is that he is working for another country and spying on the country he's pretending to be working for.

One of the most famous double agents was Mata Hari, who was born Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod. She was a Dutch exotic dancer who was, reportedly, working for the German Empire, spying on the French Third Republic during World War I. She was captured and executed by firing squad though, there are some of the opinion that she was innocent and that the French pointed the finger at her because they needed a scapegoat.

Answer: Piggyback

The word PIGGY is spelled backwards.

To piggyback means to ride on the back of another person's back or shoulders. It could also mean a subsequent provision that is added to a new piece of legislature.

In the world of electronics, a piggyback board is also known as a daughter-board.

In 2017 singer Melanie Martinez released a single entitled "Piggyback" which dealt with her fractious relationship with Timothy Heller.

Answer: Hole in one

The word HOLE appears "in" the word ONE

A hole in one is a golfer's dream. It occurs when a golfer tees off and that shot goes into the hole that they're playing without any additional shots. This event is rare in golf, and it generally entails a degree of luck. When they do occur, they are likely to be on the shorter, par 3 holes. If you're wondering whether or not a hole in one has occurred on a par 5 hole the answer is yes. By 2021 there were five occasions that this has happened and been recorded, though it had not happened in a professional tournament to that point. A hole in one on a par five is called a condor though the terms double albatross or triple eagle have also been applied to it.

It goes hand in hand with the dad joke about golfers taking a second pair of socks with them in case they get a hole in one.

Answer: Two peas in a pod

The letter P is recorded twice (Ps, meaning PEAS) in the words A POD

This phrase is used to describe two people who are similar in appearance or, perhaps, have similar, quirks or interests. For example, those two are like peas in pod that they're often mistaken for sisters or, their sense of humour is so similar that they're like two peas in a pod.

Answer: split level

The word LEVEL has been SPLIT apart.

A split level is generally used to describe a building that has rooms at different levels but not more than a storey apart. Under this definition, a double storey house would not be, technically, a split level but, a single storey house with a sunken lounge room would be.

Split Level was also the name of an Irish Christian rock band that released eight albums between 1986 and 2000 before they split (apologies). Their debut LP was called "Break the Chains" (1986).

Answer: Mixed nuts

The conglomeration that is TUSN is an anagram of the word NUTS i.e. it is the word NUTS mixed up.

Mixed nuts are a snack food made up of a combination of almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, pecans and, even though they are a legume, peanuts. These may be blanched or roasted but, if you're a beer drinker, you may prefer to see them salted.

"Mixed Nuts" is also the title of a dark Christmas movie from 1994. Despite a list of stars that included Steve Martin, Madeline Kahn, Rita Wilson and Anthony LaPaglia, it didn't do so flash at the box office nor in the eyes of the critics.

Answer: Short story

The word STORY is short one letter.

Short stories are a literary genre in their own right. As a rule of thumb, they're a confined tale that can be read in a single sitting. They represent one of the oldest forms of story telling and can be heard as anecdotes, fairy tales, legends and fables and even folk tales.

There have been many definitions of short stories over the years. Somerset Maugham, for instance, felt that they should have a specific design and a plot while Anton Chekhov took a different slant saying they should merely be a "slice of life" and not have a beginning nor an end.