How much do you know about Wordwise Adoption? | Quiz

Answer: Sixth sense

To arrive at the answer, you are asked to focus on the sixth appearance of the word SENSE in the line.

We all know about the five senses of taste, sight, hearing, touch and smell but we often forget that we also have a sixth sense. It's a sense of being aware as to where our limbs are in space. The name of this sense is proprioception (pronounced "pro-pree-o-ception"). Not sure what I am talking about, then try this little experiment. Place a glass of water in front of you and then touch the top of the glass a few times with your eyes open. Now try and do the same with eyes closed. Chances are that you will still find the glass.

That is proprioception. In other words, when we close our eyes we don't lose the sense of where we are in the world. It's almost like an invisible map has been imprinted into our memory. Like the other five senses that we are so much aware of, proprioception is that under-appreciated sense that is vital for us to make our way in the world everyday.

Answer: Bull in a china shop

CHINA - BULL - SHOP

The phrase is used to describe a person who is extremely clumsy and that their ineptness is likely to lead to a lot of damage. As to where the phrase originated is now lost in time however, one of the earliest recordings of it in a written work appears to be in the novel "Jacob Faithful" by Frederick Marryat, published in 1834.

Answer: Climb down

It is important that you noted that the letters of the word "climb" are in a descending order, hence the answer cannot be climb up.

Climb down means to descend. It could also mean to withdraw from a previously stated position of purported strength. This could be in an argument or a negotiation.

Answer: Go without saying

A bit of a tough one. The letters that make up the word "Go" are on the outside of the word "saying", hence they are without or around it.

Go without saying is an idiom that has existed since the 1800s and it means that something is obvious, clear or apparent. It is so obvious that it need not be said. In some respects it is similar to the expression "it's right in front (or under) your nose". My thought is that if it goes without saying... why say it?

Go around saying is an alternative way of saying "spreading gossip".

Answer: Face to face

The words ECAF (face backwards) backs on to FACE.

Face to face is generally used to describe a communication that is done in person i.e. in front of the other party, as opposed to a negotiation over the telephone or via some other form of electronic media.

Whereas the above would assume that one is in the physical presence of the other party, in these days of modern communications, such as FaceTime and Zoom, it is possible to be face to face and worlds apart at the same time.

Answer: Kick over the traces

The word "kick" is above (meaning over) "traces".

The phrase is more of a British term than one likely to be used in North America. It means to be insubordinate, or to thumb ones nose at authority. Traces are the straps that link the horse or the oxen to the wagon and allow the wagon driver to exert some control on the animals. Should the creature "kick over the traces" it means that it has stepped over them, making it impossible for the driver to control them.

Answer: Pair of scissors

The word scissors appears twice, making them a pair.

Spring scissors are believed to be the earliest form of scissors to have existed. They were present in Mesopotamia at least 3,000 years ago.

I dare say that your parents would have warned you never to run with scissors... those were very wise words. However, "Running with Scissors" was a the name of a single released by Ben Lee in 1983 and an album by Weird Al Yankovic in 1999.

Answer: Anyone

As the hint said, sound the characters - N and E sounded out is "any", followed by the one.

Anyone is a call out to any person. That person is not defined or singled out by name, number or any other form of identification. For example; "Is anyone home?"

Answer: Fall between two stools

The word "stool" is on either side of the word "fall"... making fall between two stools.

The idiom essentially means a failure. The person in question has had a hard time deciding between two options, has opted to attempt both and succeeded at neither of them. The longer version of the saying is "between two stools one falls to the ground" and it first appeared in John Gower's "Confessio Amantis" (translated "The Lover's Confession), a 33,000 line poem published in 1390.

Answer: Flash in the pan

The words "the pan" are split by the word "flash being in between them.

The term "flash in the pan" relates to something or someone that fails to deliver on the potential it (or they) showed at the start. There are a couple of possible origins to this phrase. One stems from the California gold-rush where a prospector has gotten their hopes up of a promising find, based on the mere glint of something in their pan. I guess it didn't pan out for them (my apologies, I couldn't resist).

The other stems back to an earlier age, the 17th century and the time of the flintlock muskets. The pan was the item on the weapon that held the gunpowder and, sometimes, when this was set off, all it produced was a great flash but the ball failed to fire.