A Puzzling Exploration of Devon Quiz

Answer: Bideford

Bide, as in 'bide a while' + ford, a place to cross water for animals and people where the water is shallow enough to be safe.

Bideford, which is pronounced more like 'biddyford', is situated on the coast of north Devon, on the River Torridge estuary. Elisabeth Pepys, who married the famous diarist Samuel, was born in the town, which is recorded in the Domesday Book.

Answer: Torquay

Tor is used for a prominent rock, particularly in Cornwall + key, a homonym for 'quay', which was too obvious.

Torquay has been a holiday resort since the early nineteenth century and was especially favoured by the Victorians. Agatha Christie was born in the town, and Torquay capitalises on this with special tours. John Cleese was inspired to write 'Fawlty Towers' following a stay in a local hotel.

Answer: Paignton

Pain, the body's response to an injury, + ton, a unit of mass or volume, often spelled as tonne in the latter usage.

Paignton is on Devon's south coast and forms the English Riviera along with Brixham and Torquay. The area covering all three towns is known as Torbay. In the Domesday Book it is recorded as Peintone. Originally a fishing port, especially after a new harbour was built in the first half of the nineteenth century, Paignton is now a popular holiday destination.

Answer: Exeter

Exit, showing the way out of a building + her, referring to anyone of the female gender.

Exeter is one of only two cities in Devon, the other being Plymouth. Exeter is the county town, and dates back to at least Roman times when it was known as Isca. Parts of the original city walls can be seen, along with Rougemont Castle, dating from Norman times.

Answer: Appledore

An apple is a type of pome, defining the type of fruit it is + door, a homonym for 'dore'.

There are actually two places called Appledore in Devon, one on the north coast at the mouth of the River Torridge and the other, a much smaller village, is in mid Devon, near Tiverton. The larger Appledore was home to the Appledore Shipbuilders, established in 1855 but closed in 2019.

Answer: Dartmoor

Dart, a pointed item that can be thrown, as in the game of darts, or paper darts + more, meaning extra, a homonym for 'moor', and expanse of uncultivated land.

Dartmoor covers a large area of southern Devon and has been a National Park since 1951, giving it protection from development. The area is wild and inspired the Sherlock Holmes story 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' and 'Lorna Doone' by R D Blackmore. One of England's prisons is located on Dartmoor, having been built originally to house prisoners during the Napoleonic War.

Answer: Honiton

Honey, a foodstuff created by bees, + tun, a homonym of 'ton', used to store wines and beer.

Honiton is located near Exeter and is on the original route of the Fosse Way, running from Exeter to Lincoln in Roman times. Honiton is particularly renowned for its lace, a cottage industry originally with people working from home and making lace by hand. Queen Victoria's wedding dress included lace made in Honiton.

Answer: Totnes

Tot, a word used for a small child, + ness, a cape or headland jutting out into the sea.

Totnes is on Devon's south coast, at the mouth of the River Dart. The town is recorded as far back as 907, and has a Norman castle now owned by English Heritage. William Wills, of the Burke and Wills expedition in Australia, was born in Totnes in 1834.

Answer: Woolacombe

Wool, a natural fibre from sheep, + a + comb, needed by most of us to keep our hair tidy.

A popular tourist destination, Woolacombe is on the north coast of Devon. The 'combe' part of the name is derived from the name for a valley - in Welsh, the same derivation gives us 'cwm'. The town was one of those used for training troops in landing from boats ready for the Normandy invasions on D-Day. Woolacombe offers good views of Lundy Island, although you'd need to go to Ilfracombe or Bideford for a boat trip across to the island.

Answer: Barnstaple

Barn, a building used for storage, + staple, referring to foodstuffs like rice or potatoes, which form a large part of the standard diet.

Barnstaple is a town on Devon's north coast, where the River Taw reaches the Bristol Channel. It is a former port, particularly associated with the export and import of wool. Phil Vickery, the former England rugby player, not the chef of the same name, was born in Barnstaple as was John Gay, who wrote 'The Beggar's Opera'.