The following puzzle first appeared in April 1999.
There are more than 30 English adjectives ending in –uous. How many can you list? (Note: Do not include rare negatives, like "unpresumptuous" or "unvoluptuous.")
Which of the adjectives ending in –uous can be changed into nouns ending in –uity? Can you find at least 10? (Note: Some of the –uity words I include are listed in the dictionary as "rare.")
Answers:
1.
ambiguous
arduous
assiduous
congruous
conspicuous
contemptuous
contiguous
continuous
deciduous
discontinuous
disingenuous
fatuous
fructuous
impetuous
incestuous
incongruous
inconspicuous
ingenuous
innocuous
mellifluous
perspicuous
presumptuous
promiscuous
sensuous
sinuous
strenuous
sumptuous
superfluous
tempestuous
tenuous
tortuous
tumultuous
unambiguous
unctuous
vacuous
virtuous
voluptuous
2.
ambiguous/ambiguity
assiduous/assiduity
congruous/congruity
conspicuous/conspicuity
contiguous/contiguity
continuous/continuity
discontinuous/discontinuity
fatuous/fatuity
incongruous/incongruity
ingenuous/ingenuity
perspicuous/perspicuity
promiscuous/promiscuity
superfluous/superfluity
tenuous/tenuity
vacuous/vacuity
Tagged golomb's gambits
