Word Grouping Test

[Suspence]

See if you can group the 57 words below into 3 distinct groups. Define the rules for your 3 groups and then group the words accordingly. Here is your word list:

Singular
Chain(of bobolinks)
Pace(of asses)
Pride(of lions)
Crash(of rhinos)
Romp(of otters)
Sloth(of bears)
Murder(of crows)
Fall(of woodcocks)
Descent(of woodpeckers)
Spring(of teal)
Obstinacy(of buffalo)
Down(of hares)
Intrusion(of cockroaches)
Unkindness(of ravens)
Scold
Tower
Rag
Walk
Cackle
String(of horses)
Pitying
Wake
Richness
Plague(of locusts)
Host(of sparrows)
Boil(of hawks)
Exaltation(of larks)
Deceit(of lapwings)
Parliament(of owls)
Trip(of goats)
Charm(of finches)
Ostentation
Route
Cry(of hounds)
Flight
Gulp
Stand
Pounce
Business(of ferrets) & ???
Company(of foxes)
Bloat(of hippos)
Leash
Rafter(of turkeys)
Cloud(of gnats) & ???
Shrewdness(of apes)
Kettle(of hawks)
Labor(of moles)
Intrigue(of kittens)
Leap(of leopards)
Building
Prickle
Scurry
Bouquet
Cowardice
Streak
Raft

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[This message has been edited by Suspence13 (edited 02-22-2002 10:39 PM).]

[groza528]

I think the rules are too vague.
Here is one set of four groups that would work for ANY list:
even number of consonants and even number of vowels
even number of consonants and odd number of vowels
odd number of consonants and even number of vowels
odd number of consonants and odd number of vowels

It would be quite tedious to categorize the given list, if someone else is bored go ahead.

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If you think the little things don't matter, try falling asleep with a mosquito in your room.

[Suspence]

I would think the solution would be a little more interesting than that. Sorry for being vague. Group the words into 3 groups according to thier meaning, not the compostion of the word. I ended up with one group of 27, 1 group of 26, and 1 group of 4. Good luck!

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I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature

[Qaqaq]

Well, here's a group of 26. It's possible that I might have missed one that would bring it to 27, of course.

PACE of asses
PRIDE of lions
CRASH of rhinoceros
SLOTH of bears
MURDER of crows
DESCENT of woodpeckers
SPRING of teal
OBSTINACY of buffalo
DOWN of hares
UNKINDNESS of ravens
STRING of horses
PLAGUE of locusts
HOST of sparrows
EXALTATION of larks
PARLIAMENT of owls
TRIP of goats
FLIGHT of insects
CHARM of finches
CRY of hounds
BUSINESS of ferrets
BLOAT of hippopotami
RAFTER of turkeys
CLOUD of gnats
SHREWDNESS of apes
LABOR of moles
LEAP of leopards

[Quailman]

There's a KETTLE of something.

[groza528]

cloud of gnats? is that an official name?

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If you think the little things don't matter, try falling asleep with a mosquito in your room.

[Suspence]

Good work Qaqaq. In fact, you caught one that I didn't. I didn't know about Business, but it is right. I guess that word belongs on 2 of the lists.

Also, Quailman was right about kettle. A group of hawks is known as a kettle.

Oh, and Groza, good catch. Gnats are known as either a cloud or a horde. I didn't intend to use cloud of gnats in this puzzle either, but it is correct, so that's another one that might go 2 ways.

Any ideas on what to do with the rest of the words now???

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I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature

[This message has been edited by Suspence13 (edited 02-19-2002 11:40 PM).]

[groza528]

Actually, I just meant that gnats often SEEM like a cloud, so when somebody says 'oh no, here comes a cloud of gnats' that doesn't mean it's the official name. Thanks though

[Marvin]

A number of them (wake, boil, rag etc) can be both nouns or verbs.
I don't think this applies to 27 of them, though.

[Milt]

Here are some more:

CHAIN of bobolinks
ROMP of otters
FALL of woodcocks
INTRUSION of cockroaches
BOIL of hawks
DECEIT of lapwings
COMPANY of foxes
INTRIGUE of kittens

[Suspence]

I updated the original puzzle with the correct answers so far. Almost there!!!

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I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature

[Milt]

SINGULAR of boar
SCOLD of jays
TOWER of giraffes
RAG of horses
WALK of snipe
CACKLE of hyenas
PITYING of doves
WAKE of buzzards
RICHNESS of martens
OSTENTATION of peacocks
ROUTE of the parade this coming Saturday
FLIGHT of birds
GULP of cormorants
STAND of flamingoes
POUNCE of cats
BUSINESS of flies
LEASH of foxes
CLOUD of grasshoppers
BUILDING of rooks
PRICKLE of porcupines
SCURRY of squirrels
BOUQUET of pheasants
COWARDICE of curs
STREAK of tigers
RAFT of ducks

[Suspence]

I think those are all correct, except for possibly the one about the parade. Anybody wanna figure out "route" and group these into 3 groups so that we can end this thread???

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I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature

[groza528]

I'll take the easy group: business, cloud, plague, intrusion (insects) the other two groups are clearly birds and mammals, but I don't know what animal comes in 'routes'

[Salty]

route comes under insects. It is the collective term for weevils, from the biblical reference to the "route of all weevils"

[Salty]

ISE

[Qaqaq]

Salty, you are correct when it is a large group of weevils. However, a mere pair of weevils is known as a "lesser"....

[Suspence]

Good job, all. Truthfully, I had route as wolves. Wolves in movement are known as a rout or a route. Good work.

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I hate people who try to write interesting things in their signature