Make new words

The idea

In these questions, a new word is built from two given words by a hidden rule, and an example shows you the rule at work: STORM and COURT make COST. Your job is to work out exactly how the new word is built, then use the same rule on a fresh pair of words.

Take the example apart letter by letter. In COST, the C and O come from the start of COURT, and the S and T come from the start of STORM — the new word takes the first two letters of the second word, then the first two letters of the first word.

Once you think you have the rule, test it back on the example pair to be sure it rebuilds the given word exactly. Then apply it to the new pair in the same order — first word and second word keep their roles.

Worked example

A new word is made from two words in a particular way. STORM and COURT make COST. Using the same rule, what do THROW and BONUS make?

1. Look at COST: CO comes from the start of COURT (the second word) and ST from the start of STORM (the first word).
2. So the rule is: first two letters of the second word, then first two letters of the first word.
3. Apply it to THROW and BONUS: BO from BONUS, then TH from THROW, giving BOTH.

Answer: both

Watch out

• Taking the letters in the wrong order — the second word contributes first.
• Guessing the rule from the new pair instead of taking the given example apart.
• Using the last letters or the middle letters because they also appear in the answer — the rule must rebuild the example word exactly.