To beat up support is a phrase used to describe the process of gathering supporters for a cause. I have also heard the phrase beat up used in other similar contexts.

Interesting. I've never heard "to beat up support" used in America. Here the common phrase is "to drum up support". I wonder where else "to beat up support" is used.

The answer was definitely "beat up". I was very confused, none of the options made any sense. My thinking sort of lined up with lacrosse. To gather the ball is kinda similar to cradling and picking it up. But really most of my reasoning all the other answers made even less sense.

Whaaaatt ??

dust cover is related to promotion

dust cover means "a paper jacket for a book"
promotion means "a message issued in behalf of some product or cause or idea or person or institution"

And what do you see on the dust jacket? All kinds of promotional matter - descriptions of how wonderful it is, enticing graphics, etc.

Hm.

4. Piquance
Your answer: a sharp sour taste

a sharp sour taste is the definition for "tartness"

The correct answer was a tart spiciness

I'd go with that. Sour seems to be an essential part of "tart", while it may or may not be necessary for piquancy. And at the same time, spiciness fits better with piquant than with tart.

My letters:

IAAVGCIFETOS


Attempting to Turn in a Word...

You do not have the right letters for that word! You are missing a letter S.

Check our dictionary: Word Saiga found. 

Thanks.

A bit of a guess but was there a space after the word you tried to submit? The Check Our Dictionary field will accept trailing spaces, but the Turn In Letters field will not.

If you copy/paste a word from a Scrabble help page, the turn in a word space doesn't like a space in front of the word either. I've found the copy/paste method usually adds a space in the beginning.

The 'correct answer' is not only confusing and makes no sense but I cannot find that definition anywhere to support the answer given. How can spread eagle be to defeat disastrously? Can anyone give me a reference? thank you

7. spread-eagle

puzzling complexity
an unpleasant carriage
bend or turn backward
any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome
defeat disastrously
a new soundtrack that is added to a film



7. Spread-eagle
Your answer: an unpleasant carriage

an unpleasant carriage is the definition for "ungracefulness"

The correct answer was defeat disastrously

The dictionary definition of spread-eagle (or spreadeagle) describes it as having one's arms and legs extended. Colloquially, it is used to describe someone who has been defeated so disastrously that they are (metaphorically if not literally) sprawled on the ground, collapsed and defenseless.

Thank you. I understand your explanation but never have heard it used that way.

In my set today were the two words TYRO and TIRO, which both have identical definitions, viz: a novice or beginner.

Amongst the options given were:
1. abecedarian and 2. rookie


It goes without saying that I chose the wrong pairings, and was 'told' -

1. You said: tiro
rookie means "an awkward and inexperienced youth"
tyro means "someone new to a field or activity"

and

2. You said: tyro
abecedarian means "a novice learning the rudiments of some subject"
tiro means "someone new to a field or activity"


Is it possible to remove one of these words to prevent confusion in future sets?

Is it worth posting a content issue, if it is seemingly ignored?

Ivor, I think your prior one is for Mind Melt and not Word Wizard? In any case, I'm not sure what posting here does for either type of defect, other than warn others for the next time things come up.

Both games use an off-site database, over which FunTrivia has no control - so posting about errors in the spelling or meaning won't get it fixed. It may alert others to the need to just accept a definition that isn't quite right. Sometimes others can explain for you how a definition that doesn't make sense can be related.

Terry has set up filters so that offensive words, and some extremely specialist terms (and other classes of word that are not appropriate), are not used. Removing single words can't really happen, as I understand it.

Yes Sue you're right it does relate to Mind Melt, Mea Culpa!

.... and many thanks to both you and loony_tunes for providing me with an insight into the parameters of the system.

I'm confused as well now - what was the correct answer?

Rookie matched with tyro, and abecedarian with tiro.

TY

I suppose whenever that happens (and it does) at least 50% of the players will get it right, and then even out the next time as if two words mean the same thing the guess must be random between the two correct ones. But I'm glad it's been explained as I won't mention it again when it happens.

Bilateral Symmetry's definition is given as "the property of being symmetrical about a vertical plane". This is correct, if restrictive. Should it maybe be changed to "the property of being symmetrical about a plane", since objects can be bilaterally symmetric on any plane?