Strung Along Game: From Duck to Goose Quiz

Answer: Knowledge

As per the rules, the word "duck" ends with "k", which then launches its career as the first letter in "knowledge". This is reasonable of course, because if studying is good for nothing else, it's packing your brain with lots of nine-letter words.

Answer: Geometry

The previous answer was "knowledge", and we'll borrow the last two letters. Euclid, an ancient Greek mathematician is best known for his work "The Elements", which codified the foundations of geometry. And that's why you have to learn half the Greek alphabet to study geometry; be thankful he wasn't an ancient Egyptian.

Answer: Tryst

The previous answer was "geometry", and this answer picks up with the last three letters of the word. A "tryst" is a private or secret romantic rendezvous.

Answer: Stamped

We ended with "tryst", and we begin with the last two letters. A "stamped" letter is one that is ready to be tossed in the mail. It's how we used to send information to people in the old days.

Answer: Education

Taking the last two letters from "stamped", we get "education", which is indeed what schools provide. At least if you pay attention.

Answer: Onion

Building on the previous answer, "education", we use its last two letters to form the answer for a bulb vegetable that brings on the waterworks. That is none other than our friend, the "onion".

Answer: Onward

The previous answer, "onion", ends with "on" and marching onward, we get our next answer. "Onward" is the direction you when you choose to go forward.

Answer: dermatologist

The previous answer was "onward", and onward we go with just the last letter to begin the next answer. A dermatologist is a skin doctor, and often their specialty is acne.

Answer: Statement

From pimple poppers to declarations, we take the last two letters of "dermatologist" and get "statement", which is indeed a spoken or written declaration.

Answer: Togo

And now the grand finale! We have been educated in geometry and dermatology, always marching onward, and our brain is stamped with the knowledge that this answer must begin with the end of "statement" and end with the beginning of "goose". With all that in mind, I present you with the small country of Togo, in Western Africa, snuggling with Benin, Ghana, and Burkina Faso. For those who must know-as I did-the capital is Lomé, the official language is French, and its name means "Behind the River" in the Ewe language.

Congratulations. You've turned a duck into a goose. I hope you enjoyed our little linguistic adventure. What a time to be alive!