The Ups and Downs of Wheat Trivia Game | Drop a Letter

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The first word of six letters is the stretchy stuff in bread dough that gives it bounce and chew - unless you're avoiding it.

Answer: gluten

Gluten is a group of proteins found mainly in wheat, barley, and rye. When flour is mixed with water, these proteins link together to form a stretchy, elastic network. This network is what gives bread dough its structure and flexibility.

For people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, this protein can cause health issues, which is why gluten-free alternatives use other ingredients to mimic its binding and elastic properties.

2. Drop a letter and rearrange the rest to make a term that describes a sudden forward movement used in fencing.

Answer: lunge

As described, the word 'lunge' refers to a sudden forward movement, often used in contexts like exercise, fencing, or physical attacks. Its origin traces back to the late 18th century, likely derived from the French word allonger, meaning 'to lengthen' or 'extend.'

3. Drop another letter and rearrange the rest to make a word that helps to stick things together.

Answer: glue

Glue is a substance used to bond materials together. The word can be traced back to the Old English 'gliew,' which itself came from Latin 'glus' or 'glutinum,'

Look familiar? These Latin roots are related to gluten (which we already saw at the beginning of this quiz), meaning 'glue' or 'glue-like substance,' which is also the origin of the modern term for the protein found in wheat.

4. Lose another letter and rearrange the rest to make something that is used for walking or running.

Answer: leg

The word 'leg' refers to the limb used for support and movement in humans and many animals. Its origin can be traced to Old Norse 'leggr,' meaning 'leg or bone,' which entered Middle English through Scandinavian influence during the Viking Age.

The term originally referred more broadly to a limb or joint and gradually narrowed in meaning to specifically denote the lower limb of the body. Over time, 'leg' has also taken on metaphorical meanings, such as a 'leg of a journey' or 'having legs' to describe something with lasting appeal or endurance.

5. Again, drop a letter to come up with a masculine French article.

Answer: le

The French article 'le' is the masculine singular definite article, equivalent to 'the' in English. Its origin traces back to Latin, where the word 'ille' meant 'that' or 'he.' Over time, as Latin evolved into Old French, 'ille' transformed into 'li' and eventually became 'le' in Modern French.

'Le' is used before masculine singular nouns, while its feminine counterpart is 'la,' both serving to specify known or previously mentioned nouns in speech and writing.

6. Drop one last letter to leave yourself with the letter that equates to 'mc^2'.

Answer: E

In Einstein's famous equation E = mc^2, the letter E stands for energy. More specifically, E represents the total energy of a system, showing that energy and mass (m) are interchangeable, with c^2 (the speed of light squared) acting as the conversion factor.

7. Now add a letter to give the title of a medical drama series starring George Clooney.

Answer: ER

Created by Michael Crichton, "ER" ran for 15 seasons between 1994 and 2009. Of course, the acronym stands for 'Emergency Room,' set in Cook County General Hospital (a fictionalized version of the real Cook County Hospital) in Chicago, Illinois. The series was very successful, with 124 Emmy nominations (with 23 wins), and 25 Golden Globe nominations (with one win).

8. Add another letter to give you something that you can listen with.

Answer: ear

The ear is the organ responsible for hearing and balance in humans and many animals. Its etymology traces back to Old English 'ēare,' which is derived from the Proto-Germanic 'ausō,' meaning 'to perceive' or 'to hear.' Over time, the term has retained its anatomical meaning, while also expanding metaphorically to refer to attentiveness or musical sensitivity, as in having 'a good ear' for music.

9. Add yet another letter and rearrange them to make a word that describes you when you are unclothed.

Answer: bare

As noted, the word 'bare' refers to being uncovered, exposed, or lacking covering, often used to describe something without clothing or adornment. It traces its origin back to the Old English 'baer,' meaning 'naked' or 'uncovered.' Over time, 'bare' has retained its core meaning while expanding metaphorically to describe minimalism or simplicity, as in 'bare essentials' or 'bare facts.'

10. Finally, add one last letter and rearrange them to describe something you might slice or toast.

Answer: bread

Interestingly, the word 'bread,' coming from Old English, originally meant a piece or bit of food, and not specifically the whole loaf we think of today. The modern sense of 'bread' as a baked food made from dough emerged later. And like many words, over time, 'bread' also gained metaphorical meanings, such as representing sustenance or livelihood, like in the expression 'earning your bread.'

Source: Author reedy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor spanishliz before going online.
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The Ups and Downs of Wheat Trivia Quiz

Start with a six-letter word (something complex). The next word will be one letter less and may need to be unscrambled. After you get down to one letter, I'll begin to add letters to make a new word. Enjoy!

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