Tuesday, September 07, 2010

ABC Wednesday

The letter this week is H

H is for HINKY PINKY and this choice for the letter H takes me away back to when our family was young and word games were fun and challenging.

In case you haven't ever had a passion for Hinky Pinky a word of explanation.  A hinky pinky is a clue, definition or riddle, the answer to which is a pair of rhyming words.

For instance, the clue is 'a Norseman on wheels' and the answer could be 'biking Viking'.

The phrase 'hinky pinky' is part of the clue and indicates that the words in the answer will contain two syllables.

The words in a HINK PINK contain only one syllable, and the words in a HINKETY PINKETY contain three syllables, so that if you say to someone, "I have a hinkety pinkety for an evil clergyman, the answer could be a 'sinister minister'.

Or, this is a hink pink for an apian patellae, and after considerable thought you might answer 'bee's knees'
A hinky pinky that describes a moody person from the East could be a 'tempermental oriental' and if the definition is Zeus's wrath, what better answer than 'frightening lightening'.

A great word game for children to increase their vocabularies and stir their imaginations, and an entertaining way for adults to while away the time when doing dishes or standing in a queue or waiting for a bus, or during a boring lecture or sermon or any other dismal litany....

Can you come up with a hink pink for contents of an air conditioned Fort Knox (easy, easy...)

Or what is a hinky pinky for a simple machine that is very smart?  Or a hink pink for a married rodent?

What is a hinkety pinkety for a head made out of radioactive elements?

For more entertaining H's visit ABC Wednesday, with thanks to Mrs. Nesbitt and her team of helpers.

22 comments:

Sylvia K said...

It if funny what this meme brings to mind as we search for examples of the letter of the day! Part of the fun! And you do have a fun one for the H day! I love it! Brought back memories of my own younger -- make that much younger days! Have a great week!

Sylvia

Gigi Ann said...

I never was good at these kind of games. I have no idea what the answers to the questions you left for us to answer are. Fun post for H day.

Mara said...

What a great game. I have never heard of it before, but it sounds like a fantastic game to play while driving a long route.

Of all the challenges you set, the only one I could come up with was Mouse Spouse (for the married rodent).

Dimple said...

Well, I got the easy one, but the others not. Great post; I never heard of that game before!

Julie said...

Me neither, never heard of the game before but like it very much. I have written down the rules and your examples. But will need you to tell the me the answers to the clues. You have determined me to go on this Crossword clue course that I have been putting off.

What a wonderfully original post, Hildred!!

Carver said...

Great take on the letter H. Word games are fun for all ages.

Kay L. Davies said...

I've never heard of the game, and I can tell I'm having "one of those days" because I only got one of the three hinks you left for us. However, my Husband Has a Head for word games (he taught school for 29 years) so I'll pass your post on to him and I'm sure he'll figure iout the other two.
Kay
Alberta, Canada

Tumblewords: said...

Oh, what fun! I've never heard of it and flamed out right after cold gold. :)

Wanda..... said...

I love word games, but hinky pinky is new to me, although I used to call my son, Sticky Ricky, when he was a small messy child!

Cheryl said...

I love games!

Cold gold.
IDK IDK Argh!
Mouse spouse
Uranium cranium

Thanks for this brilliant stop along the H tour.

photowannabe said...

This is a new one for me. I think I have to come back and give this some more thought.
Really fun game. I had to groan a few times.

LivingSoAbundantly said...

I will have to try this at school. My students will enjoy this, for sure! Great post. =)

Roger Owen Green said...

clever concept, which i was unfamiliar w. yeah, just got the easy one.

ROG, ABC Wednesday team

Rajesh said...

Nice choice. I love word games.

Verns said...

I enjoyed it ... nice one..

Hope you can drop by
My ABC Wednesday post here

Leslie: said...

You should market this - you might make a fortune - check out Parker Brothrs. What fun!

Wendy said...

Now that IS a great game for children and adults as well...I love words, but I'd have to think of the answers. The game really expands the mind in a wonderful way..Love this post and your blog is beautiful!

Reader Wil said...

Well this is a game I like! Could a hink pink for"Air conditioned Fort Knox" be "Cold Gold"? The others are too difficult for a not native speaker.

Reader Wil said...

Hi I think I know the wedded rodent! Is it "spouse mouse"? It's really fun!

♥♥ Willa ♥♥ said...

The word Hinki Pinky put a big smile on my li'l boy as he try to pronounce it. :)

The Weaver of Grass said...

Well Hildred - I have never heard of this game before - I wonder if your family perhaps invented it. I could not do any of them until I read Cheryl below and then, of course, they all seemed easy! But I have made a note of it and we shall definitely play it next Christmas as it adds a new dimension to our party games - so thank you for that!

VioletSky said...

you must do really well on those cryptic crosswords!