Learning by Stems

Some people learn by looking at common groups of letters that are quite good for creating Bingos and trying to remember all the 7 letter words that can be made with one extra letter. Experts even try to remember all the 8 letter words that can be made with an extra 2 letters

A Grade Challenge

Although the B and C graders have got a RETINA list you didn’t expect that for the A Graders did you? Instead I will give you something from the ARIOUS stem. Not as productive as RETINA, but I like some of the words. The sevens are SAOUARI, CARIOUS, CURIOSA, SAUROID, GIAOURS, OURALIS, OURARIS, SOUARIS, SAUTOIR, SAVIOUS and VARIOUS. See how you go with some 8 letter words from that stem.

A I O R S T U V

A I O R S T T U

A G I O O R S U

A I O N Q R S U

A I M O R S S U

B & C Grade Learning List

RETINA is a stem that all B Graders should be familiar with, at least to make 7 letter words by adding one extra letter. However last week a B grade player missed an 8 letter bingo which was just the plural of a 7 letter RETINA word. They saw RAINIEST, but it didn’t fit and they didn’t think of just pluralising one of the words below. So maybe this is good revision for B Graders and I am sure C Graders will learn something to their advantage

I won’t type out all the meanings this week. I have just asterisked some of the more interesting ones

RETINA + B = ATEBRIN*

(*) An anti-malarial drug

RETINA + C = CERATIN CERTAIN CREATIN CRINATE NACRITE TACRINE CANTIER*

(*) A Scottish expression meaning more contented

RETINA + D = ANTIRED DETRAIN TRAINED

RETINA + E = RETINAE TRAINEE ARENITE*

(*) A type of rock chiefly composed of sandy grains

RETINA + F = FAINTER FENITAR*

(*) A plant that was used to treat scurvy

RETINA + G = GRANITE GRATINE INGRATE TANGIER TEARING

RETINA + H = HAIRNET INEARTH THERIAN*

(*) A mammal of the subclass marsupials and placentals

RETINA + I = INERTIA

RETINA + J = JANTIER NARTJIE*

(*) A small sweet South African orange like a mandarin

RETINA + K = KERATIN

RETINA + L = ENTRAIL LATRINE RATLINE RELIANT RETINAL TRENAIL*

(*) A wooden peg used to fasten timber

RETINA + M = MINARET RAIMENT MERANTI*

(*) The wood of various Malaysian trees

RETINA + N = ENTRAIN TRANNIE

RETINA + O = OTARINE NOTAIRE*

(*) A public official authorised to sign legal documents

RETINA + P = PAINTER REPAINT PERTAIN INAPTER*

(*) More unsuited or unqualified

RETINA + R = TRAINER RETRAIN TERRAIN

RETINA + S = ANTSIER NASTIER RATINES RESIANT RETAINS RETINAS RETSINA STAINER STARNIE STEARIN ANESTRI*

(*) Plural of ANESTRUS a period of sexual inactivity between oestrus

RETINA + T = NATTIER NITRATE TERTIAN TARTINE INTREAT ITERANT*

(*) An adjective meaning that something is repeating

RETINA + U = RUINATE TAURINE URINATE URANITE*

(*) A mineral also called autunite, - another good scrabble word

RETINA + W = TAWNIER TINWARE

Answers to A Grade Challenge

VIRTUOSA A female virtuoso

TOURISTA Intestinal sickness affecting a tourist in a foreign country

ORAGIOUS Stormy

NARQUOIS Mocking or malicious

OSSARIUM A depository for the bones of the dead

Happy Scrabbling Patrick