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One Word, Seven Times (Posted on 2005-01-27) Difficulty: 5 of 5
"Dog dog dog dog dog dog dog."

While dog-lovers rejoice at the above statement, grammarians hang their heads in shame, as the statement is not a grammatically correct sentence.

Replace "dog" with a word that will satisfy the grammarians. You may not add any additional words or punctuation.

  Submitted by David Shin    
Rating: 3.5000 (4 votes)
Solution: (Hide)
Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo.

Here's the explanation:

"Buffalo" is also a verb that means "to intimidate, as by a display of confidence or authority".

Keep in mind also that the word "that", when used in an adjectival phrase of the form "that NOUN VERB" is optional (i.e., "I eat things that I like" is the same as "I eat things I like").

With these points in mind, consider the following sentences, repeating each sentence until it makes grammatical sense before moving on to the next one:

Buffalo intimidate cows.
Buffalo intimidate cows that tigers intimidate.
Buffalo that lions intimidate intimidate cows.
Buffalo that lions intimidate intimidate cows that tigers intimidate.
Buffalo that buffalo intimidate intimidate buffalo that buffalo intimidate.
Buffalo buffalo intimidate intimidate buffalo buffalo intimidate.
Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo.

The same also works for "fish" and "police".

Comments: ( You must be logged in to post comments.)
  Subject Author Date
Some ThoughtsSome ThoughtsK Sengupta2007-03-03 11:00:58
re: A multitude of answers?jack walker2005-01-29 04:15:23
Hints/Tipsre: Bamboozled? (Spoiler)Sam2005-01-28 13:52:07
Some ThoughtsBorn SlippyJuggler2005-01-28 12:26:12
bacon, eggsJer2005-01-28 12:08:59
SolutionSolutionAndrew Daly2005-01-28 12:04:23
SolutionYou can't add punctuationPenny2005-01-28 03:16:10
re: Feeling Frisky and 11 dogsFarthing2005-01-28 01:55:59
SolutionBamboozled? (Spoiler)Sam2005-01-27 21:56:31
"Satify the grammarians" means "satisfy the grammarians"David Shin2005-01-27 20:38:39
Notwithstanding that no one ever satisfies grammarians... :)John2005-01-27 20:15:02
re: A multitude of answers?David Shin2005-01-27 20:03:07
Some ThoughtsFeeling FriskyJuggler2005-01-27 20:01:15
A multitude of answers?Erik O.2005-01-27 19:29:41
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