Your turn
EnglishKS2+
The Shrinking Word Brain Teaser
Which word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?
Show the worked solution
What's the puzzle?
Which word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it?
What's the answer?
“Short”
How do you work it out?
- Adding two letters to any word makes it longer to write, so the riddle must be about meaning.
- The suffix -er turns many adjectives into comparatives, for example tall becomes taller.
- Add -er to the word short and it becomes shorter.
- The answer is the word “short”.
Frequently asked questions
What is a comparative adjective?
A comparative adjective compares two things, usually by adding -er to the adjective (short becomes shorter) or by putting more in front of a longer adjective (more careful). The shrinking word riddle relies on this -er suffix.
Why does the shrinking word riddle work?
The shrinking word riddle from LoveMaths Tutoring UK works because the reader assumes "shorter" means fewer letters. It actually refers to the word's meaning: adding two letters to short spells shorter.
Last updated: