There are three words ending with 'gry'.
1. hungry
2. angry
What is the third one? Is it there? And if yes, what is it?
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There are three words ending with 'gry'.
1. hungry
2. angry
What is the third one? Is it there? And if yes, what is it?
Those Dreaded "-gry" Words
For years and years and years, librarians have been fielding questions such as, "I heard there are three commonly used English words ending in '-gry'. I know about 'hungry' and 'angry', but what is the other word?"
This question is asked many, many times, every month, every year, and has been asked for as many years as anyone who works at this particular library can remember. If we seem to you be somewhat less than thrilled to hear the "-gry" riddle, it is because, to use a massive understatement, the novelty has worn off. So far, we have found many answers, the two most common of which we've posted below.
That being said, please understand that "words ending in gry" is the one topic on which Tempe Public Library does not respond to email. Here is one reason, quoted from the Frequently Asked Questions file of the rec.puzzles newsgroup: "There are many generally unsatisfying "trick" answers to the problem, which depend on a specific wording of the question or that the question be spoken instead of written. There seems to be no agreement among puzzle historians about which form is the original, or even the age of the problem. In any event, it is apparent that the frequent mutations of the puzzle statement over the years have erased whatever answer was intended by the original author." The other reason we don't answer email about -gry words is that we are already busy providing library service for the people who live in Tempe, Arizona. For two answers to the riddle, just read on:
Full Article: http://www.tempe.gov/library/netsites/gry.htm
It's also possible to do a "wild card" search with OneLook.
??gry or ???gry
http://www.onelook.com/?w=%3F%3Fgry&ls=b
http://www.onelook.com/?w=%3F%3F%3Fgry&ls=b
Another "wild card" search with OneLook would be: *gry
http://www.onelook.com/?w=*gry&ls=b
See also: List of words ending in GRY
There is also this:
http://www.jargonfile.com/jargon/html/entry/nugry.html
Ok, so let me get this straight. There really isn't any third word that ends with "-gry"; it's just some stupid elementary riddle that's made to drive people to the looney bin?
That's about right.Quote:
Originally Posted by Will
:wink:
Actually, there are many words ending in "gry", including "gry" itself. The original riddle was a trick, but it was about the form of the riddle. Newer and repeated versions are paraphrased, so they don't work the way the original riddle worked.Quote:
Originally Posted by Will
In the original riddle and also in the variations I have seen, it says the words are "commonly-used" English words. None of the alternatives to "hungry" and "angry" that I have seen are commonly used words.Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeNewYork
Now there is even a word for people who ask this!
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=nugry
LOL!!!