The Washington Post's Mensa Invitational once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition.
Here are this year's winners. Read them carefully. Each is an artificial word with only one letter altered to form a real word. Some are terrifically innovative: 1. Intaxication : Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with. 2. Reintarnation : Coming back to life as a hillbilly. 3. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future. 4. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period. 5. Giraffiti : Vandalism spray-painted very, very high. 6. Sarchasm : The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it. 7. Inoculatte : To take coffee intravenously when you are running late. 8. Hipatitis : Terminal coolness. 9. Osteopornosis : A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.) 10. Karmageddon : It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's, like, a serious bummer. 11. Decafalon (n.): The gruelling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you. 12. Glibido: All talk and no action. 13. Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. 14. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web. 15. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out. 16. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating. And The #1 pick: 17. Ignoranus : A person who's both stupid and an asshole.
