Scicabulary
We are presented with a list of strange terms and definitions. Starting with the jargon, we may notice that some substrings of the words look familiar. In fact, each word can be broken into two halves, such as L + EAKFAST or DOUGH + ISSANT, where each half is part of a portmanteau. Taking the opposite halves results in real portmanteaus (e.g. BRUNCH and CRONUT). These are given alphabetically by portmanteau to aid solving.
Each definition, on the other hand, solves to a two-word phrase following the enumeration. By smashing these two words together into a “fake portmanteau,” we can get a real word that is the other half of a jargon word. This lets us match the two sides and index the number from the jargon into the two-word definition.
| Jargon Term | Reverse Portmanteau | Definition | Definition Term | Extract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiced [4] | SPAM | The smallest unit of vacuum | SPACE ATOM | C |
| Maraphone [15] | TELETHON | A snake that can read your mind | TELEPATHIC PYTHON | O |
| Camorous [8] | GLAMPING | A dangerous sport that involves leaping over shards | GLASS JUMPING | M |
| Meterriolet [12] | TAXICAB | A cupboard for stuffed animals? | TAXIDERMY CABINET | B |
| Zengurt [12] | FROYO | One who meditates on the edge between civilization and wilderness | FRONTIER YOGI | I |
| Tulismin [15] | BOTOX | A failed attempt to combine contradictory terms in a figure of speech | BOTCHED OXYMORON | N |
| Enish [7] | SPANGLISH | Aquatic animals covered in small lights | SPANGLED FISH | E |
| Doughissant [7] | CRONUT | A swagger after unfairly appointing a friend | CRONYISM STRUT | S |
| Leakfast [11] | BRUNCH | When you strike the dummy in a game of cards | BRIDGE PUNCH | H |
| Ardouserial [10] | HAZMAT | A society dominated by Nutella-loving women | HAZELNUT MATRIARCHY | A |
| Leans [5] | JEGGINGS | Acts of robbery using a four-wheel drive | JEEP MUGGINGS | M |
| Graphyture [7] | BIOPIC | An ornithologist's discussion point | BIRD TOPIC | P |
| Nalmunication [11] | INTERCOM | A remark you might hear while applying for a job | INTERVIEW COMMENT | O |
| Uationedy [9] | SITCOM | A business you can call to take care of your child or pet | SITTING COMPANY | O |
| Election [5] | ANIMATRONICS | The use of water for heating and cooling as shown in a Pixar film | ANIMATED HYDRONICS | A |
| Hombay [6] | BOLLYWOOD | A building material made of thin layers of sausage | BOLOGNA PLYWOOD | N |
| Pother [5] | BRONY | A statement about sourdough in a court of law | BREAD TESTIMONY | D |
| Softicious [7] | MALWARE | Cutlery that you can shape how you want | MALLEABLE SILVERWARE | B |
| Hotor [5] | MOTEL | An elongated fish that eats your clothes | MOTH EEL | E |
| Vetchet [14] | VELCRO | The superhero name for an alligator's relative that charges at breakneck speed? | VELOCITY CROCODILE | D |
| Foke [7] | SMOG | Greninja, e.g., in a popular fighting game series | SMASH FROG | R |
| Diginary [5] | BIT | A very large, very young child | BIG TOT | O |
| iBroad [14] | PODCAST | A prediction of a snail-storm | GASTROPOD FORECAST | C |
| Foon [10] | SPORK | A place to play outdoor games with friends | SPORTS PARK | K |
Using the order given by the definitions, we get the message COMBINE SHAMPOO AND BEDROCK. This clues one final fake portmanteau for the answer, SHAMROCK.