h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Here's the answers to the riddle (I think):

year
hair
heir
earl
early
pearl
pear
spear
spar

Right?!

Darn you!

And darn me for not reading the column until today!

David - a bachelor man who can cook rather well and makes yummy biscuits

Actually.

It isn't quite right - one wrong word, one extra word and a couple of omissions...

shazz

I didn't think to check! Hee hee. Correct answers:

I am twelve months;
- year
behead me and I grow on your head;
- ear
add another tail and I am a nobleman;
- earl
add yet another tail and I will never be late;
- early
add another head and I hope your teeth look like this;
- pearly
chop off my tail and find me in an oyster;
- pearl
chop off my tail again and I grow on a tree;
- pear
add another head and I am a dangerous weapon;
- spear
take away my middle and I am fixed to the mast of a ship;
- spar
chop off my tail and head and find me in your family.
- pa



David - still darning himself, but certainly not darning his socks

Oooops. Was thinking that the thing that grows on the head was hair, not ear. Mmmm, that doesn't work, does it? Hats off to the Dewey Demon for a cool headed, and ultimately correct, assessment of the riddle! Riddles like these always remind me of Bilbo Baggins and Gollum down in the goblin caves.

JEllen

I am a bit worried by the thought that my ears are continuing to grow...

David

Clever, you are, you lot!

I did get it but had to start part-way down, between pearly & pear.

...come to think of it, I bet you did, too

- ?