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Beginner puzzle (suitable for people who are new to puzzle solving).


To allow new users to solve this puzzle and earn reputation points, I encourage all users whose reputation is 200 or more to not post an answer until 48 hours after this question is posted. Thank you!


This puzzle is inspired by the What is a Word™ and What is a Phrase™ series started by JLee and their spin-off What is a Number™ series.


If a word conforms to a special rule, I call it an ambidextrous word™.

Here is a list of examples:

ambidextrous words™ non-ambidextrous words™
April March
alarm quiet
formal casual
healer doctor
admiral colonel
Alberta Ontario
juggler acrobat
allergies medicines
accurately mistakenly
approvingly tentatively

In CSV format:

ambidextrous words™,non-ambidextrous words™
April,March
alarm,quiet
formal,casual
healer,doctor
admiral,colonel
Alberta,Ontario
juggler,acrobat
allergies,medicines
accurately,mistakenly
approvingly,tentatively

What is the rule to tell whether a word is an ambidextrous word™ or not? Why is it called an ambidextrous word™?

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    $\begingroup$ Why is this being downvoted? Looks fine like any other word property puzzle here. $\endgroup$ Commented yesterday
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    $\begingroup$ As it says on the downvote arrow, this puzzle needs more effort. A quick look at reveal spoiler the first letters in the sample words should be enough to verify this claim; the intended solution hopefully has something less boring in mind. You'll want to include, at a minimum, pairs that rule out all the obvious solutions like that one, and preferably also some word pairs that are similar enough to provide a starting point for checking the guesses. (Using the same word twice on the same side, like "alarm" and "alarming", also smells a bit annoying in a "grepped a word list and copy pasted" kind of way) $\endgroup$ Commented yesterday
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    $\begingroup$ @Bass but that doesn’t explain the TM. I mean I know what the solution is based on the TM and it’s not a ‘bad puzzle’ in my opinion albeit a little straightforward. I just think it’s improper however assuming users over 200 points are somehow puzzle experts and below 200 are noobs, its certainly not the case for me, I still regard myself pretty inexperienced. Also even if an expert solves this puzzle it doesnt stop a noob from trying it… $\endgroup$ Commented yesterday
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    $\begingroup$ FWIW, I can't figure out the solution, so either I'm having a slow morning or the solution isn't as obvious as the downvoters seem to think it is. $\endgroup$ Commented yesterday
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    $\begingroup$ @PDT My goal behind the 200 reputation idea is to give time to users new to this site an opportunity to post an answer and earn reputation points so that they can more fully participate on this site. It’s one of my ways of welcoming new people here. $\endgroup$ Commented 18 hours ago

1 Answer 1

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It looks like ambidextrous words

contain both an "L" and an "R".

This makes sense because

Ambidextrous people can use their "R"ight and "L"eft hands equally well.

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    $\begingroup$ Congratulations, now you'll reach over 200. $\endgroup$ Commented 13 hours ago

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