Rebus
(This is only a basic description of the rebus; there is much more discussion and detail in a separate article, Solving and Composing the Rebus and Rebade.)
A word or phrase is represented by letters, numbers, or symbols; their positions; and sometimes related letter-play, like alterations to the verse.
For example, the word abalone—read as a B alone—might be represented by: B. The phrase damper sand—read as D, ampersand—might be represented by: D&. The phrase forge a check—read as for GE, a check—might be represented by a verse in which the letter pair ge was replaced once, or everywhere it appeared, by P. Here are two examples:
The solution: panda bear (P and a be, ar). Rebus solutions rarely have dictionary nature. When they do, the enumeration is bracketed:
The solution: undercover agent (under C, over a G, en, T).
The letters, numbers, or symbols indicating the solution (such as B or D& in the examples above) are called the rubric. The explanation of the solution (such as a B alone or for GE, a check) is called the reading of the rubric. Note that the reading is a heteronym of the solution. On the solution page, the editor will explain the readings of difficult rebuses.
If a reading has a word not in online MW, this is indicated by a tag like “NI2 phrase in reading” or “reading has an NI3 word with non-MW usage”. The solution, the reading, and even the rubric (perhaps having an NI2 diagram or symbol) may be tagged.
Rubrics are roughly centered and between the flat’s title and verse, unless a reading indicates otherwise.
In a phonetic rebus, the reading is a homonym of the solution. For example, II represents two black eyes (two black I’s); HEE is ate cheese (aitch, E’s);
E is usury (use your E). See the discussion of phonetic flats.
The enigmatic rebus is not a specific puzzle type. Rather, “enigmatic” is a red flag, warning you that the reading involves something other than simple manipulation of letters.
A typical enigmatic rebus requires that you infer missing parts, as in E for eggnogs (EGG; no G’s). Or you may have to recognize letters as symbols (as in BASiS =
basilicons = B, A, silicon, S).
The distinction between enigmatic and nonenigmatic isn’t black and white, hard and fast, or cut and dried. (Solvers, like editors, will find this to be tried and true.) Many once-enigmatic devices, through convention and familiarity, have come to be accepted as nonenigmatic. These include letters used as various symbols and abbreviations. Please see Solving and Composing the Rebus and Rebade for a much fuller discussion.
A phonigmatic rebus is a rebus that is both phonetic and enigmatic.
The suber is a reversed rebus, as reversing its name will show. The reading of a suber is a reversed heteronym of the solution. For example, K,H could be the rubric for a suber with the solution hammock (a reversal of K, comma, H). Like a rebus, a suber can be enigmatic, phonetic, or phonigmatic.
The solution: dessertspoon (no O, P stressed).
In the progressive rebus, the solution to one rebus is the rubric for another. For example, OR could be the rubric for a two-part solution: ONE = odor (O; do R), TWO (with rubric ODOR) = outside the door (outside the DO, OR). One or more parts of a progressive rebus may be enigmatic, phonetic, or phonigmatic; each rebus is labeled and tagged separately.
An example of a progressive suber: rubric C + I, ONE = music (CI sum), TWO (rubric MUSIC) = coliseum (MU, es, I; lo! C).
Normally, if a verse has two rebuses, each has its own rubric. In a dual rebus, the two share the same rubric. For example:
The solutions are binary [B in aR Y] and Araby [Ar, a B, Y].