1. Intermittently
   Unintelligibly
2. Syntactically
   Differentially

Unintelligibly means "incomprehensible," so in the words of Simon Cowell, "It's a no from me." If talking about syntax, use the third option. If discussing something related to differences, to nobody's surprise, use "differentially."

1. An ideal, model weekend
   The busiest weekend possible
2. An intellectually stimulating weekend
   A weekend not filled with wasted time

Plot twist: "Weekend" is also a double-letter word, but let's focus on "quintessential." While a busy, intellectually stimulating weekend that contains no wasted time might be your dentist's concept of a quintessential Saturday and Sunday, the word denotes the perfect representation of something.

1. Intrinsically
   Unilaterally
2. Unequivocally
   Semantically

When something is equivocal, it's open to interpretation. Hence, adding the prefix "un" renders it closed to interpretation or ... drum roll ... unambiguous. Something could be intrinsically unequivocal, meaning that it's inherently unambiguous.

1. Categorically
   Symmetrically
2. Surreptitiously
   Emphatically

"Symmetrically" refers to symmetry, which doesn't make sense in this context. All these words sound out of place, but "categorically" is another way of saying "explicitly" or "unambiguously," and "surreptitiously" denotes secretiveness. If saying something forcefully or with emphasis, use "emphatically."

1. Scintillation
   Incommunicado
2. Rapprochement
   Approximation

"Scintillation" indicates a sparkle of light or a flash, and "incommunicado" is quite the opposite of what's needed for a rapprochement — it refers to the inability to communicate. An approximation is something that's similar but not identical to another thing.

1. Disseminate
   Decommission
2. Presuppose
   Corroborate

Often used in legal settings, "corroborate" sounds a lot like "collaborate" (a fellow double-lettered word). You can remember its definition by noting that situations requiring corroboration, like confirming that a witness's testimony is true, probably involve multiple people, similar to a collaboration.

1. Chaff
   Knoll
2. Rupee
   Skiff

With enough rupees, the Indian currency, you might be able to buy your own knoll, or maybe even a farm, where you'd undoubtedly accrue a lot of chaff, also known as corn and seed husks. Or if you're more of a water person, you could invest in a skiff, which is a type of boat.

1. Gruff
   Scoffed
2. Truss
   Trick question! They're all correct.

Gotcha! Or maybe you got it! "Gruff" refers to tone — a low, rough voice — whereas "scoffed" relates to what they're actually saying, and describes a scornful or mocking voice. As any Martha Stewart fan would know, "truss" denotes tying up a chicken before putting it in the oven. Plot twist: "Erroneously" is also a double-lettered word.

1. Clarified butter
   A type of milk
2. An antiquated pasta sauce
   A cheese only available in Asia

Gee, "ghee" sure is an uncommon word, though foodies may be happy that there's a term for clarified butter. If you ever travel to South Asia, there's a fair chance you'll come across it because it's found in various recipes over there.

1. Amiss
   Adder
2. Knell
   Leery

When something's amiss, or not quite right and out of place, you might feel leery. You'd almost be 100% leery upon seeing an adder, a type of venomous snake, and the leeriness would be in full swing if you heard a knell, which denotes the sound of a bell, particularly when it's solemn.

1. Efflux
   Append
2. Buffer
   Affix

Rest assured, college grads and students, now you know where the word "appendix" comes from. "Appending" and "affixing" have similar meanings, but the latter is more often used for physical additions. Saying, "I affixed the audio recording to my e-mail" would sound a bit off.

1. A villa
   A lagoon
2. A quarry
   None of the above

While "hell" would've been a wonderfully sarcastic double-lettered answer, it seems unlikely that anyone could object to a holiday in a serene Italian villa. A lagoon? Different story. And most people wouldn't want to spend their days off in a quarry, a large pit where stones are extracted.

1. Lacking social skills
   Lacking a sense of direction or values
2. Lacking manners
   Lacking language skills

A rudder allows you to steer a boat, hence why "rudderless" denotes a lack of direction. Fun fact: "Rudderfull" isn't a word, which raises the question, "What's the opposite of rudderless?" The universe might be in perfect harmony if it turns out to be a fellow double-lettered word.

1. Heeding
   Saddle
2. Skills
   Peered

Indeed (another double-lettered word!), a saddle is a seat you put on a horse for riding. A "peer" can either be a noun, like a classmate or friend, or it can be a verb, meaning "to look intently or with difficulty."

1. Wallow and dwell
   Buzzed and buzzer
2. Brooch and beech
   Zip and zap

It's quite common to hear these two words in a negative context, like wallowing in self-pity or dwelling on an ex. The former has several meanings, and often refers to rolling around lazily, or becoming engrossed and overindulgent. Comparatively, "dwell" can indicate living somewhere, like "I dwell in this house," or excessively focusing your attention on something.

1. Another word for "toll booth"
   A type of skyscraper
2. An Australian delicacy
   A ring-shaped coral reef or coral island

Say what? By some estimates, there are 439 atolls in the world, several located in the Pacific and Caribbean. Atolls can even be countries, with the Maldives and the Marshall Islands serving as examples.

1. Dossier
   Coffer
2. Paddock
   Terrier

You might find a dossier in a coffer — a small chest or strongbox for holding possessions. It would be a little weirder to find it in a paddock, which is a closed field for horses. In a strange stroke of randomness, you might find a dossier about terriers, a type of dog breed.

1. Lattice and lettuce
   Commend and command
2. Callous and heartless
   Emitted and omitted

Callousness indicates having a disregard for others and lacking sympathy. In case you're wondering, a lattice is that rectangular or square structure you often see in backyards and on top of fences, consisting of thin strips of wood that interlace and create see-through diamonds.

1. Idyllic
   Idly
2. Blotted
   Mottled

"Idly" looks a lot like the right answer, but it refers to doing something lazily or without a specific underlying reason. The last two answers have similar definitions, with "blotted" meaning "stained or marked" and "mottled" indicating essentially the same thing but with different colors.

1. Assent and dissent
   Novella and book
2. Wistfully and regretfully
   Appraise and assess

"Assent" means "to agree or approve," whereas "dissent" refers to having a countering opinion, hence the term "dissident." People often confuse "dissent" with "descent" and "assent" with "ascent," but you'll now dissent when people improperly use "assent."

1. Evergreens
   Guerrilla
2. Immaterial
   None of the above

"Guerrilla" is a homophone with "gorilla," a fellow double-lettered word with a different meaning. The former is about a small, and usually independent, group that partakes in warfare, whereas the latter is the animal.

1. Lacking passion
   Filled with passion
2. A road that can't be passed
   A road that is easily passable

Nobody's blaming you if you're confused. Usually, adverbs starting in "im" denote a lack of something, but "impassioned" actually indicates the opposite. Even the adjective "dispassionate" doesn't mean "not passionate," it relates to not being easily influenced by emotions. An appropriate adjective to describe a lack of passion would be "indifferent" or something associated with disinterest and detachment.

1. A type of retirement package
   Special tax exemption
2. Added social status and clout
   A period of paid leave from work

Sabbaticals apply to other jobs, too, but are often associated with college professors. The word relates to the Sabbath, reflecting the relaxation period observed by some major religions.

1. Grammar and spelling
   Enthrall and engross
2. Irreversible and irrevocable
   Eccentricity and diffidence

Eccentricity is often affiliated with unconventionality and strangeness, whereas diffidence — easily confused with "difference" — is about shyness and modesty, oftentimes due to poor self-confidence.

1. Depending on the applicant's experience
   Proportionate to the applicant's experience
2. Unrelated to the applicant's experience
   The same regardless of the applicant's experience

The first answer is technically correct, but it's more accurate to say that the salary is proportionate to experience, not merely relying on it. Did you notice that "applications" is another double-lettered word in this saga?

1. Zooplankton
   Aberration
2. Apparition
   Distillation

Yes, "zooplankton" is actually a word, referring to a type of plankton, the small organisms that live in aquatic habitats. But back to "aberration," the star of the show. It often has a negative connotation, describing something that's atypical, but in a bad way.

1. The brain
   The knees
2. The left knee
   The foot

Honestly, nobody's blaming you if you read "hippocampus" as "hippopotamus." It's a small organ that helps create long-term memories and facilitates spatial retention so you can remember how to navigate various places

1. Excommunication
   Oscillation
2. Innervation
   Dissemination

The verbal counterpart is "to oscillate," and the adjective is "oscillatory." There's even a similar-sounding noun — an oscillator — but it's a type of device for creating electric currents that oscillate.

1. Centennial
   Downtrodden
2. Tyranny
   Concessions

A centennial relates to the 100th anniversary of something, not the 50th. "Downtrodden" describes being oppressed or treated badly, and "concessions" in this context are things that are permitted or given, but can also refer to declaring defeat or admitting to the validity of an opposing party's point in an argument.

1. Attenuation
   Transgression
2. Aggression
   Supposition

You can remember this answer by noting that the prefix "trans" relates to going across, beyond or through something, so committing a transgression is like going beyond the rules and defying them.

1. Allegory
   Superannuation
2. Metallurgy
   Reclassification

An allegory is very much a metaphor, but the two differ in that the first is a complete narrative whereas the second is just a phrase or figure of speech. "Metallurgy" resembles a combination of the two, but is a type of science related to metals.

1. Communique
   Admittance
2. Colloquium
   Annotation

The conference may have released communique, a type of announcement and official communication, to share essential information. You'd also need admittance before the colloquium, which indicates entering or being permitted to enter a venue. Annotations are also popular in academia and are explanatory notes or comments added to an image or text.

1. Reallocation
   Concurrence
2. Regression
   Digression

While "digression" and "regression" look alike, the first is a deviation from the main subject of a speech or written piece. You can remember "regression" by noting that it's similar to "progression," except the two are opposites.

1. Alleviate
   Disaffect
2. Desiccate
   Commiserate

"To disaffect" is a verb indicating dissatisfaction with and alienation from an organization or authority, which can lead to aggravation. "To desiccate" denotes the removal of moisture or the drying up of something, thereby worsening its aridity. And "to commiserate" is all about sympathizing, something that is helpful, but doesn't directly relieve aggravation.

1. Divvying
   Pizza
2. Ebb
   None of the above

"Divvying," which may or may not look like a Harry Potter spell, is just another way of saying "share and divide." Everyone knows what a pizza is, though the word "divvying" may have made you suspect it doesn't belong. "Ebbing" refers to a tide's receding from the land.