Sandy Wood
Brain Game: A Clockwork Bovine
by Sandy Wood - January 28, 2009 - 7:30 AM

bloghead_braingames.jpg

Two cows walk into a milk bar and order watercress sandwiches. Alex DeLarge winks at his droogs and then walks over to the pair of heifers. “Excuse me,” he begins:

And what do you think those two lovely cows said, me brothers?
“What’s the shortest
English-language word
that contains four U’s?”

What answer did the cows give him? 

Here is the SOLUTION. 

Pages: 1 2
« Previous Post   -   Next Post »
Click here to get a Risk-Free issue of mental_floss magazine
Comments (9)

  1. Muumuu! I think I got it.

    posted by Xavier on 1-28-2009 at 8:47 am

  2. While I guessed the answer, I am wondering how we define an “english language word”. Mu’umu’u is derived from a Hawaiian term, even if the item itself is a western invention (like the aloha shirt). It’s not even a commonly-used foreign word anymore more.

    posted by Sven on 1-28-2009 at 9:10 am

  3. I thought someone might raise that point, Sven. The word is originally Hawaiian, yes, but has been adopted into the English language just like a few other Hawaiian words — “ukulele” and “luau” come to mind.

    Many “English” words are really foreign, but have been pulled into the language for lack of a true English substitute for them.

    Besides, I’d get in trouble if I didn’t specify “English,” since I’m sure some foreign words meet the requirement. At the same time, specifying “Hawaiian” would have probably been too much of a giveaway. It was a tough call!

    posted by Sandy Wood on 1-28-2009 at 11:00 am

  4. I don’t suppose “Wow,” with two double-us counts, huh?

    posted by Rosebud on 1-28-2009 at 11:04 am

  5. Muu Muu…HA!! I figured that’s what it was, but I wasn’t sure you would make it that obvious. Cows…moo moo. You practically gave that one away.

    posted by Heather Dawn on 1-28-2009 at 11:05 am

  6. That would make unsuperfluous a little bit superfluous.

    posted by jso on 1-28-2009 at 1:06 pm

  7. Oh duh! >.

    posted by heather on 1-28-2009 at 1:59 pm

  8. actually the shortest actual english word containing four u’s is UnscrUpUloUs.

    posted by kristi on 1-28-2009 at 9:22 pm

  9. Oooh, UDDERLY BAD one, Sandy… however, I really liked it! :-D

    posted by Amy on 1-28-2009 at 11:57 pm

Comment

commenting policy