First try to understand what a Word Sum Puzzle (WSP) is (quoted from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_Sum_Puzzle):
A Word Sum Puzzle (also known as WSP) is a word game that requires simple mathematical operations, and vocabulary skills to be solved. The solution is always a single word that contains four or more letters.
A WSP has a clue and two or more hints, where the clue is a meaning for the solution (a single word) and each hint gives the sum of the numbers assigned to the first two, four, etc. letters of the solution[1]. In an English WSP, the numbers assigned to the letters are as the same of their orders in English alphabet:
A, a = 1 B, b = 2 C, c = 3 D, d = 4 … Z, z = 26
Example:
A curved part of a path:
_ _ (7)
_ _ _ _ (25)
The first line of the puzzle presents a clue; in this puzzle, "A curved part of a path" is the puzzle’s clue. The other lines of the puzzle are its hints. This puzzle has two hints:
FIRST HINT _ _ (7)
This hint indicates that the first two letters of the answer make a sum of 7. Hence, the first two letters can be: A & F (or F & A), B & E, C & D or D & C
SECOND HINT _ _ _ _ (25)
This hint indicates that the first four letters of the answer make a sum of 25. But based on the first hint, it is already known that the first two letters made a 7, therefore the third and fourth letters make a sum of 18. So they can be: A& Q, B & P, C & O, D & N, E & M, … I & I
To solve the puzzle, the player should find which two pairs of letters obtained from these hints can make a word that means “A curved part of a path”.
A & F + A & Q – (NO) A & F + B & P – (NO) … B & E + D & N (YES) The solution for this example is "bend".
Reference: Word Sum Puzzles
Now, solve the following ten WSPs (selected from Word Sum Puzzles (Kindle Edition); by G.R. Worder [copyright permission acquired]):
1. A period of ten years:
_ _ (9)
_ _ _ _ (13)
_ _ _ _ _ _ (22)
2. Facing the other way:
_ _ (31)
_ _ _ _ (62)
_ _ _ _ _ _ (90)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (115)
3. Obstacle; obstruction:
_ _ (39)
_ _ _ _ (77)
_ _ _ _ _ _ (91)
4. A substance, such as a cosmetic, applied to something to improve its state:
_ _ (18)
_ _ _ _ (36)
_ _ _ _ _ _ (65)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (89)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (108)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (126)
5. Providing a gift to a charity or public institution:
_ _ (19)
_ _ _ _ (34)
_ _ _ _ _ _ (63)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (92)
6. A particular place or area:
_ _ (35)
_ _ _ _ (70)
7. A payment made by tenants to occupy properties:
_ _ (23)
_ _ _ _ (57)
8. A government being ruled by one person:
_ _ (28)
_ _ _ _ (43)
_ _ _ _ _ _ (64)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (97)
9. Dramatic:
_ _ (28)
_ _ _ _ (34)
_ _ _ _ _ _ (72)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (84)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (97)
10. A fundamental category of taxonomic classification:
_ _ (35)
_ _ _ _ (43)
_ _ _ _ _ _ (57)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ (76)
Answer:
1. decade
2. opposite
3. stymie
4. conditioner
5. donation
6. spot
7. rent
8. monarchy
9. theatrical
10. species
