Can you find the 27 figures of speech in this cartoon?
Our English language is rich with literal and figurative language. But what is a figure of speech?
It is a rhetorical device that a writer or speaker deliberately uses to create an implied comparison with a word or phrase.
A common figure of speech often uses an inanimate object to convey a figurative instead of a literal meaning.
Common figures of speech examples
I am sure you know the expression, all the world’s a stage by William Shakespeare. The world is not literally a stage where people perform plays.
Shakespeare uses the word stage to explain how we all live and behave in our world.
Very often, we also use similes and metaphors to express an idea or concept.
Idioms are another type of figurative speech.
We use thousands of figurative expressions in our everyday language, and we often use an inanimate object as an implied comparison in a figure of speech.
It helps to create emphasis. For example, it’s raining cats and dogs, and I’ll give you a hand.
No animals are falling from the sky. And you would not chop off your hand with an axe to give it to someone. Both of these expressions are a play on words.
These two figurative language phrases mean it is raining very heavily, and I’ll gladly assist you.
If you are a writer or an author, you are using words and expressions, literally and figuratively, all the time.
You might be trying to create verbal irony, express human qualities, or add color to your text.
Types of expressions in popular figures of speech
The most common literary devices are metaphors and similes, which are both well-known figurative expressions.
Another type of figurative form uses word order repetition or similar successive clauses, such as in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Other rhetorical devices can use a chiasmus, where the second part of the expression is balanced against the first.
For example, you should work to live, not live to work.
Exaggeration, or hyperbole in literary terms, can quickly turn a word or phrase from literal language into figurative.
It deliberately makes a situation significant.
I have a million things to do at the office today, or it cost me an arm and a leg.
The opposite, of course, is an understatement that makes a situation seem less important.
It’s only a scratch when referring to a deep or nasty wound.
Or, it’s a little fresh today when the temperature is well below zero.
Or, Tiger Woods was a half-decent golf player in his prime.
Many figures of speech examples include euphemisms.
They are very common forms of saying something in a way that is more polite or not as blunt or direct.
He passed away instead of he died. I’m going to let you go to replace you’re fired. Or, it fell off the back of a truck when, in fact, it was stolen.
Other forms we use
Some expressions use alliteration, where a consonant sound is repeated.
Examples include, I’m as busy as a bee, and it’s as dead as a doornail or dodo.
One of my pet sources of idioms and expressions is my favorite sport – cricket.
To be hit for six, to be caught on a sticky wicket, to be stumped, I did it off my own bat, to be caught out, and to bowl a maiden over.
I love the last one.
You know all this, so I don’t need to remind you about idiomatic speech.
We use phrases with objects to create implied or abstract meanings.
I know you know, but before you disappear off into the ether …
How good is your knowledge of figures of speech?
Here is a fun challenge for you to test your knowledge of idiomatic and figurative speech.
I stumbled upon this absolutely brilliant cartoon by Ella Baron in the Times Literary Supplement on Twitter.
Ella has illustrated twenty-seven figurative language terms. They are a mixture of metaphors and similes, and I wonder if you can identify all of them.
At first glance, it looks like an easy puzzle to solve.
But it gets a little more difficult once you get past identifying the first ten to fifteen idioms. She has been very cunning, indeed.
Perhaps, as cunning as a fox.
27 Figures of speech cartoon by Ella Baron
Unfortunately, I couldn’t find an answer list for each of the 27 figures of speech examples represented in the cartoon.
Perhaps Ella prefers to play her cards close to her chest and leave a little mystery by keeping an ace up her sleeve.
I got as far as identifying twenty or so from the picture but then ran into trouble.
Maybe you can do better than me and find all twenty-seven figures of speech.
But I don’t want to give you a red herring or spill the beans. So I will leave you with it, and I’m sure it will be a piece of cake.
Did you find all 27 figures of speech?
Did you manage to find the five or so that I missed?
Don’t get cold feet!
Do it quickly, though, before I kick the bucket. You know how quickly time flies.
Yes, I know it is a tough assignment.
But, well, you can’t make an omelet without breaking an egg, can you?
Anyway, I have given you more than enough clues to get you halfway to solving the puzzle. Now it’s up to you.
But are you champing at the bit and up to the challenge of finding all 27 examples in the image?
An update to this article
A big thank you to Kim, who posted a comment on this article. She added this link to Ella Barron’s answer on Twitter.
In her post, Ella lists all 27 figures of speech answers.
However, Ella adds an interesting aside.
There could be up to 49 figures of speech expressions captured within her cartoon. Now, that really is a tease.
But let’s put you out of your misery.
Answers for 27 Figures of speech
Official answers from Ella Barron
1. In a nutshell
2. Piece of cake
3. Cherry on the cake
4. Bald as a coot
5. A screw loose
6. Stiff upper lip
7. Born with a silver spoon in your mouth
8. Earworm
9. Keep your cards close to your chest
10. Joker in the pack
11. An ace up your sleeve
12. Heart on your sleeve
13. On a silver platter
14. Spill the beans
15. Big cheese
16. Red herring
17. Tie the knot
18. Put all your eggs in one basket
19. Walking on eggshells
20. Shadow of your former self
21. No room to swing a cat
22. The cat’s got your tongue
23. Kick the bucket
24. Pull your socks up
25. Cold feet
26. From rags to riches
27. Time flies
Other possible answers
1. Got the cat by the tail
2. Hit the nail on the head
3. A screw loose
4. A fish out of water
5. Tie the knot
6. Bird brain
7. Cherry on top
8. Chalk and cheese
9. Knock your socks off
10. Put your best foot forward
11. A hard nut to crack
12. A fish out of water
13. A can of worms
14. Big cheese
15. Best foot forward
16. Follow your nose
17. Pale as a ghost
18. Stick your neck out
19. Raise an eyebrow
20. More holes than Swiss cheese
21. Bird’s eye view
22. Left in tatters
23. Best foot forward
Get your figure of speech expressions right
If you are a writer, you are using set expressions all the time.
However, you should be careful that you always check your usage and accuracy. There is nothing worse than getting a fixed expression wrong.
We all use some form of online grammar and spell-checking nowadays.
These apps are extremely useful and are now essential tools for writing accuracy, especially for new writers.
But these tools will rarely find an error in use for set phrases.
For example, as hard as a brick, brave as a tiger, and laughs like a monkey.
Only your knowledge can tell you what they should be.
The correct expressions are as hard as a rock, brave as a lion, and laugh like a hyena.
The same applies to acronyms and abbreviations.
Using a grammar checker is unlikely to help you differentiate between am and a.m. or SCABA when you mean SCUBA.
It doesn’t matter if you are writing a blog post or a book. Always pay close attention when you are editing and proofreading your text.
Yes, you must always check your grammar and spelling and correct typos. But be sure to double-check your fixed figurative expressions as well to make sure they are correct.
A figure of speech is a word or phrase that you absolutely must get 100% right, 100% of the time.
Then you will be as right as rain.
Related Reading: Here’s another word puzzle for you: 18 Weird Words For Common Objects
Running with scissors. Cutting corners. (Look in the lower left), coming to heel, half a mind
Time flies
An ace up your sleeve
Wear your heart on your sleeve
Spill the beans
Cold feet
Living in your shadow
Loose screw
Kick the bucket
Born with a silver spoon in the mouth
Got the cat by the tail
Don’t carry all your eggs in one basket / Put all eggs in one basket
Walking on eggshells
Can’t make an omelet without breaking an egg
The joker in the pack
On the wings of time
Keep your cards close to your chest
Nail on the head / hit the nail on the head
In a nutshell
Hard nut to crack
Cat got your tongue
No room to swing a cat
Something fishy
On a silver platter
Fish out of water
Chalk & cheese
Tie the knot
Red herring
Piece of cake
Bird brain
Bird’s eye view
Cherry on top
The cherry on the cake
An earworm
Earwigging
A can of worms
Worm your way out
Knock your socks off
Pull up your socks
Rags to Riches
Shadow of his former self
Walk/be in someone’s shadow
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch
Put your best foot forward
The shoe is on the other foot
Bald as a coot
Bald as a billiard cube
Stiff upper lip
Big cheese
Follow your nose
Pale as a ghost
Stick your neck out
Raise an eyebrow
More holes than Swiss cheese
Left in tatters
Pot to piss in
Spoiled like a rotten egg
Clean the wax out of your ears
Silver tongue
Tongue-tied
Riding on his coattails
All patched up
Beggars can’t be choosers
Tall as a beanpole
May I point out how an ELS student may have problems with idioms? I knew of one who replaced “don’t cross this line in the sand” with “don’t cross this red line” — and replaced “I won’t throw her to the wolves” with “I won’t throw her under the bus.”
Interesting, eh? You hear the changed idiom, and you know something is wrong, but you can’t quite figure out what it is till some time later when it dawns on you “OH! THIS is what he meant by that!”
Do someone have this 27 answers in Afrikaans. My child has the same picture and have to tell what the idioms are in Afrikaans
How about “Holy mackerel”?!
I thought there were pins and needles under his left foot, so I said, “he’s on pins and needles.” What is that under his left foot? Thanks!
I agree!
looks like the artist signature.
i believe that’s the artist’s signature
I thought a pair of scissors, so “don’t run with scissors”
1) spill the beans,
2) shadow dancing,
3) in a nutshell,
4) hot under the collar,
5) cat got your tongue,
6) something smells fishy,
7) start off on the right foot,
8) time flies,
9) kick the bucket,
10) all your eggs in one basket,
11) ear worm,
12) silver spoon in your mouth,
13) ace up your sleeve,
14) playing cards close to your vest,
15) heart on your sleeve,
16) hit the nail on the head,
17) bird brain,
18) rags to riches,
19) having cold feet,
20) you cant unbreak an egg,
21) walking heel to toe,
22) tie a string around your finger,
23) tie our fingers in knots,
24) stinky service,
25) not enough room to swing a cat,
26) measuring your words,
27) pull up your socks
You’ve been hard at work, Angie!
I can’t figure out what the object above the letter A in the title “A Figure Of Speech,” is. Does anyone know?
looks like a clamshell to me….so, In a clamshell maybe?
That has been driving me nuts. I have 50 Plus answers in addition to her 27 and I still can’t find one for that item. I just emailed the artist. I will let you know what she says.
The shoe’s on the other foot!!!
Knot in my stomach
As white as a ghost
If the shoe fits
Cut and run
Great finds, Suzanne.
I would say that neither “it’s raining cats and dogs” nor “I’ll give you a hand” is a play on words. They are both idiomatic expressions, popular metaphors, if you will.
A play on words is a pun, a usage of an expression in which a word can have more than one meaning, or where there is play between the word and another that sounds very much like it.
A magician is driving down the road. Suddenly he turns into a parking lot.
Need an ark to save two of every animal? I noah guy. (Thanks, internet.)
Red herring = distraction or false trail – something that is misleading
Has anyone noticed
Not everything’s in black and white?
1 Birdbrain 2 that one flew over my head 3 a little thin on top 4 your story has more holes than Swiss cheese 5 what’s wrong you look a little blue 6 spill the beans 7 he has high standards 8 revenge is a dish best served cold 9 piece of cake 10 from rags to riches 11 wearing your heart on your sleeve 12 Timeflies 13 shady character 14 nail on the head 15 in one ear and out the other 16 now the shoe is on the other foot 17 You’ve got him wrapped around your finger 18 dead man walking 19 you opened a can of worms 20 thought I had the cat by it’s tail 21 Hanging on by a thread 22 flying by the tail of his seat 23 walking on eggshells 24 he’s got something up his sleeve 25 something’s fishy 26 aces up their sleeve 27 Play your cards close to your chest 28 always guard your heart 29 lead with your best foot forward 30 flying by the seat of his chair 31 that’s the cats meow 32 Not now I’m juggling ten things at once 33 always walk before you run 34 only time will tell 35 I lost track of time 36 born with a silver spoon in their mouth 37 he’s too big for his britches 38 it was handed to him on a silver platter 39 high tail it out of here 40 don’t trip in a nutshell 41 ghosted 42 Runnin on fumes 43 what a nightmare that was 44 now look what you’ve done, you made a mess of everything 45 now I have steam coming out my ears 46 a wise man once said nothing at all 47 deaf in one ear and can’t hear out the other 48 thinks the sun comes up just to hear him crow 49 he has peanuts for brains 50 don’t be so thin skinned 51 what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger 52 pain in the ass 53 why your nothing but skin and bones 54 I can see straight through you 55 cats got your tongue
It’s ‘flying by the seat of his pants ‘
some of those are not idioms but incorrect translations I think.
Ok, I’ll tell you the whole story, no problem, piece of cake, cherry on top… Anyway in a nutshell it goes like this… Time flies and you can’t let it get ahead of you, before you know it you kick the bucket, you gotta have an ace up your sleeve, you can’t keep all your eggs in one basket, see? I am keen on this girl… she’s in my head all day like an earworm I can’t stop singing but she’s just throwing me shade, see? She says she’s only interested in serious relationships, she wants to tie the knot, but me I had cold feet. The cat had my tongue. I thought I was the big cheese because I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but she smells a red herring and before you know it I spill the beans… she wants it on a silver platter but I’m just riding my coattails… What can i say? I keep my cards close to my chest but I wear my heart on my sleeve. Yeah, I know, I’m a bird brain, I’m screwed in the head. I thought I had the cat by the tail, but before you know it the bird sings and I’m just some joker dealt a bad hand. Guess them’s the breaks.
Love it. Pure genius!
Love! Love! Love!!!
How the shadow crawled across the room. Though he was no better,
he overshadowed her in all things.
I still miss something to do with fish?
Red Herring
So many more than 27….so adding a few ma be pushing a bit, but picture has some questionable things in it…..
riding on his coattails
all patched up
clean the wax out of your ears
big cheese
fish out of water
walking on pins and needles (or is that the artist signature??)
open a can of worms
ants in my pants (looks like ants at bottom on egg)
last one in is a rotten egg or spoiled like a rotten egg (egg at bottom)
pot to piss in
silver tongue
loose lips
clean the wax out of your ears or earworm
He’s screwed up in the head!
– Shadow of your former self
– piece of cake
– child at heart
– wearing your heart on your sleeve
– playing all your cards close to the chest
– bird brain
– your story has more holes in it than swiss cheese
– follow your nose
– in a nutshell
– put your best foot forward
– from rags to riches
– served on a silver platter
– don’t get cold feet
– hard to crack
– can’t make an omelette without cracking an egg
– shoe on the wrong foot
– pale as a ghost
– beggars can’t be choosers
– nail on the head
– spilled the beans
– in one ear and out the other
– kick the bucket
– all your eggs in one basket
– time flies
wearing your Heart on your sleeve, Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket, Time flies. Born with a Silver spoon in your mouth, Kick the bucket, red herring, Ace up his sleeve, ear worm, cat got your tongue, Bird brain, Playing his cards close to his chest, Hit the nail on the head or a screw loose,Don’t Spill the beans, It;s a piece of cake…with a cherry on top, Can’t make an omelet without breaking an eggs-, he’s Got Cold Feet, Big cheese or Your story has more holes than swiss cheese, In a nutshell, Best foot forward, Shadow of your former self, Rags to riches or life in tatters, Everything was handed to him on a silver platter, Shoe on the other foot, Overshadowing women/cast a shadow over me, Skinny as a rail or tall as a beanpole, Bald as a billiard cube, Pale as a ghost,
1) Time flies
2) cat got your tongue
3) ace up your sleeve
4) don’t put all your eggs in one basket, 5) wear your heart on your sleeve
6) kick the bucket,
7)behind every man is a good woman or cast a shadow over me
8)spill the beans
9) everything handed to you on a silver platter
10) walking on egg shells
11) screw in your head loose
12) born with a silver spoon in your mouth
13) in a nutshell
14) tie the knot
15) cold feet
16) by the tail
17) rags to riches
18) red herring
19) keep your cards close to your chest
20) bird brain
21) in one ear out the other or earworm
22) best foot forward
23) big cheese or your story has more holes in it than Swiss cheese
24) shoe on the other foot
25) skinny as a rail or tall as a beanpole
26) follow your nose
27) to find?? PIECE OF CAKE
1. He kicked the bucket 2. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket 3. Time flies 4. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth 5. He has a screw loose 6. There are worms in your ears/brain 7. Don’t spill the beans 8. Fish on a silver platter 9. Cards up your sleeve 10. Wearing your heart on your sleeve 11. Keep your cards close to your chest 12. Hanging on by a thread 13. Cat got your tongue 14. Caught holding the cheese? 15. Caught by the skin of the tail 16. There go your nuts 17. Cut the cheese? 18. Big cheese 19. He got cold feet 20. Fish out of water 21. Riding his coattails 22. All patched up 23. Bird brain 24. Story has more holes than Swiss cheese 25. Best foot forward 26. Screwed up in the head 27. In a nutshell 28. Follow your nose 29. Red herring 30. Ace up your sleeve 31. Pale as a ghost 32. Rags to riches
Good list, but where’s “All your eggs in one basket”?
Urmm I think I can see that in number 2
Because l wanted to now them very well and memories them in my brain
brilliant!
In a Nutshell
Cracked up
Piece of cake
Cherry on top/ Cherry on the cake
Bald as a coot
Bird brain
A screw loose
Stiff upper lip
Born with a silver spoon in your mouth
Earworm/ Bug in your ear
Play your cards close to your chest
Joker in the pack
Ace up your sleeve/ Trick up your sleeve
Heart on your sleeve
On a silver platter
Spill the beans
Big cheese
Stick your neck out
Raise an eyebrow
Eyes wide open
Red herring
To tie the knot
Put all your eggs in one basket
Walking on eggshells
Shadow of your former self
No room to swing a cat
Cat’s got your tongue
Kick the bucket
Pull your socks up
Cold feet
From rags to riches
Time flies
Best foot forward
Tongue
In a Nutshell
Cracked up
Piece of cake
Cherry on top/ Cherry on the cake
Bald as a coot
Bird brain
A screw loose
Stiff upper lip
Born with a silver spoon in your mouth
Earworm/ Bug in your ear
Play your cards close to your chest
Joker in the pack
Ace up your sleeve/ Trick up your sleeve
Heart on your sleeve
On a silver platter
Spill the beans
Big cheese
Stick your neck out
Raise an eyebrow
Eyes wide open
Red herring
To tie the knot
Put all your eggs in one basket
Walking on eggshells
Shadow of your former self
No room to swing a cat
Cat’s got your tongue
Kick the bucket
Pull your socks up
Cold feet
From rags to riches
Time flies
Best foot forward
Tongue tied
Shoe on the other foot
Fish out of water
Worm your way out
More holes than swiss cheese
Stepping on toes
Tongue-tied
Shoe on the other foot
Fish out of water
Worm your way out
More holes than swiss cheese
Stepping on toes
Perfect
Tongue tied
Not quite straight. His straight was foiled by the joker,a card with no suit.
Wow! thought you had a full 50+ list there, then realised you doubled up on a lot :(
Great answers though :)
My Couple=
Bird’s Eye View
Got the Cat by the Tail
Forget Me Knot
All Patched up
heel to the ground, piece of cake, full deck, full house, sing another tune, walk in another’s shadow, to have a full plate, full of holes, spill the beans, time waits on no man, fish on a platter, crack the nut, stepping on pins and needles, hole in the head
By positioning myself in a great vantage point especially one with a birds eye view I’ve got the ace up the sleeve, so I will get through this as quickly as I can as we all know how time flies, especially when you got all your eggs in one basket. Kicking the bucket is not something I do often simply because I’m very careful to keep my cards close to the chest while walking on egg shells. But on some occasions the shoes on the other foot but still remain composed not to leave a screw loose. I have always been advised to put a bug in the ear some I’m aware of who is spilling the beans. Silver platter and silver spoon in the mouth was not the privilege I was exposed to, what really kept me in tune and allowed me to acquire the common sense needed was to make sure I don’t wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve … has the cat got your tongue you say, definitely not, I just know just where and when not to share, to me my experiences has made my discerning skills a piece of cake and no red herring placed in front of me could ever get me tongue tied. You could swing a cat or hold a cat by the tail and it will not unsettle me or give me cold feet which may then force me to pull my socks up. Cast a shadow over me, tie my legs to a tree, even with half a brain I promise I will always strive to go from rags to riches as I always put my best foot forward, even if the shots that life takes at me, as much as it may look like more holes than a Swiss cheese I will always come out on the brighter side with a cherry on top while still being the smart joker in the pack that’s just my attitude In a nut shell.
I’ve got the ace up the sleeve, so I will get through this as quickly as I can as we all know how time flies, especially when you got all your eggs in one basket,
kicking the bucket is not something I do often simply because I’m very careful to keep my cards close to the chest while walking on egg shells.
But on some occasions the shoes on the other foot but still remain composed not to leave a screw loose. I have always been advised to put a bug in the ear some Im aware of who is spilling the beans. Silver platter and silver spoon in the mouth was not the privilege I was exposed to when really kept me in tune and allowed me to acquire the common sense needed to make sure I don’t wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve, has the cat got your tongue, definable not I just know just when and when not to share, to me my experiences as made my discerning skills a piece of cake and no red herring placed in from of me could ever get me tongue tied. You could swing a cat or hold a cat by the tail and it will not unsettle me or give me cold feet which may then force me to pull up your socks up. Cast a shadow over me, tie my legs to a tree, even with half a brain I promise I will always strive to go from rags to riches as I always put my best foot forward, even if the shots that life takes at me as much as it may look like more holes than a Swiss cheese I will always come out on the brighter side with a cherry on top that’s just my attitude In a nut shell.
Ants are driving me nuts!
1. Ace up his sleeve
2. Kick the bucket
3. Born with a Silver spoon in the mouth
4. He has a screw in his head
5. Served on a silver platter
6. To have something coming out of your ears
7. To tie a string around your finger
8. Putting all your eggs in one basket
9. Time flies
10. Cherry on the cake
11. Stepping on people’s toes
12. It’s a red herring
13. Spilling the beans
14. Getting cold feet
15. You cannot make an omelette without breaking an egg
16. Bird’s eye view
17. The cat’s got my tongue
18. Keep your cards close to your chest
21. Left in tatters
22. My best foot forward
23. Living in his shadow
24. Wear your heart on your sleeve
25. Pull up your socks
26. Piece of cake
27. Joker in the pack
I had loads of fun
Time flies
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Born with a silver spoon in his mouth
You hit the nail on the head
Bird brain
Spill the beans
He wears his heart on his sleeve
I’ve got an ace up my sleeve
He holds his cards close to his chest
Put a bug in his ear
It’s a piece of cake
Pretty please, with cherries on top
Kick the bucket
Shoe’s on the other foot
Cat’s got your tongue
Tie the knot
In a nutshell
He got cold feet
Served on a silver platter
Cut the cheese (?)
You’ve got to break a few eggs to make an omelette
Total of 21
Picture is worth 1000 words…
When the picture is all put together we can say,, “rollercoaster of emotions”
As alert as a bird
The flutter of birds
As dead as a dodo
Put a bug in your (someone’s) ear
You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs
Beggars can’t be choosers (He does look… halfstarved)
One foot in the grave
Barefoot and pregnant
Bird brain (?)
Odd bird (?)
A nutcase (?)
Crack the nut
Stomach in knots
Tie the knot
A fish out of water
Hit the nail in the head (okay, it is a screw)
A screw loose
A crow’s nest
Stone the crow
Eat crow
Keep your cards close to your chest
Show your hand
Lend me your ear
In a nut shell
Time flies
Kick the bucket
Well heeled
Pull up your sock
All eggs in one basket
Silver spoon in the mouth
Nail on the head
Screw loose
Cuckoo head
Ear worm
Coming out of your ear
Play your cards close to your chest
Joker in the pack
End of your rope
Tied up in knots
Red herring
More holes than Swiss cheese
Spill the beans
Served on a platter
Lot on your plate
Ace up the sleeve
Wear your heart on your sleeve
Hold a cat by the tail
Cat got your tongue
Cherry on the cake
A piece of cake
Patched up
Bend the knee
Knock your socks off
Best foot forward
A shadow of your former self
Rags to riches
From head to toe
I was hoping not to *spill the beans* but I guess the *cat’s got my tongue*. Let me *put my best foot forward* before I grow *cold feet* and I am *left in tatters*
The *Ace up my sleave* is not a *red herring* nor is *she living in his shadow*. I would rather keep * my cards close to my chest* with the *joker in the pack* rather than *serve it all on a silver platter* as it’s *a piece of cake*
Oh see how *time flies* some of us have already *tied the knot* and others have unfortunately *kicked the bucket*
Some may say *i have a loose screw in my head * to which I say *screw you* and don’t *put all your eggs in one bucket*.
Anyways I wasn’t born with *a silver spoon in my mouth* I just *cracked the egg to make the omelette* It’s really not a *hard nut to crack* but you just need to *pull up your socks*, get the *joker in the pack* not *have your heart up your sleeve* and in no time you will find *the cherry on top* and soon you will find the two figures of speech that *wormed out of my head* because this narrative has *more holes than a Swiss cheese*
Nasheera,
I thoroughly enjoyed your comment/answers!
Curiosity kills the cat
1)Play one’s card close to the chest….
2)A stitch in time saves nine…
3)Putting all your eggs in a basket…
4) Kick the bucket
5) Hit the nail on the head
6) Walk on egg shells
7)Shoe on the other foot
8) Spilling the beans
9) Ace up the sleeves
10) How time flies
11) Silver spoon in the mouth
12)Piece of cake
13) Tongue tied
14) Having a cold feet
15) More holes than a Swiss cheese
16)In a nut shell
17) hold a cat by the tail
18) Red Herring
19)Silver platter
20) Cherry on the top
21) Cast a shoulder over
22) Putting your best foot forward
23)Put a bug in the ear
24) Cat got your tongue
25) Rags to riches
26) Pull up your socks
27) Half a brain
28) Wearing one’s heart on a sleeve
29) Hard nut to crack
30) Can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs
Excellent!
Put all your eggs in one basket
Have an ace up your sleeve
Keep your cards close to ur chest
A Red herring
Spill the beans
A Piece of cake
Having Cold feet
Kick the bucket
A stitch in time saves nine
How time flies
Tie the knot
Born with a silver spoon in ur mouth
You can’t make an omelette without breaking an egg
Hit the nail on the head
Wear your heart on your sleeve
Hold a cat by the tail
You can’t leave your shadow behind / Lurking in the shadows
Pull your socks up
Put a bug in someone’s ears / Worm your way out of
cheery on the cake
In a nutshell
On a silver platter
Put your best foot forward
More holes than a Swiss cheese
Bird brain / Sing like a bird
The shoe is on the other foot
Cat’s got your tongue
Joker in the pack / The joke is on you
A hard nut to crack
It’s certainly not (1) a piece of cake, looks like (2) a tough wal-nut to crack. Although I wasn’t (3) born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and there are many who think (4) I’m just a joker in the deck, I will (5) put my best foot forward. I have to be careful of the naysayers though; so, for now (6) I’m going to play my cards close to the chest and not (7) spill the beans. I also have to make sure that (8) I don’t carry my heart on the sleeve and put (9) all my eggs in one basket.
Ah, (10) How time flies – my hair is gone now & (11) I’m bald as a coot, (12) my clothes are in tatters, and (13) I’m at the end of my tether. I’m getting (14) cold feet & I have half a mind to (15) worm out of this whole thing. In the meantime, looking at me (16) tied up in knots the naysayers are asking me sarcastically, “what’s the matter, (18) cat, got your tongue”.
I began wondering if they (19) hit the nail on the head. Not one to give up so easily, I told myself, “(20) pull your socks up and think; no one is going to give you the answers (21) on a silver platter.” Perhaps, if I (22) hold the cat by the tail, I’ll spot the missing clues: I have to do this quickly though before (23) I kick the bucket”.
However, the clues are not easy and there are quite a few (24) red herrings; I’m tired,and my logic seems to to have (25) more holes than a block of Swiss cheese. But, wait a minute, I do have (26) an ace up my sleeve as I near the end. I don’t mean (27) to crow, but, take that you naysayers, “I finished it. Who’s is the (28) Big cheese now? How does it feel to have (29) the shoe on the other foot?”. I did not wait for an answer, the lost look on their faces said it all – it was the delicious (30) cherry on top.
I am mentioning here only the ones which are different from other lists. I can’t agree with some of them like ‘ you can’t make an omelette without breaking an egg..’ The cartoon has been drawn up with great precision and the idioms must match each item. No one mentions the shadow either….Here are some interesting ones from me.
I
Best foot forward
More holes than the Swiss cheese
A shadow of one’s old self
Walk over egg shells
Bug in the ear
Head over heels
A stuffed shirt
The joker in the pack
Tying the Guardian knot
As black as a raven
Cherry on the icing
I think scared of your own shadow is more apt
1. born with a silver spoon in the mouth
2. time flies
3. don’t keep your eggs in 1 basket
4. kick the bucket
5. no room to swing a cat
6. screw loose
7. keep your cards close to your chest
8. shadow of my former self
9. like cracking a walnut
10. piece of cake
11. wear your heart on your sleeve
12. bird brain
13. ace up your sleeve
14. tie the knot
15. wormed his way out
16. red herring
17. big cheese
18. spill the beans
19. you can’t make an omlette without breaking an egg
20. cat got your tongue
21. put your best foot forward
22. knee jerk reaction
23. handed to you on a silver plate
24. rags to riches
25. don’t get cold feet
26. shoe on the other foot
27. joker in the pack
We say one is ‘growing horns’ when they are starting to resist authority.
As in, “…the new employee has started growing horns, he will not be sent to the printer.”
Looks like there’s more than 27. From the responses here, I can count well over 35. I’ll add the following:
1. To be long nosed
2. Take to one’s heels
1. In a nutshell
2. Crow about
3. As bald as a badger
4. Walter wondered where Winnie was
5. Ear wormed
6. The big cheese, More holes than Swiss cheese
7. The red herring
8. Spill the beans
9. On a silver platter
10. Born with a silver spoon
11. Foot signature
12. Itchy feet,
13. Cold feet
14. Wearing your heart on your sleeve
15. Jocker in the pack,
16. Keep your cards close to your heart
17. Have a trick up your sleeve
18. Tied up in knots
19. Cat by the tail, Cat got your tongue, tongue tied
20. All the eggs in one basket
21. Time flies
22. Kicked the bucket
23. Best foot forward
24. Pull up your socks
25. Piece of cake, A cherry on top
26. Rags to riches
27. Can’t make an omlette without breaking an egg
what about haste is waste (broken egg, spilled beans)
Looks like a hard nut to crack.. but we can try to put our best foot forward and then maybe the shoe will be on the other foot…
A stitch in time saves nine
Think it’s on a nutshell?
There artist posted a list on her Twitter…Check out @EBaronCartoons’s Tweet: https://twitter.com/EBaronCartoons/status/1103727058784538624?s=09
Good find, Kim.
1. Hard nut to crack.
2. Bird Brain.
3. Bug in the ear.
Nobody mentioned this: Forked tongue
Time flies
a screw loose
kick the bucket
pull your socks up
born with a silver spoon in your mouth
An Ace up your sleeve
Earworm
In a nutshell
Got the cat by the tail
The cat’s got your tongue
Spill the beans
Red herring
Wearing your heart on your sleeve
All your eggs in one basket
The cherry on the cake
Bird brain?
Keeping your cards close to your chest
As many holes as a Swiss cheese
Best foot forward
Cold feet
A piece of cake
A shadow of my former self
Can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs ?
On a silver platter
For the shadow behind every great man is a great woman.
On a silver platter
shadow of himself
Tie into knots
In a nutshell
Smell something fishy
worm out of
Big for his britches
I was hoping not to *spill the beans* but I guess the *cat’s got my tongue*. Let me *put my best foot forward* before I grow *cold feet* and I am *left in tatters*
The *Ace up my sleave* is not a *red herring* nor is *she leaving in his shadow*. I would rather keep *my cards close to my chest* with the *joker in the pack* rather than *serve it all on a silver platter* as it’s *a piece of cake*
Oh see how *time flies* some of us have already *tied the knot* and others have unfortunately *kicked the bucket*
Some may say *i have a loose screw in my head * to which I say *screw you* and don’t *put all your eggs in one bucket*.
Anyways I wasn’t born with *a silver spoon in my mouth* I just *cracked the egg to make the omelette* It’s really not a *hard nut to crack* but you just need to *pull up your socks*, get the *joker in the pack* not *have your heart up your sleeve* and in no time you will find *the cherry on top* and soon you will find the two figures of speech that *wormed out of my head* because this narrative has *more holes than a Swiss cheese*
Sticking your neck out
Eyes wide open
Raise an eyebrow
Serve on a platter
Since there is a 12 of hearts – Playing with a stacked deck.
Tied into a Gordian Knot
More holes than Swiss cheese
Bird brain
Hand to on a silver platter
Cat caught your tounge
There is something fishy
Rags to riches
In a nutshell
Catch the cat by its tail
Cat caught your tounge
Nail on the head
Born with a silver spoon
You cant make an omlete without breaking the egg
Piece of cake
Under once shadow
Put all your eggs in one basket
Tie the knot
Cheesy
Ear worm
Tie the knot
On a silver platter
Squak head
1) Ace up the sleeve,
2) How time flies,
3) Eggs in one basket,
4) kick the bucket
5) Cards close to the chest
6) walking on egg shells
7) shoe on the other foot
8) nail on the head
9) put a bug in the ear
10) spilling the beans
11) silver platter
12) silver spoon in the mouth
13) wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve
14) cat got your tongue
15) piece of cake
16) red herring
17) tongue tied
18) you could swing a cat/hold a cat by the tail
19) cold feet
20) pull up your socks
21) cast a shadow over
22) cherry on top (of the cake)
23) rags to riches
24) half a brain
25) more holes than a Swiss cheese
26) put your best foot forward
27) In a nut shell
Tie the loose ends?
It’s a piece of cake, with a cherry on top! Don’t think it’s a red herring. He hit the nail on the head by spilling the beans. Is that pie in the sky? Time really flies when you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth. That guy wears his cards close to his chest, has an ace up his sleave and wears his heart on his sleave. There is of course a joker in the pack and the story has more holes than Swiss cheese! Hope he doesn’t kick the bucket but the cat has my tongue . Perhaps that bird has a birds eye view?Do you think there is no room to swing a cat or is he just a scaredy cat? Don’t keep all your eggs in one basket, because you have to crack some to make scrambled eggs. This man puts his best foot forward, but clearly the clothes don’t make man! Is this just a shadow of his former self? He obviously gets everything handed on a silver platter, but he is all knotted up and I hope he hasn’t come to the end of his rope!!… He probably still needs to tie the knot, but now he has cold feet!That ear worm is killing me, he will have to pull up his socks, and that’s all from me…..in a nutshell .
Thank u soooo much!!!
I think it’s not Nail on the head but he’s got a screw loose. If you look at the image closely, it’s not a nail but a screw
That could well be! It’s misleading, perhaps, that the screw is on the man’s head (so it makes you think of hitting the nail on the head). One for the pedants, like me! ;-)
Running behind time
Okay, not sure how to start a new comment so I’m going to jump in this way. If you take the 49 that the one person found that Ella said were all viable (although a few I think were really stretching it) plus the 6 that the person missed that Ella had in her original post that’s 55 possible solutions.
Ella posted a screen cap of the 49 solutions the other woman sent her. Just scroll down a tiny bit on the twitter thread linked above in the article for the complete list.
Since most have been answered and a few may have multiple answers .. a few which I thought are also possible –
A. Walking on eggshell
B. Tough nut to crack
Bald as a Coot
The Big Cheese
To Walk on Eggshells
The Gloves are off….?
Ride on Coattails
On a Silver platter
I think the cat idiom should be “Not enough room to swing a cat in”
From top to bottom and left to right, I think these are the best answers:-
1. In a nutshell.
2. How time flies.
3. Kick the bucket.
4. Pull up your socks.
5. Don’t trust your own shadow.
6. Crowing about nothing.
7. His head is screwed on tight.
8. Born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
9. Wormed his way out.
10. From rags ( bottom half of his dress) to riches (top half).
11. A stitch in time.
12. Joker in the pack.
13. Keep your cards close to your chest.
14. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
15. Tied up in knots.
16. More holes than Swiss cheese.
17. It’s a red herring.
18. Don’t spill the beans.
19. Served on a silver platter.
20. An ace up his sleeve.
21. He wears his heart on his sleeve.
22. Got him hanging by the tail.
23. Cat got your tongue?
24. Tongue tied.
25. The shoe is on the other foot!
26. You got cold feet?
27. Worn out to his heel.
28. Can’t make an omelette without cracking an egg.
29. It’s a piece of cake.
30. Cherry topping. Or With cherries on top.
31. Like a cat chasing its own tail.
These should be added to the list
Head over heels
Scared off her own shadow
So what is the object in the upper left-hand corner above the letter A, please?
I believe it is half a walnut.
Naming from the bottom:
1. Piece of cake
2. Cherry on the cake
3. Best foot forward
4. Pull up your socks
5. Kick the bucket
6. Can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs
7. In tatters
8. Rags to riches
9. Have cold feet
10. Shadow of oneself
11. Look before you leap
12. All of your eggs in one basket
13. Hold a cat by the tail
14. Cat got your tongue
15. Tied up in knots
16. Time flies
17. Keep your cards close to your chest
18. Joker in the pack
19. Wear one’s heart on one’s sleeve
20. An Ace up your sleeve
21. Spill the beans
22. Red herring
23. More holes than Swiss cheese
24. On a silver platter
25. born with a silver spoon in mouth
26. Ear to the ground
27. Hit the nail on the head
28. Birdbrain
29. Cracked walnut
. “Can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs” could also be “Hot enough to fry an egg”
I think we can say ” in a nutshell” !
1. Don’t put all your in one basket
2. Wear your heart on your sleeve
3. An ace up my sleeve
4. Joker in the pack
5. Don’t trust your own shadow
6. Growing out of ones ears
7. Don’t spill the beans
8. Red herring
9. Piece of cake
10. Time flies
11. All eggs in one basket
13. Cant make an omelette without breaking an egg
13. Like a cat chasing its tail
14. Give a long rope
15. Born with a silver spoon in the mouth
16. Cut a big cheese.
17 Don’t trust your shadow
18 Bird’s eye view
19 a stitch in time saves nine
20 cracked a walnut
21. Riding on a tailcoat
22 to get a cold feet
23 as many holes in Swiss cheese
24 cherry on the cake
25 kick the bucket
26 hit the nail on the head
27 cat got your tongue
Excellent, Arindam! But for your number 5, could it be that he is not a shadow of himself?
20….Hard nut to crack?
But the cat “has it’s tongue tied!”
Some of those aren’t english tho’
The broken egg is more ‘it’s hot enough to fry an egg on the pavement’
1. Born with a silver spoon
2. Ace up my sleeve
3. All eggs in a basket
4. Tie in knots
5. Kicking the bucket
6. Carrying my heart on my sleeve
7. Joker in the pack
8. Make ends meet
9. Crowing about (something)
10. End of my tether
11. Getting Cold feet
12. Pull up your socks
13. Be a patch on (something)
14. Worm out (of a situation)
15. Cherry topping
16. In tatters
17. Red herring
18. Spill the beans
19. Bald as a cue ball
20. Bald as a coot
21. Holding the cat by the tail
22. Can make an omelette without ‘breaking an egg’
23. Keep your cards close to your chest
24. A piece of cake
25. Hit the nail on the head
And of course
26. Time Flies
27. Cat Got Your tongue
Very good, Sarad! But I’m wondering – does he has a screw loose?
In a nutshell is very clear to me. Anyone else see that? It’s not on the list.
Also, the cheese. Big cheese? My niece found that but google will give its meaning clearly.
Kick the bucket
Dont put all your eggs in one basket
Time Flys
Silver Spoon in your mouth
Nail on the head
As the Crow Flys
Heart on your sleeve
Ace up your sleeve
Stomach in knots
Fish out of water
Red herring
Cat by the tail
Cat got your tongue
More holes than swiss cheese
Cut the Cheese
Playing your cards close to your chest
Piece of Cake
In a nut shell
Getting cold feet
Can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.
Don’t spill the beans
Worm your way out
As the worm turns
Put your best foot forward
Handed to you on a silver platter
To throw/cast a shadow.
Shoes on the other foot
There is more than one for some such as red herring and fish out of water. The shadow of the woman threw me still not sure its correct. So 27 individual idiom or less but some with more than one meaning. Running out of time just came to me.
So do we take her literally or figuratively?
Walking in someone else’s shadow?
What about; stepping on one’s toes?
Definitely! Lol!
An ace up the sleeve
Born with a silver spoon…
Kicked the bucket
Hit the nail on the head
Spill the beans
Counting the eggs before they hatch
Are they correct?
Can you pls explain
Bald as a cute ball
Bald as a coot
Coot is a bird.
Bald as a coot. A coot is a black bird with a white marking above its beak. Baby coots are bald. They have red heads with no feathers on them. Bald as a coot!
Number 19 and 20 I am not certain of. In a nutshell is the walnut in its shell.
Half a brain is more In a Nutshell surely
and Cast a shadow over isn’t actually in the pic ??
It’s a tease, isn’t it, Bharat. But to help you, I used 9 in my text after the image.
Thought provoking. Very good.
My whole family got in to it and we found 20 and couldn’t find anymore! The answers from various different groups don’t tally up either.
Hey, can you help me out with the ones you’ve already found? I’m terribly breaking my head about this
Thank you, Harmony. Glad you enjoyed it.
I’m now making things up cold feet, kick the bucket, ear worm, cat got your tongue, piece o’ cake, cherry on top?, bird brain, red herring, spill the beans, kick the bucket, ace up sleeve, heart on sleeve, cards close to chest, the big cheese, cheese fish beans (ha), what is the shadow??, screw loose, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket, walking on eggshells
Walking in someone else’s shadow
1.Wearing heart on your sleeve
2.Ace up your sleeve
3.Twist around one’s finger/tie oneself in knots/knot in my chest
4.Putting all your eggs in one basket
5.Kick the bucket
6. Cold feet
7. Time flies
8. Nail in your head/got screwed/
9.Bird’s eye view
10.Hole in your head/ screw loose
11.Best foot forward
12.A Patchwork approach
13.Bug/flea in your ear/earworm
14. The joker in the pack
15. Spill the beans
16. Cat got your tongue
17. (caught) by the tail/held by an arm’s length
18 A red herring
19. Spill the beans
20. Big cheese
21. Silver platter
22. Piece of cake
23. The cherry on top
24.Turn over a new leaf
25. Bad Egg/break an egg (to make omelette)
26.hard nut/ nut case
27. (Living) in the shadow/to cast a shadow/Gender-bender