There is no base to help you with all OWWs because they are all different. The only rule is that the answer is one word. But there are certain typical techniques. One is to provide numbers that actually represent letters from the alphabet. So 1-9-4 would be A-I-D.

Other times, the numbers you come up with (or are given) index something else. For example, a list of songs with a number after them, you might determine who wrote the songs and then index into the author with the number. There's alot of variations to this.

When people mention "Tanga", they are usually referring to one of those solve methods.

When people say "lather, rinse, repeat", they are reminding you that you had to do something to the clues to get to your answer and now you have to do the same thing to your answer to get the right answer.

If you stick with it, you'll start recognizing different types of OWW's and be able to solve them quickly. Not all of them use Tanga numbers and not all of them require "lather, rinse, repeat".

You can get some more information here:

http://www.tanga.com/forum/blogs/puzzler-faqs

[1] sonjahi you beat me to the punch - thank you. I saw this question yesterday but didn't have time to answer it (I was on the way out to the pool, poor me), so I came back today to give her (I'm assuming here, hopefully correctly) the same "puzzlers faqs" site you give at the end of your answer. I think Tanga should make that required newbie reading, like "Newbie 101". The next to last subject, BGG - www.boardgamegeek.com tanga thread looks like it played out in June 2008. There is a more current website forum where "good tanganites" go as a last resort for help (salt) or answers (tongue firmly planted in cheek LOL): http://community.livejournal.com/tangapuzzlers/
I am working through old CP (cryptopixs), HC (hypercrosses), OWW (one word wonders) and I find this site very helpful when my brain is very weary :)
One other thing not mentioned but helpful I think is that the first 100 solvers of each of the featured puzzles every night gets more that the standard number of points for solving that puzzle (rank has its privileges! - even in Tangaland!). That is why so many of us race to our computers to be ready for the new puzzle appearances at 9 pm CDT on the dot (of course, adjust the time to your time zone).

BTW, welcome kaleidoscopeeyes8 to our very friendly community, I'm about 6 months old here, sonjahi 5, but sonjahi is a very accomplished puzzle creator already and also a very helpful mentor at 9pm CDT (for us) when the featured puzzles premiere each and almost every evening (sometimes there is not a daily hypercross) and at 7am CDT Saturday mornings there are multiple unfeatured puzzles (cuz they are usually a little easier but still just as much fun).

Off-topic, but I am challenging you and bamar to a stare-fight. Last one to blink wins!

[4] It's healthy to be able to laugh at yourself!

[6] teehee

Another good one to bump! :)

So many eyes :)

[9] Hah! See, bamar - you should love your potato while you have it... so many eyes. :)