NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 8, 2026): Dynamic Duos

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 8, 2026): Dynamic Duos

Q: Name a famous musical duo. Remove four consecutive letters of the duo's name and phonetically you'll name a famous nonmusical duo. Who are they?

I can think of another duo that ties the two duos together.

Lapel Pin (Proposed Design)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 1, 2026): Famous 20th Century Writer

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 1, 2026): Famous 20th Century Writer

Q: Name a famous 20th century writer. Remove the last two letters of the first name and the last letter of the last name. The result will name a clothing material. What is it?

Contrary to what Will might think, we've seen a version of this before.

Edit: "Version" sounds like "virgin" and "Will" sounds like "wool". This puzzle was very similar to a puzzle from January 2017.

A: VIRGINIA WOOLF --> VIRGIN WOOL

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 22, 2026): Get Out Your Secret Decoder Rings

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 22, 2026): Get Out Your Secret Decoder Rings

Q: Name something you don't want to have at night using two words (3,5). Shift each of the letters of the second word nine spaces later in the alphabet. If your count reaches the end of the alphabet, continue counting from the start. The result will name a famous singer.

Too soon?

Edit: This singer was in the spotlight recently.

A: BAD SLEEP --> BAD BUNNY

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 15, 2026): Ian and his Friend

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 15, 2026): Ian and his Friend

Q: A man said to a friend: "I'm thinking of a 9-letter word that contains my name, Ian ("I-A-N"), embedded somewhere inside it. If you replace my 3-letter name with your 4-letter name, you'll get a familiar word in 10 letters." What are the two words, and what is the name of Ian's friend?

Take the even letters of the second word and rearrange to name something associated with this --> ❤️

Edit: The even letters anagram to PULSE

A: APPL(IAN)CE --> APPL(ESAU)CE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 8, 2026): Weightloss

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 8, 2026): Weightloss

Q: Name something in 7 letters that's designed to help you lose weight. Insert the letters EP somewhere inside this word to get a two-word phrase naming things that are likely to add weight. What words are these?

Take the letters in the longer phrase. Replace the middle letter with a T and rearrange to get something else that can work against weightloss.

Edit: APPETITES

A: PILATES --> PIE PLATES

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 1, 2026): Two Hooved Animals and an Actress

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 1, 2026): Two Hooved Animals and an Actress

Q: Think of two hooved animals. Take all the letters of one of them and the last three letters of the other, mix them together, and you'll get the first and last names of a famous actress. Who is it?

I was initially convinced it had to do with a dromedary and Drew Barrymore.

Edit: My hint was "initially". Take Drew Barrymore's initials (D.B.) and reverse them (B.D.)

A: DEER + (spring*)BOK --> BO DEREK

*Note: There are many African antelope that would work (Blesbok, Bontebok, Bosbok, Duikerbok, Gemsbok, Grysbok, Klipbok, Reitbok, Rhebok/Reebok, Springbok, Steenbok/Steinbok and Waterbok)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 25, 2026): Famous Living Singer

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 25, 2026): Famous Living Singer

Q: Name a famous living singer whose first and last names together have four syllables. The second and fourth syllables phonetically sound like things a dog walker would likely carry. What singer is this?

A very timely puzzle.

Edit: The singer's birthday is January 25, 1981.

A: ALICIA KEYS --> LEASH, KEYS
We're not going to quibble over syllabification of Alicia as A‑leesh‑a versus A‑lee‑sha, are we?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 18, 2026): Very Tiny, Very Large

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 18, 2026): Very Tiny, Very Large

Q: Think of a word that means "very small." Move the first syllable to the end, separated by a space, and you'll get a two-word phrase naming something that is very large. What words are these?

Change the last letter of the word to an "i" and rearrange to get a word meaning "enterprising".

Edit: Changing the "c" to an "i" you can rearrange to get "ambitious". I was also reminded of Star Trek IV where the Enterprise landed in San Francisco, and Chekov was looking for a "nuclear wessel" in Alameda.

A: SUBATOMIC --> ATOMIC SUB
Possible alternate answer: "subnuclear" and "nuclear sub"

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 11, 2026): Famous Duos

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 11, 2026): Famous Duos

Q: Think of a well-known couple whose names are often said in the order of _____ & _____. Seven letters in the names in total. Combine those two names, change an E to an S, and rearrange the result to name another famous duo who are widely known as _____ & _____. Who are these couples?

If you take the last name of one of them, you can rearrange those letters to name another half of a famous duo.

Edit: (Sam) MOORE anagrams to ROMEO.

A: ADAM & EVE --> SAM & DAVE