Wednesday, November 25, 2009

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 22): Okie-Dokie!

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 22): Okie-Dokie!:
Q: Think of a word containing the consecutive letters O-K. Remove the O-K, and you'll get a new word that's a synonym of the first word. What words are these?
The first thought I had when I figured out this puzzle was the Latin phrase "cavit lukom". You can argue that I haven't got the right conjugation but looking back on it, I still contend that the clue is useful nonetheless.

Edit: If you followed my hints you would take that bogus Latin phrase and write it backwards as MOKULTIVAC. After removing the OK you have MULTIVAC. If you Google for that you'll find that Isaac Asimov had a loosely connected series of stories involving a fictional computer called Multivac. One of those stories was Jokester (1956).
A: JOKESTER --> JESTER
Posted by Blaine at 10:33 PM
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35 comments:

  1. Here's my standard reminder... don't post the answer or any outright spoilers before the deadline of Thursday at 3pm ET. If you know the answer, click the link and submit it to NPR, but don't give it away here. Thank you.
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  2. I didn't get the Latin phrase and, even when I Googled it, couldn't get the reference, but it sounds funny nonetheless when you say it.
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  3. Blaine: What a delicious sense of humor you have--I was reduced to tears of mirth after reading your post.
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  4. I must be dense; I don't see what's so darned funny. Apparently Blaine is quite the card today... Maybe if I ignore all this distraction I'll have a chance of figuring this one out.
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  5. qu1dd1tch, you revealed too much information in your second post. Kudos on figuring out the clue, but please don't give away the magician's trick. Obviously you won't see your 2nd post anymore as I moved it to 'deleted'. Please don't anger the moderator. ;-)
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  6. I believe the author of this week's puzzle is our own "original Ben."
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  7. Blaine: Actually, it's only after reading your post that I figured out what you thought I had figured out! Yikes--I can now see why you deleted it. I'll perform restitution--as Lennon-McCartney would say, "I'll cry instead."
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  8. Got it so quickly, the wife thought I was kidding...
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  9. Original Ben here. Other Ben may post here more often than I do, but know that Original Ben is still around, and still the original.

    @Lorenzo is correct, I did indeed create this week's NPR puzzle. Second time this year the great Will Shortz was kind enough to use a puzzle I submitted, and for that I give thanks in this of all weeks.

    I didn't think this one was THAT easy but I should have known I wouldn't easily fool all the puzzle savants who frequent this site. You guys are good.

    The first time Will used a puzzle of mine on the radio, I wrote about it here:

    http://benbassandbeyond.blogspot.com/2009/07/puzzling.html

    Nice work to everyone who already got it, happy solving to those who haven't, and enjoy your Thanksgiving everyone!
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  10. A tip of the hat to the Kia / Nokia crowd here last week in Blainesville. My Dodge / Qwest didn’t even make the close-but-no-cigar list :(

    Anyway, another week, another funny puzzle from WS... Think of a word containing the consecutive letters O-K. Remove the O-K, and you'll get a new word that's a synonym of the first word. What words are these?

    So far I’ve thought of three word pairs that seem to fill the bill in all respects. However one of them is definitely the most elegant so that’s the one I’ve gone with. (There’s a fourth, but the synonym is only phonetic so I didn’t bother to count it.) Anyone think of more than this?

    Have a nice Thanksgiving, all. I’ve got two meals I must attend. Hopefully I will eat in moderation :)

    Chuck
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  11. Funny, I didn't hear Liane say how many entries last week ?

    Great that they gave honorable mentions to the alternative entries. Should be easier this week.

    Chuckquartz, one of my phonetic solutions for this week relates to a lady of the night pronounced with a strong Newcastle-upon-Tyne accent (definitely not Will's answer)
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  12. @DaveJ, I had brunch with my family this morning and my 70-year-old dad came up with that same guess!
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  13. Two word pairs are associated with the season.
    One pair is an interjection/imperitive. The other pair are nouns, and the non "ok" noun appears in John Langstaff's work.
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  14. Ben,
    Congrats on getting your second puzzle on the air. Finally a puzzle with a definitive answer!
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  15. Ben, congrats on having your puzzle chosen for the second time in recent weeks!

    DaveJ, I assume that you're thinking of "hooker." Nice.
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  16. Listen here, Original Ben.

    I solved your silly puzzle, so stop being such a wise*ss and calling yourself "the original." This is no laughing matter.

    Other Ben is every bit as Benny as you are!

    -- Other Ben

    P.S. Congrats on getting up twice in a year!
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  17. On the air, Will noted that the deadline is a day earlier (Wednesday 3pm ET), so don't be a turkey and forget to submit your answer.
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  18. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
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  19. Sorry Eddie, your post was a little too obvious.
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  20. @Dave and DaveJ...I said almost the same thing to my husband. Me: "Can it maybe be a woman and what she does in her profession?" Him: Blank stare. Me: "Hook and ho!" Him: Eye roll.
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  21. JenJen, that's funny.

    Now that I've figured out the answer to this week's puzzle, I'm going to shuffle on out of here and get something done today.
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  22. Hey everyone,

    I wrote a story on my blog about creating this week's NPR puzzle. Since you are the type of person who visits Blainesville, you might find it interesting. Check it out here.

    Thanks to everyone for the kind words. All due props to Other Ben, truly among the greatest of Bens!
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  23. @JenJen - capital response !
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  24. Blaine, I enjoyed your nicely constructed clue. I didn't recognize the final word, although I've read some of his work. thanks for prodding me to read more of it.
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  25. After the entry deadline, I'll reveal my answer to this rather tricky puzzle. ;-)
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  26. Ken, Whoopee: 3 pm ET. Noon Pacific time.
    I'm waiting!.
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  27. Well, Geri, I got Jokester & Jester. Did anyone get another answer?
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  28. Jokester / jester is the obviously intended answer. However, there are a few more word pairs that meet the test: look / lo and okay / ay (a variant of aye). Another phonetic answer is also available, hooker / hoer, but - somehow - I just can't hear Will and Liane announce those two on Sunday :)

    Chuck
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  29. In my comment to qu1dd1tch, I added a hidden clue. "...won't see your 2nd post anymore *as I mov*ed it..." Asimov wrote the short story "Jokester".
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  30. Did any or all of you read The Flying Sorcerers, by David Gerrold and Larry Niven? You made me think of it, Blaine, with your reference to "as a color, shade of purple gray..."
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  31. I expect to see both David Gerrold and
    Larry Niven tomorrow at LosCon 36 at the
    LAX Marriott, the site of the convention.
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  32. You're a big sci-fi fan, eh Geri? Did you read Beggars in Spain?
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  33. I submitted for this week. (B,G,F)
    Any clue that I contrived would probably give it away.
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  34. I agree; that one was too easy, relatively speaking.
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  35. The heart of the solution lies in recognizing that the first vowel is pronounced differently in all three cases.
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