Friday, March 27, 2009

Friday Fun: What's the next number in the sequence?

Can you figure out the next few terms in the following sequence?
Q: 1, 3, 7, 12, 18, 26, 35, 45, 56, 69...
I'll post the answer some time next week.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 22): Add 3 Letters Twice

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 22): Add 3 Letters Twice:
Q: Here's an example: Take the letters I, L, R and T. Insert a trigram (three-letter group) twice into these letters to complete a familiar 10-letter word. If you add S, P and O, you would get the answer, 'spoilsport.'
Now, take R F E and R. Insert a trigram twice somewhere in these letters to complete a familiar two-word phrase. What phrase is it?
On a scale of 0 to 9, I give this week's puzzle a 3.

Edit: 0 to 9 would be the set of *digits* where 3 is the *fourth* digit.
A: Insert ING twice --> R(ING) F(ING)ER

Thursday, March 19, 2009

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 15): Female TV Host Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 15): Female TV Host Puzzle
Q: Name a female host of a popular TV program. Rearrange the letters of her first name to name a god in mythology. Rearrange the letters in her last name to name a type of god that this god is not. Who is the TV host and what are the anagrams?
So you've looked at this week's NPR puzzle and you've decided you need some help. Okay, before you light a signal fire, the puzzle really isn't that difficult. So that you don't waste time, I'll tell you that it is *not* the Babylonian god Marduk, but you can try anagrams of that if you like...

Edit: There were several hints in my post. I used the word "SO" a couple times. Also, if you read the first letter of each sentence you get S.O.S. I also mentioned help and a signal fire a few times which again points to S.O.S. That all leads to the name of the person and her show. Next the Roman equivalent of Zeus was Jupiter. And the Babylonian equivalent of Jupiter was Marduk.
A: SUZE ORMAN (CNBC host of the Suze Orman Show)
--> ZEUS, ROMAN

Thursday, March 12, 2009

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 8): Cat Got Your Tongue?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 8): Cat Got Your Tongue?:
Q: Think of a familiar phrase in five words that means 'tongue tied.' One word in it has one letter, one word has two letters, one has three, one has four and one has five — though not necessarily in that order. What is the phrase?
This week, I have no way of providing a clue that won't give away the puzzle.

Edit: I was speechless, completely tongue-tied, I guess you could say I was...
A: AT A LOSS FOR WORDS

Thursday, March 05, 2009

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 1): A Tale of Two Cities

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 1): A Tale of Two Cities:
Q: Take the phrase 'atlas of the world,' change the 'E' to an 'R,' and rearrange all the letters to name two cities that are closely related.
The puzzle implies an atlas of the world is required... but maybe not.

Edit: A U.S. atlas would suffice.
A: DALLAS, FORT WORTH