Sunday, November 23, 2014

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 23, 2014): Traveling Cultural Museum Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 23, 2014): Traveling Cultural Museum Puzzle:
Q: The letters in the name of a major American city can be rearranged to spell a traveling cultural museum. What is it? Each name is a single word, and the city's population is more than a half million.
If you haven't figured this out, you are probably getting stuck on the phrase "traveling cultural museum". Perhaps it isn't on a standard list of museums, or is on several you haven't checked. And yes, there is a hint hidden somewhere here.

Edit: If you anagram "or is on several", you get "Orioles Ravens".
A: BALTIMORE --> ARTMOBILE

95 comments:

  1. Here's my standard reminder... don't post the answer or any hints that could lead directly to the answer (e.g. via a chain of thought, or an internet search) before the deadline of Wednesday at 3pm ET. If you know the answer, click the link and submit it to NPR, but don't give it away here.

    You may provide indirect hints to the answer to show you know it, but make sure they don't give the answer away. You can openly discuss your hints and the answer after the Wednesday deadline. Thank you.

    And Happy Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I got it: Columbus = Club Sumo

    Obviously.

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  3. Let's give a shout-out to the delightful way the puzzle was introduced this week, with an homage to the "Serial" podcast.

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  4. Still working on this.

    There are only 24 one-word American cities with a population over a half million:

    Chicago
    Houston
    Philadelphia
    Phoenix
    Dallas
    Austin
    Indianapolis
    Jacksonville
    Columbus
    Charlotte
    Detroit
    Memphis
    Seattle
    Denver
    Washington
    Boston
    Nashville
    Baltimore
    Louisville
    Portland
    Milwaukee
    Albuquerque
    Tucson
    Fresno

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  5. Jan - Your list and a bit of anagramming (with or without an anagram solver) should get you there.

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  6. Blaine - Even more satisfying than solving the puzzle was finding your clue!

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  7. OK, I have it, though I'm not proud. A little bird told me. (That being my very smart girlfriend.)

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  8. I have it, but my answer is a bit problematic...

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  9. I usually only get a chance to check in on the really hard or controversial puzzles, but it's also nice to have ones that one can figure out when lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. But this one was so easy, my little baby son was able to figure it out.

    And happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. mike, congrats on your new wee one--a puzzle solver already!

      Delete
    2. Thanks WW -- and glad he was able to solve it for me!

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    3. I really liked this hint and can picture your little one in his crib looking up at his art mobile.

      Delete
    4. Whereas I thought that the clue in Blaine's comment was "stuck," as in "stuck inside of Mobile with the Memphis blues again."

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    5. Thanks Blaine and WW -- enjoyed your clues as well. Happy Thanksgiving!

      Delete
  10. Sounds like this guy's been in the news a lot this year.

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  11. I must be trying too hard.

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  12. Now that I have finally solved it, I am finding the answer quite emotional.

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  13. Hanging out, solving the puzzle, watching the swirling snow. Fun Sunday.

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  14. The traveling cultural museum might pass through another city that is a clue to this challenge.

    Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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  15. I am wondering if Pope Francis might reject this puzzle were he aware of it. However I bet he doesn't even listen to NPR on Sunday mornings, let alone pledge. The outrage!

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  16. This one wasn't too hard, glad I found it quickly.

    The last two weeks my solving was down to the wire.

    - Other Ben

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  17. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    Replies
    1. Yes! I tried and tried several hours ago, but could not get into any NPR site. I expect ISIS has landed and is cutting off communications.

      Delete
    2. The submission form is back up now. Try again!

      Delete
    3. I guess it likes you better than me. I just tried several times with no joy.

      Delete
  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  19. Blainesvillians:

    The Thanksgiving-themed puzzles are figuratively “mushrooming” over at Puzzleria! this week. We love Thanksgiving and it shows.

    One of our puzzles involves solving 20 Turkey-day-related anagrams. (You’ve already dusted off your on-line anagram generators for Will’s puzzle. Just re-click your bookmark/favorites tab and dig in to delectably delicious detective work.

    Four other Puzzleria! puzzles, including a bonus puzzle from creative blog commenter David, include words related to Thanksgiving. Our Puzzleria! puzzle slices are hotter than a Houston Colt 45 pistol!

    And in our comments section (thanks to our creative and bright regulars, all who are also regular contributors here at Blainesville), additional puzzles seem to be cropping up like Topsy!

    We post all our soulutions and explain out hints every Tuesday afternoon. Thank you, and Thanksgiving greetings!

    LegoTurduckenda

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  20. I found the museum within the city limits.

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  21. Lordy, Lordy, he died at 40!

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    Replies
    1. Edgar Allan Poe died at age 40. The literary icon is the most famous writer to come from the city named for LORD Baltimore.

      The other city that is part of the puzzle is MOBILE, which is part of the answer.

      Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

      Delete
  22. Replies
    1. jan,
      Is that another one of your medical terms? Does it run off batteries?

      Delete
    2. No, that was a comment on Word Woman's terse, cryptic comments.

      Speaking of Smithies, where's RoRo been lately?

      Delete
    3. Good, because I really don't need any enigmatic problems while I'm Turing on my bike.

      Delete
    4. jan, I was wondering about RoRo as well.

      More enigma:

      Don Rickles

      Delete
    5. Hi did you miss me? It would really be a crime if I missed this week's puzzle. This genre was very popular when I lived in New York and saw a dance troupe called "Bottom of the Bucket But". The director, Garth Fagan, went on to later choreograph Lion King.

      Delete
    6. Silly me! I forgot to put the comma in the above title! LOL

      Delete
    7. Glad to have you back, RoRo.

      No worries about punctuation.

      Final enigmatic clue in this series: Rooster.

      Delete
  23. Has anyone else experienced a non-response or slow response from NPR? I submitted my entry at 9:19 PM yesterday and have yet to receive a confirmation.

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  24. I grew up near that city. I had no problem with a no or slow response.

    Chuck

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  25. Solved and submitted. Usually work these puzzles out with my English class, however this one seemed both too simple and enjoyable (solving and the solution itself) that I will not rob them of the pleasure.

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    Replies
    1. Go easy on the Shakespeare!

      Delete
    2. Not surprising, I suppose, to see so many rubes and carnies when the traveling cultural museum comes to town.

      Delete
  26. Heaven willing we shall, for all the Bard's works we are allowed to "enjoy" are those that are grossly overdone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  27. This puzzle reminds me of the many great musical duos of the last few decades:
    Lennon & McCartney
    Sonny & Cher
    Hall & Oats
    Simon & Garfunkel
    The Carpenters
    The Eurythmics
    Loggins & Messina
    Bono & his ego

    The list goes on, but I will leave it there as my little city of Denver descends in shades of winter

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Curtis,
      Nice duo list. But I suggest I slight do-over: Bono is not married to his ego. But he was married to Cher. Many people make this mistake. You too?

      This puzzle reminds me of one we posted on Puzzleria a few months back. It’s about boats being buoyed, even when tied to a pier. It also reminds me of the fashion model who was framed for fixing the beauty pageant and convicted on hearsay evidence.

      One of the cities I tried yielded a likely acceptable yet so-so answer, so I moved on to the Midwest and tried a city there. No luck yet. Then tried a city in an adjoining state. Still no success, so I finally settled on my original city choice.

      L’EgoOnTheGo

      Delete
    2. Maybe I just thought Bono & his ego were married because they never go out in public without each other. His self-admiration gets out and around more than the local book bus.

      Delete
  28. U 2 thought of poor Sonny? 'Twas his evil twin.

    ReplyDelete
  29. ┌───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬──┐
    ╞═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪══╪═╕
    ├───┼───┴───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼──┼─┤
    ├───┼───────┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┴───┼──┼─┤
    ├───┼───────┼───┴───┼───┼───┼───────┼──┼─┤
    ├───┼───────┼───────┼───┴───┼───────┼──┼─┤
    ├───┼───────┼───────┼───────┴───────┼──┼─┤
    ├───┴───────┼───────┼───────────────┼──┼─┤
    ├───────────┼───────┴───────────────┼──┼─┤
    ├───────────┴───────────────────────┼──┼─┤
    └───────────────────────────────────┴──┴─┘

    Ok, the post that I make Wednesday won't look quite as good as the display above, but it should look pretty good!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Oh dear! Sorry about that last post. Blaine, because my profile is with TypePad, I don't have access to the delete option. Could you delete my post above? Thank you.

    ┌──┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬──┐
    ╞══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪══╪═╕
    ├──┼───┴───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼──┼─┤
    ├──┼───────┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┴───┼──┼─┤
    ├──┼───────┼───┴───┼───┼───┼───────┼──┼─┤
    ├──┼───────┼───────┼───┴───┼───────┼──┼─┤
    ├──┼───────┼───────┼───────┴───────┼──┼─┤
    ├──┴───────┼───────┼───────────────┼──┼─┤
    ├──────────┼───────┴───────────────┼──┼─┤
    ├──────────┴───────────────────────┼──┼─┤
    └──────────────────────────────────┴──┴─┘

    Ok, the post that I make Wednesday won't look quite as good as the display above, but it should look pretty good!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Musical clue: Jef Jaisun

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  32. I needed a complete breakfast, with hard-boiled eggs, rice cakes and flax-seed cereal, to solve this one. Looking forward to watching some pigskin tomorrow while enjoying some turkey.

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  33. So you are saying you like a little bird and rice with your football game?

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  34. NPR Puzzle November 23, 2014

    BALTIMORE > ARTMOBILE

    My hints:

    “Now that I have finally solved it, I am finding the answer quite emotional.”
    Emotional = moving as in mobile

    “I am wondering if Pope Francis might reject this puzzle were he aware of it. However I bet he doesn't even listen to NPR on Sunday mornings, let alone pledge. The outrage!”

    This pope rejected using his POPEMOBILE.

    ReplyDelete
  35. BALTIMORE

    ARTMOBILE

    My clue: "I have it, but my answer is a bit pROBLEMATIc...'

    HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Baltimore
    ┌──B───A───L───T───I───M───O───R───E──┐
    ╞══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪══╪══
    ├──┼───A───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼──┼─A
    ├──┼───────┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───R───┼──┼─R
    ├──┼───────┼───T───┼───┼───┼───────┼──┼─T
    ├──┼───────┼───────┼───M───┼───────┼──┼─M
    ├──┼───────┼───────┼───────O───────┼──┼─O
    ├──B───────┼───────┼───────────────┼──┼─B
    ├──────────┼───────I───────────────┼──┼─I
    ├──────────L───────────────────────┼──┼─L
    ├──────────────────────────────────E──┼─E
    ╘═════════════════════════════════════╧══
    Artmobile

    And I also posted this on Tue Nov 25, at 07:51:00 AM PST:

    Musical clue: Jef Jaisun

    Jef Jaison is known for just one song: "Friendly Neighborhood Narco Agent".

    And its third verse includes:

    "You clutch your baggie full of weed
    And careful not to spill a seed
    You roll a joint as big as Baltimore"

    ReplyDelete
  37. Baltimore --> artmobile

    Sorry I missed the 2PM (Central) rush. I was over at my ex-wife’s house cutting up rutabagas into boilable-size pieces in preparation for tomorrow night’s dinner.

    Last Monday I said, “I grew up near that city.” Actually, I grew up in a suburb of Washington, D.C., but Baltimore is right up the road.

    Happy Thanksgiving to all :)

    Chuck

    ReplyDelete
  38. Baltimore = artmobile. Clues were football ravens - hardboiled egg (coach jim harbaugh), rice cakes (Ray Rice), and flax cereal (Joe Flacco).

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  39. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  40. BALTIMORE -> ARTMOBILE

    Here's Nancy Josephson's artmobile, "The Gallery-A-Go-Go," in front of the wonderful American Visionary Art Museum", in Baltimore.


    > Sounds like this guy's been in the news a lot this year.

    According to Wikipedia, locals refer to their city as "Balmer". Didn't he just retire as CEO of some software company, and then buy a basketball team from some guy involved in a scandal?

    > Speaking of Smithies, where's RoRo been lately?

    In Baltimore, I'd guess, where she lives.

    ReplyDelete

  41. BALTIMORE >>> ARTMOBILE

    "Hanging out, solving the puzzle, watching the swirling snow. Fun Sunday." referred to hanging nests built by Baltimore Orioles.

    "Barcodes, Constantine, Don Rickles, and Rooster" all pointed toward men's combovers used to hide the loss of hair but really making them look BALDY MORE ;-). {groan}.

    [I did learn that the Japanese refer to the combover look as "Bar Code Men" and that the father/son team who patented a combover process received an Ig Noble Prize.]

    mike_h's clue about looking up at the ceiling with his baby son (and seeing a mobile) made me smile.

    Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

    Folliclely yours,

    Word Woman

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WW - I thought your "hanging out" referred to hanging mobiles.

      Delete
    2. Lorenzo, naw, I left that to mike h's son. . .it would be like taking candy from a baby to use the wee one's early puzzle-solving clue.

      Delete
    3. BTW, do guys not know combovers make them look baldy more? (IMHO anyway).

      Delete
  42. Word Woman,
    I thought your “swirling snow” was an allusion to swirling mobiles of the type that mike_hinterberg’s superb and supine baby is memorizing. (Given Lorenzo’s similar comment, above, Word Woman, you are just one “willy-nilly hint-making-machine!”

    Regarding my Nov. 24, 9:22 PM comment, this is the Puzzleria! puzzle reminiscent of Will’s NPR puzzle. It is the third puzzle in the Menu, the “Specialty of the House Slice: Adage-io in A…Cronyms.” It involved an ARTlab.

    Also in my Nov. 24, 9:22 PM comment:

    “It also reminds me of the fashion model (ART Modell) who was framed for fixing the beauty pageant and convicted on hearsay (Robert Irsay) evidence.”

    “One of the cities I tried (Baltimore) yielded a likely acceptable yet so-so answer, so I moved on to the Midwest and tried a city there (Indianapolis, Indiana). No luck (Andrew Luck, as present Colts’ quarterback) yet. Then I tried a city in an adjoining state (Cleveland, Ohio). Still no success, so I finally settled on my original city choice (Baltimore).”

    Irsay moved the Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis in 1984. In 1996, Modell moved the Cleveland Browns franchise to Baltimore, changing the team name to the Ravens. See, this puzzle, the second in the Menu, “Sporty Slice: Nickelnames Re-coined.”

    In my November 24, 2”46 AM comment, I wrote: “Our Puzzleria! puzzle slices are hotter than a Houston Colt 45 pistol!” That alludes, of course, to the original name of the Houston Astros, but also to the Baltimore/Indianapolis COLTS.

    I was on the same football page as Snipper, RoRo and Dave Taylor, I guess.

    LegColtTrap

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  43. Jan –

    Yes, back east Baltimore is two syllables – Balmer. And so is Washington, D.C. – Washnun.

    Chuck

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chuck,

      You are right that all from Baltimore say "Ballmer"

      But having lived in Washington DC, I can assert that it is also pronounced with two syllables by its inhabitants:

      "Dee Cee"

      Nobody I ever heard says washnun.

      - Other Ben

      Delete
  44. Austin - UNITAS
    UNITAS is a cultural traveling museum.
    My hint was 'inside the city limits ' as in Austin City Limits.

    ReplyDelete
  45. UNITAS has traveling exhibits in Muslim with Christian artists as well as Aboriginal culture.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. zeke,

      Unitas, Johnny Unitas, as I'm sure you must be aware, was also the legendary Hall of Fame QB for the BALTIMORE Colts!!!

      LegoWhatACoincidence!

      Delete
    2. Yeah Zeke, Johnny Unitas was seen as a cultural icon if not museum. I did say it would be a crime if I did not get the answer since I live in "Balmer" (Washrun is a new one on me) However, Ben do not let that fool you et al into thinking we like to be so strongly associated with the Wire. We have so many positive assets..... Anyway, The Shakespeare clue was for Romeo,... Wherefore art thou" and Bird and Rice all refer to the Ravens. Anyone else remember the dancemobiles that used to be set up in the middle of some urban areas with really great shows? Alvin Ailey and many others used to rock that venue.

      Delete
    3. WW, you get the crown for the best hints. Those clues had me scratching my head.

      Delete
    4. Here's a link to the exhibit to which zeke (who never ceases to amaze me) refers:

      http://outoftownblog.com/unitas-muslim-and-christian-artists-in-one-exhibit/

      Delete
  46. Comments about belly dancers and snake oil had me thinking something along the lines of SHILL_E_VAN.
    Other comments seemed to be pointing me to Puck, aka Mr. Goodfellow, who happens to have the same first name as someone who hangs around with a crimefighter who drives a chick-magnet car.
    Perhaps that explains my outrageous comments.
    Notice I said 'explains', not 'excuses'.
    Notice, also, I said 'perhaps'.

    ReplyDelete
  47. RoRo -

    That's WASHNUN not WASHRUN...

    Chuck

    ReplyDelete
  48. For some of you hikers & mountaineers and outdoors men and women: DO YOU DREAM OF MOUNTAINS? Happy Thanksgiving.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Word on that other puzzle blog has it that this week's winner is Jay Paulukonis, a stained glass artist (fitting, no?) from rural Pennsylvania. Congrats, Jay!

    ReplyDelete
  50. My clue was obvious. I said my puzzle solving was "down to the wire," as a salute to the greatest show in the history of television -- The Wire.

    Which, of course, takes place in an Artmobile.

    - Other Ben

    ReplyDelete
  51. Next week's challenge: Bertrand Tavernier is a French director of such movies as Life and Nothing But and It All Starts Today. What amazing wordplay property does the name Bertrand Tavernier have? This sounds like an open-ended question, but when you have the right answer, you'll have no doubt about it.

    ReplyDelete
  52. I got it even after having eaten the turkey.

    ReplyDelete
  53. On the air, the wording of the puzzle was a little different. Of course he spelled this person's first and last names, and then the words "when you have the right answer, you'll have no doubt about it" were replaced with "you'll know you have the right answer when you get it". But then Will added this: "and it's something even a child will understand". That helped!

    ReplyDelete

For NPR puzzle posts, don't post the answer or any hints that could lead to the answer before the deadline (usually Thursday at 3pm ET). If you know the answer, submit it to NPR, but don't give it away here.

You may provide indirect hints to the answer to show you know it, but make sure they don't assist with solving. You can openly discuss your hints and the answer after the deadline. Thank you.