Sunday, January 17, 2016

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 17, 2016): Three Letter Category

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 17, 2016): Three Letter Category:
Q: This one is an extension of the on-air puzzle where the example was vegetable --> leek or lettuce.

Think of a category in three letters in which the last two letters are the first two letters of something in that category. And the thing in the category has seven letters. Both names are common, uncapitalized words. What are they?
I was going to make a pun, but it was unfunny.
Edit: And you would have liked it... it was a real gem. :)
A: GEM --> EMERALD

139 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 Thursday 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 Thursday deadline. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This week's challenge is a real dousy, but I do have the answer. There is, of course, the category of SEX which can lead to the practice of EXTREME SEX, or EXTATIC SEX, or EXOGAMY. There is also the category of WAR and, more precisely, ARMORED WAR.

    One of my puzzles has been posted on this week's PUZZLERIA. Check it out. LEGO has dubbed it "a toughie" which should please someone of the stature of SDB!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It seems we were heading in similar, albeit low, directions. Looking at the category Sin, I had to note that Incest has only six letters.

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    2. SuperZee,
      Well played! I experienced those same six-letter blues (see the remainder of this comment, below).

      ron,
      I considered sex also (who doesn’t?), but “sex” in the sense of one who is filling out one of those identification form (“Sex: (check one box): Male or Female”). Alas, I came up with “things in the category” that had only six, not seven, letters…

      So, how would Caitlyn (nee Bruce) Jenner fill out such a form, I asked myself:
      Sex: “Ex-male”
      Does that mean you are a “She”?
      Yes, but I was a “He, once.”

      Thanks, ron, for your shout-out to Puzzleria! Your puzzle this week is indeed a “toughie”… and an excellently crafted challenge. I am pretty sure skydiveboy would probably approve, although at the end of last week’s thread ecoarchitect astutely noted that “On this blog, at least, SDB's job is objector.”

      LegoJennerBenner

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    3. I've always thought that INERTIA was a SIN and certainly to INVEIGH is, indeed, a SIN.

      Delete
    4. Lego
      If yo wanna git da toys out yo gots to free up one's elf, stay off de roof and git to werk .
      zeke clause

      Delete
  3. I sent my answer in an hour or so ago. Believe me, if you come up with the same answer I did, you'll know it's right. (Caution - When I had the answer I quit looking so there may be more than one acceptable answer.)

    Unfortunately, I can't think of anything particularly inciteful to say at this time. So I won't try. But I'll post later if I can come up with a good clue.

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    Replies
    1. Good clarification, Chuck. However, anyone who pays any attention at all to this blog knows, of course, that it is skydiveboy who is in charge of coming up with inciteful things to say!

      LegoHopingThatskydiveboyWillNowSaySomethingIncitefulAboutThisComment

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  4. I got the answer so fast that my wife was green with envy.

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    Replies
    1. It wasn't a hard one for me, either. :) --Margaret G.

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  5. Makes me consider the merry month of May. ---Rob

    ReplyDelete
  6. At the end of last week's thread I noted this is a continuation of the on-air puzzle.

    To a Marxist, everyone's job is obligee.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My mother was an OB nurse, and my son once dated an oboeist.

      Delete
  7. BTW, I did find a second perfectly valid solution this morning. I didn’t send it in because I’d already submitted one. But it rigorously meets all puzzle requirements. So who knows? There may still be other solutions lurking out there. More Thursday...

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  8. Reminds me of "The Wizard of Oz", for some reason.

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  9. Got one for sure, maybe two.
    I think there are more, which will irk the PM.

    ReplyDelete
  10. It's not easy being green but in order to be a finger at this game you have to think green

    ReplyDelete
  11. Again I shall flagrantly flout the rules of this fine cyberforum and reveal my answer before Thursday:

    This one was easy for me because it hits so close to home. In my answer, “the thing in the category (that) has seven letters” is two words, not one. I hope Will Shortz deems that to be kosher.

    So, for those of you who covet a lapel pin:
    3-letter category = MUG
    7-letter something-in-that-category = UGLY ONE

    As I said, it hits close to home. I looked in my mirror this morning and the answer was staring me right in the face!

    As, usual, we have posted a half-a-dozen (more-or-less) original puzzles on Puzzleria! this week, including a great challenge by ron.

    I have also posted on Puzzleria! an “inverse piggyback puzzle” ripping off (I mean, "in honor of") Will’s puzzle today. See my 11:07AM post in Sunday's Comments Section.

    LegoSuggestsThatThingsWillBeDifferentWhenHeBecomesPresident!(PayAttentionAt2:13)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I figure, in keeping with the rules of Lego's "inverse piggyback puzzle", the UGLIEST would have to be a PUG. Also, going by the puzzle's original rules, some MEN are ENEMIES.

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    2. Some MEN are also ENGLISH, but that violates the uncapitalized rule.

      Delete
    3. David,

      At the end of last week’s thread, zeke creek and I had this exchange:

      zeke:
      Aside from the intended answer I have one that really only pertains to roughly half of us.
      Lego:
      zeke,
      Is the 7-letter part of your answer (the "thing in the category") an anagram of a roof part?

      Thus, “Men/English” was the answer I thought ol’ zeke was getting’ at (or Santa Creek, as I like to call him… we’ve got a good vibe).

      LegoFeeFieFoeFumblingTowardSugarplums

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    4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    5. At least not the hardest one he's ever seen.

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    6. Great, another rockhound!

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  12. In honor of the new Iranian disarmament agreement. I propose that the category & title of SIR be applied to an IRANIAN.

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  13. As did Lego above, I too am now going to reveal my answer to today's NPR puzzle. Now we know for sure that Will Shortz also lurks Puzzleria! Keeping in mind that ron does not capitalize his moniker, which a stipulation in the puzzle this week, and he has presented us with a rather nasty task to solve his excellent puzzle over at Puzzleria!, I now finally realize the intended answer is: ron > onerous.

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  14. A hint to the actual answer is: SEATTLE.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This is more of a giveaway than a hint.

      Delete
    2. He's channeling his inner Harriett, as are several in this week's thread.

      Not worth much if the answer isn't clear.

      Delete
    3. Et least let east LESTATE ALE settle its estate stately.

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

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    5. Is that related to Yearold rye?

      Or perhaps Umbrian rum?

      Or even infidel gin?

      Though I suspect Fidel would rather have rum in him. And inutero gin is just too sick to post.

      Delete
    6. Natasha,
      Yes. It is not a giveaway hint. Explanation on Thursday noon. There are numerous giveaway hints on this blog this week though.

      Delete
    7. SDB...I have the answer but cannot connect with Seattle.

      Delete
    8. I know that. And that is why I say it is not a giveaway hint. See ya Thursday.

      Delete
    9. I thought it was a giveaway. SDB is down 31 points at the midpoint of the puzzle week.

      Delete
    10. SDB: Seattle clue figured out.

      Delete
  15. Had I listened to the on-air puzzle first, I would have realized that Will was using singular rather than plural words as category titles, for example “State Capital” rather than “State Capitals.” The solution came quickly once I dropped my unnecessary constraint.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I feel like I've known the answer to this puzzle ever since I was a mere lad. But then, who am I to throw stones?

    ReplyDelete
  17. This was pretty quick for me. Lucky for me, I can get back to watching my favorite celebrity chef now.

    ReplyDelete
  18. TEA--->EARL GREY (8 letters)
    😀

    ReplyDelete
  19. Let us fear the return of the AXEHEAD TAX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But don't fear the REAPER'S IRE.

      LegoIsOnIreWithAFever,AndTheOnlyCureIs...Well,YouKnow

      Delete
  20. Then there are the staples of old time mystery plays.
    The GUN, seen in Act One which is UNFIRED,
    In Act Two, due to use of a pillow, its shot was UNHEARD.
    In Act Three, it is found to be UNCLEAN, and
    In Act Four, the killers prints are found as it was UNWIPED.

    ReplyDelete
  21. In this time of upheaval, I wonder how things would be if President Ford were still around?

    ReplyDelete
  22. How about DYE and YELLOW 5 (if two words allowed)?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Glad this week's puzzle was a new one. Since in recent weeks some of them were old.

    ReplyDelete
  24. ELECTRIC EEL

    almost, save for 8 letters in the "something in this category" word, as well as the "something in this category", incorporating the name of the category. Oh, well, it was one of the first possibilities that came to mind while I was watering plants.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Here is a great optical illusion which I also posted on Puzzleria. Enjoy. When is a circle a straight line?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. When the radius is infinite.

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    2. When it is drawn on the surface of a sphere - as is the equator.

      Delete
    3. I considered saying that, but doesn't the line curve in the vertical direction?

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    4. I believe you will find that any portion of a great circle, will project onto the surface of a sphere as a straight line. As an example, start at the North Pole, and follow the any Meridian due South. In 20,000 km, you will arrive at the South Pole. In another 20,00 km, you will have returned to the North Pole. Your path, on the surface of the Earth will have been a straight line - but viewed in 3 space will have been a circle.

      Delete
    5. Circular reasoning (Latin: circulus in probando, "circle in proving"; also known as circular logic)

      Delete
    6. Well, that took me back.

      We used Cardano's mechanism in one of our machines.

      Put into practice it might look like this.

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    7. SuperZee: does that mean you are a member of the Flat Earth Society?

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    8. eco: No, but one of my favorite books was Edwin Abbott Abbott's 1884 satirical novella, "Flatland."

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    9. I think it is a shame people are so quick to judge others, such as the Flat Earth Society and the ridicule of its members as not being well rounded. I will have you know that they are completely on the level.

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    10. I think they've gone 'round the bend.

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    11. I think they are on the ball.

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  26. I mo thuairimse, roinnt leideanna a thabhairt ar shiúl an freagra an tseachtain seo.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I was walking through the woods on Sunday noting how many trees here in the Midwest have died in the last year when it hit me. Not a tree, but the answer to the puzzle. I don't want to bore you with the details, they are specie specific.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Emerald Ash Borers have decimated eastern forests

      Delete
  28. Pretty sure Will got no one "over a barrel" with this one.

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    Replies


    1. Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl :)

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  29. I find this puzzle outrageous.

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  30. GEM > EMERALD

    It could also be: MAN > ANDROID or HAT > A TURBAN or BUN > UNBAKED

    My HInt: SEATTLE

    Seattle is now called the EMERALD CITY, which I am not exactly pleased with as we are not a bunch of frigging Munchkins, but real people. That term was chosen to replace GATEWAY TO THE ORIENT. That one seemed reasonable to me, but some idiot apparently decided it was no longer acceptable to use that word. I am still asking myself, "what is wrong with GATEWAY?"

    Some thought it a giveaway, but I do not agree. Natasha is proof enough on that account. However, I solved this puzzle by simply Googling GREEN, which was in all the give away posts earlier, and it immediately brought up EMERALD, which gave me the answer as soon as I saw it.

    WS has once again called uncommon words common. I am certainly FAMILIAR with these words, but they are anything but common.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If you search "Seattle nicknames" you find THIS, pretty much of a "giveaway." BTW, it's not "gateway to the orient," but gateway to Alaska."

      Delete
    2. You are not alone; all the references to "green" "think green" the wizard of Oz, the "Emerald City," the "Emerald Isle" are all giveaways...

      Delete
    3. ron:

      Yes, it is SEATTLE, GATEWAY TO THE ORIENT.

      When I read your post I immediately thought I would go to the basement and locate my childhood postcard collection which has several different ones with that heading. I grew up with that phrase. Fortunately I don't need to do that because there is a photo of one of those postcards on this Amazon.com link:

      http://www.amazon.com/Greetings-Washington-Original-Vintage-Postcard/dp/B00P5F7WZG

      I have heard Gateway to Alaska a few times over the years, but not often. That would come from the 1897+ gold rush, where you had to come through Seattle to procure provisions before you would be allowed into Alaska back then due to the hardships that would be encountered.

      If anyone solved this puzzle from my Seattle hint I would appreciate him letting us know in a post. I doubt very much that my hint was much of a giveaway. I don't think Seattle is often referred to as the Emerald City.

      Delete
    4. Yes. Gateway to the Orient has been used for Seattle, but Gateway to Alaska was more prominent. See THIS. Gateway to the Orient is more commonly used to refer to ISTANBUL, Turkey.

      Delete
    5. ron,
      I don't know why you say Gateway to Alaska was more prominent, although I am sure it was around the AK gold rush years, but afterward it became far more prominent to be referred to as Gateway to the Orient—Seattle being closer to Asia than California. I was born and raised here in Seattle during WWII and I frequently heard and saw it called Gateway to the Orient, but I don't think I never heard it called Gateway to Alaska until I was in my late teens. It was frequently called The Queen City too, but I never heard it as "Queen City of the Pacific Northwest" I am sure that is the more official moniker, but it just was not said in full. I also have a vague memory of my seeing Seattle referred to as Gateway to Alaska the first time and being a little surprised since I had grown up only hearing Orient.

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    6. In any event, Seattle has been The EMERALD CITY since 1982...

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    7. Philadelphia: Gateway to New Jersey. Or vice versa.

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    8. Philadelphia: Getaway from New Jersey. Or vice versa.

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    9. No argument there. I never understood why we chose that name though. I always associated it with the Wizard of Oz, which to me made it seem ridiculous, and I did not like Queen City either. I guess some city nicknames are fitting and some are not. Windy City for Chicago works, as does City of Lights for Paris. I remember back when we were going to change ours and thinking that I did not want to give up Gateway to the Orient and thinking Emerald City was chosen in desperation due to nothing better being suggested. People are frequently wanting to change things that work perfectly well, and for no good reason. I enjoy change when it is beneficial, but not simply for the sake of changing something that has always worked just fine. Seattle is in King County. It was named for a former vice president who also happened to be gay, but some jerks just had to change it to mean MLK as one of those feckless band-aid approaches to solving a serious problem such as racism. Presidents' Day is another example. It was always George Washington's Birthday until Lincoln was included and then it morphed into all the creeps who were president. I hope you don't think I am referring to outstanding presidents such as Nixon, Reagan or either Bush. But I might be.

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    10. I found this interesting link:

      http://www.ebay.com/itm/1924-Vintage-Ad-Seattle-Gateway-to-the-Orient-Chamber-of-Commerce-/361464008730?hash=item5428ef101a

      and this one:

      https://www.cardcow.com/515833/seattle-tacoma-international-airport-seatac-washington/?gclid=CLCssvWxvMoCFQdqfgod77MAgg

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    11. Thanks for the King County history lesson, SDB. All this time I thought you drizzly nor'westerners wanted to secede from the union and rejoin the drizzly British Empire.

      And more history: when I was young we celebrated both Washington's and Lincoln's Birthday, 2 holidays in one month made February more tolerable. I too thought Washington's Birthday had been subsumed into an all encompassing President's Day. But this article shows that's not the actual case. There was a scheme by NATO (not what you think, read the article) to make a single President's Day in the 1950's. I think the current P's Day is a pop culture phenomenon aimed at getting everyone to buy a new car.

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

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    13. Hmmm, I wonder why Seattle's Tourism Board doesn't go with Cascadia Subduction Zone City?

      Delete
    14. Eco,
      PLEASE send me a proper link to the article you refer to so I can locate and read it. I have lots to say, but want to read your article first. Thanks.

      BTW George Washington's Birthday was always on February 22 until it was changed to include Lincoln. At that time it floated between their birthday dates. Far more recently it became an all inclusive presidents' day. Your article may not even be correct, I really would like to read it.

      Delete
    15. eco:
      I just now found this interesting bit of information of on GWBD.

      In 1968, Congress passed the Monday Holidays Act, which moved the official observance of Washington's birthday from Feb. 22 to the third Monday in February. Some reformers had wanted to change the name of the holiday as well, to Presidents' Day, in honor of both Lincoln and Washington, but that proposal was rejected by Congress, and the holiday remained officially Washington's Birthday.

      Nevertheless, there was a popular misconception that the day had been officially renamed, a misconception only reinforced by the fact that the third Monday in February can only occur between Feb. 15 and Feb. 21. This means that the holiday is always after Lincoln's birthday and before Washington's birthday, without ever coinciding with either. Furthermore, some states which had previously celebrated Lincoln's Birthday dropped the observance after the federal holiday reforms, supporting the notion that the two presidential birthdays had been combined.

      While the name change has never been authorized by Congress, it has gained a strong hold on the public consciousness, and is generally used on calendars, in advertising, and even by many government agencies. There have been attempts to introduce legislation requiring federal agencies to call the day Washington's Birthday, but these have never gotten very far. No matter what's in the law books, the popular usage is now well established.
      END

      This pretty much goes along with how I remember it. I always knew the actual date because my younger brother was born on February 21, the day before GW. I don't remember much discussion about this, but I lived in Europe a lot and may have missed some of it. I have strong memories of being in grade school and our being told by our teacher that the Pledge (furniture polish) of Allegiance was now changed to include "under God". I still can't get over that obscenity and never stand or participate in that farce. I also have very strong feelings about the addition of MLK Day. I see it as a counter-productive attempt at resolving racial tensions. I think it should be Civil Right Day. Who can argue with that? And it does not single out one person, but allows us to pick and choose. I have nothing against MLK, but he is not my first choice at all. I have far more respect for Bayard Rustin, but I still am against any holiday being named after a single person, or any persons by name.

      Delete
    16. SDB: Sorry, I thought I had made a hyperlink, but apparently left something out. The article is at http://www.snopes.com/holidays/presidents/presidentsday.asp. It pretty much agrees with what you cited, but goes into more detail.

      The "under God" part of the Pledge was added during the Eisenhower administration - I recall Howard Zinn (in People's History) and Oliver Stone (in Untold History) went into some detail about the forces behind this. My mother (a good Jewish atheist) said she and her high school friends protested against this at the time. In elementary school I would always mouth but not say those words. By H.S. I'd just ignore the whole thing.

      And I think MLK would be the first to acknowledge that gains in civil rights were not the work of one person, but an enormous number of people, of all ethnicities, from Frederick Douglass to Thurgood Marshall and Harvey Milk, with so many in between.

      Just an aside, many years ago my proud City of the People's Republic of Berkeley renamed Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day (http://ipdpowwow.org/IPD%20History.html); >20 years ahead of you Seattlers. I guess that makes up for the source of our name, George Berkeley, who said "westward the course of empire takes its way."

      Delete
    17. WW: Thanks for the article. You geologists and seismologists ROCK! But in very different ways.

      We West Coasters simply live in blissful denial (or Denali) about the inevitable...

      Delete
  31. GEM, EMERALD

    > I thought I was on the brink of a good answer, but my wife says no.

    What kind of car is this?

    > This one's a beaut!

    A real gem.

    > $1, $2, $4, $8, ...

    The Emerald Isle: its capital is doublin'.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought you were presenting GEoMetric progression.

      Delete
  32. I wrote, "Makes me consider the merry month of May." Emerald is the gemstone for the month of May, a fact I know only because it is my birth month, although no one has ever given me birthday emeralds. ---Rob

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rob,
      Your friends must be a bunch of cheap jerks.

      Delete
  33. GEM, EMERALD

    "Will's love of anagrams is intimately tied to his food (he is what he eats); will marshmallowy vowels be next?" >>> "U" ought to know this refers to the green "U"s in Alpha-bits cereal.

    Btw, I was much happier once they added the 6th vowel, blue marshmallow "Y"s, also. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  34. The answer I submitted was gem --> emerald.

    A trivial fact about “gem”. In the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary one definition of “gem” is “muffin”. You well may ask why. Gem recipes are lumped in with muffin recipes, and are also made in muffin tins. So, what’s the difference between a muffin and a gem? It's a little like Jello becoming synonymous with gelatin, although Jello was a brand name. The Gem Company made and sold kitchen equipment, including muffin tins. They were such a popular item and company that people started calling muffins cooked in their tins "gems".

    After I submitted my first answer I found a second valid answer: doc --> oculist. I didn’t submit it, though, because I had already submitted the first answer.

    ReplyDelete
  35. GEM EMERALD
    Bypassing cluing the obvious I played around with my second answer of
    SON ONESELF
    Only roughly half of us relate.
    To get the work out Santa must needs drive ONE'S ELF

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good one, zeke. Elves are so easily overlooked.

      Delete
  36. My hint was in the Irish language, alluding to the Emerald Isle.

    ReplyDelete
  37. I thought of man-Andaman whilst abed, but the capital didn't work.
    Gem-emerald sounds like a Shortz answer.
    I kind of like ham-amateur in both the acting and radio hobby senses.

    ReplyDelete
  38. GEM, EMERALD
    My clues were "The Wizard of Oz" taking place in the Emerald City, as well as "mere lad" being an obvious anagram of emerald, and a mention of stones.

    ReplyDelete
  39. GEM>>>EMERALD

    My hint: “a real dousy” (or as jan says, “a beaut!”) = A GEM.

    Second answer: Among MEN, you'll always find an ENTICER!

    ReplyDelete
  40. I wrote: "this is a continuation of the on-air [on-Eire] puzzle"

    I still think all direct references to Seattle, Ireland and Oz made it too easy, and I added "Not worth much if the answer isn't clear." Of course gemstones are valued by their clarity.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Oh, and I also referenced President G(em)erald Ford, who isn't around any more.

    But we have Sarah Palin, and she's a gem!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. eco, so you brought up SP and gems and, well, alphabet soup was already on the table, thanks to SuperZee. . .

      Delete
    2. I like his alphabet soup/ paint mixer analogy. I think of her as John Birch, having consumed an overgenerous supply of LSD, channeling William Faulkner trying to write a national anthem in a language he little understands.

      Another fun quiz: Who said it: Donald Trump or Adolf Hitler?

      Delete
  42. Sorry, I'm late. I've been doing blizzard prep. Current forecast is for 2-3 feet in my area. Anyway, like most of us, I submitted GEM --- EMERALD.

    My comment about breakfast cereals potentially being a giveaway hint came after WW's comment about marshmallowy vowels. I immediately flashed to Lucky Charms cereal, with their marshmallows and their Leprechaun mascot, which lead to Ireland, the Emerald Isle, etc.

    At least that's the Yellow Brick Road I followed...

    ReplyDelete
  43. Gosh... Doesn’t anyone like DOC --- OCULIST?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did, but my wife shot that down, too. I think she's right.

      Delete
  44. My clue - "Some of them were old" sounded like "emerald".

    ReplyDelete
  45. Breaking news! A new largest known prime number has been found. It’s a Mersenne prime, that is, it can be expressed in the form 2^n – 1 and was discovered using Gimps (the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search project). I’m sure you all wanted to know.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Lorezo, I've been having trouble sleeping lately. I think this will help.

      Delete
    2. Time to throw another party!

      Delete
  46. Jan:
    I really like your post.Great amazing things here. I am very satisfied to see your post. Thanks so much and i'm looking

    forward to contact you.They are very informative and accurate, please keep updating.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Looks like Blaine already cleaned up the bot spam, and my response to it.

      Delete
    2. Too bad, I was really hoping to do some silver jewelry shopping today.

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    3. I think I might prefer Harriet.

      Delete
  47. Next week's challenge: This may be one of the most challenging challenges I've presented. It has a very elegant answer. It's from listener Fred Piscop of Bellmore, N.Y. Take these three phrases:

    Turkey breast
    Ski slope
    Cash drawer
    What very unusual property do they have in common?

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    Replies
    1. Fred Piscop is a familiar name to crossword puzzlers. Here's his website.

      Delete
    2. Well it "may be one of the most challenging" or it may not. I believe I got the answer right away.

      Delete
  48. I have an answer - but I am not sure if WS would call it elegant, so I'm going to hold off sending it in. If nothing else, it will give me something to think about while I dig out the 28 inches of snow in my driveway.

    ReplyDelete
  49. If a doofus like me can come up with an answer in just a few minutes, it can't be all that challenging.

    Elegance is in the eye of the beholder.

    'Strangely and amusingly coincidental' I'll grant

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now, if all three were like the last one, that might be elegant.

      Delete
    2. Unsurprisingly, I'm thinking of Thornton Wilder.

      Delete
  50. Prompts me to ask if styles really change over time, or if names just change as follows:
    DROOPY DRAWERS to LOW-RISE PANTS to DRAPEABLE TROWSERS

    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.