NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 12, 2025): Rot-13 International Location

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 12, 2025): Rot-13 International Location

Q: Think of a well-known international location in nine letters. Take the first five letters and shift each of them 13 places later in the alphabet. The result will be a synonym for the remaining four letters in the place's name. What place is it?

I was sure the answer was going to be NICAR/AGUA, but sadly NICAR didn't become WATER.

On my map, the WATER is BLUE and the LAND is GREEN. Also, AGUA is a Spanish word we know to be WATER, while TERRA is a Latin word we know to be EARTH or LAND

A: GREENLAND --> TERRA, LAND

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 5, 2025): Math Fun in 2025

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 5, 2025): Math Fun in 2025

Q: This week's challenge is s a numerical challenge for a change. Take the digits 2, 3, 4, and 5. Arrange them in some way using standard arithmetic operations to make 2,025. Can you do it?

I'm not sure how to clue this... but I'm going to say 865 or 2619.

Edit: One possible order to the digits is 3452. The prime factorization of 3452 is 2² x 863. Adding the unique prime factors gives 865.

Another possible order is 5234. Its prime factorization is 2 x 2617. Adding the prime factors gives 2619.

A: If you just take the prime factorization of 2025, you have the answer.
3⁴ x 5² = 2025, or 5² x 3⁴ = 2025.

Note: You could also just use 25 in place of 5²
(3⁴ x 25 or 25 x 3⁴).

I'm sorry to everyone for the times I had to use my moderator powers.

One comment I hated to delete was the one about the sum of the cubes of the first 9 integers. (1³ + 2³ + 3³ + ... + 8³ + 9³ = 2025). It also included the related fact that the sum of the first 9 integers squared gets the same result (1 + 2 + 3 + ... + 8 + 9)² = 2025.

This is actually true for the first 'n' integers that the sum of the cubes is the square of the sum. (1³ + 2³ + 3³ + ... + n³) = (1 + 2 + 3 + ... + n)².
Here's a visual proof for the first 5 integers.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 29, 2024): Punctual Singer

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 29, 2024): Punctual Singer

Q: Think of a famous singer -- first and last names. Use all of the first name, plus the first three letters and the last letter of the last name. The result, reading left to right, will spell a phrase meaning "punctual." What singer is this?

The unused letters anagram to the start of a fun video game.

Edit: The video game is KERBAL Space Program

A: JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE --> JUST IN TIME

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 22, 2024): Upscale vs Budget Brands

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 22, 2024): Upscale vs Budget Brands

Q: Think of a two-word brand name for a food item that is marketed as upscale. Remove the last two letters of the first word and the first letter of the second word. Read the result from left to right and you'll get a one-word brand name associated with the budget-conscious. What is it?

Reread it again and realized something about the second brand.

Edit: I initially thought both brands were food related. Trying to work it backwards, as a result I got nowhere. It was Scarlett's one word "Clue" that led me to Colonel Mustard and then Grey Poupon.

A: GREY POUPON --> GROUPON

Annual Puzzle and Video for Christmas 2024!

It's time for our Annual Puzzle and Video. Click the tree below to get a printable PDF of the full puzzle.

Once you have figured out the password, click the video link below to see all the fun we've had in 2024!

As always, post a comment below about your favorite part of the video to show you've solved the puzzle, but don't give away the password directly.

P.S. If you need help, here is the answer key with the password.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 15, 2024): Where in the World?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 15, 2024): Where in the World?

Q: This week's challenge is a little tricky. Change one letter of a place on earth to get a familiar phrase much heard around this time of year. What is it? The answer consists of three words (5,2,5).

Exactly the amount of tricky I'd expect from Lego.

A: PLACE ON EARTH --> PEACE ON EARTH

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 8, 2024): Plants of North and Central America

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 8, 2024): Plants of North and Central America

Q: Name a common tree of North America in two words (three letters, five letters). Rearrange its letters to name a well-known plant of Central America, also in two words (four letters, four letters). What tree and plant are these?

I was fortunate to figure this out quickly.

Edit: I hinted at "fortunate" for a fortune teller who might "read palms"

A: RED MAPLE, REED PALM

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 1, 2024): The Cat's Pajamas

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 1, 2024): The Cat's Pajamas

Q: Think of a classic television actor — first and last names. Add a long-E sound at the end of each name and you'll get two things that are worn while sleeping. What are they?

Take another item that might be worn while sleeping, increment the last letter so it is one later in the alphabet and move it to the 4th position. Change the first vowel sound and you have the last name of the person's most famous character role.

Edit: BOXERS -> BAXTER

A: TED KNIGHT --> TEDDY, NIGHTIE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 24, 2024): Name that Capital

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 24, 2024): Name that Capital

Q: Name a state capital. Inside it in consecutive letters is the first name of a popular TV character of the past. Remove that name, and the remaining letters in order will spell the first name of a popular TV game show host of the past. What is the capital and what are the names?

The last names make me think of a former School of Journalism.

Edit: The picture of Sesame Street characters above was a hint to Ernie. Ernie Pyle Hall (at Indiana University) used to house the Journalism Department but has been renovated/rededicated as the Office of Admissions.

A: MONTGOMERY --> GOMER (Pyle), MONTY (Hall)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 17, 2024): An American Author's Body of Work

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 17, 2024): An American Author's Body of Work

Q: Think of a classic American author, whose first and last name's are each one syllable. The last name, when said aloud, sounds like part of the body. Insert the letters "A-S" into the first name and you have the location of this body part. Who is the author?

I had to nix my previous hints.

Edit: Nix --> 86 --> Agent 86 --> "Get Smart" rhymes with the answer.

A: BRET HARTE --> BREAST, HEART