Q: Name a person in 2011 world news in eight letters. Remove the third, fourth and fifth letters. The remaining letters, in order, will name a person in 2021 world news. What names are these?Really? We've only had about 10 days of news in 2021 and you can easily Google newsworthy names of 2011. I guess Will is starting the year with a "gimme".
Blaine's Puzzle Blog
Weekly discussion on the NPR puzzler, brain teasers, math problems and more.
Sunday, January 10, 2021
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 10, 2021): A Decade of World News
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 10, 2021): A Decade of World News
Sunday, January 03, 2021
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 3, 2021): New Year, New Puzzle
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 3, 2021): New Year, New Puzzle
Barbecue, Bar-B-Que, BBQ, etc. This "new" puzzle is a variation of Monte's puzzle that aired 12/4/2011.
Q: Think of a seven-letter hyphenated word for a kind of cooking. Change the middle letter to get a new word describing a kind of music. What words are these?There are many variations of this type of cooking.
Barbecue, Bar-B-Que, BBQ, etc. This "new" puzzle is a variation of Monte's puzzle that aired 12/4/2011.
A: BAR-B-QUE --> BAROQUE
Thursday, December 31, 2020
Our Family Video and Puzzle for 2020!
Our Family Video for 2020 is available now. The password can be found by solving the puzzle below:
Feel free to add comments about the video to show you solved the puzzle, but don't give away the password to others.
Sunday, December 27, 2020
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 27, 2020): Never a Foot Too Far, Even
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 27, 2020): Never a Foot Too Far, Even
Edit: The term is more commonly heard in Britain.
Q: Think of a familiar two-word phrase (5, 2). Replace the last letter with the next letter of the alphabet. The result will be a palindrome (the seven letters will read backward and forward the same). What phrase is it?Please maintain a 2m distance.
Edit: The term is more commonly heard in Britain.
A: QUEUE UP
Sunday, December 20, 2020
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 20, 2020): Buenos Aires Mix-up
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 20, 2020): Buenos Aires Mix-up
Edit: Up = Raise, More = Bonus
Q: Take the name BUENOS AIRES, remove one letter. The remaining letters can be rearranged to name two things many people wish for around this time of year. What are they?I'm not up to saying anything more.
Edit: Up = Raise, More = Bonus
A: Drop the E --> BONUS + RAISE
Sunday, December 13, 2020
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 13, 2020): Ride On, Ride On!
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 13, 2020): Ride On, Ride On!
Edit: In the earliest known printing of A Visit from St. Nicholas, the given names of Santa's seventh and eighth reindeer were, in fact, Dunder and Blixem from the original Dutch for thunder and lightning. Later printings had this as Donder and Blitzen. It was the song that made Donner the popular spelling.
Q: Using only the letters in the phrase RIDE ON — repeating them as often as necessary — you can spell 1) the one-word proper name of a famous fictional animal, and 2) a word for what kind of animal it is. What's the name of the animal, and what's the word?This may start a debate on spelling. Anyone going to argue for the original Dutch?
Edit: In the earliest known printing of A Visit from St. Nicholas, the given names of Santa's seventh and eighth reindeer were, in fact, Dunder and Blixem from the original Dutch for thunder and lightning. Later printings had this as Donder and Blitzen. It was the song that made Donner the popular spelling.
A: REINDEER, DONDER (or DONNER).
Sunday, December 06, 2020
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 6, 2020): A Time to Reflect
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 6, 2020): A Time to Reflect
Edit: Goody is a synonym.
Q: Think of a common word in six letters. Write it in lowercase. If you hold up a mirror at its side, the reflection will show the same word. What is it?Oh goody! Mirror writing!
Edit: Goody is a synonym.
A: tidbit ↔ tidbit (assuming you write the t without a tail)
Sunday, November 29, 2020
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 29, 2020): Have a Little Chuckle
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 29, 2020): Have a Little Chuckle
Edit: Much like hearing a pun, I had to groan.
Q: When you get the answer it will make you smile. Name an animal and spell it backward. Now name a variety of meat and insert it inside the animal's name that you've spelled backward. A common word will be revealed. What is it?Smile? I had a different reaction to the answer that I found.
Edit: Much like hearing a pun, I had to groan.
A: DEER + VEAL --> REVEALED
Sunday, November 22, 2020
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 22, 2020): Name a Marine Animal
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 22, 2020): Name a Marine Animal
Edit: The hint was "you are" --> UR
Q: Name a marine animal in two words. Remove two consecutive letters in the name and read the resulting string of letters in order from left to right. You'll name a major American city. What is it?You are not getting a hint from me this week.
Edit: The hint was "you are" --> UR
A: SEA TURTLE - UR = SEATTLE
Sunday, November 15, 2020
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 15, 2020): Watch TV or Read a Book?
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 15, 2020): Watch TV or Read a Book?
Edit: As in "freemason"
Q: Name a title character from books and TV (5, 5). You can rearrange the letters to get two words describing what you can hear and do in church. What character is it?Are you expecting me to give you a hint for free?
Edit: As in "freemason"
A: PERRY MASON --> SERMON, PRAY
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