NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 17, 2019): One Dozen Four-Score Million

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 17, 2019): One Dozen Four-Score Million:

Q: The numbers one, 12, 80, and million have something in common that only one other number has. What is it... and what's the other number

I'm presently stumped, but I'll eventually get to the root of this.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 10, 2019): I'm Pickin' Up Good Vibrations

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 10, 2019): I'm Pickin' Up Good Vibrations:

Q: Name a well-known rock band in three words. Change the first and third letters to the first and third letters of the alphabet — that is, A and C. You can rearrange the result to name another famous rock band in three words. What is it?

If you change the first and third letters of the new band's name to M and E and rearrange, you get a type of claim.

Edit: If you rearrange the letters, you get MECHANICS LIEN

A: NINE INCH NAILS --> ALICE IN CHAINS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 3, 2019): One if by Land, Two if by Sea

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 3, 2019): One if by Land, Two if by Sea:

Q: Think of a word meaning "a particular body of water." Change one letter in it to get a new word meaning "a particular body of land." What words are these?

I'm finding a clue in a previous puzzle. Oh well.

Edit: I was hinting at "Atlas Shrugged" since Atlantic and Atlantis are derived from Atlas. I got too hung up on the word "particular".

A: Will Shortz accepted INLET --> ISLET or BAY --> CAY

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 27, 2019): Getting from Here to There

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 27, 2019): Getting from Here to There:

Q: Name a vehicle in two words, each with the same number of letters. Subtract a letter from each word, and the remaining letters in order will spell the first and last names of a famous writer. Who is it?

I'm generally pretty good at puzzles like these...

Edit: A lot of U.S. tanks are named after generals (Sherman, Patton, Abrams, etc.)

A: ARMY TANK --> AMY TAN (author of "The Joy Luck Club")

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 20, 2019): What a Feeling

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 20, 2019): What a Feeling:

Q: Take the name of a classic song that became the signature song of the artist who performed it. It has two words; five letters in the first, three letters in the second. The letters can be rearranged to spell two new words. One is a feeling. The other is an expression of that feeling. What song is it?

Alternatively, you can rearrange the letters to spell two items that can be eaten.

Edit: The two foods are MANNA and POI.

A: Billy Joel's PIANO MAN --> PAIN, MOAN

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 13, 2019): Keep Left

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 13, 2019): Keep Left:

Q: The challenge is to make a 9-letter word meaning left using only a B and one D. Can you do it?

This can literally be solved in under one second.

Edit: Just follow the directions, literally.

A: "a B and one D" --> ABANDONED

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 6, 2019): What's Old is New Again

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 6, 2019): What's Old is New Again:

Q: Name a major U.S. city in 10 letters. If you have the right one, you can rearrange its letters to get two 5-letter words that are synonyms. What are they?

I have a sense of déjà vu — more than a decade's worth.

Edit: An easier version of this puzzle was presented back in 2006

A: SACRAMENTO --> SCENT + AROMA

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 30, 2018): Name That Farm Animal

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 30, 2018): Name That Farm Animal:

Q: Think of a world capital. Change the third letter to get the informal name of a farm animal. What capital (and animal) is it?

Bonus puzzle: Take out the vowel that is repeated in the name of the farm animal, rearrange the remaining letters and you have a word relating to Wales.

Edit: The remaining letters when rearranged spell CWM, a rounded, glaciated valley, especially in the mountains of Wales.

A: MOSCOW --> MOOCOW

Christmas Puzzle for 2018

Our annual Christmas puzzle is available now. Follow the simple directions, eliminate those words and see what's left...

As in prior years, the reward for solving is a video Christmas card, but you'll need to figure out the password by solving the puzzle.

Feel free to add a comment below to let us know that you successfully figured it out (without giving away the answer to others). We are always looking for new ideas for next year's Christmas puzzle, so submit those too.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 23, 2018): Happy Holidays!

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 23, 2018): Happy Holidays!:

Q: It's a straightforward puzzle. Think of a place you can find coins, in two words. Put the second word first, and you'll get a compound word describing most holiday cards. What words are these?

I hold my holiday cards close to my heart; you might call them "chest-treasure". Do we need Word Woman's help this week?

Edit: Word Woman's initials are WW, just like the answer.

A: WISHING WELL --> WELL-WISHING