NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 11, 2018): Synonymous Four-Word Phrase

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 11, 2018): Synonymous Four-Word Phrase:

Q: This challenge is easy, but elegant. Think of a familiar four-word phrase that means "to be last." Together the first two words are a synonym for the last word. What phrase is it?

If you take the initial letter of each word, change the last letter to two later in the alphabet, you get another synonym for the last word.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 4, 2018): What Shall I Wear Today?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 4, 2018): What Shall I Wear Today?:

Q: Think of an article of apparel in eight letters. Drop the last 2 letters. Move what are the now the last 2 letters to the front. You'll get an article of apparel in 6 letters. What is it?

The first list I looked at was no help at all.

Edit: "At all" sounds like "atoll" which leads to "Bikini Atoll" and then "Monokini".

A: MONOKINI --> KIMONO

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 28, 2018): One Singular Sensation

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 28, 2018): One Singular Sensation:

Q: Think of a famous Broadway musical in two words. Change one letter in it to the preceding letter of the alphabet — so B would become A, C would become B, etc. Remove the space so you have a solid word. The result will name something that all of us are part of. What is it?

I've never taken an acting or singing class so I'm probably not much help.

Edit: My hint was "class"

A: MAMMA MIA! --> MAMMALIA

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 21, 2018): You Shouldn't Open Beer That Way

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 21, 2018): You Shouldn't Open Beer That Way:

Q: Take the 9 letters of BEER MOUTH. Arrange them in a 3x3 array so that the three lines Across, three lines Down, and both diagonals spell common 3-letter words. Can you do it?

I know I can — can you?

I is a homophone for "eye" which is an example of an ORB. And you is a homophone for "U" which is the letter in the middle.

A:
OHM
RUE
BET

Across: OHM, RUE, BET
Down: ORB, HUE, MET
Diagonal: OUT, BUM

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 14, 2018): Famous Women

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 14, 2018): Famous Women:

Q: Take the 7-letter last name of a famous woman. Drop the letter E. Add an I and an F. You can rearrange the result to get a word that famously describes this woman. Who's the woman, and what's the word?

This took me 3 minutes 10 seconds to solve.

Edit: Her stepson, Christian Bale, was in 3:10 to Yuma (2007)

A: (Gloria) STEINEM - E + IF --> FEMINIST

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 7, 2018): The I's Have It

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 7, 2018): The I's Have It:

Q: Think of a title for a particular person — two words, 15 letters in total — in which the only vowel is "I." What is it?

The prior person had the title for about a year.

Edit: In general, unless they become Miss America, they all keep the title for about a year.

A: MISS MISSISSIPPI

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 30, 2018): I'm Turning Pro

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 30, 2018): I'm Turning Pro:

Q: Name a major professional sports team. The first and last letters of the team's name specify something that is an anagram of its interior letters. What team is it?

This does seem pretty easy, unless I've misread something.

Edit: "does" is an anagram of "dose" while "misread something" refers to illegible handwriting attributed to doctors.

A: (Boston) RED SOX --> RX (℞), DOSE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 23, 2018): Caesar Cipher Time

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 23, 2018): Caesar Cipher Time:

Q: Think of an affliction in five letters. Shift each letter three spaces later in the alphabet — for example, A would become D, B would become E, etc. The result will be a prominent name in the Bible. Who is it?

This puzzle is driving me batty.

Edit: Bats are believed to be the original carriers/reservoir of the Ebola virus.

A: EBOLA --> HEROD

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 16, 2018): Uncommon Commonality

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 16, 2018): Uncommon Commonality:

Q: These five 2-word phrases have something very unusual in common. What is it? When you find it, think of another two-word phrase that has the same property.

● Property rights
● Land mine
● Sales order
● Color scheme
● India ink

You are all very capable students of Will Shortz.

Edit: Using the same pattern on "CAPable STudents", we have CAPital and STate.

A: The first 3 letters (of the first word) are the start a state capital and the first 2 letters (of the second word) are the state postal code.
PROperty RIghts --> PROvidence, RI
LANd MIne --> LANsing, MI
SALes ORder --> SALem, OR
COLor SCheme --> COLumbia, SC
INDia INk --> INDianapolis, IN

A few possible phrases that also work:
BOSs MAn / BOSun's MAte --> BOSton, MA
COLlege SCholarship --> COLumbia, SC
DENtal COverage --> DENver, CO
HARbor PAtrol / HARem PAnts --> HARrisburg, PA
INDefinite INtegral --> INDianapolis, IN
LINgual NErve --> LINcoln, NE
LITerary ARts --> LITtle Rock, AR
MADeira WIne --> MADison, WI
PROmise RIng --> PROvidence, RI
RICkets VAccine --> RIChmond, VA
SACral CAnal / SACred CAbal --> SACramento, CA

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 9, 2018): Your Place or Mine?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 9, 2018): Your Place or Mine?:

Q: Think of two well-known companies — one in five letters, the other in four letters. Write the names one after the other.

The result, when spaced differently, will name a well-known geographical location in the U.S. (in two words). What is it?

Not counting mergers

Edit: Exxon merged with Mobil in 1999 to become ExxonMobil.

A: MOBIL + EBAY = MOBILE BAY