NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 28): Highway Dance

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 28): Highway Dance:

Q: Think of a five-letter name of a company that is often seen while driving on the highway. Drop the first letter, and re-arrange the four remaining letters to name a dance. Or, go back to the company's name and drop the second letter, then re-arrange the four remaining letters to name an event where the dance may be performed. What is it?

This one doesn't take long to figure out; I had it within about 2 minutes. I focused on the name of the dance and the location, and worked backwards to the company name.
Edit: Okay, just in time for the 3-day weekend, here's the answer.

A: UHAUL --> HULA dance at the LUAU

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 21): Boggling Happy Mother's Day Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 21): Boggling Happy Mother's Day Puzzle:

Draw a five-by-three square rectangle, five squares wide by three squares high. Fill it with the letters from Happy Mother's Day, in order:

HAPPY
MOTHE
RSDAY

The object is to spell the longest common English word in the grid, following the rules of Boggle. That is, proceed from letter to letter, following connected squares horizontally, vertically and diagonally. Repeating a square is not allowed.

Well, I've been wandering through the letters. The best I've been able to accomplish is a set of three 8-letter words, none of which would be used to describe most mothers. Anyone been able to do better with a 9-letter word perhaps? If not, I'll give you my three 8-letter words after the deadline.
Edit: Okay, time is up. Since I first posted, I've found one more potential answer, so I have four 8-letter words.

The words I found were:
HOTHEADS - Quick-tempered or impetuous persons.
POTHEADS - Slang term for habitual smokers of marijuana, see Stoners.
HOPHEADS - Slang term for drug addicts.
MATADORS - Bullfighters who perform the final passes and kill the bulls.

The first 3 aren't very flattering for a Mother's Day puzzle, so I sent in my official answer as 'MATADORS'.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 14): Transportation Fill in the Blanks and Blanks

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 14): Transportation Fill in the Blanks and Blanks

Q: Take two words that go together to make a familiar phrase in this form: 'blank and blank.' Both words are plurals, such as 'bells and whistles.' Move the first letter of the second word to the start of the first word. You'll get two new words that name forms of transportation. What are they?

Sorry about the delay in posting, it took a little while to figure this one out. I don't have many clues other than in the first 'blanks and blanks' one word starts with a vowel and one starts with a consonant. I'll reveal the answer after the deadline, but before the airing...
Edit: I'm sure others tried this and tried to include TRAINS, RAINS, STRAINS or SCARS, CARS or PLANES, LANES, etc. without success. I was looking at the word RAFTS and trying to make AFTS work when my wife figured out the answer.

A: ARTS and CRAFTS --> CARTS and RAFTS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 7): Formaldehyde anagram

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 7): Formaldehyde anagram:

Q: Take the word formaldehyde. Rearrange its 12 letters to spell two shorter words that are uncapitalized and very common. Each one has just one syllable. Not counting a slight variation, the answer is unique. What words are they?

The hard letters to deal with in this puzzle are the H and Y, though you'll figure what to do if you give it a try.
Edit: If you looked at the my clue above, you'll notice that it rhymed. And if you didn't give it a try, well I guess you just loafed!

A: FORMALDEHYDE = RHYMED + LOAFED (or less commonly FOALED)