NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 24): As Easy as Pi...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 24): As Easy as Pi...:

Q: The object of this challenge is to develop nine different mathematical expressions that equal eight. You must use the digits 2, 7 and one other. And that other digit must be a one in the first expression, two in the next expression and so on, up to nine. You can use a digit once and only once in each expression.

You may use the four arithmetic symbols: plus, minus, times and divided by, as well as exponents and decimal points. You may use parenthesis as you need them.

Yippee! Another math puzzle! I like the word puzzles, but it's nice to have a math puzzle now and again. Unfortunately any clue I could provide would give away too much... just read the puzzle carefully and use all operators mentioned. As an extra challenge, see if you can make eight from 2, 7 and 0 also.

A: Here are my answers. As mentioned, I found I had to use the four basic operators and exponent and decimal too.
ONE: 7 + 2 - 1 = 8
TWO: 7 + ( 2 / 2 ) = 8
THREE: 7 + 3 - 2 = 8
FOUR: 2^( 7 - 4 ) = 8
FIVE: 7 + ( 2 * .5) = 8
SIX: (2 * 7) - 6 = 8
SEVEN: ( 7 / .7 ) - 2 = 8
EIGHT: 7 + .2 + .8 = 8
NINE: (7 + 9) / 2 = 8
ZERO: 7 + 2^0 = 8

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 17): As Easy as Pie...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 17): As Easy as Pie...:

Q: By using only the letters in the phrase 'Triple Mocha,' and repeating them as often as you wish, you can spell the name of another cold treat. The answer consists of four words, with a total of twenty one letters. What is it?

This week's puzzle is so easy you can figure it out in less than 5 minutes. In fact I did it with 1 second to spare. I think my clue is probably harder to figure out than the puzzle is. So what was my clue?

Edit: Well, what's something cold that goes nicely with pie? Okay that is obvious, but that wasn't the only clue. 5 minutes is 300 seconds. 1 second to spare means 299 seconds and 299 in Roman numerals is CCIC.

A: CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 10): Strut your Stuff on this Brain Buster

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 10): Strut your Stuff on this Brain Buster

Q: This challenge is literally a brain buster. Think of a word that can follow brain and precede buster, in each case completing a compound word or a familiar two-word phrase. What word is this?

Here's your chance. I believe in your ability to solve this puzzle without any hints from me... or can you?

Edit: By the way, I actually did give you a few clues. I believe in your ability is another way of saying what? And is there any word in the title you could anagram?

A: BRAIN TRUST and TRUST-BUSTER so the word is TRUST (which is an anagram of 'strut' from the title).

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 3): A Little Game Of Rearranging Es

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 3): A Little Game Of Rearranging Es:

Q: Name a famous person, a living American, with a one-syllable first name and a one-syllable last name. Add a short 'E' sound to the end of this person's first name, add a long 'E' sound to the end of this person's last name, say the result out loud and it will sound like a common uncapitalized English word. Who is the person, and what is the word?

I feel stupid. I spent several days trying to figure out where the E sounds were supposed to go (before the names, after the names, before and after, after and before). I don't know why I didn't read it clearly and see that the puzzle clearly says they both go at the end of each name. I have an answer but I question whether the short 'E' sounds isn't more of a short 'I' or an unaccented schwa sound. Neither dictionary I checked had it as a short 'E' sound. Perhaps I have my answer wrong too... I'll have to wait until Sunday.

Edit: Well, the title was a hint... if you read the first letter of each word see what it spells? I'm still not positive I have the right answer but here what I thought it was.

A: AL GORE --> ALLEGORY