Thursday, June 26, 2008

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 22): Who are these TV personalities?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 22): Who are these TV personalities?
Q: Think of a famous TV personality whose last name has six letters. Drop the last letter, reverse the order of the remaining five letters, and you will get the name of another famous TV personality. Who are they?
I was all set with my answer of Johnny Carson and Oscar the Grouch until I reviewed my answer and discovered I didn't answer the question correctly. By the way, both names are last names.

Edit: Clues "reviewed" and "didn't answer the question correctly"
A: Who are Alex TREBEK and Roger EBERT?
(Correctly phrased in the form of a question...)
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14 comments:

  1. BenSun Jun 22, 07:24:00 PM PDT

    Totally did the same thing with Carson. It seemed like such a crossword puzzle-y word off the top of my head.

    Let's not give it away with the hints this week, everyone. There's been a lot of jawing lately.

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  2. phredpSun Jun 22, 08:09:00 PM PDT

    I did the same thing with Carson and Oscar although I wouldn't really call Oscar a TV personality. I like Bert and Ernie better anyway.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AtkinsguySun Jun 22, 09:51:00 PM PDT

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  4. BenMon Jun 23, 03:46:00 AM PDT

    Blaine, how about deleting comments like the one above that completely give it away first thing Monday morning?

    My previous comment included an oblique hint, but I also meant what I said. People come here looking for a hint, but many would rather not be handed the answer.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Don HodunMon Jun 23, 05:15:00 AM PDT

    I categorically agree with Ben.

    ReplyDelete
  6. BlaineMon Jun 23, 12:04:00 PM PDT

    There's a real art to giving an oblique clue. For example, if the answer was James Bond, mentioning Ian Fleming would give it away immediately.

    However, if I was going to truly be critical, I'd take up the point that some of last week's clues to the movie reviewer (Gene Shalit) could have fallen in this category too and revealed the answer.

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  7. AtkinsguyMon Jun 23, 12:28:00 PM PDT

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  8. BlaineMon Jun 23, 02:51:00 PM PDT

    Well if you are going to reiterate my subtle clues, it doesn't make them so subtle, does it?

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  9. AtkinsguyMon Jun 23, 03:31:00 PM PDT

    I guess that doubly depends upon who is reading them daily.

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  10. BenMon Jun 23, 07:44:00 PM PDT

    Thumbs down to phredp's comment above. How could you not call Oscar a TV personality?

    (I started with the same mistake as everyone else -- thinking reflexively it was Carson/Oscar.)

    The issue is his name -- the answer is "Oscar The Grouch."

    - (The Real) Ben

    ReplyDelete
  11. sphenodontTue Jun 24, 04:22:00 AM PDT

    There was an additional hint given during the broadcast, which may or may not help: The first answer is on daily (or at least each weekday), whereas the second answer is (or at least was) on once a week.

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  12. BenTue Jun 24, 05:21:00 AM PDT

    Calling yourself "the real Ben"? And on my birthday no less?

    Smithers, release the hounds!

    :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. geriWed Jun 25, 05:48:00 AM PDT

    Remove the last letter from Carson leaves Carso
    to reverse: Osrac, NOT
    Oscar. Reverse, not
    rearrange, the five letters. Oscar rearranges.

    ReplyDelete
  14. BenFri Jun 27, 09:39:00 AM PDT

    Illinois puzzle nerds unite!

    ReplyDelete

For NPR puzzle posts, don't post the answer or any hints that could lead to the answer before the deadline (usually Thursday at 3pm ET). If you know the answer, submit it to NPR, but don't give it away here.

You may provide indirect hints to the answer to show you know it, but make sure they don't assist with solving. You can openly discuss your hints and the answer after the deadline. Thank you.