Wednesday, December 23, 2009

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec. 20): After Dinner and Before a Job

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec. 20): After Dinner and Before a Job:
Q: Think of a familiar two-word phrase, five letters in each word. The second word starts with P. The phrase names something that is nice to have after dinner. Change the P to an S, and you'll get another familiar phrase that names something that's nice to have before you start a job. What phrases are these?
Whoever came up with this has created a neat little puzzle. I only wish I could come up with a neat little clue to go with it.

Edit: Neat is a synonym for clean...
A: CLEAN PLATE --> CLEAN SLATE
at

27 comments:

  1. BlaineSun Dec 20, 01:37:00 AM PST

    Here's my standard reminder... don't post the answer or any outright spoilers before the deadline of Thursday at 3pm ET. If you know the answer, click the link and submit it to NPR, but don't give it away here. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  2. LorenzoSun Dec 20, 02:28:00 AM PST

    The letters of the first phrase can be rearranged to describe Rollie Fingers, for example.

    ReplyDelete
  3. geriSun Dec 20, 04:46:00 AM PST

    C;ear-headedness helps with this one. It's
    easy to get that "of course" feeling.

    ReplyDelete
  4. geriSun Dec 20, 04:49:00 AM PST

    Oops: CLEAR

    ReplyDelete
  5. geriSun Dec 20, 06:05:00 AM PST

    Over 3600 entries for last week's puzzle.
    Wednesday deadline for this week.

    ReplyDelete
  6. phredpSun Dec 20, 06:25:00 AM PST

    Second phrase reminded me of my first day in the classroom all those years ago.

    ReplyDelete
  7. RoxieSun Dec 20, 06:27:00 AM PST

    Well, I happened to be watching the answer's corresponding Law & Order episode, so that one was pretty easy.

    ReplyDelete
  8. ChuckSun Dec 20, 09:31:00 AM PST

    All –

    I think I have the answer to Will’s puzzle for this week. If I’m correct, it’s a relatively intuitive puzzle – you just seem to come around to it.

    Anyway, last week I promised something a little different from the collection of puzzles I’ve accumulated over the years. Each of the following is a pictogram representing a common sentence or familiar saying. Unfortunately, it’s a little less attractive posted here than in my original. Because of the nature of the text editor used here I can’t quite line things up the way I’d like. But for all of that, see what you can do :)

    1. PICT RES

    2. FRIENDS R
    EVER
    EVER
    EVER
    EVER

    3. YOU'RE
    THE WORLD

    4. BEST BEST BEST
    BEST YOU BEST
    BEST BEST BEST

    5. MORE
    UU
    THANI

    6. OUR
    FRIENDSHI

    7. LOVE LOVE LOVE
    LOVE MAYUB LOVE
    LOVE LOVE LOVE

    8. YOU'VEGOTITALL

    9. YO35UR
    FAV79OR

    10. PRESSURE
    URCOOL

    11. UR HEAD SHOULDERS
    ARMS BODY LEGS
    ANKLES FEET TOES

    12. STANDING
    YOU'RE

    13. this SOMETHING

    14. BRING
    FUN

    15. STCELEBRATEYLE

    Chuck

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  9. hughSun Dec 20, 10:21:00 AM PST

    A married couple who used to be well known to children (don't know if they still are) were known to do their individual parts to come to a happy ending.

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  10. CurtisSun Dec 20, 08:34:00 PM PST

    This puzzle brought the Flinstones to mind, even though I haven't watched that show since I was a kid.

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  11. kenMon Dec 21, 09:34:00 AM PST

    Lorenzo, I finally got the Rollie Fingers reference.

    Roxie, Besides L&O, many other TV series have had that episode title. The first I thought of was ABC's Lost.

    ReplyDelete
  12. dumpsterdiveladMon Dec 21, 01:49:00 PM PST

    Well, Hugh certainly has this one licked!

    ReplyDelete
  13. DaveMon Dec 21, 04:43:00 PM PST

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
  14. BlaineMon Dec 21, 10:59:00 PM PST

    Sorry Dave, just a little too obvious in my opinion. Go back and try again...

    ReplyDelete
  15. geriTue Dec 22, 01:55:00 AM PST

    Carl, I hope you had a HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

    ReplyDelete
  16. DaveTue Dec 22, 10:07:00 AM PST

    Blaine, no problem.

    Lorenzo, got your anagram. Nice. Same for Kent Tekulve.

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  17. carlTue Dec 22, 02:38:00 PM PST

    Carl is feverishly trying to get this place mostly done by the end of the year. Very much enjoyed the solstice, thanks Geri! All I care about is the days get longer again. This one was too easy. Now I'm going back to trimming windows and ignoring the growing pile of dishes...

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  18. BenWed Dec 23, 10:42:00 PM PST

    Blaine,

    Didn't you drop the answer a bit early this week?

    -- Other Ben

    ReplyDelete
  19. carlThu Dec 24, 05:48:00 AM PST

    Ben, Wed. deadline this week--something about some obscure religious holiday I think...

    ReplyDelete
  20. LorenzoSat Dec 26, 01:01:00 PM PST

    Next week's NPR puzzle has already been posted. Even without reading it, you should be able to guess the "familiar phrase."

    ReplyDelete
  21. geriSat Dec 26, 02:51:00 PM PST

    Lorenzo, et al, HELP! I can't find it.

    ReplyDelete
  22. LorenzoSat Dec 26, 03:49:00 PM PST

    Geri:

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=447390

    ReplyDelete
  23. LorenzoSat Dec 26, 03:55:00 PM PST

    Geri: Sorry for the typo. The number after the = sign should be

    4473090

    ReplyDelete
  24. LorenzoSat Dec 26, 06:03:00 PM PST

    Geri, for future reference, here are the steps to follow to see the Sunday Puzzle:

    Go to: www.npr.org
    Click on: Programs
    Select: Weedend Edition Sunday
    Click on: Sunday Puzzle (in the column on the right).

    ReplyDelete
  25. NatashaSat Dec 26, 08:41:00 PM PST

    Last puzzle for 2009!!!

    ReplyDelete
  26. geriSat Dec 26, 11:07:00 PM PST

    Lorenzo, Thank you for your help. Is
    the "See through from me to you" the
    "home" puzzle or the on-air?

    ReplyDelete
  27. hughSun Dec 27, 11:11:00 AM PST

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    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.