NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 23, 2010): What Country Doesn't Have Problems?

What Country Doesn't Have Problems?:

Q: Name a country that is spelled as a solid word. Change two consecutive letters in it to a single R. The result will name a problem that this country has traditionally faced. What's the country and what's the problem?

My hints this week? 43 and 66...

Edit: Malaysia is the 43rd most populated country and the 66th largest country by total land area in the world.

MALAYSIA - YS + R = MALARIA

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 16, 2010): "Be vewwy, vewwy quiet..."

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 16, 2010): "Be vewwy, vewwy quiet...":

Q: Rearrange the letters in the phrase 'rabbit season' into two related words. What are the words?

Well, if that is the question, I have two possible answers that would work. However, I can't think of any serious clues since I keep imagining Elmer Fudd reciting "Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit..."

Edit: My clue was "that is the question" hinting toward a revised Hamlet soliloquy, "Two Bs or not two Bs...". (The intended answer has two words starting with B.) The clue to that was to think of a male voice singing opera. The clue to the alternate answer was the word "serious".

A: BARITONE+BASS
Alternate answers: ABSTAIN+SOBER, BOATERS+BASIN

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 9, 2010): Happy Mothers' Day Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 9, 2010): Happy Mother's Day Puzzle:

Q: Think of a big name in the oil business, then drop the first and last letters to get another big name in the oil business. What names are these?

If you think like Will, this puzzle is so easy!!! If you don't, it might take you awhile. P.S. I'm sure there are long lists of petrochemical companies (and maybe even company executives) if you look on Wikipedia and elsewhere. P.P.S. Happy Mothers' Day.

Edit: The hint was the italicized word "so". If you pronounce the individual letters you get "Esso". (Esso is the international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies derived from the pronunciation of the initials of Standard Oil.) Will deliberately tried to misdirect with his wording to make you only think of companies refining petroleum. But think instead of other uses of oil (perhaps used by your mother in cooking) and you'll easily get the answer.

A: WESSON --> ESSO

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 2, 2010): A Number of Cities...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 2, 2010): A Number of Cities...:

Q: Write down the number '100.' Underneath it write '100/500.' How the numbers align doesn't matter. What U.S. city does this represent?

Another numeric hint --> 12:21

Edit: As Ben surmised, my hint was to the Bible, specifically the book of Romans, chapter 12, verse 21: "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." An alternate translation found in some versions of the Bible is "Do not be CONQUERED by evil, but conquer evil with good." Romans is a hint to Roman numerals. Conquered is a homonym of the answer.

A: C on C or D --> Concord