NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 26, 2012): Famous Classical Composer

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 26, 2012): Famous Classical Composer:

Q: Take the name of a popular children's character in nine letters. Several of its letters appear more than once in the name. Remove every duplication of a letter, so every letter that remains appears just once. This new set of letters can be rearranged to name a famous classical composer. Who is it?

Wouldn't you like a hint?

Edit: "Wouldn't" sounds a little like "wooden"...

A: Pinocchio --> Chopin

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 19, 2012): Sports Section II

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 19, 2012): Sports Section II

Q: Name the winning play in a certain sport: two words, five letters in each word. These two words share exactly one letter. Drop this letter from both words. The remaining eight letters can be rearranged to name the person who makes this winning play. What person is it?

Queen to H4, Checkmate!
Edit: The hint was to Queen and their song "We are the Champions".

A: MATCH POINT --> CHAMPION

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 12, 2012): Two Bugs Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 12, 2012): Two Bugs Puzzle:

Q: Name two insects. Read the names one after the other. Insert an H somewhere in this string of letters, and you'll complete a familiar word that is the opposite of what either of these insects is. What word is it?

Nixon in China?

Edit: If you check the Wikipedia page for Behemoth, there's mention of a reference to Behemoth in the musical, "Nixon in China".

A: BEE + MOTH + H --> BEHEMOTH

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 5, 2012)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 5, 2012): The Cat is Away:

Since I'm not going to be around to comment on the puzzle, I'm putting this week's puzzle on "auto-pilot". Please play nicely and don't give the puzzle answer away.

Here's my standard reminder... don't post the answer or any hints that could lead directly to the answer (e.g. via Google or Bing) 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.

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

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 29, 2012): I'm In My Element

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 29, 2012): I'm In My Element:

Q: Think of the last name of a famous person in entertainment. The first two letters of this name are a symbol for one of the elements on the periodic table. Substitute the name of that element for the two letters, and you will describe the chief element of this person's work. What is it?

Aluminumanis?

Edit: Alanis Morrisette has a song entitled "Isn't it Ironic"

A: Tina FEY --> IRONY