Thursday, July 18, 2013

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 14, 2013): Organizing the Clothes Closet

Clothes ClosetNPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 14, 2013): Organizing the Clothes Closet:
Q: The phrase "clothes closet" describes a place to keep your clothes. What's interesting about the phrase is that all the letters of the second word are found inside the first one. Think of another two-word phrase that names a place to keep clothes, in which all the letters of the second word are found inside the first. The first word of the phrase has nine letters, and the second word has six. What common phrase is this?
You don't need an additional hint from me since the puzzle provides plenty of clues. The answer is not "roughened ground" or "ephemeral hamper" though.

Edit: My hint was in "You don't" where the initials U.D. are hidden between the words.
A: Underwear Drawer

119 comments:

  1. Here's my standard reminder... don't post the answer or any hints that could lead directly to the answer (e.g. via a chain of thought, or an internet search) 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Emphemeral, Blaine? Why not trusty ephemeral? Stream of consciousness thinking now ;-).

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  2. Would have been synonyms if one letter had not been dropped.

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  3. Along the same lines as Lorenzo, I think Will has a vested interest in the answer.

    Chuck

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  4. Wow, my brain had to dig deep to find this one LOL

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    Replies
    1. I believe Will liked that total last week just under 2,000 correct solutions.

      Going for 3000!

      Btw, Vive la France and Happy Bastille Day, mes amis!

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    2. Many of our French brothers willl not even understand this puzzle.

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    3. Pourquoi? Were the maquis commandos?

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    4. Speaking of French brothers, I enjoyed watching Inspector Trousseau in all those Pink Panther cartoons. Da dum da dum da dum da da da da da daaaaaa dum. ;-)

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    5. Nice, WW. You can't escape the long armoire of the law.

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    6. Nor the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Super Pink Division. They are pretty snappy dressers over there.

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    7. Not to hamper your style but my sewing machine treadle can put out some pretty trendy threads

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    8. I happen to think your sewing machine is stuck up. Sorry, I don't mean to needle you.

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    9. I'm just trying to follow the thread. So, please weave me alone.

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    10. As puns go, skydiveboy, those are so-so.

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    11. Word Woman, I jes' never figured you fur an old sew 'n' sew. Oh well, stitch 'n' bitch. As fur me, well I'll jes go bobbin along.

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    12. SDB no need to be a sweater. I will not knit pick with you. That might crochet your spirit

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    13. And our red red Robin goes bob bob bobbin' along...



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    14. Speaking (again) of birds, a scientist at the U of Sheffield predicts in an article titled "The Beak Shall Inherit the Earth" that humans will eventually have beaks like pufferfish instead of teeth. But, don't worry, the author says it is unlikely this will happen in the next 50 years. ;-)

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    15. I would say he has been sipping out of the wrong beaker.

      Anyway, I think this thread has run out.

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    16. Having just had a wisdom tooth removed I will abstain from my usual LOL. I truly resembled a pufferfish for close to a week. And I had to deal with the dentist "bill" for accepting all the misery.

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    17. You are reminding me of having my teeth cleaned by an older dental hygienist 35 or more years ago who I immediately took a disliking too, and I suspect the dentist soon did as well since I never saw her again.
      As she was doing her cleaning she suddenly advised me that I should have my wisdom teeth removed. When I asked her why, she said in case I was in a car accident and they needed to wire my jaw closed and needed an attachment point or something like that. I could hardly believe my ears.
      As it turned out I was born without wisdom teeth anyway much to my delight. If I did have wisdom teeth, they would need to put me under in order to extract them because Novocain does not work on me and I stopped using it in my teens. It feels the same with or without for me, but now I don't really mind dentists.
      I hope you feel better soon.

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    18. No wisdom teeth but much wisdom SDB!
      Thank you, feelin much better! I still have two remaining so I don't predict, although some friends who think I talk too much would like it, having my jaws wired shut anytime soon.

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    19. How do you know? Did they send you a wire?

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    20. http://www.miguelmllop.com/stories/stories/dedaumier.pdf

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  5. To paraphrase the last posts I made in last week's thread, before I found the expected nine-and-six-word-phrase, I had first found an eight-and-six-word-phrase which worked just fine, except for the first word being only eight letters long where the puzzle calls for nine. The nine-and-six-word-phrase which I've submitted uses the same second word of six letters.

    I had also noted that the second word repeats a letter, but both phrases first words repeat the same letter.

    And then I posted this:

    ───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───┬───
    ═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══
    ───┼───┼───┴───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┐
    ───┼───┼───────┼───┴───┼───┼───┼───┼───┤
    ───┼───┼───────┼───────┼───┼───┴───┼───┤
    ───┼───┼───────┼───────┴───┼───────┼───┤
    ───┼───┼───────┴───────────┼───────┼───┤
    ───┼───┼───────────────────┼───────┴───┘

    I think I've explained how these letter rearrangement diagrams work enough times now.

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  6. Is there any reward for the early puzzle solvers?

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  7. In addition to Lorenzo's and other's answers, there is a second answer. The people who use the second place probably use it more often than they use the first place.

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  8. I was ridin' with my buddy, Mitch this morning, and we came up with this conclusion, "You all just keep us laughing." Have a great weekend and don't panic. :-)

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    Replies
    1. Ridin with Mitch refers to Mitch Ryder.
      Sock it to me baby.
      Laughing refers to laugh in.
      Once again sock it to me.
      Panic refers to getting them in a wad.

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  9. If you shoved your shirts into your grandfather clock (pity the pendulum!), you'd have a clockwork locker, which almost works.

    I'm surprised we've gotten this far with no "coming out of the closet" cracks.

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    Replies
    1. Maybe we have been too busy trying to crack the puzzle.

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    2. Pity the pendulum? For the love of God, Montressor!

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    3. A beruffled duffel didn't work any better than a ruptured spleen or being the sole support of my poor old invalid aunt.
      But 27 8X10 color glossy pictures with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back did the trick.

      Guess where I spent eight and a half minutes of my time this afternoon?

      There's only one 's' in Montresor. I didn't know that, but I do now.

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    4. > Guess where I spent eight and a half minutes of my time this afternoon?

      In Mr. Peabody's Way-Back Machine?

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    5. Set the dial for Stockbridge, Massachussetts, c. 1967, Sherman.

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    6. Massachusetts. It's gotta be my keyboard's fault, right?

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    7. @Jan:
      Picking out your clothes?

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  10. The answer reminds me of a question posed to the audience on the Tonight Show by the host, Johnny Carson, and there was an applause meter to tally the audience response which had two intended answers, however a third possibility was added at the end which got a big laugh and a spike in the meter, which was an obvious glitch.

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  11. Solved it in a brief amount of time.

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  12. Here were some of my non-answers: clothier's closet, shrinkage hanger, overstudy vestry, raincoat's carton, container's carton, reshaping hanger. I do know the correct answer, however.

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    Replies
    1. Maybe a cashmeres recess, wardrobes drawer or laceworks locker. None of these the correct answer either.

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    2. Also a coveralls alcove.

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    3. One of Charles answers seem to be more than a possibility!

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    4. I was thinking the same thing. Torchy subject.

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    5. But does it meet the "common phrase" test? It's a 'no' for me.

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    6. WW
      Common, you say? Some things I just don't share
      Ron you dashed my hope chest. Had my heart wet on shrinkage hanger.

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    7. "Common" is in the eyes of the beholder!

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    8. Yes, and, as my beekeeper friend says, the Queen Bee hopefully stays out of the eyes of the beeholder.

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    9. Those critters in The Wizard of Oz -- did they live in an apey aerie?

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    10. Yes, except when busy with spelling bees.

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  13. I keep imagining Will in his Puzzle Master super-hero outfit: cape, tights, shorts on the outside, Shortz on the inside.

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    Replies
    1. That's no nut boy, that's Captain Nice.

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    2. I can truly say, Jan, that I have never imagined that super-hero outfit.

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  14. Sorry to post so late, but I've been down the shore with my gal Adelaide for the last few days (She's very attractive!), and haven't needed any storage spot for clothes anyway.

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  15. When I travel, I always pack my clothes in a versatile valise.

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    Replies
    1. How about a UNIVERSAL VALISE, good for all types of clothing.

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    2. I like to use my totem tote, especially when not counting letters.

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  16. So many posts. So many clues. Seems kinda sketchy to me.

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  17. UNDERWEAR DRAWER

    My Hint:

    "The answer reminds me of a question posed to the audience on the Tonight Show by the host, Johnny Carson, and there was an applause meter to tally the audience response which had two intended answers, however a third possibility was added at the end which got a big laugh and a spike in the meter, which was an obvious glitch."

    The questions were, How many men in the audience wear briefs? and How many men in the audience wear boxers? The joke follow up was, How many rough it? Someone yelled which caused the needle on the meter to spike and got a huge laugh.

    It could also be a DRAWER DRAWER.

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    Replies
    1. I was sure the "boxers vs briefs" punchline was "Depends", which I think is funnier.

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    2. This was many years prior to Depends.

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    3. I once heard an historical account that explained that underwear was developed, in the days of coarser fabrics and poorer hygiene, to protect your clothes from body and your body from your clothes.

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  18. Charles' clue: "wardrobes drawer" certainly works.

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    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    2. At the risk of appearing disagreeable I will now state that I do NOT agree. Whoever heard of the phrase, wardrobes drawer? I am sure even Ward Cleaver would have never uttered this term.

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    3. Wally, go mess up your room, will ya?

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    4. AS the resident Ward here, I feel I must step in to provide a quote from Ward Cleaver, "You know, Wally, when I went to high school, we used to have to wear a collar and tie to school everyday." We may never know where he stored them, but it was probably in a wardrobe of some sort.

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    5. Thank you for having the last word Warden Ward.

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    6. With all those robes, I thought Ward was a judge. . .and that he wore only a collar and tie under those Ward Robes he stored in the drawer.

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    7. All I can say is that if you have an opinion contrary to mine, you may "draw" your own conclusions.

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    8. Let's just call it a drawr, as they say in England. Clusions may be pro or con.

      And Word Woman: Even Robespierre would cringe at that post.

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    9. SKB: Google "Wardrobes drawer." it's out there? By the way, were you called???

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    10. Prove it. I did not find it via a Google search.

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    11. http://www.google.com/search?q=wardrobes+drawers&biw=1098&bih=872&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=r4zpUbDXIafxiwLkz4HYDQ&sqi=2&ved=0CHYQsAQ

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    12. Photos of wardrobes and drawers prove nothing. There is no such phrase or term, wardrobes drawer. It makes no sense. Wardrobe drawers would make sense, but does not satisfy the puzzle as presented. Wardrobes drawer is nonsense.

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    13. It's certainly more generic than "underwear drawer," which I will concede is likely the intended answer.

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    14. War of the Drobes?

      Wardrobe malfunction?

      Robes Pee-er?

      That's all I've got.

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    15. Benmar, you certainly like using the word, certainly. Try using it correctly for a change. No matter what you say, wardrobes drawer is not a phrase or a term and you have not found it anywhere. Now you even have me wondering what in the world you mean my 'generic."

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    16. Instead of WORKPLACE LOCKER, why not try DAYWORKER DRAWER?

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    17. SKB: "MY GENERIC" ???

      Cut back on the amphetamines.

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  19. underwear drawer

    Last Sunday I said, “I think Will has a vested interest in the answer.”
    Underwear --> shorts --> Shortz :)

    Chuck

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  20. > Were the maquis commandos?

    I would have bet that the term "going commando" dated back to WWII, but it seems to have started around 1974, with reference to Vietnam War troops.

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    Replies
    1. I would have bet skydiveboy's "in case I was in a car accident" was an obtuse reference to an age-old maternal admonition.

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    2. Nope. That is a true story. I thought about reporting this to the dentist, but let it go and then soon found he was no longer using her. I never asked why, but I didn't feel I needed to. I have never been one to suffer fools gladly. However, I do find it amusing when I notice a fool seems to be suffering me when I make a disparaging remark regarding his foolish remark or statement. How could I be so foolish as to not trust everything I come across on the Internet? is a fine example.

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    3. Who said "obtuse references" and "true stories" were mutually exclusive?

      Yep!

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    4. Well Bradley Manning and Edward Snowdon come to mind.

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  21. "I've been down the shore with my gal Adelaide for the last few days (She's very attractive!)"

    Adelaide, Australia, Down Under, underwear

    attractive, having drawing power, drawer

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  22. UNDERWEAR DRAWER

    "Under 2000 entries" referred to Underwear. I was a week too early with the Adam's Underwear joke.

    Inspector Trousseau is Clousseau's twin and has a thing for underwear.

    My son and his friends still refer to the "Captain Underpants" Book Series on occasion. It makes me wonder why underpants is so much funnier than underwear. . .

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    Replies
    1. In Great Britain all you have to do is say nickers to get a laugh.

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  23. "Flip/flop words" referred to flip flops = thongs = underwear.

    "Any reward for early solver" - "reward" = drawer backwards.

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  24. I submitted Workplace Locker, which seems a more common phrase than Underwear Drawer. That's a matter of opinion, I suppose.

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    Replies
    1. Ken, I disagree. But, I'm not going to get my undies in a bunch about it.

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    2. @ ken
      I guess work uniforms are morecommon if you don't wear...nevermind I don't want to know.

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    3. Underwear drawer
      My clues were obvious about dig deep and not sharing. I had a pair from Atlanta Underground when it first opened that advertised the place. Underground U......s TMI? LOL

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    4. "Workplace locker" was my alternate answer. Jan seemed to give a clue for it 10 minutes after that posting. Google and Bing searches confirm that it is in common usage and thus within the rules although it trails in popularity.

      Delete
  25. I posted on Sun Jul 14, at 08:59:00 AM PDT:

    To paraphrase the last posts I made in last week's thread, before I found the expected nine-and-six-word-phrase, I had first found an eight-and-six-word-phrase which worked just fine, except for the first word being only eight letters long where the puzzle calls for nine. The nine-and-six-word-phrase which I've submitted uses the same second word of six letters.

    I had also noted that the second word repeats a letter, but both phrases first words repeat the same letter.

    The first answer I thought of was WARDROBE DRAWER - which works just fine except for WARDROBE having just eight letters.

    In the expected answer, UNDERWEAR DRAWER, you see two repeated letters in the first word; the R which is repeated in DRAWER, and also an E. WARDROBE repeats only the R.

    Now, here's the diagram I posted explained:

    UNDERWEAR

    ───U───N───D───E───R───W───E───A───R───
    ═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══╪═══
    ───┼───┼───D───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───┼───D
    ───┼───┼───────┼───R───┼───┼───┼───┼───R
    ───┼───┼───────┼───────┼───┼───A───┼───A
    ───┼───┼───────┼───────W───┼───────┼───W
    ───┼───┼───────E───────────┼───────┼───E
    ───┼───┼───────────────────┼───────R───R

    DRAWER

    UNDERWEAR DRAWER

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  26. I've heard that C. S. Lewis's original working title for the Chronicles of Narnia was "The Lion, the Witch, and the Underwear Drawer."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Very common and very silly, but for long journeys they had the desired extras.

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  27. I was reaching when I mentioned the torchy subject. Torchy is the classic comic from illustrator (drawer) Bill Ward. Torchy is often scantily clad (various kinds of underwear). A reach for sure.

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  28. New puzzle is up:

    Next week's challenge from Gary Alstad of Tustin, Calif.: Think of a three-syllable word in four letters, add two letters and rearrange everything to become a two-syllable word in six letters. Then add two more letters and scramble them to get a one syllable word in eight letters.

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    Replies
    1. There are definately multiple answers to this one. No clue what I should use for a hint. It will be interesting to see what others come up with and what Will's answer is.

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    2. Yes, there are all sorts of answers. I'm not smart enough to find all of them.

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    3. More than one answer? I'm incredulous.

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    4. I can confirm that there are multiple answers.

      After I had the first set, I took the final word, and used a scrabble site to find six letter words within it that also contained the four letter word. There were at least ten, and I liked a couple of them better than my first choice.

      So even without trying more than one word for the first and last in the set, there are at last ten answers to the puzzle.

      Delete
    5. @dumpsterdivelad, are you making sure to keep two syllables in the 6-letter word?

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    6. There's probably some debate too on whether a certain 6-letter word is 2 syllables or 3 syllables. I just avoided that by reversing it.

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    7. Blaine, I rechecked all ten 6-letter words for syllable count. Eight are just fine, but two must be crossed off. Thanks for the heads up.

      --DDL

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  29. I am convinced I found the first two parts (or maybe I just like them) but the third word is eluding me. I am zoning out.

    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.