Sunday, July 31, 2016

NPR Sunday Puzzle (July 31, 2016): Ponies Accept Seared Caviar

NPR Sunday Puzzle (July 31, 2016): Ponies Accept Seared Caviar:
Q: Take the four four-letter words LIMB, AREA, CORK and KNEE. Write them one under the other, and the four columns will spell four new words LACK, IRON, MERE, and BAKE.

This is called a double word square. I'd like you to find a double word square with 6-letter words. Specifically, your square must include the words PONIES, ACCEPT, SEARED and CAVIAR. These four words must be among the 12 common, uncapitalized six-letter words in the square. Can you do it?
A: Here's the answer:

ACROSS
CLARET
CAVIAR
EMIGRE
PONIES
TRENDS

ACCEPT
CLAMOR
RAVINE
ORIGIN
SEARED
STRESS

202 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. The new deadline is "Wednesday, August 3rd at 3:00 pm ET."

      Delete
  2. Easy, not too stressful this week.

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  3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. This week's CHALLENGE is definitely for CRUCIVERBALISTS! the true profession of WS. You have to find a combination where the four given words, crossing each other, fit into a 6x6 grid. Then you have to try to fill in the rest of the grid. I have the answer. I hope this does not give away too much.

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  5. Did will not acknowledge that last week's puzzle was a repeat?

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  6. My inclination is to note I've got lassie in my answer.

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    Replies
    1. Methinks he is barking up the wrong tree.

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    2. Yeah, ditch that line of speculation.

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    3. Yeah, I was too gullible on that clue. . .but, ah, now I'm there.

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    4. I admit my clue is wrong, but it's also right!

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    5. If cluing you is wrong, I don't want to be right.

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    6. All kinds of wrongs in the world, and all kinds of rights.

      WW: your "swimmingly" confirms we're on the same page, you just aren't sufficiently confused.

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    7. I see your obfuscation, eco, and I raise you a befuddlement.

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    8. Now that the fog has cleared you can watch this video. Maybe too soon after the Texas accident?

      I also like the next song in the CVB repertoire; we played it a lot in the 90's, revive it next January?

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    9. Yeah, maybe too soon, eco. Fun CVB Lassie-ness though! And Bill-ness.

      --de la--

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    10. WW, good to know Sedaris is still doing his thing; I have a few of his books, but haven't been following.

      I sometimes wonder if the best comedy isn't born from tragedy, or at least the sense of being an outsider? Jews and African-Americans seem to be comedians out of proportion with their population (no science behind that).

      And the best writing in the second half of the 19th Century came from the defeated south, not the victorious north (no science there, either, just a vague assemblage after a PhD friend told me that's what her real research found). As gays assimilate will their creative talents diminish as they become boring people?

      Delete
    11. eco, I can see tragedy and defeat both as equating partly with a sense of confusion. . .

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    12. I agree, and we have tragedy, defeat, and sense of confusion this week.

      Of course I refer to the charming dialogue (trialogue?) at the bottom of this blog over this week's submission deadline.

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    13. So we ought to be laughing a great deal now, right?!

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    14. If you're not laughing you're either crying or just not paying attention.

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  7. One of the words is not very common, but its usage should be trending up with the presidential election.

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    Replies
    1. I'd have said two of the words have connection to the upcoming election.

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    2. I can think of a third that has a connection. Specifically, it's where our country is headed if either of the two frontrunners is elected.

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    3. Please, a break from politics! Too much angst and noise.

      Delete
  8. Ping pong Willy served up a whole bunch of anagram challenges to ronsaturday, who returned them neatly for what I believe is called a skunk.

    Since the PM neglected to say that he was deviating from his promised rule and paper and pencil might be handy, a listener without internet access better have a good memory, especially since the key words are a little out of the ordinary. I only was sure of three.

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  9. I found a good, solid answer. That calls for a glass of something...

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  10. Some not too veiled klews above. Now on to the Sunday x-word. But first - a little puzzle wording observation to make. The question stated is, "Can you do it?" Will Shortz ACCEPT a simple yea or nay (PONIES speak)? Either would appear to be a correct answer - strictly speaking. And - congrats ronbo.

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  11. It's really hard to hint at this answer, and I do not have it down. ---Rob

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  12. I always find it difficult to hint at puzzles that are so open.

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  13. I have my answer. I can only say some of these words will have to go down, not from left to right.

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    Replies
    1. Not true. If you have the correct order of words, they can either go across or down from left to right. Therefore there are two correct solutions for a given 12 words in a 6x6 grid.

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    2. I think what patjberry is saying, correctly, is that all 4 of the words can't go in the same direction. Either you'll have 2 across and 2 down, or 3 across and 1 down. Of course, the whole grid can be reflected, leaving 2 arrangements for any set of 12 words.

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    3. Take Will's example:

      LIMB
      AREA
      CORK
      KNEE

      There is also:
      LACK
      IRON
      MERE
      BANE

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    4. Make that BAKE, not BANE.

      Delete
    5. As I said above, "You have to find a combination where the four given words, CROSSING EACH OTHER..."

      Delete
  14. What I meant to say is, some given words would have to intersect with other given words.

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  15. I have one word that anagrams into another.
    Both having the same French/Latin etymology. One is produced by nastiness on the part of the other.

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    Replies
    1. None of the 12 words in my grid anagrams into another.

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    2. ponies/opines
      seared/erased
      My word anagrams into another NOT IN THE GRID.

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    3. I have this word also. A word from the 12 words in the double square anagrams into another word, NOT ONE OF THE TWELVE, that fits your statement.

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    4. And just for Mendo Jim, FOUR of my other new words on the grid anagram into words off the grid.

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    5. Hmmm... only 3 of mine seem to.

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    6. The 4th one may also be capitalized, but is not for this anagram. . .

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    7. Thinking swimmingly may help.

      Or, perhaps you have different words, of course.

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    8. Must be. Among my words, "swimmingly" applies only to "caviar". Roe, roe, roe your boat...

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    9. Swimmingly applies to the word it anagrams into.

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    10. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  16. IDVZAW
    XPTYIT
    PSRMRZ
    WGVOHY
    TBBPMF
    MJLRUW

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. MCAFTB
      VOEBSE
      USJVJL
      OKWTMZ
      WENJFB
      MGZUMW

      Delete
    2. IVZGSD
      YLYJTH
      USDJLV
      XAACRT
      GCJAAA
      MYGBOK

      Delete
    3. Hmmm, PlannedChaos and Paul, does this mean you two have found three separate answers?

      Delete
    4. How do you catch a tame rabbit?

      Ask Hans Olaffsen.

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    5. Paul's answer is the transpose of PlannedChaos' answer. I submitted Paul's orientation, but now I wish I had submitted PC's. His way makes one of the words which we have to determine nicely self-describing. (Those who've solved it know what I mean.) Anyway, if you bring up Sharky's Vigenere Cipher - The OLD version 1.0 in a separate tab, copy one of the separate 6x6 crypto-grids, clear Sharky's input and paste into it; then clear, copy and paste the solution - in the poster's orientation, then press "decode"; then that poster's message in 36 letters will appear in the Output box.

      Delete
    6. Ah, Paul, Sem Ting, I see. Are the 2 rotated answers the only ones? Rather interesting, if so.

      Delete
  17. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  18. I deleted my above post immediately after I posted because that is when I realized the hint was in reference to one of the given words. So now I have no hint. I think there is more than one answer to this puzzle.

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  19. I don't think anyone has yet solved my puzzle over at Puzzleria! that Lego is running this week. It is not an anagram puzzle either, MJ. It should be fairly easy in my opinion as long as you don't overthink it. Blaine has a link above.

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  20. In my opinion, you should have offered a hint or two by now.

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  21. I think that the puzzle is easier to solve if you have an accent.

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  22. I don't think that'll help. Is the answer in French?

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  23. Silly me, I thought you might finally have provided the least little help with your supposedly genius puzzle on Puzzleria! This ain't exactly another "Catalonia", you know.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you have Asperger Syndrome?

      Delete
    2. Where is this coming from? Do some commenters no longer feel at home on Puzzleria? If you're seeing red from pent-up frustrations, take a break before this conversation goes off a cliff. (It seems a common pattern around here.)

      Delete
    3. PlannedChaos,
      Thanks for your comment. You seem to have the heart of a peacemaker. (Blessed are you!) As the administrator of the Puzzleria! blog, I feel a reply might be in order.
      1. I want all commenters to always feel at home on Puzzleria! (known as “P!” for short) We have a few handfuls of pretty regular posters who make astute and clever (and even occasionally brilliant remarks) weekly (somewhat similar to Blainesville, except our volume and variety are not as voluminous or various). About a half-dozen of our regulars, including skydiveboy and patjberry, have contributed their own original puzzles to the Puzzleria! blog. I value greatly their contributions, as well as those of all who contribute to P! in any way. I wish we could somehow build our volume and variety of our posters, and volume of “hits” (we get about 100 per day).
      2. I also really appreciate Blaine for allowing me to plug P! here, and to include “Joseph Young’s Puzzleria!” in his PUZZLE LINKS. Blainesvillians are a natural fit, I believe, to become Puzzleria! followers. Why? Because we Blainesvillians are all crazy-in-love with Will’s wonderful (yes, I said wonderful!) weekly offerings, and I try to pattern many of our Puzzleria! puzzles after the NPR Weekend Edition Sunday style. I'll admit there may be more quantity than quality at P!. My theory is to throw my “puzzle spaghetti” against the wall and hope some of it sticks. But it is all original made-from-scratch spaghetti! And I am having a blast creating and posting puzzles.
      3. To answer PlannedChaos’s question, “Where is this coming from?” I like to think it comes from passion for puzzling. Some Puzzlerians! take puzzle-solving more seriously than others. That’s fine. I want solvers to have fun, but I also can understand that individual competitive spirit comes in varying intensities. I appeal to all Puzzlerians!, however, that in the future, for the sake and peace of Blainesville, that all Puzzleria! discussion be confined to the Puzzleria! comments section… (except of course for our ubiquitous shameless plugs posted here like clockwork!)
      4. Regarding “peacemaking”: My style tends to be non-confrontational. Sometimes that works, sometimes it doesn’t. I am aware that keeping, restoring or creating peace (and/or justice) does indeed sometimes involve confrontation. For me, however, confrontation has always been a kind of last resort.
      Thanks, Blainesvillians (and Blaine!), for your patience and understanding. If you haven’t visited us yet, please drop by, perhaps say, “Hi,” and nibble on a puzzle slice or two.

      LegoSaysBlessedAreThePlannedChaosmakersForTheyNotBeMisbehavin’ButInsteadBeHavin’AGoudAttitude

      Delete
    4. I meant to, but neglected, to apologize that our internal Puzzleria! kerfuffling (not at all related to Bob!) spilled over onto Blainesvillian cybersoil. So, please accept my apologies Blaine, PlannedChaos and other Blainesvillians. From now on we'll try to keep it in-house.
      Thank you.

      LegoMeaCulpable

      Delete
  24. It's not me we're talking about here, SDB. You need to give us some hints on that puzzle of yours. Give us a fighting chance!

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  25. This was a fun exercise, and now I can relax! --Margaret G.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No you can't, Margaret. You haven't solved my puzzle over at you know where yet.

      Delete
  26. Interesting to note that the NPR submission system takes all of the line breaks out of a submission. I guess they'll account for that when reviewing the answers.

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    Replies
    1. To those who have not yet made their submission but are about to, but would like to submit it in a way that'll look nice when echoed back in their automated reply; I hereby submit the following form:


      ╔══╤═╤══╦══╤═╤══╦══╤═╤══╦══╤═╤══╦══╤═╤══╦══╤═╤══╗
      ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
      ╠══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╣
      ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
      ╠══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╣
      ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
      ╠══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╣
      ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
      ╠══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╣
      ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
      ╠══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╣
      ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
      ╚══╧═╧══╩══╧═╧══╩══╧═╧══╩══╧═╧══╩══╧═╧══╩══╧═╧══╝

      Delete
  27. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  28. BTW whether I have Asperger's Syndrome or not does not enter into it. We live in a country where you can use "ain't" in a sentence if that's what you want to do.

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  29. I don't have to stay on my side of the tracks. I can hang out in style with the horsie set anytime I choose.

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  30. I don't have to stay on my side of the tracks. I can hang out in style with the horsie set anytime I choose.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Sorry, people of Blainesville, for bringing the P! site into this.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Up above, my reply to Unknown will work, but will probably look nicer posted here all by itself and not indented.

    I here post again a form for submitting your answer in the NPR submission form. The automated reply you get should look reasonably well. Just select it, copy it and paste it into your simple text editor. (For EditPad and EditPad Lite users, when you start the new document, select "Convert", then "Text Encoding", then "Unicode UTF-8". Do this BEFORE you paste!) Just replace each "O" with the appropriate letter until it's complete, then copy and paste it into the NPR form and then when you submit it, you should see your grid looking intact in the echo in the automated reply. Anyway, here it is again:


    ╔══╤═╤══╦══╤═╤══╦══╤═╤══╦══╤═╤══╦══╤═╤══╦══╤═╤══╗
    ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
    ╠══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╣
    ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
    ╠══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╣
    ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
    ╠══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╣
    ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
    ╠══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╣
    ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
    ╠══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╬══╪═╪══╣
    ╟──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╫──┤O├──╢
    ╚══╧═╧══╩══╧═╧══╩══╧═╧══╩══╧═╧══╩══╧═╧══╩══╧═╧══╝

    Happy submitting!

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  33. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  34. Stick the last two letters of one of the answer words into one of the other words to get a musical instrument.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I notice that the Sunday Puzzle still says Thursday at 3:00 on the main page, then says Wednesday August 3 when you go to this week's puzzle.

    In our better late than never section, I thought Ron did a spectacular job last Sunday.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The deadline is Thursday. The host said Thursday the 4th on air. You can go listen again online if you want to check for yourself.

      Delete
  36. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    Replies
    1. THE DEADLINE IS TOMORROW! PLEASE REMOVE YOUR POST.

      Delete
  37. See the NPR sight:

    If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here. Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Include a phone number where we can reach you Wednesday, Aug. 3, at 3 p.m. ET.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You must know by now they have been getting it wrong on the site. Go and LISTEN to it again and you will clearly hear the host say Thursday the 4th.

      Delete
    2. All I have to do is read the instructions give4n on the NPR site.

      Delete
    3. They can also read their own instructions, but I see NO CORRECTION to those instructions.

      Delete
    4. Regardless of what NPR's summer interns do to their web site, Blaine's instructions on this site ask not to reveal the answers before Thursday at 3pm ET.

      Delete

    5. Hoping For 2 Of A Kind? Better Mix Things Up A Bit

      In this week's Sunday Puzzle, you'll get two four-letter words. Rearrange the letters in each of them to make two synonyms. For example, newt and felt could be rearranged to get went and left.

      What's The Sunday Puzzle?

      Each week, New York Times crossword puzzle editor and NPR's Puzzlemaster Will Shortz presents an on-air quiz to one contestant and gives a challenge for listeners at home.

      Official Rules

      Play The Sunday Puzzle!

      Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Please include a phone number where we can reach you Thursday at 3 p.m. ET.

      Submit Your Answer

      Delete
    6. I think one would have been wise to submit today at 3, but we should hold off on posting answers until tomorrow.

      Delete
    7. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    8. Those "old official rules" are ANCIENT HISTORY.

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    9. I just cut & pasted them above from the current site posting: http://www.npr.org/series/4473090/sunday-puzzle

      Delete
    10. And I cut and pasted my post from the more recent site, specific to THIS PUZZLE: http://www.npr.org/2016/07/31/488042366/hoping-for-2-of-a-kind-better-mix-things-up-a-bit

      Delete
    11. ron: My cut n paste is from THIS PUZZLE too. Why are you refusing to accept what was actually said on air by the host?

      Delete
    12. Why are you refusing to recognize what was written in black and white and to accept the new deadline?

      Delete
    13. Because when I go to their site it states the deadline is tomorrow, also in black & white. You know very well they have made mistakes on the site several times before, including recently. What is actually said on air must take precedence.

      Delete
    14. Try the site for THIS PUZZLE (see above) where they have given the NEW deadline in black and white.

      Delete
    15. Both your and my links are for THIS PUZZLE, but what was said online, and is still posted on the audio link, is what is what we should go by, as others are.

      Delete
    16. My sense is the puzzle interns never got back on track with the website deadline after the early, Wednesday, 4th of July week deadline. If the deadline had been changed permanently, our host would/should have made a bigger deal about that.

      But, I could be wrong.

      And, I'm ok with that.

      Delete
    17. When ELISE says the deadline is Thurs., Aug.4th, she is probably reading off an OLD SCRIPT, Will, not having informed her of the NEW DEADLINE. That is my estimation.

      Delete
    18. Then why are both your link and my link still extant? If there actually was a change they would have said so in your link and removed, or changed, my link. Therefore, since there is no way to know for sure, we must go by what was said on air and wait until tomorrow. That way we do not spoil it for anyone.

      Delete
    19. Nothing has changed because NOBODY is aware there is a problem. Maybe if they read this blog, somebody, like Will, might post a comment...

      Delete
  38. This place is beginning to resemble the poker game in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

    ReplyDelete
  39. At the risk of trying to inject some sanity, does it really make a big difference if we wait - like mature 2nd graders - to post our answers until tomorrow?

    I trust this puzzle isn't rattling around in our heads, at least for the heavy-duty users of this blog. I thought this puzzle was pretty easy, it only took a couple of minutes to solve once I wrote it down. And it seems like the regulars have the answer, it's just a matter of bragging rights on clever and obscure clues....

    ReplyDelete
  40. I didn't notice any difference. Usually when I've heard the next week's puzzle, I'm already thinking about it. I've never noticed if the deadline has been misstated.

    ReplyDelete
  41. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  42. Reviewoing this week's comments, the PuzzlEeria spill over, and the early/not early submittal kerfluffle, I suggest we all sit down and enjoy some music. Specifically this 1967 classic, from Tommy James and the Shondells (1967).
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6IYJ4Q1FZQ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have tried to stay out of all this, but since lego can't bring himself to deal with it honestly I want to clarify something now before it takes on a life of its own.

      There is no spill over here. Nor was there a fight over at P. Please, if you believe there was/is, go check the posts there and see for yourself. You will discover I only made one post before the deadline yesterday and it was to ron in order to help him solve my puzzle. In other words it was a hint. PJB came here and began attacking me for not hinting at my puzzle over there. Last week he posted that I am a "sh*t. You might have noticed that I did not respond in kind, but hinted at his mental illness. I have done the same here in hopes others will understand that he is incapable of helping himself, and that I am not going to get into a name calling contest with a sick person. You may have noticed PJB apologized to the blog for his post attacking me that he also deleted, but never apologized to me. I sincerely hope this will end here.

      Delete
  43. ACROSS
    CLARET
    CAVIAR
    EMIGRE
    PONIES
    TRENDS


    {^^^These words are meant to be stacked on top of each other; not sure if the styles will crash.}

    "Yeah, I was too gullible on that clue. . .but, ah, now I'm there." GULLY >> RAVINE

    "You could go to Cape Cod." i.e. go ACROSS the country to be a CLAMMER (CLAMOR).

    The four words in the grid that anagram to words outside the grid are:

    EMIGRE >>> REGIME
    CLARET >>> RECTAL or CARTEL
    RAVINE >>> NAIVER or VAINER
    ACROSS >>> OSCARS (a type of fish); I was happy to learn about these marine critters.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My grandfather used to enjoy King Oscar sardines. It appears that several types of fish are called sardines, but Astronotus ocellatus doesn't seem to be among them.

      Delete
    2. Paul,
      Don't young fish have enroll in school in order to become King Oscar sardines?

      Delete
    3. Paul, my grandfather used to eat King Oscar sardines, too. Do you suppose Oscar, the Grouch, was named, not after oscars, but after all those grouchy, oily, packed-in King Oscar sardines?

      Delete
    4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    5. In Pakistan, Oscar is named Akhtar and lives in a rusty oil barrel (large sardine can?).

      Delete
    6. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  44. ACROSS
    CLARET
    CAVIAR
    ÉMIGRÉ
    PONIES
    TRENDS

    My hint: “I think that the puzzle is easier to solve if you have an accent.” Actually there are two accents in ÉMIGRÉ


    I solved it using a set of Scrabble tiles. I first discovered there is only one way the first six words can be positioned unless they are all aligned in the same direction, which does not work either. That is the easy part. From there I tried filling it in with the remaining tiles until I got it.

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  45. ACROSS, CLARET, CAVIAR, ÉMIGRÉ, PONIES, TRENDS
    Which, when rotated yield
    ACCEPT, CLAMOR, RAVINE, ORIGIN, SEARED, STRESS

    The two words related to current political discourse are ORIGIN and ÉMIGRÉ

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  46. When I said, "It's really hard to hint at this answer, and I do not have it down," that was to say I did have it ACROSS, which in my square was the first word down:

    ACCEPT
    CLAMOR
    RAVINE
    ORIGIN
    SEARED
    STRESS

    ---Rob

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  47. Rows: ACROSS, CLARET, CAVIAR, EMIGRE, PONIES, TRENDS. Columns: ACCEPT, CLAMOR, RAVINE, ORIGIN, SEARED, STRESS

    > Yeah, ditch that line of speculation.

    Ravine.

    > Please, a break from politics! Too much angst and noise.

    Stress and clamor.

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  48. Explanation of clues:

    Where is this coming from? [ORIGIN] Do some commenters no longer feel at home on Puzzleria? [EMIGRE] If you're seeing red [CLARET] from pent-up frustrations, take a break [STRESS] before this conversation goes off a cliff [RAVINE]. (It seems a common pattern around here.) [TRENDS]

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    Replies
    1. I'm laughing now, but at the time it went way over my head. I never saw the connection.

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  49. "I've got Lassie" is an anagram of the letters in the 2 diagonals, hence my inclination. Stogies Alive! and Vote Iglesias! also work, but....

    That clue was technically right, but morally wrong, as it violates the sacred principles of the Society To Repudiate Anagram Puzzles (please give generously).

    Jan's ditch/ ravine riposte went over my head, or under my feet.

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    Replies
    1. eco, I thought you were referring to Lassie getting OSCARS, the (capitalized) anagram of ACROSS.

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    2. I couldn't figure out the Lassie clue, but isn't Lassie transgender? And can't she use any tree she wants to?

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    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    4. WW - I don't think Lassie ever won an Oscar, did she/ it? Though I mostly think of the TV show, which is Emmy-ville. I think there were some movies, but nothing spectacular.

      SDB - my only wry post is this classic.

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    5. Right you are, eco. Lassie never got an Oscar, but maybe she got some oscars.

      Delete
    6. Thanks for the info about oscars the fish, just another factoid to stuff in the brain attic.

      If Lassie were a hot dog, could she have been in the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. And PLEASE! refrain from going any further on that. That especially means you, SDB, and others.

      Delete
    7. eco, that last comment deserves an oscar. . .

      Delete
    8. eco,
      Are you saying you don't want me to be frank?

      Delete
    9. Oui. Wait, that was 2 weeks ago.

      I don't relish the idea of all the puns you could have mustered. Wait, that was 4 weeks ago.

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    10. eco,
      I do hope you don't slip into a vague or unfocused feeling of mental uneasiness, lethargy, or discomfort or mayonnaise.

      Delete
    11. Bah, hamburg!

      Still trying to connect the dots between your "inclination" clue and my "swimmingly." What am I missing, eco?

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    12. No dots to connect between the clues, just that your "swimmingly" led me to "oscars" as an anagram (no no no!) for "across", confirming I had the correct solution.

      Jan scared me when he wrote "ditch that line". I had done the puzzle before I was fully awake, and had some slight misgivings about émigré being a "common" word - didn't Congress ban all things French after they wouldn't join us in the war? For that matter claret is also French. Mon Dieu!

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    13. Is this what you call a claretication?

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    14. Ah, I see, eco. Merci. oscars may be in the brain attic but they are swimming near the surface now.

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    15. SDB - again you rosé to the occasion, don't you ever blush?

      WW - kudos to anything that swims with the piranhas.

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    16. Sangria berry much, eco, I'll re-Port back later after I find where did Monastrell.

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    17. I hope you know how to pronounce that correctly.

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    18. eco,
      I felt I had to post that re: Monastrell because I have yet to meet anyone in the wine business here who knows how to correctly pronounce it, including a Brit who said he lives in Madrid with his family. They all say manna strel. It is Spanish and is correctly pronounced Mona stray with a long O and the ll is Y.

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    19. When the judge pronounced me insane I said my name isn't anything like that.

      Delete
    20. Fudge not, lest ye be fudged.

      Delete
  50. Revolution -> REGIME change -> EMIGRE

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  51. I'm surprised that the answer seems unique. ---Rob

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  52. Here is my post from yesterday, the new deadline! I am unable to post earlier on Thursdays.

    Easy. Start by putting the four given words into a grid which can be done in only one way where these words cross each other:

    ACCEPT
    ***A**O*
    ***V**N*
    ***I***I*
    SEARED
    ***R**S*

    Now try to fill in the rest.
    Answer(s):

    Across (or down) words in this order:

    ACCEPT
    CLAMOR
    RAV I NE
    ORI GIN
    SEARED
    STRESS


    Down (or across) words in this order (left to right):


    ACROSS
    CLARET
    CAV I AR
    EMI GRE
    PONI ES
    TRENDS


    My clue: “stressful” contains one of the words: STRESS.

    Anagrams of the non-given words:
    CLARET = CARTEL/RECTAL
    RAVINE = NAIVER/VAINER
    EMIGRE = REGIME
    Hugh's anagram: an EMIGRE is normally produced by the nastiness on the part of a certain REGIME.
    Charles' musical instrument: clar(in)et.

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  53. If you were picked and could ask Will a question, what question would you ask him? Hurry, I only have until tomorrow AM 10:30 MST.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congrats, TomR!

      How about:

      "When is the deadline for NPR Sunday puzzle submissions?!"



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    2. "What... is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?"

      Yes, congrats!

      Delete
    3. "Have you constructed a puzzle where the answer is 42?"

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    4. Yes, TomR (my congrats also, BTW), go with jan's question. Asking him Word Woman's (supposedly unanswerable, if you work for NPR) question is just too unfair!

      After you ask jan's question, Will Shortz will respond, "What do you mean, an African or European swallow?" You respond to that by exclaiming, "What? I don't know that," after which you will let out a screeching Yeeeeeee!... And then let your phone go dead.

      You won't get a worthless lapel pin... but what you will get, and what we all will get, will be priceless.

      LegoWhoIsBlueBecauseHeAnsweredThatTheCapitalOfAssyriaWasTheDeutschMark

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    5. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
  54. TomR: Ask him how much we pay him for that gig.

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  55. Jan, are you talking about average air-speed, or maximum? And WW - you make me laugh, more than once. But I don't want to give him a "yes/no" question. And lego, I think I might take a slightly different direction. But thanks all for the ideas.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds like you've made up your mind, TomR.
      Looking forward to hearing it.
      Congratulations.

      Delete
    2. I got to play on the air about three years ago, and I didn't have a question to ask. If I am ever called again, I'd ask about the randomization of picking a player for the show. In the postcard days, it was easy - take every postcard, thrown them all in a hat, toss them around, and pick one. But how do they do it with answers from the web page?

      Congratulations, TomR, and it will be fun to hear you. Don't forget to have pencil and paper handy, especially so you can write down the puzzle for next week.

      ---Rob

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    3. Excellent question, Rob. I suspect Will now uses ping-pong balls (oops, I mean table tennis balls), as they do in the NBA lottery.

      LegoWhoUnderstandsTheNationalBasketballAssociationOnceTriedSwitchingToKingKongBallsButSoonReturnedToUsingPingPongBalls

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  56. A C C E P T
    C L A M O R
    R A V I N E
    O R I G I N
    S E A R E D
    S T R E S S

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  57. I wonder why it looks okay when I type it out, but then on the blog the rows look uneven?

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  58. BTW SDB I am truly sorry for anything I've said to you on either blog lately. I understand you're angry with me, and rightly so. I tried emailing you late last night, but apparently I didn't have the right email address. I hereby apologize for everything.

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  59. There are enough people feuding out there without two more joining in. Again, SDB, I apologize.

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  60. Brazil will begin hosting the Olympics tomorrow in Rio. I understand the first game will be Hide and Go Zika.

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  61. Something I like about RIO is, by putting the same letter on one side or the other, you can get two different, common English words. The letter is T, the words are TRIO and RIOT. Of all the Olympic host cities that have ever been, only RIO has this property. And with all the troubles they're reportedly having over there, better to have a trio than a riot.

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  62. ARE BRAZIL NUTS MAKING BRAZIL NUTS?

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  63. TGIF! Think Good, It’s Friday!
    Puzzleria! is now uploaded. We offer seven heavenly puzzles this week, including one “Ripping Off Shortz” puzzle that is actually a “twofer.”

    This week’s puzzles are titled:
    “Be a fee, or be a freebie?”
    “Calling Mr. … no, Dr. Spock!”
    “Moo-cow and boy reunion”
    “Revised Versa”
    “Foursquare character wittiness”
    “Idiomatic transmission manual” and
    “Clownish Greece paintings” (which is somewhat of a rebus puzzle)

    LegoWhoseUncleRebus’MacEntirelyCrashedOnceSoHeHadToTurnOnTheRadio

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  64. High jumpers that have contracted the Zika virus will premiere their new technique, the Fosbury Flop Sweat.

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  65. Track and field competitors are in danger of coming down with a case of the 100 meter runs.

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  66. Rio 2016: come for the open sewage, stay because you're bedridden.

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    Replies
    1. Things are getting Riol now. . .

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    2. They are suggesting visitors to Rio ignore the sewage problem and go with the flow.

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  67. Ingesting as little as a tablespoon of Rio's water is enough to contract disease, so the IOC is recommending swimmers keep their mouths shut. Not so they won't become infected, but so no one else finds out about it. But at least they're trying to turn this into a positive by adding a new component to the triathlon: projectile vomiting.

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    Replies
    1. I heard the Olympic officials are restricting the swimmers to teaspoons when they compete.

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  68. Ticket sales are down, and now even prominent celebrities are bailing. If the Olympics want to attract Hollywood types, I suggest advertising the Zika virus as a type of cleanse. Those people will do anything to lose weight.

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    Replies
    1. It is now being reported that Zika will not be as big a problem as originally predicted because the open sewage problem is so bad even the mosquitoes are staying away.

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  69. When everything is going great.
    When there does not seem to be anything you need, who do you call?
    Anagraman:
    http://www.condenaststore.com/-sp/Anagraman-New-Yorker-Cartoon-Prints_i14489663_.htm

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  70. Next week's challenge: Name a famous Olympics champion past or present — first and last names. Remove every letter from the name that appears exactly twice. The remaining letters in order will name certain minerals. Who is this Olympics star?

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  71. Next week's challenge: Name a famous Olympics champion past or present — first and last names. Remove every letter from the name that appears exactly twice. The remaining letters in order will name certain minerals. Who is this Olympics star?

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  72. Not too hard. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd say about 2.5.

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  73. Terrific job this morning, TomR! ---Rob

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  74. Technically, the list of those who are "present champions" will evolve as the week progresses, and were probably not known when the puzzle was created.

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  75. Another stroke of genius rolled out on the Sunday morning show. It pays to stay abreast of the times.

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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.