NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 29, 2017): Take six different letters

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 29, 2017): Take six different letters:

Q: Take six different letters. Repeat them in the same order. Then repeat them again — making 18 letters altogether. Finally add "tebasket" at the end. If you have the right letters and you space them appropriately, you'll complete a sensible sentence. What is it?

I'm not sure I'd call it "sensible" unless it was spoken by someone a little nutty.

My hint was to nuts, bolts and washers.

A: HERWAS --> HER WASHER WAS HER WASTEBASKET

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 22, 2017): Think of a Number...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 22, 2017): Think of a Number...:

Q: This week's challenge is unusual. The numbers 5,000, 8,000, and 9,000 share a property that only five integers altogether have. Identify the property and the two other integers that have it.

The hard part isn't figuring out the pattern, it's figuring out how we are supposed to extend it to find integers four and five.

Edit: The title contains each of the vowels (a,e,i,o,u) exactly once. The 4 and 5 in my hint refer to the number of digits in the two other answers.

A: When spelled out in English, the numbers contain the 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u, but not y) exactly once.
The other two numbers would be 6,010 (six thousand ten) and 10,006 (ten thousand six).

I discounted answers like 80,000 and 90,000 which also contain y and wouldn't preclude 26,000 as an answer.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 15, 2017): Gods of Comedy

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 15, 2017): Gods of Comedy:

Q: Take the first and last names of a famous comedian. The first three letters of the first name and the first letter of the last name, in order, spell the name of a god in mythology. The fourth letter of the first name and the second through fourth letters of the last name, in order, spell the name of another god. Who's the comedian, and what gods are these?

Here's a long list of comedians and a list of gods to help you out.

Edit: The antonym of long is...

A: MARTIN SHORT --> MARS, THOR

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 8, 2017): The Cat's Away...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 8, 2017): The Cat's Away...

I'm unable to post the puzzle this week, but I didn't want to leave you without a place to post comments on the puzzle. Somebody help me out by posting a copy here. Then feel free to add your *hints*.

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.

Update:

Q: Think of a two-word phrase you might see on a clothing label. Add two letters to the end of the first word, and one letter to the end of the second word. The result is the name of a famous writer. Who is it?

A: VIRGIN WOOL --> VIRGINIA WOOLF

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 1, 2017): Start the Year with a Word Square Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 1, 2017): Start the Year with a Word Square Puzzle:

Q: Take the four-letter men's names TODD, OMAR, DAVE and DREW. If you write them one under the other, they'll form a word square, spelling TODD, OMAR, DAVE and DREW reading down as well.

Can you construct a word square consisting of five five-letter men's names? Any such square using relatively familiar men's names will count. Will has an answer using four relatively common names and one less familiar one.

This list of 5-letter names or this list of 5-letter boys names should help you get started.

A: Will's intended answer was:
KEMAL
EMILE
MILAN
ALAIN
LENNY

One of the many possible answers, and the answer of the person chosen to play on the air was:
ABRAM
BLANE
RANDY
ANDRE
MEYER