The NPR website had last week's puzzle but now it's fixed! :)Q: Name a long-running TV show in two words. Add a C and rearrange the result to name another long-running TV show also in two words. What shows are these? And here's a hint: Both shows are currently on the air, although the second one was most popular the past.
Edit: My hints were the symbols ! and :) representing the exclamation point in the first show's title and the word "Smile" in the second shows tagline.
A: American Dad! and Candid Camera
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.
ReplyDeleteYou 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.
From the tail end of last week's post:
ReplyDelete"That was fun. Going to phone this one in.
Yeah, the site shows today's player and dates but last week's puzzles."
Seems they have finally updated the website.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteBlaine, you need to remove this clue. It's a dead give away.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI believe that's why jan's reference to give-aways (below) was more vague. Always tricky to point without pointing.
DeleteMany of us do not attempt "popular culture puzzles" especially if they involve TV shows like Canada Crime Days...
ReplyDeleteI'd never heard of the first show, though I'm one. Frankly, some of the clues here gave it away.
ReplyDeleteThere's a technical glitch in this puzzle.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Ron. I haven't watched TV since the mid-80s. You all have fun without me this week.
ReplyDeleteRailroad
ReplyDeleteRuzk ua ta Fgnf is nazd ua ta dmd, oipucte?
DeleteMAMA MIA
DeleteIn retrospect Mamma Mia! would have been better for several reasons.
To be honest, I don't think the comments here have been too blatant.
ReplyDeleteI was going to give up on this one, but got it eventually. I don't know much about TV. Like Jan, I had never heard of the first show although I am one. And the second I thought was off the air years ago.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations to Patrick Berry (aka "cranberry") for having his puzzle chosen by Will Shortz as this week's NPR challenge. Nice work, Patrick.
ReplyDeleteLegoWillHaveAnOpportunityToRipOffShortzAndBerryOnPuzzleria!ThisFriday
My research indicates that one of these shows hasn't been on the air (new episodes) for at least a few years. Maybe this puzzle was submitted a few years ago?
ReplyDeleteA Wikipedia article about the show in question reveals the last year that it was made (which I won't mention here). It does not seem as if it is "currently on the air," except perhaps in reruns. I am old enough to remember the original show, which was a hoot.
DeleteI do have to say I don't really think the second show is still currently in production. Maybe Will knows something we don't. It could still come back. It's sort of a perennial favorite among TV viewers.
DeleteWill didn't claim that both shows were still in production, just on the air.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteYour clue can also be a giveaway, please delete.
DeleteI see the two shows have one thing in common, besides all but one of their letters.
ReplyDeleteI was going to punt on the combo of TV show category and anagrams, thinking that 2000 orangutangs couldn't force me to spend time on it.
ReplyDeleteBut the discussion here gave it to me without any real thought.
I will admit it's a pretty easy puzzle. Those of you still having trouble should know one show is sort of a predecessor of reality shows dating back to the black-and-white TV days, while the other features characters that are far more animated and has only been on within I'd say about the last decade or so.
ReplyDeleteI thought that was a good but tough puzzle! My sister came up with the answer as I never would have!!
DeleteCongratulations on it being selected.
Cranberry, I have seen both since all are/were on broadcast TV. Thanks for the puzzle and the prod.
Delete1. "Those of you still having trouble..." posted on Sunday afternoon for a puzzle that concludes Thursday afternoon. Not everything is meant to be solved at first reading.
Delete2. Comment goes on to give specific clues about the age, nature, and genre of the shows.
I understood the nature of this site to be a place to discuss the puzzle or post an obscure comment that could later be used to verify one had the correct answer. Not to give/receive clues to be used to solve the puzzle.
trillseeker, you are spot on!
DeleteI'm just so glad I got one used this week!
ReplyDeleteHere's another one to work on in case you'd like a little more:
Think of a well-known entertainer, first and last names. Remove two consecutive letters from his last name that together sound phonetically like one letter being pronounced. The result, when said aloud, will sound like the common nickname of another well-known entertainer. Who are these?
There's always room for another kick-butt, jaw-droppingly clever bonus puzzle, Patrick.
DeleteLegoWhoWondersIfOneOfTheseEntertainersActuallyDidEnjoyLAAfterMovingThere
Who am I to disagree?
DeleteNice puzzle cranberry. It wasn't easy for me! I would have still been thinking it over if not for your recent postings. After I got the solution, a Paul Simon song came to mind and is still clicking away in my brain.
ReplyDeleteI am also one.
ReplyDeleteSincerely yours,
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"There's a technical glitch in this puzzle." gets there without revealing all of that, BB. . .
ReplyDeleteTake a good look at this:
ReplyDeleteCharlottesville: A gun in his face, but he got the photo
GregPalast.com
And if you want the direct link just click here. We'll set up a GoFundMe page to get SDB training in hyperlinks.
DeleteGreg Palast's work over the past few decades has been remarkable, he uncovered the methods that Bush used to steal both elections, unfortunately no news outlets (save Democracy Now!) covered his uncoverage. His latest book and film, "The Best Democracy Money Can Buy" are truly frightening. "Vulture's Picnic" and "Armed Madhouse" are also excellent reads.
SDB & ECO - Thanks for posting!! Such a scary and sad weekend. It was so eerie seeing that night time march with the tiki torches, too.
DeleteSad weekend for everyone.
At least things in Seattle didn't escalate too much.
The sad part is not that it happened, but that some of us, such as Chris Hedges and others, myself included, have been warning this would happen for a long time now, even prior to Trump running for office. It is sad that most did not listen and will not realize this is just the very beginning, very much like what happened in the rise of Nazism in the 1930's. It will escalate! It will not simply go away. It must be met head on with outrage and defiance, otherwise it will explode into something so awful most in this country cannot even imagine the result. And sad will not begin to describe it.
DeleteThe lack of subtlety by the new stormtroopers is matched only by their lack of morality. We must remember that Trump is only a symptom, not the cause, of the underlying cancer in our society. Though he does spread that cancer. They don't even bother to wear hoods anymore.
DeleteIt's interesting that the "left" protest - the Occupy Movement - was completely peaceful, but both times they were the ones getting beat up.
I'm glad I don't live in an open carry state. 68C, what kind of celebrations are happening for the Gunfight at Hide Park anniversary this week?
eco, I agree with what you are saying, but here is how I was thinking about it earlier, after hearing a few idiots saying on NPR today that we should not blame Trump, and that we and the media should just back off and ignore the haters.
DeleteI was thinking about people saying Trump is not the cause, today on my bike ride. I agree that the hate, bigotry and racism already exist, but it is sort of like a prize boxing fight with both boxers in the ring, ready to fight when the bell rings. But no matter how much they may want to fight it will not happen until the person in charge rings the bell. Trump has been ringing that bell for a long time now, and he is the one in charge.
Another way to look at it is like someone trying to start a fire in the fireplace, but, although it lights, it does not want to do more than glow and fizzle until someone grabs the bellows and then the air causes the fire to really begin. Trump is that bellows.
sdb: Enjoy your bike rides and save such musings for other times.
DeleteMendo Jim:
DeleteThank you for confirming my suspicion that you would more likely be on the side of the problem rather than on the solution side.
And thank you for confirming my suspicion that you are a jerk.
DeleteSDB: I do agree with you, and I wouldn't say Trump is not to blame, rather that he is only the latest in a long line of politicians and public figures who have intensified the inner fascism and hatred that has plagued this country. George Wallace and Father Coughlin spring to mind.
DeleteMJ - it is because of this, and that DT is in the White House, that we all need to not save these musings. I can only imagine that my grandparent's families were saying the same thing in Poland and Germany in the 1930's, much to their dismay.
eco:
DeleteI know we both agree. I only wanted to present a slightly different perspective. Those who caused the racist violence have always been there just waiting for someone to give them the okay to act. Getting rid of Trump will not solve the problem; the genie is now out of the bottle, I'm afraid.
MJ: Perhaps a glass of warm milk with your meds will help them be more effective.
Eco - Never heard of that gunfight! Although I am not a proponent of "open carry", I was surprised there were no shootings at those confrontations in Virginia. Like Forrest Gump would say: "That's all I'm going to say about that!"
DeleteI think it might be worthwhile pointing out that the reason no one seems to know about the Gunfight at Hide Park may be because it was not much more than a brawl at a saloon where drinking was also involved, whereas the gunfight near the O.K. Corral was far more interesting, and involved law enforcement officers on both sides of the political issues that were behind the incident. It was not as most people believe, but far more interesting. It was in fact Democrats vs. Republicans in a battle where one newspaper was taking one side and the other was taking the opposing side. It was also a story of right against wrong, or evil, if you will. The Democrat side was the cowboys, not to be confused with our modern day understanding of the term, cowboys. These cowboys were ranchers close to the Mexican border who were rustling cattle from the other side of the border and selling to not only the townsfolk, but also to the U.S. Army. There were international implications that could have led us into another war with Mexico. Sheriff Behan was on the side of the Democrats/cowboys and a very corrupt individual, whereas the Earps were on the side of the law and acting as U.S. Marshals. The Clantons and Lowerys and other outlaws were terrorizing local citizens and enemies of the Earps due to their propensity to uphold the law. The thee Earps along with Doc. Holiday went down to the coral with the intention of disarming the cowboys who had been threatening all night to kill the Earps, and reinforcements were anticipated to help them. Townspeople woke the Earps up that morning to warn them. As they walked down to the coral to enforce the law against carrying guns in town, they ran into Behan, who informed them that he had disarmed them already. The Earp party was not looking for a fight and even had their guns hidden from view. Wyatt had his pistol in his slicker pocket. Behan had not disarmed the cowboys, and his misinformation put the Earp party at a disadvantage, because they believed him and were less prepared for what ensued.
DeleteI will leave it at that, but if you are finding this at all interesting, I would recommend reading Casey Tefertiller's 1988 book, Wyatt Earp. It is a book I cannot say enough good things about. It is highly researched from recent evidence that emerged and one of the most interesting books I have ever read. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand a period of our history that is usually presented in a most inauthentic manner. You will love it.
BTW, Washington is also an open carry state. I never see anyone carrying openly, other than hunters and cops, and do not think it is a good idea to openly carry unless hunting. I do have a concealed permit, but rarely am healed.
Monkey Cage.
DeleteCan warm milk also help make an immune system more effective?
DeleteAs long as you don't eat any meat along with it, I figure it couldn't hurt.
DeleteI believe it is, unless we're getting all strictu sensu. Pointing out something like that points more easily to an answer, methinks.
ReplyDeleteWW was just being more subtle in her comment, what you wrote gives some leading information about the actual answer, and is potentially removable by the Bloglord.
ReplyDeleteThis came up before on another puzzle, I think it was a well-known play/ movie with the same issue, that was similarly ignored in the Sunday puzzle.
Yes, eco, I am drinking some suttle tea right now.
ReplyDeleteI just figured it out only using the hints and discussions here. I doubt I would have gotten it otherwise.
ReplyDeleteI likewise was going around in circles for a while on this puzzle until cranberry's comment marked out the path to the answer, figuratively turning miles into something shorter.
ReplyDeleteUsing Blaine's smiley face as my starting point, my more obscure than necessary clue referred to "Miles Smiles," of which the first three pieces are "Orbit," ""Circle" and "Footprints." And Wayne Shorter played saxophone in this group.
DeleteI also think that too many clues by others gave it away. On the other hand, I likewise almost certainly wouldn't have gotten the answer without their help, so who am I to complain? (It wasn't the smiley face BTW that tipped me off.)
I guess if you authored the puzzle, you get to elaborate on it?
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriend and I independently thought of a potential answer for the second show. It has an appealing letter combination and it seems supported by the hints here (thanks!). However, we remain stuck on the first show. Unless there is a show about a prima madonna's needs or an infomercial about meat preparation, we may need to go back to the drawing board.
ReplyDeleteSDB: The folks in front of me at REI said they were going to Madras ... don't say I didn't warn you!
ReplyDeleteeco:
ReplyDeleteThanks. I've been hearing about Madras and Salem on NPR and it sounds like a nightmare. I am heading out on a short road trip to the Dalles tomorrow and have decided to skip the eclipse. I don't have a smart phone or laptop, so I will not be posting at noon on Thursday.
Were I in your place I might try a trip to Ochoco National Forest, just east of Madras. Most people won't want to rough it, and the rules are usually pretty easy about pitching a tent. But it is a long drive back.
DeleteFor others who haven't seen it, this is the best web site map for tracking the eclipse. Click anywhere and it will tell you what the eclipse will be like.
Wherever you guys end up, I hope the weather cooperates! Around here it is supposed to be rain in the morning and partly cloudy around "zero hour". So, it could be better but it could be a lot worse.
DeleteI'll bet there are places in the US that would ban the coming eclipse if they could.
ReplyDeleteSchools across the country are ordering students to stay indoors during the eclipse, citing the dangers of looking directly at the sun.
I guess if you want to do so, any day but next Monday is ok.
Looking at the sun during an eclipse is actually the least interesting part of it. The billions of of little crescent-shaped shadows are the best part and will be just as exciting away from the path of totality (me).
I can't imagine keeping any one, especially children, indoors during this amazing event.
BTW, any telescope or binoculars make an easy projector for the image.
I think the time leading up to and following the peak of any eclipse is pretty fun!
DeleteI would be happy just to stay close to home and enjoy the eclipse at over 99%, but I've been outvoted.
I'm glad that I bought some decent eclipse glasses. They should be fine but there is always that initial concern of trust as you put them on for first time.
I do have a setup for indirect viewing during the very initial stages, though.
This is one of those puzzles that I won't bother to solve. Unless the answer pops into one's head, the only way to solve it is with brute force: plod through lists of TV shows hoping to find those that match the criteria.
ReplyDeleteAMERICAN DAD - CANDID CAMERA
ReplyDeleteAmerican Dad - Candid Camera
ReplyDeleteAMERICAN DAD, CANDID CAMERA
ReplyDelete> I'd never heard of the first show, though I'm one. Frankly, some of the clues here gave it away.
Frank = Candid
"Candid Camera" was one of my favorite shows and some ratings I came across indicated that it was one of the top shows in history.
ReplyDeleteIt was funny, innovative and kind, even given some embarrassing situations.
From hints, I went to an anagram solver and
"American Dad" was the only thing that sounded like a TV show. The third person I asked had heard of it and Google did the rest.
During a period of commercial avoiding channel changing last evening, there it was.
12 years on the air! To baldly (and badly) paraphrase H.L. Mencken, nobody ever went broke producing a TV show that underestimated the taste and intelligence of the American public.
I couldn't look at the grotesque jaw of the titular character for more than 5 minutes, let alone 12 years.
He could be a poster child for goiter and salivary and mandibular cancer stage 5.
And that turned out to be better than the dialogue, admittedly also 5 minutes worth.
Blaine, I just wanted to say thanks a million for having this blog, which my husband and I consult just about every week when we are trying to solve the puzzle--or to confirm what we suspect is the answer. This week we had been thinking "American" was one of the words in one of the shows and the blog helped us get to "Candid Camera." We have been entering for a decade and I honestly never thought either of us would win, but after the recent discussion of how the winner is not exactly "randomly" chosen, I held out on entering until Wednesday to improve my odds. It worked! I got the call about an hour ago that I am this week's winner! I plan to give you a shout-out on the air :)
ReplyDeleteHooray! Congratulations- it will be fun to hear you on the air.
DeleteCongratulations, Shari! I'm looking forward to hearing you on-air! --Margaret G.
DeleteDon't forget me when you do your shout-outs, Shari! Good luck!
DeleteCongrats, have fun and good luck!!
DeleteHave a blast, Shari. I know you'll do us proud on Sunday (actually, on the Friday taping).
DeleteI applaud your intention to give a shout-out to Blaine, our fearless leader. Hope NPR doesn't edit it out.
LegoSays"AndRememberToSmileYou'reOnCandidRadio!"
Mazel Tov! That is wonderful news. Enjoy!
DeleteCongrats, Shari!
DeleteThanks, all! I did well and hopefully they won't edit out the mention of the blog. There were only 130 correct entries this week. Will and Lulu were very nice. I know what I said will be edited because after we had recorded the segment I shared a personal story about what puzzles have meant to me and my husband and Lulu mentioned they'd include it, and why hadn't I said it earlier. (Why? Because she didn't ask anything to prompt me to share it and I didn't want to ramble!)
DeleteGreat work, Shari! Good luck next month, too!
DeleteShari, I echo jan's thoughts. You were fast!
DeleteThank you for the good wishes! (Sorry for the delay; I posted a longer comment earlier today that disappeared, unfortunately.) I hope I was just slow enough that you all were able to play along too!
DeleteThis is the best of all possible worlds.
ReplyDeleteComments are disabled for this video.
DeleteI can't imagine why.
AMERICAN DAD + C = CANDID CAMERA, which is making a comeback on TV Land, hosted by Peter Funt.
ReplyDeleteMy hint: Have you ever heard of “Canada Crime Days?” I didn't think so. CANADA CRIME Days anagrams to CANDID CAMERA (Even Chuck may have heard of this one).
I, also, have never heard of “American Dad.”
AMERICAN DAD + C = CANDID CAMERA
ReplyDeletePaul Simon song "clicking" away in my brain: Kodachrome
Watch out for that bow tie.
DeleteI would have guessed "American Tune". Either one applies.
ReplyDeleteAMERICAN DAD! + C = CANDID CAMERA
ReplyDelete"That was fun. Going to phone this one in." referred to Allen Funt as well as to the use of camera phones in the 2014 reprise of CANDID CAMERA.
The discussion about a technical issue, as discussed later in the week, referred to the ! in AMERICAN DAD!, but not in CANDID CAMERA.
You could have changed the ! into a C, and took it from there. I'm just sayin'. The imagination is a wonderful thing.
ReplyDeleteThink of an unpopular TV show in 13 characters (including punctuation and spaces as characters). Change one character and rearrange to get a popular TV show
DeleteAin't no rules in a knife fight.
DeleteAs some of you may know, I live in St. Louis. Actually, my house is just a few yards north of the path of totality. I could literally walk to it. There’s a public park about 10 minutes south of here on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River where I could catch about 30 seconds of totality. However, my daughter and I have decided to drive to a farm about an hour south and west of here (she knows the owners). They have trees (shade) as well as flat farmland, folding chairs, a bathroom, etc. And the totality should be a little over 2 minutes.
ReplyDeleteThe weather is expected to be good on Monday. My real concern is traffic. People are coming to the St. Louis area from all over, even from foreign countries. If traffic really gets bad, we’ll bail, pull over to the side of the road and just watch from wherever we are. We have our eclipse glasses, food and water.
Special note to Ron – Yes, even _I_ remember Candid Camera. Didn’t watch it but I remember it. Never heard of American Dad.
What to do if you haven't ordered your eclipse glasses yet and you find yourself followed by a moonshadow on Monday (moonday?). (Remember, if you ever lose your eyes, you won't have to read Blaine's blog no more.) Don't even think of flying your Learjet to Nova Scotia this time. Here's a 5-minute (tops) project to make an eclipse viewer from an cereal box. It works, though when I tested it today, the sun just looks round, not eclipsey at all. Don't point it at the sun, just turn around, bright eyes. Ready? Here it comes.
ReplyDeleteWe get the picture, jan, thanx.
DeleteAlthough I must say living in a powderkeg and giving off sparks troubles me just a mite.
DeleteJan - I made one of those this morning, simple but effective! Looks like clouds on Monday for me though.
DeleteThose glasses are nearly gone in my area. One store that did have them had a two block long line, waiting for a chance to buy some.
After you finish jan's craft project for today you can check this Canadian story out that I first heard last night. This is the best feel good story in a long time. Note: If Canada can save their loon, perhaps they can us from our loon.
ReplyDeletehttp://globalnews.ca/news/3676890/loon-looking-for-a-rescue-swims-up-to-the-right-people-near-nordegg-alberta/
If Trump is against statues being taken down, then let's put this one back up.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theverge.com/2016/8/18/12538672/nude-donald-trump-statues-union-square-los-angeles-indecline
SDB - OMG! Long overdue, that is funny!!
DeleteNext week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from listener Steve Baggish of Arlington, Mass. Think of two synonyms — one in 5 letters, the other in 4. The 5-letter word starts with S. The 4-letter word contains an S. Change one of these S's to an A. You can rearrange the result to name a group of people, in 9 letters, that ideally have those two adjectives describe them. What group is it?
ReplyDeleteIt came right to me
DeleteI have an answer that works, but I'm not at all sure it's what Will intended. Guess I'll have to wait until Thursday.
DeleteJerry Lewis and Dean Martin are back together again.
ReplyDelete