Not sevenQ: Pick an even number between 1 and 10 that's 1 more than four and 2 more than ten.
My hint has 8 letters and also points out that SEVEN and THREE may have the right number of letters but aren't even.
A: EIGHT the even number in that range that has 1 more (letter) than FOUR and 2 more (letters) than TEN.
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.
I get how this isn't an _algebraic_ puzzle. But the answer I got is so facile I immediately doubted that it was the right one. I won't be trying, however, for anything more subtle.
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter/Passover/Springtime.
ReplyDeleteThis puzzle may have laid an egg. It's not very satisfying.
Can't think of any more complex solution other than the obvious. If someone finds one I hope they give an indication of it.
DeleteOtherwise we will probably have more than 2000 answers.
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DeleteI caught this morning'a broadcast while fitness walking around a local lake. When I heard next week's challenge, I thought it too trivial and that I'd miss-heard it. So when I came home, I turned here to check.
ReplyDeleteFrom the other comments I see I'm not alone in that assessment. The real challenge will be coming up with comments that aren't spoilers.
But before I forget - whether you are celebrating Passover, Easter, or neither, may we all share the blessings of health, love, and peace.
Neither, Praise no one!
DeleteThe Easter Bunny just hopped into Western Auto and bought blinker fluid and pre-paid horn time!
ReplyDeleteApril Fool! Western Auto no longer exists!
As to the puzzle, count me out!
HAPPY APRIL FOOLS' DAY! Don't be hogtied by this puzzle; it' not seven nor three.
ReplyDeleteToday's puzzle seems a little bit too easy. Maybe the real solution is hiding with Waldo on Google maps.
ReplyDeleteEats, Shoots & Leaves.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those either-you-get-it-or-you-don’t kind of puzzles. There’s no way of gradually approaching the answer step-by-step.
ReplyDeleteSand might be of help
ReplyDeleteEven so, turned my hi-fi very loud while reading the mail.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if anyone will spend half a day trying to solve this?
ReplyDeleteDue to a loud upset in our ranks, STRAP is now the Society To Renew Anagram Puzzles.
Lousy April Fool's jokes on NPR....
Some better ones here . . .
Deletehttp://time.com/5219405/best-april-fools-day-pranks-2018/
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DeleteTried – but failed – to make the link live.
DeleteThis title – for this puzzle?
ReplyDeleteOn reflection, maybe it's better to just describe this puzzle as odd.
ReplyDeleteIs this puzzle an April fool's day joke?
ReplyDeleteTitle should be deleted.
ReplyDeleteI've seen this one in old books of riddles.
ReplyDeleteAs a follow up to this White House announcement on Friday (funniest thing I've read in months!), today they announced that the Sexual Assault Victim Intervention Services Technical Assistance Center (SAVIS TAC) will be renamed the Sexual Assault Victim Engagement Through Intervention Counselling Technical Assistance Center.
ReplyDelete#Acronyms matter!
Speaking of acronyms/abbreviations, April Fool's is AF, right?
DeleteAF → ACRONYM FINDER.
DeleteI must admit my wife and I fell for the April fool's joke
ReplyDeleteI also fell for the April fools joke for a while but figured it out before Will and Korva fessed up to it.
DeleteThat April Fool’s “joke” wasn’t a joke and wasn’t funny – it was SICK!
DeleteThe BBC got pranked with Brexit-themed emojis: “Brexit Bulldog” and “Starry Blue” in an article written by and author named Scherzo Primavera (joke of spring)
Also Smithfield’s new product, Bacon Crisps cerealand T-Mobile’s new product smartshoephone
Pranking by adding something to the world, not deleting something from it.
Removal of cultural icons (NPR Sunday Puzzle, Garrison Keillor, Jonathan Schwartz) is sick and sad, never funny!
Jaxon: I agree with you.
DeleteI got up in the middle of my night to visit Mother Nature and the puzzle was just posted online. I immediately returned back to bed and solved it right away. So, a few minutes later it was time for the first of three broadcasts of the puzzle here in Seattle, and I turned on my radio to listen to it before returning back to sleep. I fell for the prank at first, but then wondered why there would have been another challenge.
The reason it worked so well is that it was not at all funny. It is what many long time listeners to NPR have come to expect from many of the programs we like best. We are never consulted in these matters.
NPR in past years has had several April Fools stories that were extremely funny. The difference is that this prank was completely believable with no way to see through it. In the past I quickly have picked up on their silly story being a joke because there were things about each of these stories that a critical thinker might see through. My favorite is the one of the Maple trees exploding in forests in Maine where the syrup was not harvested. There were several reasons why I saw right through this one as it was being delivered, such as the horrendous sound of a tree exploding that would travel. Well sound does not travel far in a forest.
In order for an April Fool Joke to really be funny is for there to be a good reason for us to have seen through it, but just did not. This was not the case with this one. It fell rather flat, as does this poor puzzle offering.
Interesting. Korva got no further than "Will, it's really hard for me to say ..." that I knew they were going to do a lame Puzzle's-being-cancelled April Fool's joke. Maybe I'm too cynical.
DeleteApril Fool's jokes about things that people care about are not only potentially cruel, in the end they aren't funny - perhaps because they are cruel. Kind of like telling a child they have cancer.... NO, I'M JUST KIDDING! APRIL FOOL'S! ISN'T THAT FUNNY? HAHAHAHA. Yeah, good one, very funny....
A good April Fool's joke is absurd but strangely believable, with no one really being hurt by either the truth or the mendacity of the story. Even better when, upon recognizing the joke, you slap yourself on the head for being such a dope to believe it in the first place. The exploding maple tree works - at some point you realize all maple trees would have exploded long ago, before there were people to tap them. DOH!
Jan offers another good one at the PEOTS blog, which has the added bonus of fulfilling a suspicion many have long held.
Just back from a walk around the lake where I gave some more thought to the "joke" yesterday. I thought it was cruel, as you say above, and then I thought if it is funny to be cruel, then this joke was hilarious.
DeleteIt is on the level of Trump
DeleteTweets and actions. CRUEL...VERY CRUEL. HAD ME UPSET.
I too fell for the April Fool's joke, but since next week's puzzle deals with math and not words, I am sitting this one out. Good luck to all, and Happy Easter, Passover, whatever you may choose to celebrate. Spring is here. Enjoy it. And don't be taken in by any other pranks this day.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteTMI
DeleteReally? Just telling him to question his assumptions is TMI?
DeleteExactly, you are telling everyone where to look for the answer.
DeleteIt would not have been TMI if skydiveboy had not pointed it out. But now? It's TMI.
DeleteOK, I deleted my comment. Now, how many comments about the comment need to be deleted? I claim this puzzle does not merit this much thought.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteUsually Will's puzzles come quickly to me. Ecoarchitect, I hate to admit it but I may be one of those people who spends half a day trying to solve this. I'm sure it's obvious but my brain is not having any luck so far.
ReplyDeleteEveryone is getting high today. No magic needed.
ReplyDeleteAs I posted at 5:30ish this morning: "Too easy!"
ReplyDeleteThere are two answers however. The intended answer is the one you all got already and is crap. The second answer is also too easy, but I found it much more satisfying and sophisticated, as I did with last week's puzzle that also has two valid answers. I wonder why Will did not mention it.
Maybe he didn't wont to?
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DeleteWill think about it some more. Will look forward to your explanation Thurs. if I can't come up with it.
DeleteCame up with two answers -- one that I assume is the intended answer and one that is far too cutesy to be the same as SDB's "satisfying and sophisticated" alternative. Oddly enough, I found a second path to the first answer.
DeleteNOT A CLUE: I came up with an answer, but the solving was not pretty: I had to hammer the answer with a 10 lb. sledge and then toss it through a burning hoop of knives into a kiddie pool full of heavy water.
DeleteDoes either answer require a basic knowledge of certain electronic devices ?
The answer I've got, consistent with most of the clue-non-clues, doesn't need devices more than complicated than fingers or toes.
DeleteStill, other posts claim 1 more legit entry ...
Let me attempt to answer that for you, xfyre. I got both of my answers very quickly while back in bed about to go back to sleep. In the interest of full disclosure I probably should mention that I sleep on a waterbed.
DeleteIn case you missed it at the end of last week's posts, I give you a MILLENNIAL JOB INTERVIEW. It is not a clue to this week's puzzle.
ReplyDeleteSDB: Perhaps WS never saw your answer. I am curious about your alternate answer. You are so clever. Are you sending it in?
ReplyDeleteNatasha:
DeleteThanks. I posted last Thursday both the intended answer and my alternate answer: Sparta, IL > SPAR & TAIL. Rabbits and Hares spar/box. You can Google and watch video of it. And yes, I sent in both answers simultaneously. I will do the same this week. I am willing to bed money it will not get mentioned next Sunday though.
Sdb: ws never reads the emails,I bet. An intern must read them instead. He has no time for that. This must be a census day. Check your spelling, btw.lol.
DeleteHe has said he reads them all for some of his puzzles, but I suspect you are right. I did see my spelling error; makes it sound like I meant whore money. LOL
DeleteSDB: Just blame error on DT.
DeleteDidn't take long for the Thought Police down at the Ministry of Truth to make Rex an Unperson.
ReplyDeleteAnd now for something completely different:
ReplyDeleteHummus Humour, including this:
Fri(END)
Girlfri(END)
Boyfri(END)
There is no END with Humm(US) just US.
To infinity, and beyond...
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ReplyDeleteThe way they announced the April Fool’s joke, with such a downer in their voice, I knew right away. Bah humbug
ReplyDeleteYep, me too!
DeleteI was not fooled either. When Will stops (and hands the reins over to Lego!), there will be much fanfare, reviewing favorite moments, and gnashing of teeth (?).
DeleteI immediately felt sad for losing this blog site and tried to think of a way to save it. I was hoping it was april's fools since I already saw the puzzle on this site before I listened to the program. Could not imagine giving another puzzle if not on next week.
DeleteI felt the same way, not up or really awake yet, or thinking what day it was. I couldn't understand why there would be another, last puzzle if no one would be there next week.
DeleteWhen I clicked on the "Submit Your Answer" link, I expected to be taken to a page with "April Fools!" as the heading, followed by the real puzzle.
ReplyDeletePC, What a great idea!
DeleteAnd if the real puzzle involves hydrocarbons -- April Fuels a Re: Peat.
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ReplyDeleteTitle of this blog is grammatically incorrect today. Whom do we appreciate!
ReplyDeleteThe answer just came to me, and I wasn't even really trying. Won't say if there's a trick to it or not, you'll just have to figure it out for yourself. BTW isn't it funny how the NPR website actually ruined their on-air April Fool's Day prank because it still included a challenge for next week? You'd think they would've caught that before going on the air in the first place. Just sayin'.
ReplyDeleteCran>>They said it was AF before giving the new puzzle, pretty sure.
DeleteI suspect cranberry read the puzzle on-line before listening to it. There was no mention of their absolutely hilarious and well-acted April Fool's prank (do you sense Oscar or sarcasm?) and so hearing it later had no affect for him.
DeleteAlso Sharon, congratulations on solving, as Chuck noted above you either get it or don't. This reminds me of the changes in the NYT crosswords: I see more "cuteness" now than in the Eugene Maleska and Will Weng days.
My head hit the pillow and I thought about the puzzle for 30 seconds and got it. Easy. I think. I have an answer. Going to submit.
ReplyDeleteCongrats!
DeleteNatasha, yes indeed!
ReplyDeleteAnyone else having trouble submitting? The My name section of the online form requires an email address instead of a name.
ReplyDeleteYes, same problem. I typed my name in messages and told them of the problem.
DeleteCurtis: I submitted yesterday morning with no problem at all on my cell phone. That is strange. I will try from my computer and see if I get the same thing as you got.
ReplyDeleteCurtis: try this link that I used from this site at the top. It shows a place for name and email both.
ReplyDeletehttps://help.npr.org/customer/portal/emails/new?i=7
I was just about to submit what I thought must be the answer until I saw that the way the puzzle is written on the NPR website differs slightly from how it's written on this site. Ugh. NPR: Pick an even number between 1 and 10 that's 1 more than four and 2 more than 10.
ReplyDeleteand 1 less than 12...
DeleteTrue that, Ralph.
Deletewww.npr.org/puzzle still redirects you to last week’s puzzle.
ReplyDeleteAt least there aren't an infinite number of solutions to this puzzle.
ReplyDeleteTrue. Easy to just guess and be correct.
DeleteWell there are only four even numbers between 1 and ten. (Ten is excluded since the answer is two more than ten)
DeleteI was pretty sure that the last of the puzzle thing was a prank as I listened.
ReplyDeleteI did think it was was kind of mean for what is supposed to be lighthearted.
It almost "fooled" me by being very much how the real thing will eventually happen: crude, tin-eared and without real explanation.
Last week's challenge was simple and pretty while-in-bed easy, but a good puzzle.
I have an obvious but way disappointing response to this one, one I hope is bettered.
While on the treadmill this morning trying to make up for yesterdays feasting, I glanced at my pool table and got the answer I think.
ReplyDeleteOOOOOOOO, mighty strong clue there.
DeleteThis puzzle might have been better for next week, yes?
Deleteeggactly!
DeleteI figured out the April Fool joke after a few seconds. The hardest part for me was hearing Corva say that the puzzle was no longer popluar enough with listeners. That made me want to go back to bed and cry!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite April Fool's joke on NPR was a report of an advertising firm that would be beaming ads on the moon. I was furious until I remembered the date. I am not the sharpest tool, but I have to share that I had the answer before the music stopped on Sunday.
ReplyDeleteMoonbeams? How could you not believe that? ;-)
DeleteTHIS WEEK'S CARTOONS.
ReplyDeleteI snapped a picture today of a bumper sticker that says, "We are Blaine," but I don't know how to post it here.
ReplyDeleteWhere do you live? My first thought is that it may be a Washington State plate and referring to the border crossing at Blaine that has always been open. Anyway it is a puzzle.
DeleteI think it's an elementary school in Evanston, IL.
ReplyDeleteElementary school kids are driving earlier and earlier these days! :-)
Delete"We are Blaine" is timely indeed.
DeleteI don't think there's a way to post images here, in the past I've created a Google Doc (can be done for free, TAKE THAT Duckduckgo!!!) for the image, and then posted a link here. I suppose there are other free image upload sites.
I love Blaine.
DeleteBonus Quiz:
DeletePick an odd number between 1 and 10 that's 1 more than four and 2 more than ten. If you pick the right number and anagram it odds will get you evens.
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ReplyDeleteI'm too technologically challenged to figure that out, ecoarchitect. I don't even know how to remove my pic so it's more anonymous.
ReplyDeleteAnother Bonus Quiz:
ReplyDeletePick an odd number between 1 and 10 that's 1 more than four and 2 more than ten. If you pick the right number and anagram it, there it will be.
Yup, Mort Canard already posted essentially the same puzzle yesterday evening.
DeleteSimilar puzzle different answer.
DeleteThree -> There
Seven -> Evens
There's a lot of traffic on the too much information highway, so to distract, here's what we missed 10 days ago.
ReplyDeleteMegan Kelly must have extraordinary senses if she can say "My eyes! Don’t need to hear that."
So now we're just left hanging?
DeleteAre you addicted?
DeleteIs that a math question?
DeleteStormy does have acute angle, as she tried to abstract large sums of money. Slight tangent, he didn't cosine the agreement with Stormy, nor coordinate with his attorney. This is an integral part of her attorney's calculus.
DeleteThere seems to be a division in how Trump and Stormy Daniels view things and it just doesn't quite add up. I think a brief explanation is in order. Also, did Stormy Daniels utilize a repeating magazine in Thump's chambers? Anyway it should be a barrel of laughs if they are unsuccessful in their attempts to muzzle her.
DeleteSpeaking of viewing things. One (1) wonders if one (1) might need a magnifying instrument in order to view the President's digit. Otherwise wouldn't 60 Minutes have displayed this tool of prowess for us all to marvel at?
Didn't she say in the interview that he did not use a condom? Do you suppose that is because they always fell right off the little guy? Certainly a gripping tale of gripping tail though.
EIGHT (one more letter than FOUR, two more letters than TEN)
ReplyDelete"This puzzle may have laid an egg. It's not very satisfying." >>> 'nuff said.
Mort Canard's bonus puzzle, with an answer of SEVEN, which anagrams to EVENS, was more satisfying.
Intended Answer:
ReplyDeleteEIGHT (8) > 1 LETTER MORE THAN FOUR & 2 LETTERS FEWER THAN TEN.
Better Answer:
DOZEN (12) > On an analog watch/clock there are only 2 numbers between 1 and 10. They are eleven and twelve. Twelve is the even number and is 2 more than 10, but also 2 more than FOUR, so we will call it DOZEN, which is also 2 more than ten and 1 more than FOUR.
EIGHT (The word eight has one more letter than four, two more letters than ten.)
ReplyDeleteEIGHT, that's 1 more letter than “four” and 2 more letters than “ten.” APRIL FOOLS!
ReplyDelete[SEVEN, that's 1 more letter than “four” and 2 more letters than “ten,” but neither SEVEN (EVENS) nor THREE (THERE) is an even number.]
My hint: “hogtied” drop “od” and rearrange to yield “eight.”
The second (SDB's) answer: SIX is the next (“1 more than four”) even number after four and SIX is the number of letters of “2 more than ten” in twelve.
Ron, I read your "hogtied" clue as a reference to a figure 8 looping of the rope...
Delete8
ReplyDeleteEight is an even number between 1 and 10. It has 5 letters which is 1 more than the number of letters in “four” and 2 more than the number of letters in “ten”.
I wrote, "I get how this isn't an _algebraic_ puzzle." My answer was "eight," an anagram of the first five letters of that sentence.
ReplyDeleteAren't the first five letters i-g-h-t-i?
DeleteOh, that's the first letters of the first five words. But the first five letters of the sentence are
DeleteI GET H
Rob, nice deflection with algebraic.
DeleteEIGHT
ReplyDeleteE.veryone I.s G.etting H.igh T.oday
No "Magic 8 Ball" needed.
My cutesy alternate answer...
ReplyDeleteTWO
...because two is the only even PRIME, and PRIME has one more letter than FOUR and two more letters than TEN.
"I wonder if anyone will spend half a day trying to solve this?" A day has twenty-four hours >>> twenty-four has 10 letters, half of that is 5.
ReplyDelete"doesn't need devices more than complicated than fingers or toes" of course most of us have 5 digits on each appendage.
In my other comments I used 5 letter words or word combinations:
"Due to a loud upset in our ranks, STRAP is now the Society To Renew Anagram Puzzles."
"Lousy April Fool's jokes on NPR"
"Still, other posts claim 1 more legit entry"
"We are Blaine"
Arguably, sEVEN is the only EVEN number between one and ten.
ReplyDeleteAlso, VII could be considered one more than IV and two more than X.
I wish I had thought of DOZEN and/or PRIME
I H8 April Fool's Day!
> since next week's puzzle deals with math and not words, I am sitting this one out.
ReplyDeleteMy “giveaway” response to this was “What makes you think the puzzle deals with math and not words?”
I was afraid that no one would better the obvious "AF Day" answer.
ReplyDeleteTwo insults from the PM in one day.
For something better Google "Channel Island Eagle."
Look for Sauces Canyon Nest. It's lunchtime.
There's no clue suggesting anagrams here. You can't just make that up , you have to use ONLY what was spoken.
ReplyDeleteThe spoken clues can then be parsed in many ways . For instance: '1' could be 'won' ; '1' and '2' could be bullet points [1],[2]; 'and' could be 'plus'... you get the idea.. but you can't make anagrams unless it's suggested
The best I could do was to separate the clue into 2 sentences. the first: 'pick a number between 1and 10' suggested I find a number between the '1' and the 10 in the second sentence.
This leaves:'...more than 4 and 2 more than'
That leaves 8 which is an even number more than 4 (6) and then 2 more than (8)
I thought this stunk and didn't bother to submit.
The clock face idea is pretty neat .
I also thought it bad because using the metrics to solve the puzzle, eight is not an even number (it's 'odd' because it has 5 letters).
DeleteEIGHT(One more than FOUR, two more than TEN.)
ReplyDeleteMort Canard and I had basically the same idea for our bonus puzzles, just different numbers(EVENS for SEVEN, THERE for THREE). I couldn't resist going with the only other five-letter number.
I had trouble with this one. I chose poorly...
ReplyDeleteSo easy in hindsight!
DeleteWhen I said, "At least there aren't an infinite number of solutions to this puzzle," I was thinking that the symbol for infinity resembles a sideways 8. It seems from his comment that Buck Bard got this.
ReplyDeleteMy clue about the pool table, was in reference to the game eight ball, or quote as being behind the eight ball.
ReplyDeleteI thought that because the names of the numbers from 1 to 10 SORTED ALPHABETICALLY are: EIGHT, FIVE, FOUR, NINE, ONE, SEVEN, SIX, TEN, THREE, and TWO; that therefore the only EVEN number whose name comes alphabetically AFTER ONE, but still BEFORE TEN was SIX.
ReplyDeleteHey anyone have the new puzzle yet?
ReplyDeleteNo, just "Last Week's Puzzle Catches Some Listeners Off Guard" as the headline, and "Gary Lees of Key Biscayne, Fla." as the player, so far.
DeleteI wonder if they decided that it was not good to publish the next weeks puzzle before broadcasting it on air.
DeleteWell the puzzle has been broadcast and next weeks puzzle give but no change in NPR's website. :[
DeleteThis is the first time that I've ever posted on any blog anywhere
ReplyDeleteWelcome! Pull up a chair and join in.
ReplyDeleteName a part of the body, insert a speech hesitation, and you'll name a country
ReplyDeletePut on my favorite pair of socks, brewed some tea in my favorite pot poured it into my favorite cup, enjoyed a first sip and, voilà! Solved!
DeleteHad to put on my thinking cap but then solved straight away. More satisfying than last weeks puzzle.
DeleteNext week's puzzle (as I recall): Name a part of the human body, insert a speech hesitation, and you'll name a country.
ReplyDeleteOver 1100 correct entries last week.
Will Shortz will be appearing on Fox's "Broooklyn 99" tonight.
It didn't take much effort to solve next weeks puzzle.
ReplyDeleteChange one letter of the capital city to name another country.
ReplyDelete5,895 miles away from me.
ReplyDelete