You are all very capable students of Will Shortz.Q: These five 2-word phrases have something very unusual in common. What is it? When you find it, think of another two-word phrase that has the same property.
● Property rights
● Land mine
● Sales order
● Color scheme
● India ink
Edit: Using the same pattern on "CAPable STudents", we have CAPital and STate.
A: The first 3 letters (of the first word) are the start a state capital and the first 2 letters (of the second word) are the state postal code.
PROperty RIghts --> PROvidence, RI
LANd MIne --> LANsing, MI
SALes ORder --> SALem, OR
COLor SCheme --> COLumbia, SCINDia INk --> INDianapolis, IN
A few possible phrases that also work:BOSs MAn / BOSun's MAte --> BOSton, MA
COLlege SCholarship --> COLumbia, SC
DENtal COverage --> DENver, CO
HARbor PAtrol / HARem PAnts --> HARrisburg, PA
INDefinite INtegral --> INDianapolis, IN
LINgual NErve --> LINcoln, NE
LITerary ARts --> LITtle Rock, AR
MADeira WIne --> MADison, WI
PROmise RIng --> PROvidence, RI
RICkets VAccine --> RIChmond, VA
SACral CAnal / SACred CAbal --> SACramento, CA
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.
Radio silence
ReplyDeleteWW, is your brother a runner?
DeleteYes.
DeleteIt took some digging, but I finally came up with a decent phrase. It was much harder than I thought.
ReplyDeleteI got my additional phrase right away.
DeletePlease disregard my comment at the end of the previous thread. I've figured it out now.
ReplyDeleteHardly passes for a real puzzle this week and disappointed that he didn’t acknowledge the issue with last week’s wording re Mobil.
ReplyDeleteLike what you did there...
DeleteOK OK, is it half-cocked to think there could be a dozen decent answers?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI've got a list of 48, most of which you really wouldn't call common phrases.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteI got a few common phrase answers, so I think there's probably at least a dozen decent ones. --Margaret G
Deletejan, I never got to see your reply. Could you repeat it, please?
DeleteHere's the comment that Blaine deleted:
DeleteEaWAf: For some "items", I have several qualifying two-word phrases. For others, none are possible. Just as, several weeks ago, there were several English words that contained the letters M-A-R-S within them, but none that contained J-U-P-I-T-E-R.
There is always that 3D jumboprinter...
DeleteAnd I thought of, although never posted, juxtapositioner (Aw, C'mon, spellchecker! A juxtapositioner would be someone who juxtapositions things!).
DeleteDesi Arnaz
ReplyDeleteVisited Jamestown, NY yesterday where the Lucy and Desi Museum is located. Went to the National Comedy Center. Alas, I wish your clue helped.
DeleteIt is, alas, not a clean clue. . .
DeleteOh, now I get it, I think!
DeleteSiz was going for Des Moines, Iowa, which opens up what I might call a "closed but unlocked door" in this puzzle. Cranberry's list of non-capital cities points to another such "door" and I suspected that it was this lack of rigor that Mendo Jim objected to, but, after reading his latest commentt, I think he had a slightly different beef.
Anyway, I found the puzzle exTREmely eNJoyable.
DeleteAs usual, first I solved the puzzle, then I found an additional example, then I thought of a clever (?) clue, and only much later did I figure out Blaine's clue.
ReplyDeleteIt might be better not to. I suspect you already know you have the right answer anyway.
ReplyDeleteIt's on the tip of my tongue... and the roof of my mouth.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone thinks this puzzle is a lost cause, I certainly wouldn't want to be a part of their pity party. It is what Will decided, after all.
ReplyDeleteMusical clues: Glen Campbell and Dennis Coffey
ReplyDeleteHow about the Capitol Steps?
DeleteHare Krishna
ReplyDeleteSome of the worst Shortz puzzles over the years have been built around a phrase like "something very unusual in common."
ReplyDeleteAnd he has been impervious to proof otherwise every time.
I would reshuffle the order of the two-word phrases:
ReplyDelete* India ink
* Land Mine
* Sales Order
* Color scheme
* Property rights
(There are three other equally valid reshufflings.)
LegoRifflingOffShortz
I might argue that all 5! permutations are "equally" valid. For example, I might switch the second and third items in your list.
DeletePaul, I would agree that the second and third items on my list could be switched. That is one of the three equally valid reshufflings.
DeleteBut I might counter-argue that, since one "card" must remain atop the "deck," we are dealing with not 5! but 4! permutations. And I believe, because of the three-tiered hierarchy inherent in the list, those 4! permutations must be divided by (3!)(2!).
LegoConludesThat"SomeAnimalPairsAreMoreEqualThanOthers"(InTheNoahNarrativeAccordingToOrwell)
I must apologize to Paul. My posts above are based on a careless misspelling I committed. When Paul wrote, "I might switch the second and third items in your list," he was correct. Any "valid reshuffling" of Will's list must have "India ink" at the top and "Sales order" in second place. The remaining three items can fill out the list in any of six ways [because (3!)(2!)(1!) = 6]. Thus there are six (rather than four) "valid re-shufflings" of Will's random list. My bad spelling made me think that "Sales order" and "Land mine" were equivalent. They are not. "Land mine" must be relegated to the third, fourth or fifth position, just as "Color scheme" and "Property rights" must...
DeleteOkay, there seems to be a measure of frustration with this puzzle. I have no idea who has solved it and who has not. That's because, as usual, I don't understand many comments and hints made by you Blainesvillians.
I suspect jan, Paul, Blaine, Berf, cranberry, skydiveboy and 68Charger may have solved it, but I really don't know.
I am 99.9% sure I have solved it. It took me until Sunday evening. It is one of those puzzles where when you solve it you say, "Of course!"... then kick yourself for not getting it sooner. I think it is a good puzzle.
I'm not the world's best hinter, but I will try to give a hint now that may be somewhat helpful without being a giveaway:
Each item contains at least one "red herring."
LegoWhoHopesBlaineHasAlsoSolvedThePuzzleSoThatHeCanBlogAdministrikeHisPostIfItIsAGiveaway
Yes, I solved it Sunday morning. I will not be able to post at noon Thursday, as I normally do, because I will be out all day.
Delete230.2
DeleteUmm, Lego, 3! = 6, 2! = 2, 1! = 1, so (3!)(2!)(1!) = 12, not 6. And there's cyclonic and anticyclonic. So, I'm not sure about the counting here. Are you looking for solutions to an NP-complete problem? I agree with the ``red herring'' comment. For a moment, I thought my friend Roy was on to something, but it didn't work out.
DeleteThanks again for your math assistance, FloridaGuy. I was multiplying factorials for no discernible reason! What I should have said is, "The remaining three items can fill out the list in any of six ways (because 3! = (3)(2)(1) = 6). There are six different ways three items can be ordered: ABC, ACB. BAC, BCA, CAB and CBA.
DeleteI shall now take a bit of a vacation from mathematics.
LegoWhoIsGratefulToBothPaulAndFloridaGuy
Ross Beresford, who along with Magdalen, who used run the now defunct An Englishman Solves American Puzzles, would most likely say this puzzle meets with his approval, but probably say so somewhat differently.
ReplyDeleteI just sent in my answer. It seems ridiculous, but makes sense of Blaine's clue.
ReplyDeleteI missed the Perseid shower last month.
ReplyDeleteme too - too cloudy. :( --Margaret G.
DeleteExcuse me ladies and gentlemen, but I grow fatigued by this puzzle. I think I know how to solve it but feel it is not my cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteWeary here as well.
DeleteGood luck & keep trying!
DeleteI liked the "radio silence" comment!
DeleteThanks. It sure was a quiet Sunday morning.
Delete68Charger: I wonder if you really did solve it and are giving a clue. I gave up Sunday morning. Too difficult for me.
ReplyDeleteNatasha: Good to hear from you. I think I do have an answer but it could be better. But, no, no clue intended here. I just don't have the motivation to pursue another. I worked on this for a long time yesterday & today before coming across what I think is the route to the preferred answer. I just don't want to keep trying on this one. No clues intended, here!
DeleteI will be looking forward to Thursday!
68Charger: Good to get your message too. I hope you get the call from his majesty WS.
DeleteLego - I’m disappointed that I didn’t make your list of this week’s solvers given my comment/clue above.
ReplyDeleteMy sincere apologies, Snipper. I should have included you. Now that I re-read your Sun Sep 16, 08:49:00 AM PDT comment, I see that you embedded a very clever hint within the text, a hint that I was just too dull to perceive. As is too often the case when I read these Blainesville comments, I took it on face value and completely missed the brilliance. Sorry.
DeleteLegoWhoOughtToRecognizeAndHonorHisFellowBlainsvillians'CreativityMoreReadily
Ditto here. After an hour of staring at the words the answer just jumped out, but was not feeling confident until Snipper’s “Hardly passes” clue my suspicions were confirmed.
DeleteHere were my submissions, mostly random compounds as pointed out by others BTW, my weak attempt at hints were “OK OK” for now obvious reasons,”half cocked” for Hartford Connecticut and “dozen decent” for Dover Delaware since, for some reason at that time, thought perhaps only the first two letters from each word may not give away too much. Hey, am new at this posting clues thing!
MONoxide ALarm
MONster ALien
LITigation ARbiter
LIThograph ARt
SACrilegious CArtoon
DENture COrrection
DENsity COefficient
DENy COnsent
DENim COlor
TALk FLuently
TALl FLame
TALcum FLake
Danced around the answer for a while before finally coming up with the right steps.
ReplyDeleteThis puzzle is driving me insane. I swear I had a dream last night about signing a sales order for property with Indian ink!
ReplyDeleteSame here, uk.
DeleteBut then denial comes in afterward. . .
Thanks Lego- and I appreciate the shrewd lambda’s contributions to this site!
ReplyDeleteI am reminded of a cave in Pennsylvania. --Margaret G.
ReplyDeleteThe city where the cave is located is "Stalactite, PA", which just happens to anagram to "State Capital". As many have already pointed out, the first 3 letters in the first word are the beginning of the capital city, and the first 2 letters of the second word are the PO abbreviation for the corresponding state.
DeleteMy answers included Sacred Cause (Sacramento CA), Battery Lantern (Baton Rouge, LA), Monthly Allowance (Montgomery AL), Denim Comforter (Denver, CO), and Dove deoderant (Dover, DE). --Margaret G.
My bees 🐝 are happy and busy.
ReplyDeleteGood for you. But one son of a bee flew right into my face while I was biking on Sunday, and then stung me to boot. (To be fair, it may have been a hornet; I didn't get his license plate.) My cheek is still swollen. My wife says I look like half a chipmunk. Fortunately, my patients have had the decency not to mention it.
DeleteSorry about the flying, stinging critter. Our bees are so docile; just busy with that “honey do” list.
DeleteI’d put money on a hornet, or other eusocial wasp, to have altered your cheek structure.
I didn't know you kept bees. Did you know about the two hives on the roof of the NPR building in DC? They're named "All Stings Considered" and "Swarming Edition".
DeleteYes, we have two hives that are producing several gallons of honey this summer. They are quite entertaining to watch. No names for the hives here yet, though.
DeleteThe oddest part is the honey tastes like orange blossoms.
There is also a third hive named, "Wait Wait ... Don't Bore Me!"
DeleteHow wonderful — I would love to have a honey hive!
DeleteSDB: your comment sounds like something a wasp would say.
Deleteeco, what’s the buzz 🐝 on where you’ve been?
DeleteI am a WASP. I used to be anyway.
DeleteWW: thanks for asking, my week has just been a-pollen, see my response to Curtis below.
DeleteGlad you are still among us, buzzing about. Everyone I know has had a buzzy �� week.
DeleteI was going in many directions here also; we are still trying to get our international students here from Nigeria and Afghanistan.
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ReplyDeleteTomorrow, David, tomorrow.
DeleteSorry. I'm new to this.
DeleteIt was a great post; just too revealing until the deadline tomorrow.
DeleteThe reason folks down in New Orleans put up those levees is because they can bayou some time.
ReplyDeleteOy
DeleteI played on the air back in December (I was the one who waited to buy a dictionary in case I got to play on the air and win one). I discovered Blaine's puzzle blog in the last year as well and am glad to see others like to solve the NPR puzzle. This is my first time posting, so ...salutations!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to Blainesville, Markio... and salutations backatcha.
DeleteWe all know NPR no longer doles out dictionaries (just games, puzzle books and the "coveted" lapel pin), but did they make an exception in your case and spring for one?
LegoWhoWouldAlwaysOptForLexiconsOnTheLapOverLapelPinsOnTheTux!
I am discombobulated. Vacation days Monday and Tuesday, worked today(Wednesday) when I am usually off. Vacation days Thursday and Friday. Thought the answer needed to be Wednesday at 3:00, I got nothing and I am walking away. Cannot wait for Thursday(is that tomorrow?) to paste an L on my forehead.
ReplyDeleteLiz, here’s to Combobulation Thursday!
DeleteAnd no L necessary, btw. This was very tricky.
DeleteReally busy week at work, with little brain power left for puzzles. I'm discombobulated, too, and not submitting an answer for the second week in a row, which is a first for me.
DeleteI came up with a solution on Sunday, but couldn't connect that with the clues given, so I dropped it. Also, I am madly trying to get some projects submitted before the next round of projects start tomorrow.
DeleteI am not submitting for the +/-1,560th week in a row. Except a couple of times for creative challenges.
Jasmine Choi
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt is now Thursday and as the clock ticks down to 3:00 and the great reveal, I am begging someone to post a not-quite-tmi-but-close hint to the commonality. I can't let this puzzle beat me!
ReplyDeleteVote out the red. Re-elect the BLUE.
DeleteIAmLegoLambdaAndIThinkIApproveOfThisMessageButIAmNotSureThatOurBlogAdministratorWill
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletenot only did I not get to first base I didn't make it out of the batter's box. Usually solve puzzle using a excel spreadsheet and occasionally optimization. that won't work when it comes to reading Will's (alleged) mind. I will sleep though Weekend Edition Sunday and forget I ever saw this puzzle. Curse you Red Baron
ReplyDeleteI wasn't even at the stadium.
DeleteThe first words have the first 3 or more letters of a state capital. The second words begin with the 2 letter postal code of that state.
ReplyDelete● Property rights >>> Providence, RI
● Land mine >>> Lansing, MI
● Sales order >>> Salem, OR
● Color scheme >>> Columbia, SC
● India ink >>> Indianapolis, IN
MY OFFERINGS:
● Sacajawea's campfire >>> Sacramento, CA
● Olympics Walking >>> Olympia, WA
● Linoleum neglect >>> Lincoln, NE
● Talented flamingos >>> Tallahassee, FL
● Phở azure >>> Phoenix, AZ
My Hint:
“Ross Beresford, who along with Magdalen, who used run the now defunct An Englishman Solves American Puzzles, would most likely say this puzzle meets with his approval, but probably say so somewhat differently.”
It has now gone somewhat out of style, but the Brits used to use "capital" as a synonym for excellent or marvelous. "I say! That's a capital idea."
The first 3 letters (of the first word) are the start a state capital and the first 2 letters (of the second word) are the state postal code.
ReplyDeletePROperty RIghts --> PROvidence, RI
LANd MIne --> LANsing, MI
SALes ORder --> SALem, OR
COLor SCheme --> COLumbia, SCINDia INk --> INDianapolis, IN
A few possible phrases that also work:BOSs MAn / BOSun's MAte --> BOSton, MA
COLlege SCholarship --> COLumbia, SC
DENtal COverage --> DENver, CO
HARbor PAtrol / HARem PAnts --> HARrisburg, PA
INDefinite INtegral --> INDianapolis, IN
LINgual NErve --> LINcoln, NE
LITerary ARts --> LITtle Rock, AR
MADeira WIne --> MADison, WI
PROmise RIng --> PROvidence, RI
RICkets VAccine --> RIChmond, VA
SACral CAnal / SACred CAbal --> SACramento, CA
The first two letters of the second word of each phrase is a US state postal abbreviation. The first three letters of the first word are the first three letters of the state capital.
ReplyDelete> WW, is your brother a runner?
Last week, Word Woman mentioned that her brother lived in Cambridge. I was wondering whether he ran in the BOSton MArathon. (BOSton MAssacre and BOSs MAn also work.)
> It's on the tip of my tongue... and the roof of my mouth.
That's where you find the LINgual NErve, and the HARd PAlate.
> How about the CAPitol STeps?
Echoes Blaine's clue.
> I missed the Perseid shower last month.
AUGust MEteors
Here are some of my rejected ideas:
DeleteATLas GAmes
AUGmented MEmory
BATch LAnguage
BAThing LAke
BATtle LAnd
DENse COre
HARd PAlate
HONest HIstory
HONey HIll
INDelible INk
INDex INvesting
LITerary ARgument
MONitor ALarm
MONocase ALphabet
PHOny AZalea
PROduct RIsk
PROtein RIch
RICe VAlley
RICh VAluation
TALl FLame
My list of 48 phrases included only those on the Moby Word List file of compound words.
DeleteIn no particular order:
ReplyDeleteMONTHLY ALLOWANCE
DENY COLLUSION
OLYMPIC WALKING
SACRED CATTLE
HARRISON PAEAN
I thought about contriving some story involving a route connecting all the answers I thought of, but I never got around to developing SAID MNEMONIC, and thus forgot a few.
DeleteA few possibilities I noticed no one else came up with:
DeleteSEARCH WARRANT(Seattle, Washington)
SAND CASTLE(San Diego, Francisco, Mateo, Santa Barbara, etc., California)
TALKING ALOUD(Talladega, Alabama)
And of course, the five I mentioned in a previous post:
LOST CAUSE(Los Angeles, California)
PITY PARTY(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
WILL DECIDED(Wilmington, Delaware)
GLEN CAMPBELL(Glendale, California)
DENNIS COFFEY(Denver, Colorado)
And, come to think of it, JASON ALDEAN(Jasper, Alabama). How did I miss that one?
Also, CHARLES SCHULZ(Charleston, South Carolina).
And CORN FLAKES(Coral Gables, Florida).
And I just now realized they're supposed to be the state capitals, but I just went with any city in that state. Seems to be a lot of possibilities whether it's the capital or not, wouldn't you say?
First three or more letters in first word=State Capital
First two in second word=State Postal Abbreviation
You get up early on a Sunday morning, you're probably still sleepy enough to sometimes miss little details like that. Sorry.
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ReplyDeleteThe first 3 or more letters of the first word are the first 3 or more letters of a state capital. The first 2 letters of the second word are the postal abbreviation of the corresponding state. Hence:
ReplyDelete*Property rights >>> Providence, RI
*Land mine >>> Lansing, MI
*Sales order >>> Salem, OR
*Color scheme >>> Columbia, SC
*India ink >>> Indianapolis, IN
“My bees are happy and busy.” HONey HIves >>> Honolulu, Hawaii
“I’d put money on a hornet, or other eusocial wasp, to have altered your cheek structure.” >>> MONey ALtar/alter >>> Montgomery, Alabama.
But, then DENial COmes in afterwards. . .” >>> Denver, Colorado
My comment was removed? Why?
ReplyDeleteYou post came before the deadline and the four hinted-phrases were deliberately spaced to each be on a new line which I felt didn't do much to obfuscate them.
DeleteHere's what your wrote,
The
Hard part while
Talking flirtatiously with this girl
(Honey hips) was trying to look cool in my
Denim coat
Ahh I understand. Thank you for responding!
DeleteJasmine Choi is a TALented FLutist.
ReplyDeleteWow, I wasn't even close!
ReplyDeleteIs this an obsession, or a SACred CAlling?
ReplyDeleteI had my say Sunday about "something in common" Shortz puzzles.
ReplyDeleteI think there are about sixteen states whose two-letter abbreviations may never start words,
Out of the remaining ones a few rarely do, but the rest provide hundreds of possible phrases that match Willy's.
Isn't that a boisterous idea?
Another idea is to present this challenge and answer to some of your friends who question your addiction to this weekly endeavor. Did it change their minds?
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ReplyDeleteMy hints explained:
ReplyDeleteVote out the red. Re-elect the BLUE.
Politically, red means "right" and blue means "left."
"Voting out," or eliminating, letters at the right ends of both words in each phrase while "keeping in office" the letters at the left in place will eliminate the letters you ought to ignore. For example, ditch the "or" at the end of "Color" and the "heme" at the end of "scheme" and you are left with Col and sc, which might help you see "Columbia, South Carolina." BLUE is in capital letters because "Col" is the beginning of a state capital, and postal abbreviations like SC are written in capital letters.
Each item contains at least one "red herring."
red herrings = "misleading letters"
The one misleading letter in "India ink," for example is the "k". It does not appear in "Indianapolis, IN." The "red-herring" letters in "Land mine" are "d", "n", and "e".
All my nonsense about reshuffling the order of the two-word phrases to read:
* INDIA INk (7)
* SALEs ORder (6)
* LANd MIne (5)
* COLor SCheme (5)
* PROperty RIghts (5)
was just a ranking based on which phrases contained the most non-misleading letters (which is given above in parentheses after each two-word phrase).
Lego(MadcapWitWhoIsStudyingzMnemonics)
Very interesting. That is indeed the ordering principle I was thinking of when I suggested the change (although I might have described it a bit differently (and less efficiently)).
DeleteHowever, when I first looked at your original list, I immediately noticed it was narrow at the top and broad at the bottom:
* India ink
* Land Mine
* Sales Order
* Color scheme
* Property rights
INDIA INK may be skinnier than LAND MINE, but it has the same number of letters, so I also thought about suggesting a switch between those two, with the bottom three required to remain in their original positions.
Of course, they could be listed alphabetically or according to some geographic paradigm relating to the associated cities.
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DeleteLego and Paul, I thought you were going for another ordering principle, namely the shortest way to visit all five capitals and return to the start. Of course, you can start at any of the cities, and, given a circuit, go around in either of two directions. I think states for the shortest circuit, arbitrarily starting with MI, is MI, OR, IN, SC, RI, MI. This is sort of counter-clockwise. Or you could do it clockwise. Hence my cyclonic/anticyclonic comment. The general problem of finding such a shortest tour given any number of cities to visit is known as the Traveling Salesman Problem. This is an NP-complete problem, which essentially means that it's really hard to solve once the number of cities is large enough, like 50. Here, it turns out there are only 12 circuits you need to check, so it's pretty easy.
DeleteBlaine, I was the one who mentioned that the answer involves a certain category with a certain number of ... items. I was trying to merely hint at the 50 states without giving it away. Was 48 just too close to the number 50, or did Jan's reply (which I never even got to read!), blow it for both of us?
ReplyDeleteThe main concern I had with that exchange was the focus on looking for categories much like the planets in the prior puzzle. I felt that was too revealing.
DeleteWell I was way off base this week. Good puzzle.
ReplyDeleteGood work for all of you who got this one! Two weeks in a row I have failed!
ReplyDeleteMy clues -
ReplyDeleteHARdly PAsses for a real puzzle was reference to Harrisburg PA.
My reply to Lego - “a shrewd Lamda” was reference to Shreveport Louisiana though not the capital.
I find it remarkable how quickly and consistently Blaine comes up with these answers each week, makes a graphic, gives a hint, and uploads our Sunday morning playground!
ReplyDeleteI realize a handful of other Blainesvillians get these answers consistently quickly also (skydiveboy, for example, is legendary for solving the puzzle while still wearing his nightcap, sleeping mask and pajamas!) but Blaine is under a lot of pressure to produce.
Thanks, Blaine. We don't say it enough.
LegoWhoOversleepsSundayMorningsBecauseHeTakesNipsOfBoozyNightcapsSaturdayNightBeforeSlippingUnderTheCovers
This one wasn't easy, but Sales Order was the one that made me think Salem Oregon. That was after going down lots of dead ends like anagrams, 'property' being only the top row of a typewriter, etc.
DeleteLego - Well said! Thank you Blaine.
DeleteBlaine, when I tried the "top-row-of-the-typewriter" ploy on "PROPERTY," my heart skipped a happy beat... After that, it just went back to beating in its old doldrummy glum lub-dub lub-dub lub-dub...
DeleteLegoWhoseHeartSkippedAGradeWhenHeWasAKid...BoyDidThatSmart!
I'm in awe of Blaine's quick answers, too! I didn't get this one until Tuesday. --Margaret G.
DeleteFor those who want a second chance at (or a second helping of) this type of puzzle, here is one of three Riffing Off Shortz entrees we will be serving up on Puzzleria! early tomorrow morning
ReplyDeleteThese five 2-word phrases have something reasonably unusual in common. What is it? When you find it, think of another two-word phrase that has the same property.
Tiny Lilliputians
Assail Hades!
Sales order
Parcheesi rival
Blurry snapshot
(If you get the answer you can give hints here or on Puzzleria! We reveal answers on Puzzleria! on Wednesday at noon Pacific Time.)
Among other delectibles on our menus are:
* A nifty puzzle by Mathew Huffman that involves doctors, scientists and salads.
* Our Schpuzzle of the Week which features Oktoberfest beer maids!
LegoWhoCautionsThat"ParcheesiRival"HasNothingToDoWithPennsylvaniaOrRhodeIsland
Would you believe I just now figured out the answer to those phrases, Lego? Second idea that came to me! Extra phrase: Secret Santa
DeleteYes, I would believe that, cranberry, and I believe in Santa too! Congrats. You are already ahead of the Puzzleria! game for this coming week!
DeleteLegoThinks"SecretSanta"IsAnExcellentTwoWordPhraseWithTheSameProperty
Comical illusion
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteNice job, FloridaGuy.
DeleteLegoWhoThinksItIsFittingThatAGuyFromFloridaSolvedThisParticularRiffingOffShortzPuzzle
Thanks, I was going with all the words were nouns, but the first words were being used as adjectives and then I had a brain freeze.
ReplyDeleteBlaine is truly phenomenal! Kudos, Boss Man :)
ReplyDeleteKudos to all who, unlike me, solved this one. Even after seeing the answer, I am awed by those of you who found it. WELL DONE!! (And if we're start a pool on the number of correct submittals to NPR, I'm betting on less than 100.)
ReplyDeleteI did not try, but I would never have figured out this puzzle.
ReplyDeleteDuring a story yesterday on Weekend Edition Saturday about overflowing hog lagoons raising environmental concerns in North Carolina, Scott Simon said:
ReplyDelete"I found myself very affected this week to read that amidst all the devastation and suffering of many people through Hurricane Florence, according to reports, about 5,500 pigs died during the storm."
Does he think those pigs were being raised as pets?
Next week's challenge: This challenge comes from listener Jim Levering of San Antonio. Think of an affliction in five letters. Shift each letter three spaces later in the alphabet — for example, A would become D, B would become E, etc. The result will be a prominent name in the Bible. Who is it?
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy with my answer.
DeleteI'm a bit conflicted.
DeleteI'm not sure my creed can be succinctly stated.
Deleteeco,
DeleteConflicted or afflicted???
Fewer than 100 correct entries last week
ReplyDeleteI thought Will would mention some of the other two-word phrases since he asked us to “think of another two-word phrase that has the same property.”
Delete"Fewer than a hundred" is likely to mean a WHOLE lot fewer.
DeleteAnd the phrases were so uncommon, nobody could think of a another? Right.
I think that of all the folks here who consider the challenges, Will Shortz is the least interested and spends the least time.
An odd season for this puzzle, it requires a leap of the imagination.
ReplyDeleteActually there are four biblical characters that can be used to solve the puzzle.
ReplyDelete