NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 29, 2019): World Leader Turns to Martial Arts

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 29, 2019): World Leader Turns to Martial Arts:

Q: Everyone knows what a spoonerism is, right? That's where you switch the initial consonant sounds of one phrase to get another — like "light rain" for "right lane." Here's the puzzle: Name a well-known world leader, first and last names. Spoonerize this, and you'll get a phrase that means "to have confidence in one of the martial arts." Who's the leader, and what's the phrase?

I guess there's no need to craft an enigmatic clue when the puzzle is this easy.

The clue was "craft" as in Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. Canada has the highest per capita consumption of Mac & Cheese.

A: JUSTIN TRUDEAU --> TRUST IN JUDO

Annual Video and Puzzle for 2019

Our annual video and puzzle is available now. Simply solve the puzzle to get the password. Click on this link to the annual video and type the password to see what we have been up to in 2019.

Feel free to add a comment below to let us know that you successfully figured it out (without giving away the answer to others). We are always looking for new ideas for next year's Christmas puzzle, so submit those too.

For those that might still be struggling, there is an answer key, but please only click on that as a last resort.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 22, 2019): Noted TV Journalist

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 22, 2019): Noted TV Journalist:

Q: Name a noted TV journalist — five letters in the first name, six letters in the last. Change an I in this name to a W and rearrange the result. You'll get a two-word phrase for where you might see this journalist. Who is it?

Edit: I got stuck for too long on KATIE COURIC and DIANE SAWYER. With everything that was happening for Christmas, I never found time to come back and find the real answer.

A: PIERS MORGAN --> NEWS PROGRAM

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 15, 2019): Took a Risk

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 15, 2019): Took a Risk:

Q: Write down eight different letters of the alphabet. Add an apostrophe. Then write the same eight letters in a different order. With proper spacing, you now have a four-word phrase meaning "took a risk." What is it?

If this puzzle has left you flummoxed, you're closer than you think.

Edit: In other words, if you are STUCK...

A: STUCK ONE'S NECK OUT

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 8, 2019): Another Trip to the Supermarket

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 8, 2019): Another Trip to the Supermarket:

Q: Name a food in two words — a total of 11 letters. Some of these letters appear more than once. The food has seven different letters in its name. You can rearrange these seven letters to identify the form in which this food is typically served. What food is it?

A: CREAM CHEESE (SCHMEAR)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 1, 2019): A Quick Trip to the Grocery Store

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 1, 2019): A Quick Trip to the Grocery Store:

Q: Name something you find in a grocery. Two words. Three letters in the first, six letters in the second. Switch the third and seventh letters, and read the result backward. The result will name that same grocery item again. What is it?

You might see this in the checkout line, but only in Uganda.

Edit: Red Pepper is a tabloid newspaper in Uganda.

A: RED PEPPER

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 24, 2019): Who Got a View of the Blue Gnu at the Zoo?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 24, 2019): Who Got a View of the Blue Gnu at the Zoo?:

Q: The words WON and SUN rhyme, even though their vowels are different. Can you name four common, uncapitalized 4-letter words, each of which has exactly one vowel, and all of which rhyme, even though all four vowels are different?

After a false start (faux go?), I continued steadfast in the notion I could figure this out.
Edit: You could say I was undeterred which rhymes with...

A: BIRD, CURD, HERD (or NERD) and WORD. There are other answers possible depending on your definition of "common" such as KIRK, JERK (or PERK), LURK (or MURK) and WORK

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 17, 2019): Next Largest U.S. City

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 17, 2019): Next Largest U.S. City:

Q: The city of Mobile, Alabama, has the interesting property that the name of the city has exactly the same consonants as its state (M, B, and L), albeit in a different order. What is the next-largest U.S. city for which this is true?

When studying the state capitals, I'd often get confused by this. Also, don't think that you can just say New York, New York — that's a little larger than Mobile, Alabama.

Update: I used to confuse Charleston, WV (capital) with Charleston, SC (not a capital).

A: CHaRLeSToN --> SouTH CaRoLiNa

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 10, 2019): Five Letter Antonyms

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 10, 2019): Five Letter Antonyms:

Q: Think of two five-letter words that are opposites. One of them begins with E, the other ends with E. Drop both E's. The remaining eight letters can be rearranged to spell a new word that is relevant. What are these three words?

The hardest part is coming up with a clue that is relevant.

A: ENTER, LEAVE, RELEVANT

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 3, 2019): Tiptoe Through the Seedy Ivy

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 3, 2019): Tiptoe Through the Seedy Ivy:

Q: The letters C + D together sound like the word "seedy." And the letters I + V together sound like "ivy." Take the 18 letters in the phrase END BACKSTAGE TV QUIZ. Rearrange them into pairs, using each letter exactly once, to make nine common, uncapitalized words phonetically. Can you do it?

I like most of my words but one is a bit of a stinker.

The one word that wasn't my favorite was 'ew' (also spelled with additional letters like eww) to express disgust, often at something gross and smelly. Merriam-Webster does have it as two syllables (ˈē-ü)

A: beady (BD), cagey (KG), cutie (QT), easy (EZ), eighty (AT), envy (NV), essay (SA), ew (EU) and icy (IC)

Update: Will's intended answer was u-ey (UE)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 27, 2019): Dear...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 27, 2019): Dear...:

Q: Think of a familiar two-word phrase — 5 letters in each word — that might be something you'd write in a letter. The first and last letters are the same. The 3rd and 8th letters are the same. The 4th and 7th letters are the same. And the middle two letters are consecutive in the alphabet. What phrase is it?

Here's a bonus puzzle: take a 5-letter word. Change the 2nd letter so it is three earlier in the alphabet. Change the 5th letter so it is one later in the alphabet. Write the word backwards and... Are you following me so far? Great, because I don't remember what the answer was supposed to be.

A: YOURS TRULY

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 20, 2019): Are You Ready for Some Football?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 20, 2019): Are You Ready for Some Football?:

Q: Think of a 7-letter past tense verb for something good you might have done in a football game. Move each letter one space later in the alphabet (so A becomes B, B becomes C, etc.), and rearrange the result. You'll get a past tense verb for something bad you might have done in football. What words are these?

Sometimes the first leads to the second.

Edit: Charles pointed out that once a player is tackled, the ball is dead. So I guess it would be more accurate that the second may happen while in the process of the first event.

A: TACKLED, FUMBLED

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 13, 2019): Igpay Atinlay Everagesbay

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 13, 2019): Igpay Atinlay Everagesbay:

Q: Think of an informal term for a beverage. Say it in Pig Latin and you'll have an informal term for another beverage. What are they?

I have about 5 answers.

Joe DiMaggio was known as "Mr. Coffee" for his series of commercials for the coffee maker. His retired jersey number was 5.

A: JOE (Coffee) --> O.J. (Orange Juice)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 6, 2019): People Pile Up Paella

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 6, 2019): People Pile Up Paella:

Q: There are two answers to this one, and you have to get them both. Name two tasty things to eat, each in 8 letters, in which the only consonant letters are L and P.

You end up tasting both answers with your PAPILLAE.

Edit: My hint was "end" as in the last part of a meal being dessert.

A: LOLLIPOP and APPLE PIE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 29, 2019): E, E, I, O, U

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 29, 2019): E, E, I, O, U:

Q: Think of a word that has five vowels — two E's, an I, O, and U. Curiously, every vowel except the "I" is pronounced like a short "I." And the "I" in the word is not pronounced at all. What word is it?

I can't claim that this word describes me. And I question the second syllable as my dictionary says its a schwa sound, not a short I.

A: BUSINESSWOMEN (when pronounced 'biz-nis-wi-min)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 22, 2019): No Letters in Common

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 22, 2019): No Letters in Common:

Q: Think of an adjective in five letters in two syllables. The first syllable phonetically sounds like a synonym of the full, five-letter word. And strangely these two words have no letters in common. What words are these?

I was so focused on homophones like "ewe" and "you" and "aye/eye" and "I" that I couldn't see the forest for the trees.

Edit: My hints were FOcused, homoPHONEs and FOrest

A: PHONY --> FAUX

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 15, 2019): World Menagerie

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 15, 2019): World Menagerie:

Q: Name a world capital in 12 letters. If you have the right one, you can rearrange its letters to name two animals — one in three letters and the other in nine. What capital is it, and what are the animals?

I guess we have no hope of rehabilitating Will Shortz; he can't pull himself away from the anagram puzzles.

Edit: The country of HAITI can be found consecutively in the work reHAbilItaTIng.

A: PORT-AU-PRINCE --> RAT, PORCUPINE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 8, 2019): Looking Sideways

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 8, 2019): Looking Sideways:

Q: Name a popular TV personality. Write the name in all capital letters. Rotate the last letter 90° and move it forward one spot — that is, move it in front of the preceding letter. The result will name a famous movie. What is it?

I've been staring at lists of TV personalities and famous movies for so long, I can't focus.

Edit: In other words, I'm experiencing double vision (007).

A: DR. OZ --> DR. NO

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 1, 2019): You Have Less than One Week to Escape

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 1, 2019): You Have Less than One Week to Escape:

Q: This is a two-week challenge. It may sound impossible, but it's not. You wake up trapped in a round room with six doors. A voice over a loudspeaker tells you that five of the doors are booby-trapped and will bring instant death if you try to open them. Only one door provides an opening that will get you out safely. The doors are evenly spaced around the room. They look exactly alike. Your only clue is that on the wall between each pair of doors is a large letter of the alphabet. Going clockwise, the letters are H, I, J, K, L and M. Which is the correct door that will get you out ... and why?

Shh! Don't give the answer away before the Wednesday 3pm ET deadline.

Edit: The room is round, so the spot where the letters wrap must be important otherwise it could have been a single wall with several doors. Also, the letters are *between* the doors. So this points to the exit door being being between M and H, but why? Reread the question and focus on opening and out; they seem to be key.

A: When marked with "OUT" the door between M and H forms a word for an opening — "MOUTH".

This is my theory as to the intended answer, but I'll have to wait to Sunday to have it officially confirmed.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 25, 2019): You Have Two Weeks to Escape

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 25, 2019): You Have Two Weeks to Escape:

Q: This is a two-week challenge. It may sound impossible, but it's not. You wake up trapped in a round room with six doors. A voice over a loudspeaker tells you that five of the doors are booby-trapped and will bring instant death if you try to open them. Only one door provides an opening that will get you out safely. The doors are evenly spaced around the room. They look exactly alike. Your only clue is that on the wall between each pair of doors is a large letter of the alphabet. Going clockwise, the letters are H, I, J, K, L and M. Which is the correct door that will get you out ... and why?

Read carefully. Don't choose a booby trapped door or you can kiss your *** goodbye!

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 18, 2019): New Math?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 18, 2019): New Math?:

Q: If five = four, six = nine, and seven = five, what does twelve equal?

I haven't heard this air yet, and I already have the answer.

Edit: My hint is it's easier to see this puzzle written down than to listen to it. Also, a very similar version of this puzzle aired about ten years ago. The clock was a little bit of a misdirect although you do see clocks with Roman Numerals.

A: Roman Numerals within the spelling of the first number equal the second number.
fIVe = 4
sIX = 9
seVen = 5
tweLVe = 55

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 11, 2019): Insert an E

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 11, 2019): Insert an E:

Q: Think of a common 5-letter word. If you insert an E after the second letter, you'll get a common 6-letter word. If instead you insert an E after the fourth letter, you'll get another 6-letter word. And if instead you insert an E at the end, you'll get still another 6-letter word. What words are these?

You can anagram the 6-letter words into two other 6-letter words, starting with the same letter. One has to do with words and the other with a certain sport.

Edit: The anagrams were PARSES and PASSER

A: SPARS --> SPEARS, SPARES, SPARSE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 4, 2019): Synonyms and Antonyms

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 4, 2019): Synonyms and Antonyms:

Q: Think of a two-letter and a five-letter word that are synonyms. The two-letter word and the last syllable of the five-letter word sound like new words that are antonyms. What words are these?

If today is Day 1, I'll definitely give you the answer before Day 6.

Edit: The South Korean boy band Day6 has a song named Hi Hello on their 2017 Moonrise album. Also in the picture, the big bee is higher and the small bee is lower.

A: HI, HELLO --> HIGH, LOW

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 28, 2019): Abracadabra!

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 28, 2019): Abracadabra!:

Q: The word BEVY is "alphabetically balanced." That is, the first letter, B, is second from the start of the alphabet, and the last letter, Y, is second from the end of the alphabet. Similarly, E and V are each fifth from the ends of the alphabet. Can you think of a six-letter word related to magic that is similarly balanced?

Giving a clue is not easy this week, so I'll just say Wikipedia has multiple entries for this word. Also the answer isn't HOVELS.

A: WIZARD

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 21, 2019): Easy Money

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 21, 2019): Easy Money:

Q: Think of a common two-word phrase, in nine letters, naming something that makes it easy to get money. Rearrange its letters to spell another common two-word phrase naming something that makes it hard to get money. What phrases are these?

May you have the first but not the second.

A: DEBIT CARD <--> BAD CREDIT

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 14, 2019): Veni, Vidi, Virgo!

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 14, 2019): Veni, Vidi, Virgo!:

Q: Take an 11-letter word with two D's in it. If you drop both D's, you'll get a world capital followed by a sign of the zodiac. What's the 11-letter word?

I'm back!

The big difference between Dromedaries and Bactrian camels is in the number of humps on their backs. I'm sorry for feeling that all the hints to hump (day) and lumps (of sugar) and (camel) cigarettes were too revealing.

A: DROMEDARIES --> ROME, ARIES

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 7, 2019): On Vacation

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 7, 2019): On Vacation

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.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 30, 2019): Why is the Word Abbreviation so Long?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 30, 2019): Why is the Word Abbreviation so Long?:

Q: There is a standard two-letter abbreviation for an English word that has an unusual property: The first letter of the abbreviation is the second letter of the word. And the second letter of the abbreviation does not appear in the word at all. What's the word, and what's its abbreviation?

It's not Massachusetts = MA

Edit: This was a hint to the REDSOX = RX, DOSE puzzle from not too long ago.

A: Prescription, Rx

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 23, 2019): Get to Know Your Neighbors

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 23, 2019): Get to Know Your Neighbors:

Q: Take the names of two countries that share a border. Drop the second letter from the second country's name. The resulting string of letters, in order from left to right, will spell a regular, uncapitalized word. What is it?

Swap two letters and get another word. Or rearrange completely to get a third word.

Edit: Swapping a couple letters we get MALIGNER. Or rearrange to get GERMINAL.

A: MALI + NiGER --> MALINGER

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 16, 2019): Get Out Your List of U.S. Cities

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 16, 2019): Get Out Your List of U.S. Cities:

Q: Name a major U.S. city with a population of more than 100,000. It has a two-word name. The two words rhyme, respectively, with the first and last names of a famous singer. What city is it, and who's the singer?

One half of a famous acting duo went to high school and college here.

Actor David Soul (the second half of Starsky & Hutch) grew up in Sioux Falls.

A: SIOUX FALLS --> LOU RAWLS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 9, 2019): Actor and Writer Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 9, 2019): Actor and Writer Puzzle:

Q: Think of a famous actor, first and last names, that together contain each of the five vowels (A, E, I, O, and U) exactly once. Add an M and rearrange the result to get a famous writer, also first and last names. Who are these famous people?

I spent too long trying to make Julia Roberts or Hugo Weaving work. I do have an answer, but I'm still not convinced it's the intended answer.

I wasn't sure how "famous" they each were. They weren't names that came immediately to mind for me.

A: LEN CARIOU + M --> ALICE MUNRO

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 2, 2019): Know Your Vehicles

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 2, 2019): Know Your Vehicles:

Q: Think of a verb in its present and past tense forms. Drop the first letter of each word. The result will name two vehicles. What are they?

I really wanted MOPED to work somehow, but I had to get rid of that idea. Back to the drawing board.

I was hinting at "strike" both in getting rid of an idea and in carrying sign "boards" while picketing.

A: STRIKE & STRUCK --> TRIKE & TRUCK

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 26, 2019): Know Your Vowels

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 26, 2019): Know Your Vowels:

Q: This week's challenge is not so hard. Take a common English word in 3 letters. Translate it into French — also 3 letters. (The French word is one everyone knows.) And between them these two words consist of 6 different vowels and no consonants. What words are these?

Is it as simple as it seems? Maybe not.

Edit: The title of the post is a hint. While some may say that YEA & OUI is a possible answer, the question does say the words consist of six different vowels and no consonants. In YEA the Y is acting as a consonant so my feeling is that answer should not be accepted (but it was).

A: AYE & OUI

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 19, 2019): Rubbernecking in Benin?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 19, 2019): Rubbernecking in Benin?:

Q: Name a profession in 13 letters that is associated with a particular 5-letter country. The letters of that country appear in left-to-right order, although not consecutively, in that profession's name. What is it?

Hint: The profession is a single word.

I'm pretty sure it's not a Quartermaster in Qatar.

A: HIEROGLYPHIST --> EGYPT

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 12, 2019): More Ways to Get From Here to There

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 12, 2019): More Ways to Get From Here to There:

Q: Think of a 6-letter conveyance on wheels. Drop the first letter. Add a new letter at the end. The result will be another 6-letter conveyance on wheels. What conveyances are these?

I doubt I'll be using either of these conveyances this Mother's Day.

A: BOXCAR --> OXCART

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 5, 2019): Mixing Up Your Movie Title

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 5, 2019): Mixing Up Your Movie Title:

Q: Name a popular movie of 2018. Add an R. You can rearrange the result to get three different titles for people. What are they?

No clue grows here this week.

Edit: My original hint was removed leaving this space barren.

A: A STAR IS BORN --> TSAR, SIR, BARON

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 28, 2019): Getting From Here to There

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 28, 2019): Getting From Here to There:

Q: Think of a familiar three-word phrase with "and" in the middle ("___ and ___"). Move the first letter of the third word to the start of the first word, and you'll form two means of transportation. What are they?

Unfortunately... I have a fold in fabric or paper

Edit: Unfortunately referred to 13 years that have elapsed since a nearly identical version of this puzzle was aired. The second hint referred to "my crease" which hints at Mike Reiss (Producer for "The Simpsons") who independently came up with the puzzle back then.

A: ARTS and CRAFTS --> CARTS and RAFTS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 21, 2019): Greetings and Salutations!

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 21, 2019): Greetings and Salutations!:

Q: Think of a common greeting in another country. You can rearrange its letters to get the capital of a country that neighbors the country where this greeting is commonly spoken. What greeting is it?

Add 2 letters and rearrange to get a common greeting in the second country.

Edit: Add XC to get XIN CHÀO in Vietnamese.

A: NǏ HǍO (China) --> HANOI (Vietnam)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 14, 2019): Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 14, 2019): Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire:

Q: Think of a word for a deceitful person. Move the middle letter to the end and you'll get another word for a deceitful person. What words are these?

Hint: Many fish

Edit: The Shoshone people identified themselves in sign language by moving a hand in a swimming motion to signify that they lived near the "river with many fish". European Explorers misinterpreted the wiggling motion to mean snake and hence misnamed the neighboring Snake River.

A: SNEAK --> SNAKE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 7, 2019): How Do You Say Country In Your Country?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 7, 2019): How Do You Say Country In Your Country?:

Q: Name a country. Remove its last letter. The remaining letters can be rearranged to spell a word that means "country" in that country's main language. What country is it?

Here's a follow-up puzzle that may require some research. Add a letter to the word that means "country" to name a neighboring capital.

Edit: PAIS --> PARIS

A: SPAIN --> PAIS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 31, 2019): Now Showing

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 31, 2019): Now Showing:

Q: Name something you see when going to the movies, in two words. Change the sixth letter to an R, and you'll get something you might buy at a grocery, in three words. What things are these?

Another example of my trying to get too creative with the answer. As soon as I stopped thinking so hard, it just came to me.

Edit: I was thinking outside the box instead of inside the box. And rice is hard before it is cooked.

A: BOX OFFICE --> BOX OF RICE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 24, 2019): H-Brand and M-Brand

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 24, 2019): H-Brand and M-Brand:

Q: Think of a well-known brand name in 8 letters starting with H. Change the H to an M and drop the last letter. You'll get another well-known brand name in 7 letters. What commercial names are these?

I wouldn't have put these brands together otherwise.

Edit: Beer and cars?

A: HEINEKEN --> MEINEKE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 17, 2019): A Letter to the Editor

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 17, 2019): A Letter to the Editor:

Q: Take the letters S Y T O Y. Add the same letter of the alphabet six times to complete a familiar phrase. What is it?

I'm not going to strain my brain coming up with a hint; it's not worth it. No doubt you guys will outdo anything I would do anyway.

Edit: My hint avoided using the letter E.

A: SEE EYE TO EYE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 10, 2019): Turning Winter on its Head

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 10, 2019): Turning Winter on its Head:

Q: Think of a 4-letter word for something commonly seen in the winter. Write it in lowercase letters. Turn it upside down, and you'll name a device you use with this thing. What is it?

I didn't have this initially because I didn't consider a lowercase 'l' looking like itself upside down since it would have to shift up/down to work. But I believe that is the answer.A: wool --> loom

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 3, 2019): Who Doesn't Love Anagrams?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 3, 2019): Who Doesn't Love Anagrams?:

Q: Name a popular restaurant chain in two words. Its letters can be rearranged to spell some things to eat and some things to drink. Both are plural words. What things are these, and what's the chain?

I could say a couple things, but I'd immediately give it away. I'm pretty sure the food or drink items are not on the restaurant chain's menu.

If the couple things were "pizza, pizza", that would definitely give it away.

A: LITTLE CAESARS --> LATTES + ECLAIRS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 24, 2019): U.S. Natural Landmark Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 24, 2019): U.S. Natural Landmark Puzzle:

Q: I'm thinking of a well-known U.S. natural landmark. Take the two-word name of its location. Then change the first letter of the second word to the immediately previous letter of the alphabet, and you'll get another description of the landmark's location. What's the landmark, and what are the two descriptions of its location?

Edit: I was stuck for awhile this week... but I couldn't say that. :)

A: Rancho La Brea Tar Pits --> LA BREA / L.A. AREA

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 17, 2019): One Dozen Four-Score Million

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 17, 2019): One Dozen Four-Score Million:

Q: The numbers one, 12, 80, and million have something in common that only one other number has. What is it... and what's the other number

I'm presently stumped, but I'll eventually get to the root of this.

A: The numbers appear in the Best Picture Oscar-winning movies One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (or It Happened One Night), 12 Years a Slave, Around the World in 80 Days, and Million Dollar Baby. The only other number to appear in a Oscar-winning film title is the Roman numeral "II" in The Godfather Part II.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 10, 2019): I'm Pickin' Up Good Vibrations

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 10, 2019): I'm Pickin' Up Good Vibrations:

Q: Name a well-known rock band in three words. Change the first and third letters to the first and third letters of the alphabet — that is, A and C. You can rearrange the result to name another famous rock band in three words. What is it?

If you change the first and third letters of the new band's name to M and E and rearrange, you get a type of claim.

Edit: If you rearrange the letters, you get MECHANICS LIEN

A: NINE INCH NAILS --> ALICE IN CHAINS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 3, 2019): One if by Land, Two if by Sea

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 3, 2019): One if by Land, Two if by Sea:

Q: Think of a word meaning "a particular body of water." Change one letter in it to get a new word meaning "a particular body of land." What words are these?

I'm finding a clue in a previous puzzle. Oh well.

Edit: I was hinting at "Atlas Shrugged" since Atlantic and Atlantis are derived from Atlas. I got too hung up on the word "particular".

A: Will Shortz accepted INLET --> ISLET or BAY --> CAY

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 27, 2019): Getting from Here to There

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 27, 2019): Getting from Here to There:

Q: Name a vehicle in two words, each with the same number of letters. Subtract a letter from each word, and the remaining letters in order will spell the first and last names of a famous writer. Who is it?

I'm generally pretty good at puzzles like these...

Edit: A lot of U.S. tanks are named after generals (Sherman, Patton, Abrams, etc.)

A: ARMY TANK --> AMY TAN (author of "The Joy Luck Club")