Sunday, June 30, 2019

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

Sunday, June 23, 2019

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

Sunday, June 16, 2019

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

Sunday, June 09, 2019

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

Sunday, June 02, 2019

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