Sunday, July 21, 2019

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

164 comments:

  1. 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.

    You 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.

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  2. The money-hard-to-get answer just came to me while I was doing dishes. Once you get that, the other just falls in place. No clue here.

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  3. Pretty easy puzzle. The over/under on comments removed by Blaine this week is 3

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  4. P.S. At 8:45 AM CDT, the NPR site is still displaying last week's puzzle so I don't think you can submit yet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can still submit this week's answer. The entry form never changes.

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    2. Alles ist gut. The puzzle for this week now shows on NPR’s web site and the answer has been submitted. I don’t know how the heck I got last week’s puzzle this morning :)

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  5. Easy to get money: inside job
    Hard to get money: indie jobs

    How many are struggling coming up with hints this week?

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    Replies
    1. Easy to get money: shell game
      Hard to get money: Hegel slam (a less than ideal concept!)

      Historically, sea shells were used as currency (including in the Seychelles, of course). Might have been easy for beachcombers. But it's hard to make money when you sell ashes.

      STRAP is in turmoil, class dismissed.

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    2. Crematories make good money doing so...

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  6. I’m curious to hear (on Thursday...) how many people refer to the, “easy,” part of this challenge by its 9 letter name, vs. use a 7 letter term.

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  7. A fool and his money are soon parted...

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  8. Take the second word of the second phrase and the second word of the first phrase and you get something else associated with financial transactions.

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  9. crazy Shakespeare Said "he that wants money, means, and content, is without three good friends"

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  10. This week's puzzle brought to you by Hollerin' Jimmy's Hobby Kits.

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  11. This week's puzzler is easier than acquiring either of the things it describes

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  12. On balance, a pretty easy puzzle. I hope I receive the call to win this week and can receive the prizes.

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  13. How many correct answers this week? 450? 520?

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  14. 9, 18, 19, 20

    LegoNotes:ThoughThisPuzzleAin'tCrappy/STRAPStillWon'tBeHappy

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  15. I have a friend who lends to anyone "on account" and I have another friend who has "no account!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Or maybe it's just "ready cash" and a bad cash "search day."

      Delete
  16. An East Bay player and a good one, too!

    Since this is one of that kind of "puzzle," these possibilities:

    Own Brinks, brown skin
    Bone spurs, bus person
    Nice smile, lice mines

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  17. I really enjoy it when we get a puzzle that is a challenge and offers a nice reward from solving it, usually due to our learning something interesting in the process. This is not one of them.

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  18. I went to the gym yesterday and overused one of the machines and am suffering the consequences.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Over doing it at the gym, and going further than you thought you could,
      is good. Give the muscles two days to heal, then do it again. That way you set a new norm for yourself.

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  19. Remember, only one entry per person.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have the "intended answer" but I am sending in 3 answers. For 2 of them, see above.

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    2. Good for you Ron - that's the spirit.

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    3. Entries and answers are different things.

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  20. I wonder if they will accept “own Brinks” and “Brown skin.” Seems a good nod to our dear leader.

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  21. I missed hearing the puzzle this morning because my mother and cousin are visiting, and we took them and my son and granddaughter on a duck boat tour of Boston, which was fun despite the extreme heat. Lots of dad jokes from the guide ("conDUCKtor"). As we drove past the Boston Public Library, he pointed out the names inscribed below the second-story windows. Those are people with overdue books, he explained. They're hard-core in there.

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    Replies
    1. The overdue books comment made me laugh aloud.

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  22. I wouldn't use one of the four words in a clue, but that's just me. Others, not quite so restrained. Filters, limits, boundaries all seem to be lost on some folks. Wonder why.

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    Replies
    1. So one bird acted inappropriately, Tom. Don't fly off the twitter handle.
      #$ #��

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    2. That bird acted dead, so it couldn't fly...

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  23. Been on the road back to AL from FL, still don't have the answer. I'd rather let my younger brother play with the car radio(as I did for most of the trip). Because he was driving, of course.

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  24. Still impressed, 50 years after the fact, of the first moon landing, what an adventure!
    My main disappointment was the lack of private industry not continuing the challenge.
    Looking back, what an achievement!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Private industry got plenty involved in space, where it offered a return on investment. Look at all the private communication satellites in geosynchronous orbits, not to mention the aerospace companies building and boosting government payloads. But putting people into space never paid off, and isn't likely to for a long time.

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    2. ... which doesn't mean that I didn't pick up my "Moon Landing 50" button at the Museum of Science yesterday, of course.

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    3. Good point but I am mostly talking about lunar missions, manned & unmanned. Seems like the promise was moon bases for mining and whatever.
      For Mars, who knows, probably will not happen for a long, long time.
      I think though, when the Chinese get to the moon first, that will cause a big change in priorities.
      Neat on that button!

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    4. If China or India ever puts people on the moon, it will be for national pride and prestige, not profit. It's very unlikely there'll be anything on the moon that's worth the cost of mining for for foreseeable future.

      ... again, not that I won't be checking out Draper's lunar landing simulator in Cambridge, once the crowds thin out.

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    5. Come on jan, I'm sure you can think of a few we could send into outer space and it would pay off in spades immediately. Do I have to name them?

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    6. Jan, in hindsight, that's the main reason we went to the moon in the first place! Still glad we went though! Just wish there would've been a follow-up plan to go there in a relatively short time frame.

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    7. On PBS this past week they had a three part show on the space program that was very interesting. Kind of eerie in one segment though, they showed Nikita Krushev being told of Apollo 11 making it to the moon, while he was vacationing at Pripyat, outside of Chernobyl.

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    8. SDB, I know of an orange fossil that would be a nice fit on Mars. He might even blend in with the Mars topsoil, never to be seen or heard from again.

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    9. Remember this?:

      Apollo 17 returns with orange soil | Human World | EarthSky
      https://earthsky.org/space/this-date-in-science-apollo-17-returns-with-orange-soil
      Feedback

      This proves either someone got there prior to Apollo 11 or they spilled some of their Tang. I keep an open mind on the subject.

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    10. ... Just as long as it's not so open that your brains fall out.

      Delete
    11. 6% of Americans believe the Moon shot landing was a hoax. i.e no hear marks on entry vehicle.
      Also 32% of Americans believe Trump is best pres ever -BPE. Including my FIL. Is there a connection? Coincidence?

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    12. I meant burn marks.LOL I am not sure what hear marks are-could be a NASA term.

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    13. Heat Evidence After Re-entry?

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    14. The guy in England??? says there were no burn marks on Apollo 11 reentry module shield as you would see on like the Shuttle heat shields where some tiles got burned off. He is on U tube.

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    15. Sure does to me too!
      Comparing the Apollo heat shield to the Space Shuttle's heat shield?? Apples to oranges!!

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    16. True, too. The Apollo command module had an ablative heat shield, designed to melt, carrying away excess heat. The shuttle orbiter used a variety of reusable insulating tiles and blankets.

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    17. He also -English debunker dude -said the pictures are too perfect- of the landing and the walk. How did they take such beautiful shots with a polaroid camera in those bulky suits? Think about it.

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    18. Hasselblad, not Polaroid.

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    19. Marcus Allen. UK. Conspiracist?? Also said the Apollo Saturn rockets were not that great.
      Picture has different shadow directions one at noon and one at nine in same shot?? They lost 140 telemtery tapes- NASA???

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    20. Other urban myths: That Neil Armstrong had to get his film developed at Walgreens by mail. He could have gotten free, three day shipping if he had opened a Walgreens credit card.

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    21. Yeah, all those extra question marks really strengthen that case.

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  25. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  26. Clue this week: you don't need a clue this week.

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    Replies
    1. "We don't need no stinkin' clues!"

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    2. It actually took me awhile. Over-thinking it again.

      Delete
  27. Bonus Puzzle:

    The last name of a famous American who recently passed away has 2 L's in it. If you drop both L's you'll get the last name of another famous American who also recently passed away. Who are they? Hint: they were both immigrants and both worked in the same field.

    Pardon the "late" riff from last week's puzzle, it's not too hard. Hints only until Thursday please.

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  28. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  29. You may wish to continue the the thinking and to delete that post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. done. didn't mean to give the answer (if i did)!

      Delete
    2. and of course now I have it. Yeesh. Scrambled eggs all over my face

      Delete
  30. Sad to lose two such icons within such a short period of time.

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  31. I did not imagine that DT had a twin in England.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Мы можем делать удивительные вещи с клонами.

      Delete
    2. Белые, дикие волосы, сумасшедшее поведение ... напоминает мне другого Бориса.

      Delete
    3. Белые, дикие волосы, сумасшедшее поведение ... напоминает мне другого Бориса.

      Delete
    4. You took the words right out of my mouth?

      Delete
    5. Consider these comments removed by a non-administrator for incomprehensiveness.

      Delete
    6. Translation of the above:

      Trumptransition2016Tue Jul 23, 10:07:00 AM PDT
      We can do amazing things with clones.

      NatashaTue Jul 23, 10:58:00 AM PDT
      & janTue Jul 23, 11:19:00 AM PDT
      White, wild hair, crazy behavior ... reminds me of another Boris.

      Delete
    7. jan and Natasha, are you bots?

      Press below for affirmative.

      Delete
    8. Btw, EaWAF, the times you noted above are incorrect. jan's comment came first.

      Delete
    9. I think I have been misquoted. Faux news!

      Delete
    10. WW: Pardon my ignorance, What is bots? Thanks.

      Delete
    11. A bot (short for "robot") is an automated program that runs over the internet.

      Delete
    12. Has our democracy been bot and sold?

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    13. Indeed, Paul; worse than botflies.

      Delete
  32. Is it fair Isaac Newton gets all the props for calculus when Leibniz did as much work?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you add something new and integral to the debate? Or shall we dismiss your comment as derivative?

      Delete
    2. Or was it just another math teacher going off on a tangent.

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    3. Since Jan admitted to liking Dad Humor, what did the calculating acorn say when it grew up?

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    4. Gee, I'm a tree [Geometry.
      (Mom humor, too.)

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    5. That strikes me as a rather wooden response.

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    6. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    7. And for which branch of mathematics is a tree definitely NOT an exponent?

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    8. Q - Why did the plant in the math classroom die?

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    9. Square roots? Cube roots?

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    10. eco, logarithms? Though I'm not sure I'd go out on a limb and call it a branch.

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    11. WW, you must be thinking of why they cut down trees to make connubial beds for snakes.

      Delete
    12. jan, do you know any married snakes? Do they wed on Wednesdays?

      Delete
    13. Hump Day jokes are so last week.

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    14. Anyway, I thought you were going to say something about how easy it was for adders to multiply using log tables.

      Delete
    15. Log table jokes are so decades ago. . .

      Yet, I still like them.

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    16. WW: yes, my allusion was probably barking up the wrong branch.

      I was terrified many years ago when I quit my job and they said I could go on a COBRA health care plan.

      Delete
    17. And you didn't even have a double breasted suit, I suppose.

      Delete
    18. What is the single word that is used to begin a quilting bee?

      Delete
    19. "I've got backing"? Wait, that's 3 words.

      Anyway Trump eliminated quilting bees as part of his Muslin ban. He is also working with his new Interior Department Secretary Elmer Fudd to make the Weft illegal.

      Delete
    20. I am not entirely against his ban, as I have always preferred percale.

      The word is: ALSO.

      Delete
    21. Since you offer the ALSO groaner, what did the group of friendly cooperative assistants in the quilting bee call themselves, also in a single word?

      Delete
    22. Not bad, but I was thinking SOCIALIZE (Sew Shall I's), which is probably worse.

      But we doubtless haven't hit rock bottom yet.

      Delete
    23. By "rock bottom" you must mean: Yummy, Yummy, Yummy / I got love in my tummy

      Delete
    24. Do you mean the Ohio Express version or the one recorded by Julie London? Actually the latter is kind of okay, bizarrely sultry.

      With thanks to Dave Barry, from whom we learn about Hooty Sapperticker. and Jack Webb "singing" Try a Little Tenderness. Did he inspire Shatner? If you try nothing else, try this!!!

      Delete
  33. Alternate answer:
    Bank Error
    Bank Error
    We rearranged the Rs.

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  34. Jan is correct (regarding roots - I'll not comment on bedding snakes).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I find logarithm jokes, while demonstrating a Napier wit, over-powering and somewhat radical.

      Delete
    2. Good Laird (of Merchiston).

      Packing in some good logarithm jokes in a small space rocks.

      Delete
  35. CODE RED WARNING!!!

    Randy Rainbow has just released a new video. Check it out.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Here's the direct link.

      Terry Gross interviewed Randy last week on Fresh Air, here's the link.

      Delete
    2. Yes it was a really good interview too. Humorous also.

      Delete
  36. Replies
    1. "I know." referred to knowing that:

      eighdreeuhnSun Jul 21, 09:03:00 AM PDT
      How many correct answers this week? 450? 520?

      refers to bad credit scores as jan's 850 refers to the best credit score.

      Delete
  37. DEBIT CARD -> BAD CREDIT

    > 850.

    That's the highest FICO credit score possible.

    > Remember, only one entry per person.

    Because double-entry bookkeeping has the debits on the left and the credits on the right and Blaine wouldn't let me say that.

    > As we drove past the Boston Public Library, he pointed out the names inscribed below the second-story windows. Those are people with overdue books, he explained. They're hard-core in there.

    Another book-keeping reference.

    > Is it fair Isaac Newton gets all the props for calculus when Leibniz did as much work?

    Fair, Isaac, and Company introduced the FICO credit score in 1989. I almost wrote "... gets all the credit for calculus...", but caught myself.

    And yet again, though he says he doesn't do this, Monday's NY Times crossword included 49A: "Ledger entry on the minus side" (5).

    ReplyDelete
  38. DEBIT CARDBAD CREDIT.

    Dead Giveaway Clue: “That BIRD ACTED dead... (See above)

    ReplyDelete
  39. ATM MACHINE was one letter too many, besides being redundant.
    PIN NUMBER was similarly redundant, and yielded no appropriate anagrams.
    But I was convinced I was on the right track

    ReplyDelete
  40. debit card → bad credit
    How many are struggling... with bad credit?

    Bonus Answer: Cesar Pelli - LL, I.M. Pei, both noted architects and immigrants.

    ReplyDelete
  41. My "hint": 9, 18, 19, 20
    The letters of BAD CREDIT or DEBIT CARD, in alphabetical order, are:
    A, B, C, D, D, E, I, R, T
    The sum of the alphanumeric values of the first six letters is 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 4 + 5 = 19
    The alphanumeric values of the last three letters are 9, 18 and 20.
    Thus, the series: 9, 18, 19, 20

    12,5,7,15

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brilliant. I think I understand but math is not my forte. Some of these clues are fake news.but you are the real deal.

      Delete
  42. The best I could do this week: rearrange to get my favorite two word phrase
    BEEM IT

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  43. Debit Card/Bad Credit
    As both are related to banking, I commented that I’d bank on a large number of correct submittals.

    ReplyDelete
  44. Debit Card / Bad Credit. I could give no hint and very nearly spoiled it earlier in the week when I unknowingly had the second part but not the first!

    ReplyDelete
  45. My first answer was:
    PLAY SLOTS => PAY TOLLS
    but,
    DEBIT CARD => BAD CREDIT fit better with all the clues and made much more sense!

    ReplyDelete
  46. We accept cash, money, and cash money.

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  47. My clues -

    “On balance” referred to balancing debit and credit accounting entries.

    Hoping to win the prizes referred to the lapel PIN.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No - sorry if I confused you.
      My original clue included “hoping to win the prizes” which was a reference to the lapel PIN (related to PIN number for debit cards).

      Delete
    2. Oh. Grest clue. I wonder if the lapel pin is being sold on ebay. I would like to see what it looks like. I bet NPR would get a lot of money if they sold the lapel pin or gave it out for donating to the station. I never get called by WS and really do not want to show my ignorance on air anyway.

      Delete
  48. They say anagramming may help delay early Alzheimers. Lets see if it works. Also, I have a headache.

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    Replies
    1. Alzheimer's prevents anagramming.

      Delete
    2. LOL. Do you think Boeing can survive the 737 Max disaster? I kind of agree with Nader who says the plane should be recalled. His grand niece was on the first plane.

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    3. There's an old saying among pilots. "No matter how weird it is, it can probably fly, if you put your heart and soul into it."

      As I have said here before, Boeing lost its way when it moved their headquarters from Seattle to Chicago, along with not picking a CEO from within, as they had always done before.

      I think there will need to be a total revamping of Boeing, but I do not see any signs of it happening. It really is up to them, and the FAA, which I long ago lost respect for. Anyway, why would anyone care as long as the stockholders get a good return? Get with the program, man!

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    4. Yea I think I will dump my Boeing stock. Nortdstom on the other hand seems to retain a degree of integrity as a family owned and run business. In the two year we have been gone from Seattle our house now rented- has almost doubled in value. Good times huh? Fortunately, rents are much lower here in Georgia where the state minimum wage is 5.50 an hour. Slavery continues here. So actually I don't have to work here at all.

      Delete
  49. Trump's doctored presidential seal leads to firing:

    https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-49116539

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I only wish I was in a position to offer the person who did this a job. Someone with that level of creativity and energy would be an asset to any organization.

      Delete
    2. Just shows how observant DT is that he never ever noticed the discrepancy.

      Delete
  50. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  51. Candidate
    Noun
    A woman who will actually tell you why she will not go out with you again.

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  52. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  53. This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from listener Andy Blau, a a magician who performs under the name Zoltan the Adequate. He describes the word BEVY as "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?

    ReplyDelete

For NPR puzzle posts, don't post the answer or any hints that could lead to the answer before the deadline (usually Thursday at 3pm ET). If you know the answer, submit it to NPR, but don't give it away here.

You may provide indirect hints to the answer to show you know it, but make sure they don't assist with solving. You can openly discuss your hints and the answer after the deadline. Thank you.