Sunday, November 24, 2019

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

Sunday, November 17, 2019

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

Sunday, November 10, 2019

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

Sunday, November 03, 2019

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)