I thought I had it with AMIENS and MESSINA. I guess I'll have to take a new tack.Q: Think of a major city in France whose name is an anagram of a major city in Italy. Each city has more than 100,000 people. What are the cities?
ORLÉANS <--> SALERNO
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.
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.
One of them is certainly a prime spot! --Margaret G.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI was stuck, so I checked here. This distance, along with the ruler tool in Google Earth, is all I needed. I looked for French cities that looked as if they might be a mixed-up Italian city and then swung an arc. Took only two tries. I've never heard of this Italian City, so thank you for letting me sleep better tonight.
DeleteA musical clue is too easy.
ReplyDeleteNight is falling.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteA hint came with the dew.
DeleteEasy. Could set a new record for geography-based challenges.
ReplyDeleteYes. As easy as Planes, Italy in today's "On-air challenge."
DeleteI’ve been close but never made it to either city. But the US version of one of these (as a town) makes for a great escape if you can get there sometime
ReplyDeleteNow is *not* the time to visit! We’re a mess right now.
DeleteWe planned to be next door a couple months ago, but COVID.
DeleteHow about in France alone, two different major cities whose respective names are the same, with NO rearranging required!? In Wikipedia‘s List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, down the page a bit where the cities are ranked by population, I see that the city ranked at #20 is named Saint-Denis, while the city ranked at #35 is named ... Saint-Denis!
ReplyDeleteThe two are almost 9,400 km apart. One is in the Indian Ocean.
DeleteThere are four cities named Albany (located in New York, Georgia, Texas, and Missouri) in US.
Delete. . .And there are currently 33 populated places named Springfield in 25 U.S. states throughout the United States, including five in Wisconsin.
DeleteSpringfield is also the home of The Simpson’s.
DeleteI fear it may be a faux pas to "body shame" Monsieur Denis in this forum. Perhaps he had a few to many croissants, okay? But the guy is a veritable Saint!
DeleteBoth cities were the sites of major military engagements.
ReplyDeleteHas one proposed a partnership to the other?
ReplyDelete"Dance with me, I want to be your partner." (Song by Orleans)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteGood point.
DeleteTMI. WORDSMYTHE?
DeleteVery much Three Mile Island
DeleteWordsmythe:
DeleteWhile I must admit that your post which Blaine deleted did help me find the answer, I nevertheless must also admit that I’m grateful, NOT UPSET with you for that post.
Wordsmythe - can open up more on Thursday. But if one had *only* your clue, and a list, there are only two options that follow your hint. It was, therefore, way more than a hint, to me.
DeleteBen: Surely you know that RbaBA doesn't.
DeleteReminds me of a warning I used to see at work.
ReplyDeleteSuperman
ReplyDeleteWW, You said Superman, so here I am. I went back to sleep after taking care of my dogs and when I awoke the answer had horned its way into my head.
ReplyDeleteOkay, C a p, you convinced me of this scenario.
DeleteCAP did you post an answer for your last week puzzle- Ist name under second?
DeleteYes, why?
DeleteDid not see it.
DeleteI'm going to offer the same Musical Clue I did for last week:
ReplyDeleteOrnithology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2tvlp7RnlM
Mrs. Noah
ReplyDeleteAfter all you fine Blainesvillians have digested this NPR Franco-Italian delicacy, why not promenade on over to Puzzleria! where you can munch on our meaningful menuful of 11 puzzles this week?
ReplyDeleteSocial distancing, you say? Okay then, here is a two-puzzle sampling (Hints to the answers are welcome but please post no answers before noon PDT, Wednesday August 19):
Schpuzzle Of TheWeek:
“Nah! That ain’t the ticket!”
Rearrange the letters in a synonym of “meal ticket” to spell two words that might have appeared together on a different type of ticket... but didn’t. What synonym is this? What are these two words?
No Sloppy Joe Dessert:
“I’ll have what she’s having!”
Meatball subs, crab legs, BBQ ribs, chicken wings and Sloppy Joes... All are sloppy menu choices one can make at a family restaurant. What is perhaps the least sloppy menu selection one can make?
Hint: The answer contains three words and thirteen letters.
LegoWhoNotesThatAccordingToEarlyReturnsFromOurCommentsSectionTheDessertIsProvingToBeTougherToChewOnThanTheSchpuzzleOfTheWeek
And then there was this duck who banged out a song about staying together instead of breaking up;
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/vdnlptVP2B8
That duck has rhythm.
DeleteRenople, I see you found this on the web(s). . .
DeleteYep, had lots of time since today was fowl weather.
DeleteWho'd've thunk they were from New York?
ReplyDeleteNot too far from here.
ReplyDeleteOnce I lived just over a 2 hour drive from one of these cities.
ReplyDeleteDespite having traveled to France and Italy, I've never been in either city.
ReplyDeleteMoi aussi.
DeleteAdd a T to one of the city names, and rearrange to get a 2-word phrase associated with a state that borders a state that has a city that sounds like one of the cities.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteNice one, Bobby.
DeleteOr, add a T to one of the city names and rearrange to get one 2-word phrase that is one answer to the identity of the other city... not the answer Mr. Shortz intended, just another answer.
LegoWhoAddsThatThis"OtherAnswer"InvolvesACityAssociatedWithVanGogh
Orleans+T->lone star
DeleteTexas is the Lone Star State. Texas borders Louisiana, which has New Orleans.
I suspect a few here will recognize the name of a former world leader that rhymes with one of the cities.
ReplyDelete(I am hoping no one will post a TMI spoiler addition to my above clue.)
Change two consonants, then maybe rearrange, to get another city that fits the population bill in one of those countries.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to risk it with a musical clue:
ReplyDeleteMariah Carey
Rearrange and insert "de" for a word describing certain flora found in and around France and Italy.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Andy's anagram solver!
DeleteTake away a consonant, add "de" (to either city name) re-arrange and you have the name of Detroit playboy and auto designer.
DeleteIs this somehow related to Covid 19?
DeleteRearrange for something dealers might give.
ReplyDeleteLOANERS
DeleteOne those groanagrams where you have to ask how the heck did they find it.
ReplyDeleteThis is an old one.
ReplyDeleteInteresting weather here in Seattle today. At my house it got to 99 degrees before 5pm. Now it has cooled down to 88 degrees and an electrical display has begun along with a small rainfall. The lightening has stopped already and we now have a strong sunset display to the West, as they tend to happen. jan will certainly know why they are always toward the West.
ReplyDeleteAC sales heating up at Costco?
ReplyDeleteIs that like having a Blowout Sale at the tire store?
DeleteRemember to "hydrate."
ReplyDeleteI am surprised the architect in residence has not mentioned Baroque architecture.
ReplyDeleteThe architect in residence, alas, seems to have left the house...
DeleteLegoWhoAddsAfterHisEllipsis"...AlbeitOnlyTemporarilyWeHope"
Miss eco. Lives in berkeley like me. Brilliant architect.
DeleteGood for Blaine for not removing the discussion on Blainesville for April 19, 2020.
DeleteI have assumed from that time that it explained ecoarchitect's absence. Rereading just now doesn't change my mind.
I have been a regular recipient myself of gratuitous attacks from the Seattle Insulter going back to early days here and Magalen's blog.
And I am quite sure that he will understand that I wish he and not eco had retired from the field (or Arena, if you will).
Maybe we can switch over for the next four months.
So SDB is now TSI?
DeleteIs this a naive question? Why are hints needed for an answer that can be looked up?
ReplyDeleteComing up with vague hints is all part of the fun .
DeleteAre you having fun yet?
DeleteIt's not really hinting here. The vague/oblique references are to indicate One has solved the enigma of the week. And some posts are so vague and oblique as to be nearly invisible.
DeleteAnd, decoding some of the "hints" is often more of a challenge than solving the WS Puzzle.
DeleteIn addition to the Lapel Pin there is also a MOHA-most obscure hints award- given annually at the awards banquet. I think you know who got this last year.
DeleteBecause, uh, well because uh, well because. And you watch your smart mouth!
ReplyDeleteDiversion: THIS WEEK'S CARTOONS.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else see Will Shortz on To Tell the Truth last night?
ReplyDeleteI thought that show went out with Garry Moore.
DeleteWas it a repeat? I saw him on an episode several weeks back. If I remember, one of the celebrities went total "fan girl" on seeing Will, but the others were clueless.
DeleteThat was the one. Gal went nuts over Will!
DeleteI was surprised to find one of the hints above in today's headlines.
ReplyDeleteAnyone else craving milk and cookies?
ReplyDeleteNew Orleans milk punch and Salerno brand butter cookies that is!
DeleteIf you have a spreadsheet with French cities in Column A and Italian cities in column B, this code will give you the answer. (As well as Messina and Amiens)
ReplyDeletefrom openpyxl import load_workbook
citybook = load_workbook(r'C:\Users\dblack\Documents\OneNote Notebooks\March 2017\puzzles\frenchItaliancities.xlsx')
citys = citybook.active
try:
for Frows in citys['A1:A86']:
FC = Frows[0].value
for Irows in citys['D2:D46']:
IC = Irows[0].value
if set(IC.lower()) == set(FC.lower()):
print(IC, ':::::',FC)
except TypeError: #this happens if the program encounters an empty spreadsheet cell
print(Frows)
ORLEANS, SALERNO
ReplyDelete"Superman" >>> Superman wears a cape >>> Cape Cod >>> ORLEANS, MA on the Cape. (I believe jan also referred to our Blainesville Cape plan in neighboring Brewster).
"Okay, C a p, you convinced me of this scenario." refers to C a p, hinting at Vince Salerno with his horns reference.
Orléans & Salerno
ReplyDeleteMy Hint:
“I suspect a few here will recognize the name of a former world leader that rhymes with one of the cities.”
Napoleon rhymes with Orléans when properly pronounced in French.
ORLÉANS + SALERNO
ReplyDeleteMy clue: “A hint came with the dew.”
“Hint” + “came” + “dew” can be rearranged to form “Dance with Me,” the song by Orleans.
For Leo: “And I am falling…”
ORLÉANS (pop. 114,286) → SALERNO (pop. 133,429)
ReplyDeleteMy comment was “Not too far from here.” The reference was to the iconic view in the background of my photo of Positano, which is about 65 km from Salerno.
ReplyDeleteI wrote, “A musical clue is too easy.” This refers to the song by David Crosby whose title and first line are literally the French city’s name.
ReplyDeleteI mentioned that one of the hints above was in the headlines. Based on advocacy by the My Pillow guy, Donald Trump pushed a “cure” for COVID based on extract from oleanders (which is the answer plus DE anagrammed).
Orleans, Salerno
ReplyDeleteORLEANS, SALERNO
ReplyDelete> 1297 km apart.
Between SuperZee's cathedrals.
>> But the US version of one of these (as a town) makes for a great escape if you can get there sometime
> We planned to be next door a couple months ago, but COVID.
The cancelled Blainesville meet-up was to be in Brewster, adjacent to ORLEANS, MA.
> Reminds me of a warning I used to see at work.
Lots of labs at Bell Labs used lasers.
> Mrs. Noah
Few people know her name was Joan. Joan of Ark. She was a maid....
I submitted ORLEANS SALERNO
ReplyDeleteI re-used last week's clue of Charlie Parker doing Ornithlogy. This time because Charlie Parker is one of the greats of Jazz Saxophone. And though he was born in Kansas City and invented Bebop in New York City, jazz was invented in New Orleans. Which is the newer version of ORLEANS. Or so I'm told.
I don’t get Blaine’s school except maybe the word ‘new’ suggesting New Orleans
ReplyDeleteI don’t get Blaine’s school except maybe the word ‘new’ suggesting New Orleans
ReplyDeleteMy clue, which also worked as an observation, was "Easy." Big Easy without Big = New Orleans without New.
ReplyDeleteFrench city - Orleans; Italian city - Salerno.
ReplyDeleteBoth cities have long histories. My comment, on last week’s blog, about their cathedrals points to the construction of Salerno Cathedral which began in 1076, and the construction of Orleans Cathedral, on the site of several older churches, beginning in 1278.
Both cities are also known as the sites of major military engagements. The Siege of Orleans (October, 1428–May, 1429), broken by an army lead by 19-year-old Joan of Arc, was the first decisive French victory of the Hundred Years War. Five centuries later, Salerno was the site of a major amphibious attack (September, 1943) in WWII’s Italian Campaign.
My clue -
ReplyDelete“I’ve been close but never made it to either city. But the US version of one of these (as a town) makes for a great escape if you can get there sometime.”
As Jan noted above, yes, I was referring to Orleans on Cape Cod. I included the word “escape” which includes “cape” and is also the title of the Rupert Holmes song (aka the Pina Colada song) about a rendezvous on the Cape. And my reference to “getting there sometime “ was indeed a reference to the Blainevillains planned rendezvous in the neighboring town of Brewster.
Orleans-Salerno
ReplyDeleteMy reference to Baroque architecture referenced San Giorgio church in Salerno. An excellent example of this form. On my bucket list.
We have a great line-up of 13 puzzles on tomorrow's Puzzleria!
ReplyDeleteOur featured puzzle is an "Appetizer" cooked up by our friend Chuck. It is a very clever conundrum involving two words, each, with double meanings, that appear in both a common saying and a common description used in manufacturing.
My hint on Blainesville this past Sunday was:
add a T to one of the city names and rearrange to get one 2-word phrase that is one answer to the identity of the other city... not the answer Mr. Shortz intended, just another answer.
Add a T to SALERNO and you get NOT ARLES...
So, the answer is "not Arles" (as in Arles, France).
Finally, here are the answers to my two "Sample" puzzles from Puzzleria!:
1. Rearrange the letters in a synonym of “meal ticket” to spell two words that might have appeared together on a different type of ticket... but didn’t. What synonym is this? What are these two words?
Answer:
Breadwinner; Biden, Warren;
(A "breadwinner" is a "meal ticket." Joe Biden had considered naming Elizabeth Warren as his vice presidential running mate on the Democratic Party's 2020 presidential ticket.)
2. Meatball subs, crab legs, BBQ ribs, chicken wings and Sloppy Joes... All are sloppy menu choices one can make at a family restaurant. What is perhaps the least sloppy menu selection one can make?
Hint: The answer contains three words and thirteen letters.
Answer:
Apple pie order
LegoWhoInsistsThatChuck'sPuzzleIsWellWorthChewingOn(AsAreOurOtherDozen"Egghead-Scratchers)"
They even allow Hard Boiled Eggheads to participate.
DeleteORLEANS, SALERNO
ReplyDeleteMy Mariah Carey hint referred to the fact that she and the pop group ORLEANS both had hits with two different songs named "Love Takes Time". I prefer the band's song, though.
Far from a hint.
DeleteI hope everyone here got to see and hear this 13 year old man speak this evening in front of all of us at the Democratic Convention. If not, or if you want to again:
ReplyDeletehttps://abcnews.go.com/Politics/video/13-year-boy-overcoming-stutter-speaks-dnc-2020-72512440
This young man demonstrated for us what real courage is. This is what gives me hope for our future and our planet that is in so much trouble.
Agreed. Brayden Harrington's appearance was moving and poignant. I didn't get to see it live but, thanks to the DVR, did get to watch the convention's final night in its entirety today. Overall, I think last night was the best night, even with the excellent speeches on the other nights by the former First Lady and President and by the VP nominee. And the best speech last night, other than Biden’s, may have been Bloomberg’s. I think he said all the right things. Now—everybody—vote.
DeleteI agree. It was hard for me to stay dry eyed, not only for that but for Biden's fantastic speech as well. But take nothing for granted AND GET OUT AND VOTE...not only you, but anyone else you can contact
ReplyDeleteThis week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from listener Sandy Weisz, of Chicago. Think of a place on earth with a four-word name. Take the third word. Advance three of its letters to the next letter of the alphabet (so A would become B, B would be come C, etc.). You'll get the fourth word in the name. What place is this?
ReplyDeleteIt's 90 miles from where I thought it was.
Delete