Sunday, April 04, 2021

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 4, 2021): Cars, Cars, Cars

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 4, 2021): Cars, Cars, Cars
Q: Write in capital letters the name of a popular vehicle brand. Move two vertical lines closer together. Add a horizontal line. The result will be another popular vehicle brand. What names are these?
It didn't say popular car make, or popular car model...

Edit: Apparently Will was trying to use a more encompassing term so that we didn't complain that one is a car make and the other is a car model.
A: CIVIC --> GMC

223 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. I think I have it. Tricky. No clues here.

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  3. At this point, I'm still too bleary-eyed after last night's Gonzaga-UCLA game--one for the ages--to even begin to think about the puzzle. Maybe later...

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  4. Happy Easter, Passover, Spring, Sunday, 4-4!

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  5. The answer may be hidden with the EGGS!

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  6. I am LEFT Humbled by this puzzle.

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  7. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  8. This is one of the few days I understood Blaine's clue, and it confirms my answer. I got momentarily confused by trying to think of horse-drawn buggy brands.

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    Replies
    1. And yes, Ben, this is one of the more tricky puzzles in a while. Refreshing after last week's gimme with >4k correct answers. Fewer than 150 this week, I would guess.

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  9. 4000+ correct responses last week! Must be some type of record. And to think I forgot to listen in week since I was on vacation for spring break.

    On air puzzles this week were brutal. I think even Will realized at the end. "Every week is different..."

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    Replies
    1. There were two puzzles in 2010, the first in February and the second in March, which had respectively 5,000 and 4,800 entries!

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  10. I am reminded of a hit song that Steve Winwood sang.

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  11. With regard to Blaine’s clue: The puzzle doesn’t even specify “car”, it just says “vehicle”...

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  12. Replies
    1. HUFTY > HUFFY (also: MODEL T > MODEL F)
      But that's not really a "Hufty" vehicle in the picture, and Ford only made about 1,000 Model F's (which fails the popularity test). However, "Huffy" is a brand of vehicle (bicycle).
      And does moving one vertical line closer to another vertical line qualify as "moving two vertical lines closer together"? Does the space between have to be empty?
      I guess I'll find out soon enough.








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  13. This puzzle has dominated my drive. I need a piece of paper, a pen and some time to think. Instead, I have 10 hours more on the road to stew in this. Errrgh.

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  14. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    Replies
    1. Oh, nice.
      The sum of the times I've wandered the roads in one is 203.

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    2. I am wondering why you would count the times you used this vehicle. I never count how many times I use my car.

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    3. No, Plantsmith. It's a grille, my Lord, on a flatbed Ford!

      LegoWhoFearsItIs"SlowingDownToTakeABiteOuttaMe!

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    4. 207=CCVII in Roman numerals. CCVII is an anagram of CIVIC.

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    5. Yeah, and I thought I saw two Roman numerals: CIV, which is 104, and IC, which is 99, for a sum of 203. But... IC doesn't really work in proper Roman numerals. You can only put and I before an X or a V. 99 is properly XCIX.

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  15. Also re Blaine's original comment: Is Will using the term brand properly? I believe brand = make when it comes to vehicles. Models wouldn't be eligible. Am I wrong?

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    Replies
    1. I think the term "brand" would be equally applicable to makes or models. E.g., both "Boeing" and "747" are brands.

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    2. Yes. "Brand" applies equally to makes and models.

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  16. Puzzles like this and the ability to postpone gratification do not go together.

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  17. Happy Easter! All Going Well, I Am Going To Watch The NCAA Final Match Tonight, Go Cardinal!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm also a Stanford Alum, rooting for our women this evening.

      (But I'm also an anti-Gonzagist, so disappointed in last night's game. I loved the game, thrilling to watch, and thought Gonzaga played well, but I would like to see them in prison.)

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    2. Yea go Zags. And Russel Wilson's sister plays for Stanford?

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    3. Wow! What a game! They somehow pulled it off again! I was having deja vu of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsArAm1mRkA.
      Luckily, they managed to win!
      Baylor looks so strong and confident, let's see what happens tomorrow.

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  18. I have a solution, and serious reservations about the puzzle's wording. Blaine also needs to do some policing as there is a comment, which I am reluctant to identify, that lead me to the solution.

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  19. Driving my in-laws’ car home from Myrtle Beach and staring at the brands of every vehicle on 95.

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  20. Will follows a 4000 submission challenge with an on-air miscalculation and a poorly written new one.
    Then Blaine posts the kind of comment that he routinely RBA's.
    Then the sum up "You never know."

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  21. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiLaNEFyCiM

    Hey well
    I'm a friendly stranger in the black Sedan
    Won't you hop inside my car?
    I got pictures, got candy
    I'm a lovable man
    And I can take you to the nearest star
    I'm your vehicle, baby
    I'll take you anywhere you want to go
    I'm your vehicle, woman
    By now I'm sure you know
    That I love ya (love ya)
    I need ya (need ya)
    I want ya
    Got to have you, child
    Great God in heaven you know I love you

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    Replies
    1. Iris Corona,
      The first time I heard that Ides of March tune I coulda sworn it was a Chicago tune.

      LegoSuggestsThatTheLyricsOfBothTunesWere"KindaCreepy"

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    2. SDB

      Your puns are usually much better.That was 2/3's of a PUn. BTW, I still haven't gotten this damn puzzle. When Will said to move two vertical lines together, was he ruling out the possibility they didn't have to remain vertical?

      I can make two other letters by moving two vertical lines closer together so they cross or touch at their bottom ends.

      Delete
    3. Not sure that was supposed to be a pun. Graffiti vacation = graffitication, new word.

      Anyway I am not sure I have the intended answer or an alternate answer, so I cannot answer your question.

      Delete
  22. Make, model, manufacturer, brand? The answer is clearer, depending on the font you use. Good puzzle, but inelegant wording, I think.

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    Replies
    1. Inelegant, indeed, unless they meant brand new ;-).

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    2. I'm glad someone else mentioned the font issue. In my opinion, that's more iffy than the brand issue.

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    3. Three or four way tie for iffiest.

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  23. The Greek Alphabet won’t provide a lot of help this week. Happy holidays (Passover/Easter) to all.

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  24. Well I found a new brand of vehicle,that if you add the appropriate letter to the name, gives you the brand name of another vehicle. I don't think its the answer, but I submitted it as my answer with crossed fingers. Which is a difficult way to type?

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  25. This is my thought about this puzzle:

    creeping rhizomes of borage.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. WW, Sounds like something Robin would have said to Batman in the old TV series: "Creeping rhizomes Batman" they had been buried by a pile of fertilizer.

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    2. I recommend the Borage sequel. VERY NICE!

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    3. Borage is good for bees, bad for dogs and puzzles.
      No sense starting a new comment to LOL about Doonesbury's Sunday strip on Jeopardy.

      Delete
    4. C a p, re: fertilizer--nigh trojan?

      jsulbyrne, Borage Sequel? I like it. Thanks.

      MJ, bees love it here. Borage is kind of a grungy-sounding name for "starflower."

      Delete
  26. I don’t see a problem with this puzzle: wording, intent, etc. I think the intended answer is pretty clearly defined although – like many puzzles on NPR – it’s a little tricky to get there and you have to think outside the box.

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  27. I usually think of puzzles to submit to NPR during my morning bike rides. Today,I thought of one that Will would never accept because he'd think it was not PC. So let's see what you can do with it. Think of the name of a well known TV personality. If you say it aloud, it would sound like an apt comment about our past president. What's the name of the personality?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brilliant, sdb.

      It's probably time I try to tackle the puzzle, but guitar's been fun and the game's tonight and...

      Delete
    2. Not Betty White.Try a few more times then I'll post the intended answer tonight.

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    3. Sue Lyon

      Carrot Top

      Peter Boyle

      Howard Gottaround

      Amanda Brake a.k.a. Amanda Blake

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    4. I don't think the Wu-Tang Clan was often on TV. They were more of a Rap Super Group.

      But since they did appear on TV at least a few times, can I go with "Ol' Dirty Bastard"?

      Delete
    5. The name of a certain Disney character with elephantine ears comes to mind...

      Delete
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  29. Replies
    1. Yeah, cool.
      I think of MLB as a little bit... regressive. So pleasantly surprised.

      Delete
  30. Hi all. I've never commented here before, but I'm wondering whether my answer is the intended one! When read together, do anyone's "vehicle brands" remind them of a character from a certain fantasy series?

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    Replies
    1. Hello, V. From what I can gather, I'd say so. For my answer I only change one letter.

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    2. Thanks! I think we're barking up the same tree...

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    3. Sounds like you have an alternate answer to what is probably the intended answer.

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    4. That's entirely possible (especially because I think I'm treating the vertical lines slightly differently than are some other commenters!).

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  31. The answer to my puzzle is DON LEMON. Couldn't his name be an appropriate description of our previous president? Given Don's opinion of Trump,I think he'd like the answer to my puzzle.

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  32. So my answer doesn't really match Veronica's comment, though I can't say I am up on my "fantasy series" cast lists. Those sci fi epic things are always last on my list to watch.

    I will say, as a Marketing Professional (am I the only practicing "marketing guy" in Blainesville?), that the two "brands" I came up with are certainly both "vehicle brands."

    I don't think a vehicle brand is restricted to a "make" or "model" of a car. A brand is any protected trademark of a company. And a vehicle could be a Bike or Helicopter. I even started the puzzle by thinking about STP oil treatment and Tonka Trucks, or if there was a SpaceX Rocket Vehicle called the Model II that I could make into a Model T or something, but I'm pretty certain I ended with Will's intended answer.

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    Replies
    1. All right. Then I'll keep guessing, because I'm not definite on anything yet.

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    2. I'll look forward to revealing our respective solutions once the deadline has passed. Mine does satisfy the parameters, but an answer with better-known brands might be more satisfying.

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  33. It took me two full days, but I finally solved it after going to bed last night. My hint is that one of the words is the first name of the owner of a family owned and run foreign restaurant I have frequented since it opened years ago. I feel I am safe from the dreaded finger of doom that looms over us all here.

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    Replies
    1. Well i guess it is not the Old spaghetti factory?

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  34. SDB, You're a better man than I am Charlie Brown. I'm sure the answer I sent in was wrong .. Oh well

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    Replies
    1. Well if I do have the intended answer this is a very difficult puzzle to solve for most people, but I now can see why others may find it easier.

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    2. There are only 3 letters that have "two vertical lines." Go from there...

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    3. When the two vertical letters move closer together, is there a type of accordion effect?

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    4. I think saying more would be saying too much. Kind of like playing an accordion, there oughta be a law.

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    5. I now have the intended answer. My above answer is now reduced to being an alternative answer.

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    6. Ron: Couldn't the two vertical lines come from separate letters?

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  35. Musical clue: The Yardbirds (if my answer is correct that is).

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    Replies
    1. I think I know the song. I'm a Yardbirds fan from way back.

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  36. Could one of the vehicles not be used for transport?

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  38. I have an answer that works pretty well, elegant even. The problem is I fear I am summoning the angry wrath of the puzzle gods by taking liberties with Will's wording.

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  39. Y'all this one has me stumped. To quote U2, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

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  40. Replies
    1. Well, if they're orthogonal, then you have a point!

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    2. I'm surprised no one's complained about the difference between lines and line segments.

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    3. Are you looking to start an arcument ;-)?

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  41. Tricky Final Jeopardy! today. I am greatly enjoying Aaron Rodgers after a 2-week Jeopardy! hiatus.

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    Replies
    1. Tricky? I wonder if Will Shortz had a hand in wording that question.

      And "sweltering"? I just checked: the local temperature got all the way up to... 70 F that day.

      Delete
    2. From a duckduckgo search:

      Re: LBJ: for the inauguration twenty-seven people squeezed into the sixteen-foot square stateroom of Air Force One for the proceedings. Adding to the discomfort was the lack of air conditioning as the aircraft had been disconnected from the external power supply, in order to take off promptly.

      Hard to figure out in 30 seconds, though. At least WS gives us 4 days to answer.

      Delete
    3. That is simply impossible. That state room would be 4' X 4'and there is no way that many people could be crammed into anything that small. So much for Wikipedia.

      In today's Seattle Times it said today in 1909 Peary and some other guy were the first men to reach the North Pole. Oh really!? The truth is they never reached the North Pole ever. Roald Amundsen is the first man to reach both the South and North Poles in that order.

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    4. It said 16 foot square (16' x 16'), not 16 square foot (4' x 4').

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    5. Back to geometry: you can't fit a 16' x 16' square into a plane with a 148" (12.33') (external) fuselage width.

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    6. It was a small space with a lot of people and no air flow. I can imagine "sweltering" described it well.

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    7. For an encyclopedia to present itself as being factual and publishing bogus "facts" is unacceptable. To defend its errors is also unacceptable. One consults an encyclopedia in order to ascertain true facts.

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    8. Yeah, people are so imperfect.

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    9. Well not you and me, jan. I'm unsure about all the others.

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    10. Confutatis Maledictus 1, sdb 0

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  42. Wikipedia cited Steven Gillon, who cited Charles Roberts, who actually said the room was 12 x 15.

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  43. It's almost Thursday. Lover baby, show that horizontal line how it's really done!

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  44. Replies
    1. I just did that 1996 Election crossword puzzle last week, if only to admire it one more time. (Spoiler Alert, Clinton won.)

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    2. Oh, come on! I DVRed it!

      [Yeah, I was about five years ahead of my time.)

      Delete
  45. Sorry to be joining so late. No dereliction of duty intended. I think I have the answer. Slowing down allowed me to narrow it down.

    I may have owned one of those in the past, perhaps even both. Well, maybe not in this order.

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  46. WS edits 10,000 crossword puzzle.
    According to New York Times.

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  47. OK, I now have two possible solutions! One (as mentioned above) might remind one of a fantasy character; the other seems subtly Antipodean.

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  49. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  50. CIVIC >>> GMC

    My Alternate Answer: (VW) GOLF & GO-E the electric refueling brand for RV's.

    I was put off by the hints to look for the answer in a place other than a list of cars. I kept thinking it would be a ride share vehicle or service or a scooter or Prime delivery truck, or Smartcar, or Go2car or Lyft or Zipcar. Because of following this rabbit (no pun intended) hole I came up with GO and tried to come up with an ending and thought of GO-E and Googled to find it came up and is only applicable to vehicles, so maybe we were expected to be liberal with our interpretation of “vehicle brands.” When I saw the intended answer I knew my alt, while clever, would not get me a box of Cuban cigars.

    Good puzzle!

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  51. CIVIC>>>GMC

    Move the I's in CIVIC towards each other until they touch the V, forming an M and add a horizontal line to the first C forming a G, resulting in GMC.

    For what it’s worth, I take exception to calling Civic a, “Brand.” Honda, Like Chevrolet or Volkswagen is a Brand, a Civic is a specific model Honda. GMC, on other hand is a Brand, with various models including Sierra and Yukon.

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    Replies
    1. So, for example, a THUNDERBIRD is not a "brand of car" nor a "brand of Ford" ?

      Delete
    2. Didn't get it this week, but specifically didn't consider models because of the wording of the question, as reinforced by Blaine's clue. So Civic was not on my list. Chevrolet and Buick are GM brands with different models, and Ford has Mercury, etc. That's what I considered to be a brand. Oh well...

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  52. CIVIC, GMC

    > What do these three planes have in common?

    They're an F-104 Starfighter, an F1 Mirage (made by Dassault, mentioned here last week), and an F-100 Super Sabre. 104, 1, and 100, in Roman numerals, are CIV, I, C.

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  53. Honda CIVIC, a “brand” of Honda. Move the “two vertical lines,” the I's, up to the V, creating an M. Add a short “horizontal line” (-) to the lower end of the first C in CMC to create a G. This yields GMC, a General Motors Truck “brand.”


    CIVICGMC


    My route to the answer: There are only 3 capital letters that contain “two vertical lines” H, M, N. Remove those vertical lines and only M leaves an actual letter: V. This means that one of the “vehicle brands” will contain the letter sequence: ...IVI... The Honda CIVIC immediately comes to mind. The other "vehicle brand" will be CMC + a horizontal line. GMC immediately comes to mind. Seemed pretty easy to me.



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  54. I know this is probably not the intended answer, but I have injured my shoulder the past few days patting myself on the back because I love it.

    HONDA --> FONDA

    If you take the very popular vehicle brand HONDA, move the vertical lines on the H together and to the left until they become one, and add a horizontal line, it becomes an F, and HONDA becomes FONDA – as in Henry, Jane, Peter and Bridget – a popular cinema vehicle brand for decades, as in “Have you seen the new Fonda vehicle?”

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    Replies
    1. From Merriam-Webster …

      ve·hi·cle | noun



      3: a medium through which something is expressed, achieved, or displayed // “an investment vehicle”

      especially : a work created especially to display the talents of a particular performer

      Delete
  55. CIVIC >>> CMC >>> GMC

    "This is my thought about this puzzle:

    creeping rhizomes of borage."

    BORAGE >>> (VICTOR) BORGE >>> CIVIC

    And "creeping rhizomes of borage" is how I characterize this puzzle. It's poorly worded and it relies on certain fonts. I did like Dave's deleted clue about the jury and implied CIVIC duty, though it didn't make total sense until later in the day.

    The duty cascade later in the week was a bit over the top.

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  56. I submitted CIVIC and GMC.

    They are certainly both "brands," one the property of Honda Motor Company and one the property of General Motors Company.

    ReplyDelete
  57. My answer: CIVIC (Honda model) -> EMC (bicycle manufacturer).

    My hints:
    - "Dereliction of [CIVIC] duty"
    - "Slowing down" (from a car to a bicycle)
    - "Narrow it down" (from four wheels to two)
    - "Not in this order" (i.e., you can ride a bike before you can drive a car)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had considered GMC, only that the change from C to G required adding not only a horizontal line (per instructions) but also another (short) vertical line. C to E can be done with just one horizontal line, as instructed.

      Delete
    2. That was the intent of my note of yesterday: "Lover baby, show that horizontal line how it's really done." What you really need to change a C to a G is a small L turned over.

      Delete
    3. Oh, and I have owned a Honda Civic in the past, but no EMC bicycle—and certainly no GMC truck.

      (PS: It amazes me to see how most people were able to dismiss doubts re. transforming C to G so easily.)

      Delete
    4. Check out the logo of EMC, the bicycle manufacturer: The C has the same edged frame as the E. Meaning, the E really is a C with a horizontal line added inside. Ergo, the answer works. (EMC certainly is a "popular" brand with bicycle aficionados.)

      Delete
  58. CIVIC, GMC

    I own a Honda Civic and a Toyota Corolla. I have wanted a Chevrolet since the Chevrolet->Chex, Rolex puzzle on June 24, 2018. My mom said that Will Shortz might do a puzzle with Civic or Corolla. On May 10, 2020, the answer to the puzzle was Toyota Corolla. Now, the answer is Civic. There has been a puzzle with both of my cars.

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    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Bobby-
      I don't believe Will has ever presented us with a puzzle where the answer was a Mercury car, of which I own 2. Do you suppose it is because there may be too much tuna fish in it?

      Delete
    3. skydiveboy,
      I know you have to tuna piano to keep it in tune. Did you have to tuna Mercury or two to keep 'em running?

      Bobby,
      Your mom is a wise woman... and perhaps a tad clairvoyant!
      ...Speaking of great puzzles that are fun to solve:
      We feature "Must-See-Puzzletry" on this week's Puzzleria!
      In "Puzzle Fun by Bobby Jacobs" Our friend Bobby poses a pair of provoking yet pleasing puzzle (one which involves a philosopher and the meat she or he might eat!)
      Our menus this week also include:
      * a Schpuzzle of the Week about the connection between the Book of Proverbs and a deadly sin commited by a character in a play,
      * a "captital" (as in world capitals) puzzle Slice about an author and composer,
      * a Dessert about a working definition of twerking, and
      * seven CAPITAL (as in UPPERCASE) riff-offs of this week's NPR puzzle.
      We upload on very-early-Friday, at Midnight PDT.

      LegoWhoSays"AfterMidnightWe'reGonnaChug-a-lugAndShoutGetSomeSatisfactionAndFindOutWhat(TheseTwelvePuzzles)AreAllAbout!

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    4. Yes, and I did all the work myself. Just call me Greta Thunberg if you want.

      Delete
    5. @Joseph Young, You are wonderful and bring much joy to this world. Thank you for your outstanding Puzzleria! http://puzzleria.blogspot.com Ha! I love what you wrote about being clairvoyant. I would love to know what the future holds. I wish for much good and fantastic for everyone!

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    6. "I'm gonna wait for the midnight hour."

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  59. CIVIC --> CMC --> GMC

    Last Sunday I said, “I am reminded of a hit song that Steve Winwood sang.” He was the lead vocal on Gimme Some Lovin’ while he was with the Spencer Davis Group. Gimme --> GM

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  60. Well done, everyone. I definitely stumbled, not so much on the "brand" but on the "horizontal line." So what does everyone think? About 100 correct responses? Fewer? If so, then someone on the blog may have got "the call."

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    Replies
    1. In line with Bobby's deleted 207 (CCVII) clue, I'll guess 207.

      Next up, CCVII and other such numerals roamin' on the plains (next to the deer and the antelope ;-))

      Delete
    2. Dr. K: I would say Will Shortz was the one that stumbled, not you.
      The Honda Civic is a model, not a brand. The Accord is a separate brand made by Honda.
      Only a few the simplest alphabet fonts make a G out of a C with only a horizontal line.

      Delete
    3. Whoops, I meant Acura, not Accord, which, like Civic, is a model.
      Anyone try this in cursive? It's even worse.

      Delete
  61. My clues - The Greek Alphabet won’t provide a lot of help this week. Happy holidays (Passover/Easter) to all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Greek alphabet didn’t help, but Roman numerals did since CIVIC is all Roman numerals. The happy holidays was a reference to Honda’s ads at year end that say Happy Honda-days.

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  62. One last point -- Was it Blaine or Will Shortz who used Car, Car, Car? I thought that was a nice nod to Oprah and her "you get a car, you get a car, and you get a car" meme.

    And the car Oprah was dispensing that day was a Pontiac G-6 (or something like that), made by -- GMC.

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  63. Psshhh. I call BS on this one. A civic is not a brand, and a single horizontal line does not turn a C into a G. Will Shortz is cancelled.

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  64. We don't usually call a model of car a 'brand', but it's not incorrect to call it that. A brand (in the relevant sense) is:

    "A particular sort or class of goods, as indicated by the trademarks on them" [OED];

    "a type of product manufactured by a particular company under a particular name: a new brand of soap powder." [Oxford New American];

    "A trademark or distinctive name identifying a product, service, or organization." [American Heritage]

    So 'Civic' obviously counts.

    As for 'G', I have to agree that in no standard font can you get it from 'C' just by adding the horizontal line. But... Will said "Write in capital letters ..." And in my handwriting (and I bet most people's!) a capital 'G' does indeed vary from a 'C' just by the little horizontal line.

    However, Jan's point that what is added is a line segment and not a line is absolutely damning!

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  65. L ECO to LEGO
    L ECO is a Toyota Prius brand. LEGO is a really major vehicle brand, from cars and trucks to ships and spaceships.

    Moving the vertical lines closer will take out the space between L and E, and then add the horizontal line to the C to make a G.

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    Replies
    1. I really like this answer, and I bet Joseph Young does, too!

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    2. I am sure he does. Long live Lego.

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    3. I indeed do like Barbara H.'s answer. I wonder if Will Shortz might accept it as an alternative.

      LegoWhoBelievesEcoarchitectMightLikeBarbara'sAnswerAlso

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    4. Thanks. We will see.

      L ECO and LEGO could be the basis for another puzzle.

      Delete
  66. Wonka- Tonka. Via W accordion action. Everyone needs a Wonka cart of WW Sativa.
    I am sure he does.

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  67. So I changed MINI to MAN; the latter is a leading German truck and bus brand. It may not be sufficiently well-known, but then again neither was Ocho Rios :).

    My second solution was to change the bike brand IBIS into a Volkswagen BUS. That's a bit tendentious where the font is concerned, but then again I really do not buy that a single line turns a C into a G!

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    Replies
    1. Veronica, happy to see you using tendentious re: fonts! We can be a tendentious group on certain topics. . .Welcome!

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    2. Veronica: i am glad to see your MINI to MAN. I got same answer.

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    3. Thanks, both! I've been solving the Sunday puzzle with my parents for almost a year now, and this is the first time I haven't been sure of my answer. Still not a huge fan of CIVIC/GMC, tbh, but I'm fairly sure that's the intended solution...

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  68. Good answer! If "G" is valid in the sense that a horizontal line as added to a C, then your approach is also valid. The instructions only said to move the vertical lines closer together; they didn't say the two vertical lines had to stay vertical!

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  69. Lame puzzle. Civic is a model, not a brand.

    Lamely worded puzzle. I got Civic and CMC, and thought that a far better puzzle would have been:

    Spell the name of a car model in caps. Move two of the vertical lines towards each other. The result is the nickname of a well known professional athlete.

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  70. Lame puzzle. Civic is a model, not a brand.

    Lamely worded puzzle. I got Civic and CMC, and thought that a far better puzzle would have been:

    Spell the name of a car model in caps. Move two of the vertical lines towards each other. The result is the nickname of a well known professional athlete.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Lame puzzle. Civic is a model, not a brand.

    Lamely worded puzzle. I got Civic and CMC, and thought that a far better puzzle would have been:

    Spell the name of a car model in caps. Move two of the vertical lines towards each other. The result is the nickname of a well known professional athlete.

    ReplyDelete
  72. CIVIC -> GMC.
    My comment: All Going Well -> AGW is GMC encrypted using Caesar cipher.

    ReplyDelete
  73. Replies
    1. Native American writer Sherman Alexie, who is of Coeur D'Alene descent, has said that kemosabe means “idiot” in Apache. “They were calling each other 'idiot' all those years,” he told an interviewer in 1996, a few years after the publication of his story collection The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven.

      In Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish, "tonto" translates as "a dumb person", "moron", or "fool".

      Beware of silver bullshit!

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    2. OK, you're anything but. Still, have great week.

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    3. I hope you know I was not accusing you of anything. I just think our ignorance of these things is interesting and worth knowing. If you are going to insist I have a good week, then you must do the same. No excuses!

      Delete
  74. It may be offensive to some people to see fun made of a disability on here.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What disability are you referring to, Natasha?

      Delete
  75. I apologize, Natasha. No offense was meant, SDB and I were just razzing each other.

    ReplyDelete
  76. I was referring to speech problem. I may be wrong. Thanks Clark.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If the PC Police have their way and we can no longer make humorous comments to one thing after another until every so called abnormality or imperfection or human condition situation is off limits, then it will be the end of humor. You may feel this would be a good thing, but be careful of what you desire because you may not like the unintended consequences.

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    2. Sdb: you have free speech and so do I.

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    3. Sadly our so called free speech rights are being whittled away.

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  77. skydiveboy's speech may seem free, but it and his humor often come at a cost to others.

    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.

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