Q: Name a food item in seven letters. Move the first letter to the fifth position and you'll get two words that are synonyms. What are they?
A: BRISKET --> RISK, BET
Q: Name a food item in seven letters. Move the first letter to the fifth position and you'll get two words that are synonyms. What are they?
A: BRISKET --> RISK, BET
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.
I think I’ve got it, but of late I’ve spoken too soon, so I’m not willing to take a chance.
ReplyDeleteAnagram to name something a Brit with a broken-down car might do.
ReplyDeleteHa ha, got a kick out of that one.
DeleteVery appropriate! :)
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteDr. Awk - I suspect we are thinking of the same anagram.
DeleteI was actually thinking of "kerb-sit"—but I love the Brexit connexion!
DeleteCabbage is an anagram of "beg a cab", so this hint made me believe the answer could be "cabbage".
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe food sounds a lot like another food with which it can be paired.
ReplyDeleteThe new benchmark seems to be that you have the puzzle solved before it even airs. I had an answer that seemed too easy, so I tried to find another answer that also worked…preferably before the puzzle aired. Alas, no luck with that—before or after. Okay, I knew it was a long shot.
ReplyDeleteIt is a happy coincidence that my wife and I were just talking about preparing this food item. Coming up with something that doesn't give it away might be trickier.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I can come up with something while watching television, or playing a game.
DeleteFood for thought: It needs to be thoroughly chewed before swallowed...
ReplyDeleteWell now, doesn't that depend on preparation?
DeleteI'm not entirely certain I understand the directions. We move the first letter to the the fifth position. Does that mean we replace the fifth letter with the first, or that we retain all seven letters ending up with ultimately a 4 + 3 or 3 + 4 pair of synonyms? If the latter, then I have an answer.
ReplyDeleteABCDEFG becomes BCDEAFG
DeleteThe latter, though the numbers could be different.
DeleteJAWS, Thank you for this! My brain took it as, ABCDEFG becomes BCDAEFG -meaning, take the word as it is, move the first letter to its current fifth position. After starting all over again, trying to remember all my food items I came up with the answer pretty quickly... THIS TIME. This puzzle could have been worded better: "Move the first letter to what has now become the fifth position" Or something like that.
DeleteYou saved my morning!
317
ReplyDelete@6320?
DeleteSt. Patrick.
DeleteNot totally happy with the synonyms but I think it's the only game in town.
ReplyDeleteI agree with surferwoman. No "Eureka!" here.
ReplyDeleteAt first, I was lost. But then I won!
ReplyDeletePart of one of my favorite food sayings
ReplyDeleteUpdating my posts from last week's column:
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite foods!
Easier to cook than to clue. (Off the top I can think of four popular ways it is prepared, but this is a puzzle blog, not the cooking channel.)
The synonyms can be viewed as a letter and a game.
Ooooh, good one, especially with the letter!
DeleteYesterday was kind of cool for Philly. Today is more normal for this time of year.
ReplyDeleteIs it 1234567 to 2341567, or 1234567 to 2345167? Please clear this up for this old man.
ReplyDeleteThx, Zeke.
Zeke,
DeleteIt's 1234567 to 2345167.
This week’s challenge comes from Adam Cohen of Brooklyn. Will Shortz says he is going to see Mr. Cohen next weekend at the annual convention of the National Puzzlers’ League in Nashville, Tennessee... two guys from New York jetting, railroading or driving nearly 900 miles to Nashville to see each other!
LegoWhoWondersWhy...
Remove the first letter and rearrange to get a non-food item often associated with a bowl or a plate.
ReplyDeleteVery clever hint, Nodd.
DeleteLegoWhoBelievesThe"CleverQuotient"OnBlaine'sBlogIsOffTheCharterBusses!
Well can you get this item from a food truck?
DeleteTook nearly as long to figure out this hint ... great!
DeletePlantsmith, not normally, but you might if you took an item without paying.
DeleteI guess it is not a Whopper.
DeleteNo, but they did have it at a BK in northern CA for a while.
DeleteCoincidence?
DeleteElegant hint.
DeleteYou can no longer get one on Amazon.
DeleteUber Eats?
DeleteOccasionally.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteThanks to all who commented. HINT EXPLANATION: BRISKET - B = STRIKE. You can bowl a strike in bowling or throw a strike over the plate in baseball. You can also get a strike under Three Strikes laws if you steal something from a food truck. Burger King and Uber Eats have experienced labor strikes recently.
DeleteNodd - I agree with the others above. You hint was terrific.
DeleteMy B48 became B49 because I was not sure if Will said fifth or sixth and trying to solve both didn't seem useful.
ReplyDeleteBlaine's better hearing solved that.
MJWhoWondersWhyLegoWondersWhy
Was the Mister Re solved this morning? Congratulations on checking off a bucket list item. You did great!
ReplyDeleteI agree heartily with Word Whisker. Mister (Jerry) Re(nolds) did himself proud. Great, job, Jerry!
DeleteLegoWhoAdds:ButThe"Jerry"IsStillOutOnHowTheOthersHereWhoHaveNotYet"GottenTheCall"MightDo
Lego
It was worth the wait. I was surprised that THE CALL came at noon Friday. I always (mistakenly) presumed that it would be Thursday afternoon.
DeleteMister "Gerry" Re...
That's Noon central time for those who want to synchronize watches.
DeleteAre you saying they did not call you on Thursday and tell you that it would be taped on Friday?
DeleteMister Re you seem like a total gem! I thoroughly enjoyed playing along with you this morning. You did great, and had me cracking up along with Ayesha. Super puzzle player!
DeleteYes, skydiveboy, I said that they did not call me on Thursday and tell me that it would be taped on Friday. I am as surprised as much as you seem to be. That's why I shared it on the blog.
DeleteThank you for the clarification. I wonder if the person they called on Thursday backed out. I seem to recall hearing long ago they also call a backup person. Anyway you got that one off your bucket list. Congratulations.
DeleteI was busy on Sunday morning, and just got around to listening to the puzzle segment. Congratulations Gerry / Mister Re..., you were great!
DeleteI ditto Jan - I loved how laid-back you sounded, Mister Re...! --Margaret G.
DeleteHey, grill, hey!
ReplyDeleteWho here drinks Lipton Tea?
ReplyDeleteNot anymore.
DeleteWell, actually yes. Even the instant iced variety. But if your clue is focusing on what I think you mean, then, not anymore. Explanation Thursday.
DeleteRhymes with one of my favorite snack phoods.
ReplyDeleteRemove an interior letter from the food and place it at the end of the string. Then, phonetically, ... well, if I go any further I might as well just draw you a picture.
ReplyDeletebrisket > brikets > (charcoal) briquettes
DeleteArtists sometimes draw pictures with charcoal.
Nice, Paul.
ReplyDeleteOr, remove a different interior letter from the food and place it at the bottom of the trash can. Then, phonetically, ... well, if I go any further my lack of drawing skills will be exposed.
LegoOnceBittenTwiceScorched!
Music clue: Carole King who, I just learned, turned 80 in February. Now I'm depressed.
ReplyDeleteRemove one of the letters of the food. It will sound like another food.
ReplyDeleteBrisket-r=bisket, which sounds like biscuit.
DeleteNo offense to anyone here, but this puzzle makes me glad I'm not of the Jewish faith.
ReplyDeletepjbBelievesThereMayBeTheLeastLittlePainInvolvedWithThisChallenge(Ouch!)
Very funny. I noticed the connection this morning, but decided to let it go and not post.
DeleteThat's too funny! As part of this demographic, I really appreciate the connection you found, lol. I will admit, your clue also did help me get the answer, so thanks! :P
DeleteYeah, me too. TMI, IMO.
DeleteRearrange and a PM may come to mind.
ReplyDeleteInterestingly (to me) I've prepared this item but never in my life tasted it.
ReplyDeleteI hope Blaine and family are okay. Odd he did not hint today and he posted later than usual too.
ReplyDeleteYes, I was also concerned.
DeleteI also. No comments have been "removed by a blog administrator."
DeleteLegoWithPrayersForBlaineHisFamilyAndAllBlainesvillians
I could come up with a rhyming clue, but I don't want to....
ReplyDeleteYeah, you don't want to press your luck on that
DeleteI found the answer using the alternative internet search engine, Koogle.
ReplyDeleteSmorzando! 'Tis sage advice.
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Koogle
DeleteWow! So, if Yahoo!'s search engine (or AltaVista, I guess) had crushed Google in its infancy, we'd now be using "koogle" as a common verb? Kool!
DeleteArmadillos and Old Lace
ReplyDeleteI sent the intended answer in the 2345167 format, but I prefer my silly 2341567 answer.
ReplyDeleteAren't you referring to Kugel?
ReplyDeleteOf course, but Koogle is funnier.
DeleteBut kugel is tastier!
DeleteUmm, the hints are supposed to be indirect.
DeleteSince kugel has come up for discussion, I'll jump in. I've had potato kugel, noodle kugel, and even an apple noodle kugel. My preference is a potato kugel.
ReplyDeleteThe other day, while watching Jeopardy!, I saw an ad for shorts (not Shortz) that deliver 180 perfect kugels per session!
Deleteagree
DeleteWas I the only one slapped by the wife for my response to On the Air Question 2? I was actually surprised that Will put that one out there.
ReplyDeleteIf the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, insurrection should decide to expand their probes to include looking into Trump's ties with Putin, would that be a Red Hearing?
ReplyDeleteNow that I've solved the puzzle, my one and only clue: Mentioned more than once on a popular sitcom.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back, Blaine. We like having you around.
DeleteLegoWhoOpinesThatNoOneAdministratesABlogBetterThanBlaine!
Welcome back, Blaine! I guess I can't talk about the weather!
DeleteDitto that.
ReplyDeleteCryptic-tock, cryptic-tock... 'Tis Cryptic Crossword Puzzle Time again. Our friend Patrick J. Berry (aka "cranberry) has, for the 27th time on Puzzleria!, created a batch of "Cryptic Crossword Kryptonite" that will bring even SuperSolvers to their knees... praying for answers!
ReplyDeleteWe upload P! very early every Friday morning, just after Midnight Pacific Daylight Time... (times may vary on Krypton and other fake planets; check your local listings).
A cryptic crossword is a crossword puzzle in which each clue, in itself, is a word puzzle! Thus, because Patrick's latest puzzle has 13 Across and 13 Down clues that you must solve (plus one more for filling in the puzzle grid itself) that adds up to 27 puzzles in one! (quite fitting for Mr. Berry's 27th puzzle).
But... there's more! Our menus this week also include:
* a Schpuzzle of the Week linking Salt licks, sidearms, slaps, sedans, etc.
* a puzzle-slice that ponders "painting the corners you paint yourself into,"
* a slice-of-dessert, not about "port & starboard," but about "airports & blackboards," and
* 20 (yes, count 'em, 20!) riff-offs of this week's NPR puzzle, titled “Betcha a brisket you won’t risk it!”
If my abacus isn't busted, that adds up to 50 puzzles we are offering this week!
LegoWhoWelcomesAllPuzzleLoversToDropByButToPleaseFeelNoPressureToSolveAllFiftyPuzzlesBecauseWeLikeToThinkOfPuzzleriaAsAn"AllYouCareToEatSmorgasbordBuffet"NotAHotDogEatingContest!
BRISKET → RISK = BET
ReplyDeleteRisk: a venture depending on chance: bet, gamble, speculation, wager.
BRISKET >>> RISK & BET
ReplyDeleteMy Hint:
"Rhymes with one of my favorite snack phoods." TRISCUIT
BRISKET, RISK BET
ReplyDelete"Perhaps I can come up with something while watching television, or playing a game." I could play RISK, or watch BET network.
"It's a smoker out there!" My wife and I were discussing when to make a smoked brisket.
I did not post it, because I was afraid it could be TMI, but I was immediately reminded of an old Bud Dry commercial from 1990 (A good man is hard to find, look it up). The second date says, "My mother makes the best brisket." Bud Dry was discontinued years ago, and there are not that many commercials for it on the web, so it would be easy for someone to find it. My brother and I used to laugh at that ad all the time.
BRISKET — RISK, BET
ReplyDeleteDr. K beat me to posting "take a chance," but I still managed to post:
"I tried to find another answer…. Alas, no luck…. Okay, I knew it was a long shot."
BRISKET —> RISK, BET
ReplyDeleteHint: “I’m not willing to take a chance” —> i.e. I’m not willing to RISK or BET
I agree with the general sentiment that Mister Re… did exceptionally well on a challenging On-air Challenge. (I read the Challenge on the website before the broadcast and thought how relieved I was that I wasn’t the one who received the call.) And about “the call” coming—unusually—on Friday: My first thought was the same as sdb’s—that someone else had received the call Thursday but, for some reason, was subsequently unavailable on Friday.
Glad to see Blaine is back.
Brisket>>Risk and Bet
ReplyDeleteBrisket is one of my favorite cuts of meat. Whether: braised with onions and chili sauce; smoked Texas style; brined and turned into corned beef; or brined, spiced and smoked into pastrami, it is delicious.
Which makes me curious that Ben has prepared, but never tasted it. When I’m cooking, I’m al-ways tasting and adjusting spices, etc., as the dish progresses. Ben?
As to my clue that the synonyms can be viewed as a letter and a game, Risk is a game and Bet is the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Brisket is an anagram of breksit, which reminded me of (outgoing) British PM Boris Johnson.
ReplyDeleteBRISKET -> RISK, BET
ReplyDelete> I could come up with a rhyming clue, but I don't want to....
... risk it.
> You can no longer get one on Amazon.
They decided a DIY bris kit might be a bad idea.
jan always manages to get right to the point.
DeleteCuts right to it.
DeleteAh yes, the answer to the question, "What does a Mohel carry in his satchel?"
Deletejan, et al,
DeleteSee my puzzle from August of 2016:
"Service With A Smirk Appetizer:
Hamburger-standing on ceremony"
LegoNotesThatThisMohelGivesAnEccentricPerformance
BRISKET; RISK, BET
ReplyDelete"Smorzando! 'Tis sage advice." Tissage is weaving in French >>> Brisket reminds me of "A Tisket, a Taskit, a Green and Yellow Basket."
Welcome back, Blaine!
Brisket, risk, bet. This is for the pseudonymous Clark: I assumed you were talking about Lipton tea as the "brisk tea, " thereby being an illusion to brisket. But, they no longer use that slogan anymore. Hence "not anymore " Unless I haven't examined the box closely enough.
ReplyDeleteBRISKET --> RISK, BET
ReplyDeleteIt is true that, as the family cook and a vegetarian for the last 45 years or so, I have mastered my mother-in-law's Brisket but never in my life tasted the stuff.
I'd figured you were a vegetarian, but commenting and revealing the food as one a vegetarian would shun would have been TMI.
ReplyDeleteMy clue, Carole King, was a nod to Hard Rock Cafe. "Put your money on a number, anyone can play."
ReplyDeleteBrisket --> risk, bet
ReplyDeleteLast Sunday I said, “Yesterday was kind of cool for Philly. Today is more normal for this time of year.” Yesterday was brisk.
Corned beef brisket. St. Patrick's Day. 317
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, there a BBQ place in Indianapolis (area code 317) called 317 BBQ that has Prime Beef Brisket as one of its menu items.
Deletehttps://www.317bbq.com/menu
Brisket - riskk bet is what I submitted .
ReplyDeletePop tart - opt part. In a previous profession when I was optioned it was a parting of the ways.
brisket (risk, bet)
ReplyDeleteFor me the biggest takeaway from last night's House Hearings was that the lumber used to erect the gallows to hang Mike Pence came from a Mar-a-Lago repair job.
ReplyDeleteTruth be told, I usually fail at guessing food items, and I know that a risk and a bet are not necessarily synonyms.
ReplyDeleteThis week's challenge: This week's challenge will require a little research. The 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the 1992 Olympic gold medal in giant slalom both suggest, phonetically, a certain square number. What is it?
ReplyDeleteCute riddle! But how to clue it?
DeleteAt least, I think it's cute. Skydiveboy will probably say no.
DeleteBefore it's even played on the air, I've submitted the answer for this week's puzzle. First time I've ever done that!
DeleteTo those who like to click "Notify Me", Blaine's blog for this week's puzzle IS UP NOW!
ReplyDeleteHurry, Hurry, get those TMI posts emailed to you before they're gone!