NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 31, 2023): Mixed Up Movies

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 31, 2023): Mixed Up Movies

Q: Name a famous movie in 4 letters. Change one letter and anagram the result to name another movie that came out 20 years later. Then change one letter in that and anagram to name a third movie that came out 29 years after the second one. What movies are these?

It doesn't help that I thought I was looking for a famous movie in 4 words. Then I made a different assumption that messed me up. And finally, I got a different release date for the first movie. Anyway, if you take the last movie, change one letter and rearrange, you get a word that describes these 3 movies.

Edit: For Dr. No my first search came up with the U.S. release date being 1963 rather than the U.K. release date in 1962. For the extra puzzle, you can perform the same operation on THOR and get TRIO.

A: DR. NO (1962), TRON (1982), THOR (2011)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 24, 2023): Shifting Things Around in the Workplace

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 24, 2023): Shifting Things Around in the Workplace

Q: Think of an area found in many workplaces, in two words. Move the first letter of the first word to the start of the second word. Phonetically you'll name two items that have a similar use — one of which might be used in the workplace. What place is this?

Drop the last two letters in the first word and add an "S". Rearrange to name a type of hat.

Edit: BRE(ak) ROOM + S --> SOMBRERO

A: BREAK ROOM --> RAKE, BROOM

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 17, 2023): Nay, Recess *is* Necessary

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 17, 2023): Nay, Recess *is* Necessary

Q: Think of a word that means "required." Rearrange its letters to name two school subjects, one of which is often required, and one of which often isn't. What are they?

Alternatively, rearrange the letters to name a subject and something you might study in that subject.

Edit: In BIOLOGY you might study a RAT

A: OBLIGATORY --> BIOLOGY and ART

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 10, 2023): Winter Season Approaches

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 10, 2023): Winter Season Approaches

Q: Take the phrase WINTER SEASON. Add a letter of your choosing. Then rearrange all 13 letters to spell three related words. What are they?

Christmas is coming...

Edit: WINTER SEASON has no "L" (Noel)

A: WINTER SEASON + L = RAIN, SNOW, SLEET

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 3, 2023): Car Parts To Wear Out

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 3, 2023): Car Parts To Wear Out

Q: A muffler is part of an automobile. It's also the name of something you can wear. Think of two other parts of automobiles that are also things you can wear. These two words have the same number of letters and the same first two letters in the same order.

I wanted to wear a belt, but couldn't find anything to go with it. As for the answers, I wear one part much less frequently than the other.

Edit: I occassionally wear a hood (with a jacket), but the other much less frequently.

A: HOOD, HOSE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 26, 2023): We Don't Need Roads

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 26, 2023): We Don't Need Roads

Q: Think of a common sign seen along a highway. Rearrange the letters to name something inside a car.

Change the last letter of the sign to an "I", rearrange to name part of the body. Change the last letter of thing inside the car to an "F", rearrange to name something found on the water.

Edit: REST AREI becomes ARTERIES and REAR SEAF becomes SEAFARER

A: REST AREA --> REAR SEAT

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 19, 2023): Let's Start a Band

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 19, 2023): Let's Start a Band

Q: Here's a harder challenge. Name a musical instrument plus part of that instrument. Drop the last letter of the instrument then rearrange all the remaining letters to name another musical instrument. What is it?

The deadline is Wed. Nov 22 at 3PM ET because of Thanksgiving.

The 1st and 3rd letters of the final musical instrument are the initials of someone famously associated with that instrument.

Edit: Christopher Walken is (in)famous for the "More Cowbell" skit on SNL.

A: CELLO (-O) + BOW --> COWBELL

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 12, 2023): Creative Places (continued...)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 12, 2023): Creative Places (continued...)

Q: This is a two-week creative challenge. Name a geographical place. Then describe it acrostically using the letters in its name. For example, ALBANY could be described acrostically as "Administering Legislative Business At New York." The place can be anywhere in the world — the U.S. or abroad. Entries will be judged on originality, sense, naturalness of wording, elegance, and overall effect. You may submit up to three entries.

The deadline is this Wednesday, November 15th at 3PM ET.

Edit: Listeners sent more than a thousand entries. Out of them all, Will's favorite was the following — selected for its length and beauty:

A: STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
Shakespeare transformed rhetorical art, to fashion outstanding rhythmic drama — using poetry, oratory, nuance, and vividly original narrative.
Stephen Portnoy, Hillsboro, OR

So many other ingenious entries were submitted that Will wanted to share as many as possible. Here are some of his other favorite geographical acrostic submissions.

ALASKA
America Laughed At Seward’s Keen Acquisition
Christy St. John, Doylestown, PA

AMSTERDAM
A marvelous space to enjoy real Dutch art museums
Don Brown, East Greenbush, NY

ANNAPOLIS
America’s notable Naval Academy protects our lives in service
Benita Rice, Salem, OH

ANTARCTICA
Almost Nobody There, And Really Cold, Thick Ice Covers All
Jim Meyer, Edmonds, WA

ASPEN
A skier's paradise equalled nowhere
Michelle Nelson, South Windsor, BC, Canada

ATLANTA
Attorneys Take Legal Action Negating Trump’s Activities
Rene Esler, Atlanta, GA

ATLANTIS
Area Termed Lost. Alas, Never Tells Its Secrets
Roxane Rix, Alexandria, PA

BARCELONA
Behind a resurgent Catalan environment leading our national aspirations
Henry Willis, Los Angeles, CA

BERMUDA
Beachfront Escape Reputedly Masking Unexplained Disappearing Airplanes
Christy St. John, Doylestown, PA

CALGARY
Canada’s Alberta location — greatest annual rodeo. Yee-haw!
BethAnn Hullinger, La Quinta, CA

CANADA
Considerate And Nice And Dependable Ally
Steve Lindsay, Victoria, BC

CAPRI
Captivating And Picturesque Roman Island
Liz Tentarelli, Newbury, NH

CARTHAGE
Considerably aggrieved, Rome triumphed here after great enmity
Max Lykins, Charlottesville, VA

CHICAGO
Cub’s Home Is Certainly A Good One
Dave Johnson, San Antonio, TX

CHICAGO
Capone Had It Cornered Against Gang Opposition
Ted Levin, Seattle, WA

CLEVELAND
Cleaner Lake Erie vistas enhance life and new downtown
Michael Tripka, Loretto, PA

CONSTANTINOPLE
Conquering Ottomans Never Stopped Their Attack. Now Titled Istanbul, Nestled On Peninsula Linking Eurasia
Alex Storrs, Marlborough, BC, Canada

DEATH VALLEY
Desert Environment Abides Torturous Heat Visiting America's Lowest Land Elevation Yearly
John Sanderson, Minneapolis, MN

DENALI (haiku)
Dazzling escarpment / Nivean alpine landscape / Illuminated.
Julia Lewis, Fort Collins. CO

DUBAI
Desert Urbanization For Bigwig Arab Industrialists
David Russell, Rockville, MD

DURHAM
Duke University Remains High And Mighty
Philip Spiro, Durham, NC

ELLIS ISLAND
Emma Lazarus's Lyrically Inscribed Statue Invited Strangers Loving A New Democracy
Ryan Haynes, Austin, TX

FLORIDA
For Lots Of Retirees, It's Downright Appealing
Neal Kern, Salem, OR

HAWAII
Honolulu and Waikiki — awesome, I imagine
Tim Pearce, Pittsburgh, PA

HIMALAYAS
Hiking In Mountains At Ludicrous Altitudes Yields Astonishing Sights
Erin Zamora, San Diego, CA

INDIANA
Its name derivation is acknowledging Native ancestors
Karel Tracy, Portland, OR

INDONESIA
Island Nation, Domain Of Numerous Endangered Species In Asia
Donn Dimichele, Redlands, CA

LAHAINA
Land and history are incinerated now; aloha
Daniel Bertram, Princeton Junction, NJ

LAOS
Lacks an ocean, sadly
Mark Halpin, Newport, KY

LAS VEGAS
Lavish Absolutely Shimmering Venue Entertaining Gamblers And Sightseers
James Gocella, Mercersburg, PA

LAS VEGAS
Losers And Suckers Very Eagerly Gamble Away Savings
Barbara Gossett, Garden Grove, CA

LOS ALAMOS
Lonely outpost sees atomic laboratory achieve Mr. Oppenheimer's success
Jeffrey Bateman, White Rock, NM

LOS ANGELES
Lots of Subarus, Accords, Nissans, GMCs, Elantras leave everyone stuck
Toby Gottfried, Santa Ana, CA

MAINE
My abode in New England
Doris Luther, Hollis Center, ME

MEMPHIS
Made Elvis's Mansion Popular Historic Interest Site
Susan Martin, Nashville, TN

MESOPOTAMIA
Many Early Sapiens Occupied Parts Of The Asian Mainland, Including Assyria
Neal Kern, Salem, OR

MEXICO
Marimbas emulate xylophones in colorful Oaxaca
Harvey Stern, New Orleans, LA

MOSCOW
Mother Of Slavs, Curse Of Westerners
Ted Levin, Seattle, WA

NAPLES
Nearby At Pompeii Lava Eradicated Society
David Silber, Pleasanton, CA

NEW JERSEY
Nonresidents Expect We're Just Express Routes Smelling Extremely Yucky
Jim Woodman, Trenton, NJ

PANAMA
Positioned At Narrows Along Middle America
Rick Peterson, Hightstown, NJ

PEORIA
Perpetual example of routine in America
Maia Eisen, Poulsbo, WA

PHILADELPHIA
Patriots Heralding Independence Lettered A Declaration Establishing Life Pursuing Happiness In America
Connie Mohr, Tetonia, ID

PHOENIX
Painfully hot, often, except nearing into Xmas
Geoffrey Mayne, Dan Diego, CA

PISA
Precarious Icon Stands Aslant
David Corriveau, Lebanon, NH

ROME
Remains of mighty empire
Amy Adler, Toledo, OH

ROME
Really Old Monuments Everywhere
Liz Tentarelli, Newbury, NH

RUSSIA
Remains under substantial Soviet influence, alas
Donn Dimichele, Redlands, CA

SAHARA
Sand And Heat And Relentless Aridity
Anthony Baio, San Diego, CA

SAINT HELENA
South Atlantic Island: Napoleon's Tyranny Halted, Exile Left Emperor No Authority
Greg VanMechelen, Berkeley, CA

SAN FRANCISCO
Sunsets Are Nice. Foggy Rental Apartments Not Cheap. Indebted Startups Continuously Overpromise
Vera Mucaj, Philadelphia, PA

SANIBEL ISLAND
Snowbirds Annually Nest In Beach Enhanced Location. Iridescent Shells Lie Abundantly 'Neath Dunes
Scott Hodnefield, Maryland Heights, MO

SEATTLE
Starbucks Everywhere — Adding Tremendously To Local Energy
Patrick McIntyre, Seattle, WA

STEAMBOAT (Colo.)
Scenic Thriving Environment Among Mountains Boasting Outstanding Alpine Thrills!
Matt Reilein, Chicago, IL

STONEHENGE
Salisbury's Talismanic Observatory Notes Earth's Horology, Evidencing Neolithic Geometer's Engineering
Iris Snowfire, Harmony, ME

TAIWAN, CHINA
Technology And Independence Western Allies Normalize, Communist Homeland Is Not Amused
Brian Tell, Ypsilanti, MI

TALLAHASSEE
This Avowedly Liberal Locale Also Has A Staid Southern Establishment Element
Paul Arons, Tallahassee, FL

THE BAHAMAS
Travel Here, Explore Beaches, And Have A Margarita! (Apply Sunscreen.)
Jared Goudsmit, Chicago, IL

TUCSON
The Undisputed Cactus Showroom Of Nature
Robert Rees, Los Angeles, CA

VESUVIUS
Volcano Erupted Suddenly; Uncovered Valley Is UNESCO Site
Greg VanMechelen, Berkeley, CA

WACO (double)
Where a Cult Operated, What a Catastrophic Outcome!
Roger Christman, State College, PA

WASHINGTON D.C.
What a shambles here! It's not governance. That's our nation's democracy collapsing.
Ward Hartenstein, Rochester, NY

WASHINGTON D.C.
Where A Small Handful In National Government Try Our Nation's Dwindling Confidence
David Kvam, Delmar, NY

WASHINGTON D.C.
Where Americans Serve Honorably In National Government — Together One Nation, Despite Conflicts
Mike Strong, Mechanicsburg, PA

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 5, 2023): Creative Places

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 5, 2023): Creative Places

Q: This is a two-week creative challenge. Name a geographical place. Then describe it acrostically using the letters in its name. For example, ALBANY could be described acrostically as "Administering Legislative Business At New York." The place can be anywhere in the world — the U.S. or abroad. Entries will be judged on originality, sense, naturalness of wording, elegance, and overall effect. You may submit up to three entries.

Just remember the deadline is in two weeks, but on Wed. Nov. 15th.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 29, 2023): My Alarm Didn't Go Off...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 29, 2023): My Alarm Didn't Go Off...

Q: The time 6:29 on a digital clock, ignoring the colon, also reads 6:29 upside down. How many times in a day can a digital clock, ignoring the colon, read the same right side up as upside down? We are not accepting military time.

I'd much rather spend my time on an African safari.

Edit: My initial clue was about a Rubik's cube which has 6 sides each with 9 "stickers" but that was clearly TMI, so I switched to Africa which has 54 countries.

A: 54 times (12:21, 1:01, 1:11, 1:21, 1:51, 2:02, 2:12, 2:22, 2:52, 5:05, 5:15, 5:25, 5:55, 6:09, 6:19, 6:29, 6:59, 8:08, 8:18, 8:28, 8:58, 9:06, 9:16, 9:26, 9:56, 10:01, 11:11 = 27 times, but then repeated for both AM and PM).

Update: Will went for the Daylight Saving Time answer of 58, when you can see 1:01, 1:11, 1:21 and 1:51 twice when the clocks go back 1 hour at 2 AM.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 22, 2023): The Cat's Away...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 22, 2023): The Cat's Away...

I'm unable to post the puzzle this week, but I didn't want to leave you without a place to post comments on the puzzle. Somebody help me out by posting a copy here. Then feel free to add your hints as long as they don't give away the answer.

Q: Name a country. The first syllable spells something that people do. The rest of the name is an anagram of where some people do that. What country is it?

A: SINGAPORE --> SING, OPERA

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 15, 2023): If Life Gives You Fruit...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 15, 2023): If Life Gives You Fruit...

Q: Name a famous athlete, first and last names. Interchange the initials of those names. Then add an appliance. The result, reading left to right, will name a fruit. What is it?

Take the athlete's middle name. Keep the first letter and the last four letters. Insert a fruit and phonetically you have another fruit.

Edit: Constantine --> C + LEMON + TINE --> Clementine

A: DAN MARINO --> MAN DARINO + RANGE --> MANDARIN ORANGE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 8, 2023): Mammal, Insect, Bird

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 8, 2023): Mammal, Insect, Bird

Q: Think of a mammal, an insect, and a bird, in that order — six, three, and four letters, respectively. Say them out loud and you'll name something often seen around this time of year. What is it?

You have a couple choices for the bird.

A: JACK-O'-LANTERN from JACKAL, ANT and TERN (or ERNE)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 1, 2023): City Animal

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 1, 2023): City Animal

Q: Name a well-known U.S. city in four syllables. The first two syllables, with a letter inserted, will name an animal — that might be found in the place named by the last syllable. What city is it?

The third syllable is also the sixth.

Edit: MA (Massachusetts) was the sixth state to join the Union.

A: KALAMAZOO --> KOALA, ZOO

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 24, 2023): U.S. City Demonyms

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 24, 2023): U.S. City Demonyms

Q: Name a major U.S. city in two words. Change the first letter of the first word and the next-to-last letter of the second word. Then rearrange all the letters to name the people who live in this city. What city is it?

The difference is 18.

Edit: The letters you remove are Sc (Scandium, element 21) and you replace them with Li (Lithium, element 3). The difference is 18.

A: SAN FRANCISCO --> CALIFORNIANS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 17, 2023): Vacation Places

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 17, 2023): Vacation Places

Q: Name a place where many people go for vacation (3,10). Change one of the vowels sounds from a long A to a long E, and the result phonetically will be one reason to visit this place. What place is it?

You can drop the first word and the puzzle still works.

Edit: Seychelles --> See Shells.

A: THE SEYCHELLES --> THE SEASHELLS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 10, 2023): Creatures of the World

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 10, 2023): Creatures of the World

Q: Name a creature that has a world capital in its name. Replace the capital with another creature and you'll get another world capital. What is it?

I spent too long trying to end up on DODOMA (Tanzania). I just had to think a little more.

Edit: I did get sidetracked thinking "creature" was deliberately chosen to include things like unicorns, fairies, yetis, elves, leprechauns, werewolves, king kong, etc. Once I narrowed my focus, I was able to think of a little creature.

A: MOSQUITO --> MOSCOW

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 3, 2023): Strumming on the Old Banjo

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 3, 2023): Strumming on the Old Banjo

Q: Name certain musical instruments (plural). The first, third, fourth, and fifth letters spell something that holds the things named by the last five letters. What instruments are these?

I'm pretty sure I saw this on an episode of Star Trek.

Edit: In the original series, Dr. McCoy was known as "Bones". There was also an episode set at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona. In the Next Generation, Cmdr. Riker was occasionally seen playing the trombone.

A: TROMBONES --> TOMB, BONES

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 27, 2023): A Seriously Bad Effect

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 27, 2023): A Seriously Bad Effect

Q: Think of a noun in six letters. It sounds like a two-word phrase (2,6). And the thing named by the noun can have a seriously bad effect on what's named by the phrase. What is it?

I would not eat them here or there. I would not eat them anywhere.

Edit: I would not eat green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-Am. That anagrams into the answer.

A: MIASMA --> MY ASTHMA

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 20, 2023): A Jumble of Body Parts

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 20, 2023): A Jumble of Body Parts

Q: Name part of the human body above the neck in 9 letters. Rearrange them to name another part of the human body found below the neck. Only some people have the first body part. Everyone has the second one. What parts of the human body are these?

The wording bugs me a little which caused me to have a mental block. I do have the answer finally so I can stop pacing back and forth trying to figure this out.

Edit: I was thinking of Bugs Bunny with large front teeth. And after pacing, I'd sit down on the other part.

A: BUCK TEETH --> BUTT CHEEK

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 13, 2023): Contemporary Singer on Repeat

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 13, 2023): Contemporary Singer on Repeat

Q: Name a famous contemporary singer (6,4). The second, fourth, sixth, eighth, and ninth letters, in order, spell a repeated part of a song that everyone knows. What is it?

It's not the first time someone's made this observation.

Edit: Celine Dion Had A Farm

A: CELINE DION, "Old MacDonald had a farm. E-I-E-I-O!"

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 6, 2023): Found In England

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 6, 2023): Found In England

Q: Name something found on a map of England. Two words. The last two letters of the first word are the same as the first two letters of the last. If you go to England, you can't see this place. You can see it only on a map. What is it?

Don't forget to submit your answer by Thursday, Aug 10 at 3pm ET. Hopefully you'll get the call.

Edit: My comment included a few hints. "3pm ET" was a hint to the initials PM in Prime Meridian and Eastern Time being a time zone relative to Greenwich Mean Time. In addition, "get the call" could have been phrased as "be on the LINE (with)".

A: PRIME MERIDIAN

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 30, 2023): I'll Drink to That

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 30, 2023): I'll Drink to That

Q: Name a well-known U.S. city in nine letters. Change the third and fifth letters to get the name of a beverage. What is it?

Remove the fourth letter of the city, rearrange and... not again!

This was a callback to the NPR puzzle from Feb 15, 2009, possibly the first involving a common historical person.

A: PENSACOLA --> PEPSI-COLA

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 23, 2023): Classic TV Show

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 23, 2023): Classic TV Show

Q: Name a classic TV show in two words, in which the respective words rhyme with the first and last names of a famous writer - four letters in the first name, five letter in the last name. Who is it?

This is kind of a spinoff of the on-air puzzle.

The initial letters of "Kind Of A Spinoff" when rearranged spell KAOS.

A: Get Smart, Bret Harte

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 16, 2023): Lovely Day for a Picnic

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 16, 2023): Lovely Day for a Picnic

Q: Name a famous singer (first and last names, 12 letters in all). Add a Y at the end, and the result, with respacing but not rearranging any letters, will spell a possible contribution to a picnic and how it might be served. What singer is it?

The answer is a little contrived, but at least I don't need to use my "Phone a Friend" lifeline.

Edit: My hint was to the song "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" from "High Society"

A: Frank Sinatra --> Franks in a tray

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 9, 2023): Lights, Camera, ...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 9, 2023): Lights, Camera, ...

Q: Take the first name of a famous movie director. Write it in upper- and lowercase letters. Rotate the third letter of this name 180° and you'll get the name of the main character in one of this director's most popular movies. Who is it?

Take the full name of the director. Remove the third from the last and the last letter of each name. You can rearrange the letters to get an apt anagram. Or rearrange them again to get a different apt anagram.

Edit: RID(l)E(y) SC(o)T(t) --> DIRECTS, CREDITS

A: Ridley (Scott) --> (Ellen) Ripley

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 2, 2023): Time To Play!

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 2, 2023): Time to Play!

Q: Name a sports facility in two words. (This is a general term, not a specific place.) Three consecutive letters in the first word also appear consecutively in the second word. If you reverse these three letters, you'll name something seen in this sports facility. What is it?

Take the last letter of the sports facility. Change it to the letter that appears 3 earlier in the alphabet. Rearrange to get a word or phrase used in a recent puzzle.

Edit: Change the ending K to an H and rearrange to get CHARACTER.

A: RACE TRACK --> CAR

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 25, 2023): Who's Your Favorite TV Character?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 25, 2023): Who's Your Favorite TV Character?

Q: Name a well-known TV character (5,6). Change the first letter of the first name to a Y and read it (the modified first name) backward. You'll get a synonym of the character's last name. Who is it?

The name of the TV show can be rearranged to two related words -- ones you might hear today.

Edit: This was a callback to the puzzle from Nov 15, 2020 (PERRY MASON --> PRAY, SERMON)

A: DELLA STREET --> ALLEY, STREET

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 18, 2023): Daddy, Look What I Drew!

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 18, 2023): Daddy, Look What I Drew!

Q: Take the name of a fish. Add the name of a mammal. Rearrange all the letters to get the name of a reptile. What is it?

The first letter of the fish and the first letter of the mammal end up together in the name of the reptile.

Edit: ...MON(ST)ER

A: SALMON + TIGER --> GILA MONSTER

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 11, 2023): Sing It Again

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 11, 2023): Sing It Again

Q: Name a famous singer (6,6) whose last name is a body of water. And if you remove a letter from the first name you'll get a landform. What singer is this?

I've looked nearly all around my globe for bodies of waters that could be the last name of a singer.

A: On his expedition to circumnavigate the globe, Magellan sailed a strait in southern Chile, later named in his honor as the Strait of Magellan.

A: GEORGE STRAIT --> GORGE, STRAIT

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 4, 2023): A Singer Does Some Singing

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jun 4, 2023): A Singer Does Some Singing

Q: Name a famous singer (6,4). Remove the last letter of the first name and the first letter of the last name. The result, reading left to right, is a word for some singing. What is it?

You can also rearrange the 10 letters of the famous singer to get a color and an action.

Edit: ORANGE, LICK

A: CAROLE KING --> CAROLING

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 28, 2023): Author turned Pro Athlete

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 28, 2023): Author turned Pro Athlete

Q: Think of a well-known author whose first name is nine letters long, and last name six letters. Change the first letter of the last name and anagram those six letters to spell a word. Now read everything together — the author's first name plus the anagram with a letter changed of the last name — and you'll get a certain professional athlete. Who is it?

The new 6-letter part can also be rearranged to get the last name of an actor whose first name starts with the same 5 letters as the author or athlete.

Edit: Charl(ize) Theron

A: CHARLOTTE BRONTE, CHARLOTTE HORNET

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 21, 2023): A Place in Europe

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 21, 2023): A Place in Europe

Q: Name a place in Europe in nine letters. Swap the third and fourth letters, then the eighth and ninth letters. The result is two words describing what this place famously does.

A: STROMBOLI (an active volcanic island off Italy), STORM and BOIL

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 14, 2023): Mother's Day Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 14, 2023): Mother's Day Puzzle

Q: Think of an animal in which the singular form of the female and the plural form of the male sound like synonyms. What animal is it?

Take the name of a different animal, drop the fourth letter and you get another synonym.

Edit: MONKEY - K = MONEY

A: DOE (dough) and BUCKS.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 7, 2023): Compound Body Parts

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 7, 2023): Compound Body Parts

Q: Think of part of the human body whose name is a compound word (like fingertip or toenail). Add an N and rearrange the result to get another part of the body whose name is also a compound word. What body parts are these?

From the final body part remove any repeated letters (leaving only one instance of the letter). Add "IC" and rearrange to describe the state of some other body parts.

Edit: The resulting anagram is MANICURED.

A: EARDRUM + N --> UNDERARM

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 30, 2023): Azure and Beige

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 30, 2023): Azure and Beige

Q: The "zh" sound can be spelled in many different ways in English — like the "s" in MEASURE; like the "g" in BEIGE; like the "z" in AZURE; like the "j" in MAHARAJAH; and like the "x" in LUXURY as some people pronounce it. The "zh" sound can also be spelled as a "t" in one instance. We know of only one common word this is true of, not counting its derivatives. What word is it?

Change the penultimate letter to an S and rearrange to name things that some people might treasure.

Edit: Rearranging the letters you get ANTIQUES. My thumbnail image also had horizontal lines reminiscent of an equal sign.

A: EQUATION

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 23, 2023): Complaint Department

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 23, 2023): Complaint Department

Q: Think of a five-letter word for things a lot of people complain about. Add a letter and rearrange the result to get an example of these things. Then add one more letter and rearrange to get a remedy for these things. Five, six, and seven letters, respectively. What words are these?

Add one more letter and rearrange to name something used for thousands of years.

Edit: Add an H and rearrange to get HAIRPINS.

A: PAINS, SPRAIN, ASPIRIN

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 16, 2023): Topsy-Turvy

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 16, 2023): Topsy-Turvy

Q: Think of a common 8-letter word, in which the first three letters spell a word, and the fifth, sixth, and seventh letters also spell a word. These two little words mean the same thing. The fourth letter, when rotated 180°, becomes the eighth letter. What word is this?

Drop the second and eighth letters and rearrange to get a word. That word could describe an item that was taken to a place also described by the word by someone whose name sounds like the original word.

Edit: Alan Shepard hit a golf ball (sphere) on the moon (sphere).

A: shepherd --> she, her, p/d

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 9, 2023): How Does Your Garden Grow?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 9, 2023): How Does Your Garden Grow?

Q: Name some things you might grow in a garden. Move the middle letter to the beginning. Phonetically the result sounds like part of the human body and an article of clothing that covers it. What words are these?

Sorry no time to work on the puzzle; we're too busy getting ready for Easter.

Edit: We were probably "planting" eggs for the Easter Egg Hunt!

A: EGGPLANTS --> LEG, PANTS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 2, 2023): Musicians and Writers Wanted

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Apr 2, 2023): Musicians and Writers Wanted

Q: Think of an eight-letter word for a certain musician. Switch the order of the second and fourth letters and you'll get a word for a certain writer. What words are these? The answers are words, not famous people.

Add three letters and rearrange to name a person who might work on a movie.

Edit: Add H, L, Y and rearrange to get HAIRSTYLIST.

A: SITARIST, SATIRIST

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 26, 2023): Household Products

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 26, 2023): Household Products

Q: Name two brands of household products, each in three syllables. All of the syllables in the two brands rhyme with each other. That is, the first syllable in the first brand rhymes with the first syllable in the second brand, the second syllables in the two brands rhyme, and the third syllables rhyme. What brand names are these?

If my answer is correct, both products also rhyme with a centenarian.

Edit: Jean Dolores Schmidt is better known as Sister Jean.

A: LISTERINE and MR. CLEAN

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 19, 2023): Bathroom and Kitchen Renovation

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 19, 2023): Bathroom and Kitchen Renovation

Q: Name two well-known commercial products in five letters whose names are anagrams of each other. One product is something you'd probably see in your bathroom. The second is more likely to be in your refrigerator. What products are these?

My first thought came up with something I hope is NOT in my refrigerator. I'll have to keep thinking.

Update: Add a D to the end of my refrigerator product and you get something that sounds like a bathroom product again.

Edit: My initial thought was DRANO --> RADON but I realized that didn't work. My alternate answer was PIPES --> PEPSI (and then PEPCID). But I later figured out the intended answer.

A: NIVEA (cream), EVIAN (water)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 12, 2023): Around the World

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 12, 2023): Around the World

Q: This week's challenge is a spinoff of the on-air puzzle. Name two countries that have "consonyms" that are nationalities of other countries. In each case, the consonants in the name of the country are the same consonants in the same order as those in the nationality of another country. No extra consonants can appear in either name. The letter Y isn't used.

If I add up the years that each of my four countries became members of the U.N. and divide by 5, I get a prime number.

Edit: My countries were Lebanon (1945), Albania (1955), Cameroon (1960) and Comoros (1975). The sum is 7835 and the prime is 1567. My list of nationalities separated North and South Korea, so I didn't get the more obvious answer of UKRAINE and KOREAN.

A: LEBANON → ALBANIAN (from Albania)
UKRAINE → KOREAN (from N. or S. Korea)
CAMEROON → COMORAN/COMORIAN (from Comoros)
MAURITANIA → MAURITIAN (from Mauritius)
RÉUNION → IRANIAN (from Iran)
Any others?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 5, 2023): MeDiCaL XaVier

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 5, 2023): MeDiCaL XaVier

Q: Name something scary in two words. Five of the letters are vowels, which are all the same. And the consonants are all Roman numerals. What scary thing is this?

I found a weird connection to last week.

Edit: When you combine weird with the theme of science from last week's puzzle, you get Oingo Boingo's song Weird Science (YouTube link) which mentions:
"magic and technology, voodoo dolls and chants, electricity"

A: VOODOO DOLL

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 26, 2023): It Doesn't Add Up

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 26, 2023): It Doesn't Add Up

Q: Take this equation: 14 + 116 + 68 = 47. Clearly this doesn't work mathematically. But it does work in a nonmathematical way. Please explain.

It makes about as much sense as 22 + 11 = 26 + 39.

Edit: My equation turns into Ti + Na = Fe + Y, referring back to the recent chemical elements puzzle where Tina Fey was the answer.

A: Looking at the periodic table and replacing the numbers with the chemical symbols, we get Si + Lv + Er = Ag

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 19, 2023): Make Like A Tree and Get Out of Here

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 19, 2023): Make Like A Tree and Get Out of Here

Q: Name a tree. In the very middle of the word insert a homophone of another tree. The result will be a new word describing what everyone wants to be. What is it?

What everyone wants to be? Not me.

Edit: "Not me" would be "you" which is also a homophone for the letter U.

A: POPLAR + YEW(U) --> POPULAR

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 12, 2023): Under Pressure

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 12, 2023): Under Pressure

Q: Name a popular rock band — one that everyone knows. Add a "B" sound at the end, and phonetically you'll name a place where you might hear this band play. What band is it?

I believe they've been touring since the '50s.

Edit: Clearly the band hasn't been around that long, but U-2 spy planes have been flying since the 1950s and require a special pressurized suit.

A: U2 --> YouTube

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 5, 2023): Would You Like Fries with That?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 5, 2023): Would You Like Fries with That?

Q: Name a food item you might order at a fast food restaurant. The first, second and last letters in order name another food item. Remove those letters and the remaining letters spelled backwards name yet another food item. What foods are these?

Hint: 65003

Edit: In the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS), A065003 contains the Not McNugget Numbers. Back when McDonald's only sold McNuggets in boxes of 6, 9 or 20 the question arose as to which quantities of McNuggets you could or couldn't buy. It turns out that 43 was the highest possible Not McNugget Number.

A: NUGGET --> NUT, EGG

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 29, 2023): Fruit Salad

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 29, 2023): Fruit Salad

Q: Name a fruit in one word. Drop the last two letters. The remaining letters can be rearranged to name two other fruits. What are they?

Or if you remove the 2nd and 4th letters, you can rearrange to get a symbol.

Edit: POMEGRANATE-OE --> PENTAGRAM

A: POMEGRANATE-TE --> PEAR, MANGO

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 22, 2023): One Capital, Two Capitals

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 22, 2023): One Capital, Two Capitals

Q: Take a word that's in the name of several tourist attractions in our nation's capital, Washington, D.C. Rearrange the letters in that word to spell the names of two other nations' capitals. What are they?

If you anagram the two countries, you get a spicy warbler.

Edit: The cinnamon-breasted warbler belongs to the genus Euryptila.

A: MEMORIAL --> LIMA (Peru) and ROME (Italy)