Sunday, May 21, 2023

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

184 comments:

  1. Anyone else notice the last "answer" to the on-air puzzle this week?

    Will asked for a "Tape Company" that ends in EX and then gave MEMOREX as the intended answer. Which pained me deeply, as an amateur Historian of Technology, since the original "Tape Company," which actually stole the technology from the Germans during WWII, was AMPEX.

    A puzzling shanda.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. I posted at the end of last week's blog:

      Shocked that there were only 500 correct answers this week!

      During the on-air puzzle, when Will asked about recording tape, I flashed back to my high school AV squad's 2-inch open-reel video tape recorder and said "Ampex". Memorex came later, I think.

      Delete
    2. Those were the 500 answers that had deer. The 2000 "could be others" disappeared.
      Everyone complains about my chiding Shortz.
      Considering that the offering was a collusion between him and Ed Pegg, Jr., I think it not unreasonable to have expected more.

      With my and other's slow off the mark reactions today, i expect some trouble ahead.

      Delete
  2. The tape was billed as a "bygone product." I would have thought the rotary address files, Rolodex, would be a bygone by now as well. Turns out they are still around!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What goes around comes around.

      Delete
    2. Vinyl outsold CD's last year!

      Delete
    3. Yes, that was my double entendre.

      As to the puzzle, I wish something would come around. Who else is clueless?

      Delete
  3. Shouldn't a writer for "The Simpsons" be on strike this week? He must be throwing a gauntlet at the chatbots by writing a challenge that begins "Name a place in Europe..."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a trick question. There are no "places in Europe" any longer.

      England gave up and left, so now there are only Lugares, des Lieux, und der Orts.

      Delete
    2. I just tried. It didn't work. It came up with lots of combinations that had a single letter as the second word.

      Delete
  4. Lugares with a hard G or silent?

    ReplyDelete
  5. why is the host answering half the questions let the contestant think a bit

    ReplyDelete
  6. I can think of something the west coast of England does.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If I don't come up with anything else, I'm submitting this one!

      Delete
    2. ... and don't forget the east coast.

      Delete
    3. EAST COAST → EATS COATS

      Delete
    4. WEST COAST → WETS COATS

      Delete
  7. Am stumped at the moment. The use of the word "place" here makes me believe that it is not a "landmark" or "city," because wouldn't that have been used instead of "place"?!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Country, city, landform, body of water, geographical location, or specific tourist attraction? Still stumped.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Although I have not yet had any luck with this one, I continue to believe (hope) that it should not be too hard and that finding the answer will be satisfying.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I've heard both words used with seafood.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Attempt by Bing Chat: The answer to this riddle is Barcelona. If you swap the third and fourth letters, then the eighth and ninth letters, you get “Bacrelona,” which can be split into two words: “Bac” and “relona.” These two words describe what Barcelona famously does: “Bac” refers to the city’s famous nightlife and party scene, while “relona” refers to its relaxed atmosphere and laid-back lifestyle.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's great. I tried Bard, and it suggested ROME, and when swapping, you get ROMES. and ROMES is two words describing what Rome famously does: ROMES RULES

      Delete
    2. Early on, I had looked at Barcelona, and realized the switching of letters 8 and 9 would make LOAN. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a currency called a Bacre. BACRE is the Black Association of CRE Professionals, so I did learn that today!

      Delete
    3. I am reassured by that answer since it means the robots aren't as close to taking over the world as I thought they could be.

      Delete
  12. Replies
    1. Was that the worst aspect of the answer?

      Delete
    2. These language models are all terrible at letter manipulations like this.

      Delete
    3. Barcelona would become bac reloan which might make sense if you were looking for a US bank (bac is the ticker symbol for Bank of America) and one of their businesses.

      Delete
  13. This is Will's "payback" for all the complaining about the ease of past puzzles.

    ReplyDelete
  14. It shouldn't make any difference whether you swap the third and fourth letters, and then swap the eighth and ninth letters, or the other way around. Is the inclusion of the word "then", implying a certain order, just the latest example of sloppy puzzle wording, or am I missing something (besides the answer)?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jan, I assume the wording was simply an inelegant way of clarifying that the 3-4 pair is not to be swapped with the 8-9 pair.

      Delete
    2. As usual, Lorenzo said it much better than I could have.

      Delete
  15. Blaine, back in February, you posted a hint based on the Online Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences. I thought you might appreciate this tribute, on that site's 50th anniversary. (No hint here; I'm still clueless this week.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your link is to a New York Times article; and I've been informed that I've reached my limit of free articles.

      Delete
  16. No matter how many times I look at it COOLS SEMU does not semu to work ;-).

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

      Delete
    2. Sevres is famous for porcelain, but I can't come up with anything that is "served" there.

      Delete
  17. I'm pretty sure I got it. It came to me while watching an episode of The Great British Bake Off.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I have an answer that is probably too poetic to be the intended one, but I kinda like it! Clue: Coleridge.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Coleridge has a poem called "The Eolian Harp"; Stromboli is one of the Aeolian Islands. Gotta say that this puzzle is clever but a bit of a stretch—I didn't think this could actually be the intended answer, but I'm giving myself props for finding it before the extra clues came in!

      Delete
    2. And here I thought the Aeolian Islands were part of Alaska.

      Delete
  19. Having given up on 9-letter places, I now find myself wondering if people in Bosnia are into cultivating those tiny little trees.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Hi everyone. Original Ben here — it's been a while. Hope all is well with everyone.

    I now write puzzles for the New York Times! Check out my cryptograms next to the crossword in the newsprint Arts section every Tue and Thu (or if you prefer an easier ride, the answers appear Wed and Fri). The material is generally quips or trivia items.

    HOWEVER, today I am here on Mike Reiss' behalf. He asked me to post the following note:

    "Puzzle constructor Mike Reiss here and I'm sorry to have caused so much pain. I'm sure you've heard of the answer, if not as a place (not a city or country), then as a film title, classic film character or food."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ok, I think I have the answer. If I'm correct, the two words should be considered separately, rather than as a two-word phrase. Is that right, Ben?

      Delete
    2. I think I have the same answer.

      Delete
    3. Ben, Thanks for posting on behalf of Mike Reiss, and congrats on your puzzle-writing gig for the New York Times. The hint that Mike wrote was helpful. I believe I have Blaine's, Tortitude's and Courtney's answer.

      LegoWhoAddsThatHeLearnedMuchAboutEuropeWhileTryingToSolveThisPuzzle!

      Delete
    4. I'm on the same page—two words to be considered separately—now I'm thinking my "poetic" answer mentioned above is actually correct! Not exactly an easy & breezy one this week...

      Delete
    5. Blaine, Yes, you are right about that.

      Delete
    6. lol Blaine deletes spoilerly clues unless he hasn't figured out the answer yet. And then he asks followup questions!

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

      Delete
    8. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    9. If any of you submit the winning answer and make it on the air this week make sure to tell Ayesha that Corky sent you!

      Delete
    10. Well, there goes the neighborhood.

      I'm not referring to Corky, of course, but to the return of my nemesis Original Ben, if that's even his real name.

      This Original Ben runs off gallivanting and hobnobbing with Shortz, then suddenly wishes to return and reclaim this Noble Name, just as Bed Bath & Beyond goes out of business, and he clearly needs our support.

      Welcome back, despite your outstretched hand, and your feigning to be some benevolent emissary from Mike Reiss.

      In illness or in health, you may return, of course. As lifers in the puzzle world, you are as welcome as am I here. And it's Blaine's World, we just visit to kibbitz a bit.

      So I guess I'm now Other Ben, once again. Oh, also, there's a clue or two, above, in my rant. Cheers.

      Delete
    11. There can only be one. Oh noble one.

      Delete
    12. Would Reiss or anyone else like to clarify the remaining ambiguity in the phrasing (or is figuring that out considered part of the puzzle)? The phrase "Swap the third and fourth letters, then the eighth and ninth letters. The result is two words ..." can be interpreted multiple ways, and I can think of at least three:

      a) After each swap we get a nine-letter word, possibly after concatenating the multiple pieces of the place.
      b) After making both swaps, we can split the nine letters into two words.
      c) The place consists of two parts, and after the swaps those parts become words. (This is a special case of (b).)

      Is one of these right? Something else? Am I expected to guess?

      Delete
    13. The "order of operations" of the two swaps isn't relevant. After you perform those two swaps, you will clearly see two words, relevant to the place. - Other Ben

      Delete
    14. @Blaine and @Ben, thanks. I'll give it another go with that in mind.

      Delete
  21. There is obviously something amiss with the wording of this puzzle.

    ReplyDelete
  22. I think I’ve got it. No hint here, but to quote Etta James, “At last.”

    ReplyDelete
  23. Rearrange the letters of the place name, and get two words referring to body parts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can also rearrange the letters to get two words referring to a non-human creature of a certain body type.

      Delete
  24. Well, ain't this a fine kettle of fish?
    Unique, I think.
    Will this be made available to all of Shortz' other millions of listeners?

    ReplyDelete
  25. It took me far too long to finally solve this puzzle.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Solved it. Not all that satisfying a solve, though, as it's a bit of a stretch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. With better wording in the directions, it could have been a better puzzle. And one of the above clues provided to the original puzzle would have been helpful.

      Delete
  27. At first I thought this would be another easy one to solve, but then I came to realize I was not going to perhaps solve it at all. Well, I finally did, and now I have to say that it is by far and wide the best puzzle we have had so far this year. But that cannot be said without some further comment. For one, it is not at all well stated. And for another, it will be next to impossible for most NPR listeners to solve. I could say a lot more, but it is not Thursday noon here yet, so I will behave. However, I will go on to admit that when we do eventually sometimes get a really difficult puzzle to test our mettle, they tend to be the ones I like the most, at least after I finally solve them. This has been one of those. I can only hope for more of the same.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    2. Ben, Thank you the post for Mike Reiss. Not sure I could have solved otherwise. I learned a lot from this puzzle.

      Delete
    3. I second what Natasha says. Thank you, Ben. Mike Reiss's hints didn't lead me to the answer, but they confirmed I had the intended answer. I might have dismissed it otherwise, because I don't think the two words are that spot-on in capturing "what this place famously does." Anyway: Yes, after Mike Reiss's hints, I, too, learned from this puzzle. I had heard of the food before, but not of the film or the film character.

      Delete
    4. Congratulations on solving the puzzle prior to the Reiss post! The puzzle could have been worded better, I think. I never heard of the food or film before.

      Delete
  28. Note: Commenting has been turned off until further notice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, that took a weird turn.

      Delete
    2. I'm having to moderate all the comments because of someone not playing nicely.

      Delete
    3. I was reminded of something Sam Rayburn once said about a barn, a carpenter, and a certain quadruped.

      Delete
  29. I got it on Sunday, but discounted my answer, as the first of the two words was general and did not seem especially applicable.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Glad Blaine is allowing comments again, I wasn't sure where to vent!

    ReplyDelete
  31. I have an answer but it does not feel satisfying. Does anyone else's location have a connection to one of the words in last week's puzzle?

    ReplyDelete
  32. Just a quickie: I agree with Sky Dive Boy that this was an excellent puzzle, though also of course that the wording was pretty bad. When a puzzle is this hard, it's not really fair to have wording that leads solvers (or would-be solvers!) off on the wrong track. I wasted a lot of thinking (on a long drive) on the assumption that the two words had to be a verb phrase and the verb had to be third person singular (because what this place *does* -- it runs, it eats, it lies...).
    But I am very pleased to have a very tough one now and then, so keep at it Mike Reiss!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had the correct answer early but discounted it because the I had the same issue. The two resulting words just didn't square with "what this place famously does." One of them is a stretch but I can see it. The other? This could have been a rare great puzzle with some work on that last line.

      Delete
    2. Crito and Buck Barn, I went down that same rabbit hole, assuming an incorrect part-of-speech.
      The last line reads:
      The result is two words describing what this place famously does.
      Perhaps revealing each word's part-of-speech would have helped. Or perhaps adding a comma followed by the word "each":
      The result is two words, each describing what this place famously does. Or maybe replace "describing" with "indicating" would have been better?
      After all, the place does (blank) and the place does (blank).
      The puzzles of Mike Reiss that Will Shortz has aired are invariably very solid.

      LegoWonderingIfThisPostIsToMuchInformationHopingThatItIsNotButNeverthelessAlertingBlaineInCaseItIs

      Delete
    3. Buck Bard! My apologies, Buck.

      LegoCareless

      Delete
    4. I think any further discussion of this puzzle should take place in a public restroom.

      Delete
  33. The puzzle creator could hardly have been more generous with his tripartite hint, but I'm afraid it was NEI for me. I'll just have to take the word of my colleagues that it's a great puzzle and wait for tomorrow to read 'em and weep!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Earlier this week, I submitted what I believe is certainly the intended solution. However, I do not share the favorable opinion of this puzzle that others have expressed. More after the witching hour tomorrow.

    ReplyDelete
  35. I've thrown a lot at this and yet will probably finish in the same boat.

    ReplyDelete
  36. We feature four fascinating-yet-flummoxing puzzles by our friend Plantsmith on this week's edition of Puzzleria! They appear in his recurring "Garden of Puzzley Delights" puzzle-package, and involve:
    1. a fictional kingdom,
    2. a children's book character,
    3. a spoonerized singing group that is not “The Spovin’ Loonful,”
    4. an Alabaman Barbeque Steakhouse and an Alabaman.
    We upload Puzzleria! in the wee hours between Thursday and Friday, around Midnight PDT (or sometimes sooner).
    Also on this week's menus:
    * a Schpuzzle of the Week about "Excalibur & rhetorical excellence,"
    * an Hors d’Oeuvre titled “Who spiked my soft drink?”
    * a “Red Rider Puzzle Slice” titled “Black & white & riddled all over,”
    * an "X’s and O’s" Dessert titled "Publish... or Robert Parrish?" and
    * eleven riff-offs of this week's NPR Puzzle that I can't tell you the title of because that title gives the answer away.
    That's 19 puzzles!

    LegoWhoNotesThatPuzzleria!IsAlways"DelightfullyPuzzley"EveryTimeWeRunPlantsmith'sPuzzles!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Here is a sneak preview of this week's NPR-Puzzle riff-off #1:
      Name a puzzle-maker, first and last names, in nine letters. Replace the first letter in the first name with the letter following it in the alphabet, forming the name of a Greek god. Then remove the last letter of the last name and anagram the remaining letters to form the name of a Greek goddess. Who is the puzzle-maker? Who are these Greek deities?

      LegoNeitherAGodNorAGoddessButRatherADogAndADoggoneSonOfA"Doggess!"

      Delete
    2. Hmm…either I don't have the right puzzle maker, or….

      The one I think of, when I perform that operation with the first name, I get a goddess (not a god). As for the last name, I am not getting a Greek goddess (or a god). However, when I remove the second letter (rather than the last), and then anagram the remaining letters, I get the name of a virtual assistant (whom some people might think of as a goddess).

      Delete
    3. Thank you for editing me, Wolfgang.
      My puzzle should read:
      Name a puzzle-maker, first and last names, in nine letters. Replace the first letter in the first name with the letter following it in the alphabet, forming the name of a Greek goddess. Then remove the last letter of the last name and anagram the remaining letters to form the name of a second Greek goddess.
      Who is the puzzle-maker? Who are these Greek deities?

      But I stand by the name of my second Greek goddess.

      LegoThankfulForWolfgangianEding!

      Delete
    4. You are right, Lego. I had the right puzzle maker, but at first I didn't get the (second) goddess you had in mind. I also stand self-corrected regarding that idea about a virtual assistant. Never mind about that. (It seems I could use one, though.)

      Delete
    5. You and I both, Wolfgang!

      LegoAddsThatItDoesNotMatterOneWhitWhatTheName OfOurVirtualAssistantGoddessIs(SiriOrIrisOrErsiOrRies...WeCouldAllUseOne!

      Delete
  37. I got a kick out of this puzzle and my music.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Tonight is another must-win for the Boston Celtics to stay in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Celtics win—on to game 6. Celtics lose—it's a wrap.

    ReplyDelete
  39. Well, I finally got it by looking at the right list, but I did not enjoy the "aha" moment I was expecting. I enjoy a hard puzzle that is cleverly crafted, but this one is just hard because it is arcane. I actually had to do some further research to understand the part that was supposed to be famous.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope you'll share those findings because I still can't figure out the first famous thing and how it's applicable.

      Delete
  40. I predicted on Sunday that there was trouble ahead.
    Perhaps more on that later, but I am concerned that two posts I made yesterday disappeared with no indication why.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Reminder: Post are still being manually moderated. If you don't see something post right away, be patient and don't keep repeating the same thing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Blaine, for the reminder. I think most of us, including me, thought that that had ended. Mass confusion on our end that now I see you could not be aware of.

      Delete
  42. I finally got it (from a list, sigh; I dislike when success comes down to how long you're willing to spend reviewing lists). I now see the reason for all the heated discussion that has occurred here.

    ReplyDelete
  43. STROMBOLI >>> STORM & BOIL

    My Hint:
    “I think any further discussion of this puzzle should take place in a public restroom.”
    If I had instead said LAVATORY it would have been TMI.

    This could have been a much better stated puzzle. For one thing, what we were told to look for in Europe was far too nebulous and ambiguous. We had no hint as to what we were looking for. Another thing is its’ second part, (the 2 words,) were said to be “famous.” Most of us here I do not believe would consider this remote island and volcano to be quite famous let alone what they do. It is too bad a little more attention isn’t paid to the wording of these puzzles. I never would have solved it had we not eventually been provided a hint by its creator, even though I did think of considering Mount Etna. I have had Will Shortz reject several of my puzzle creations by saying there is something about them that is too obscure, or he does not know of the answer place or location. Could it be he gives more leeway to certain persons?

    ReplyDelete
  44. STROMBOLI —> STORM, BOIL

    Hint: “Rearrange the letters of the place name, and get two words referring to body parts.” Stromboli —> torso, limb

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had roots, like the roots of your hair. I'm surprised I did not also see torso.

      Delete
    2. That's funny. I saw "torso" but not "roots".

      Delete
  45. Stromboli — storm, boil

    In one of my posts, replying to Dr. K, I said you could “rearrange the letters to get two words referring to a non-human creature of a certain body type.” That would be a slim robot.
    (Thanks, Dr. K, for the recognition.)

    I also posted about the Boston Celtics, and how tonight’s game is another must-win: “Celtics lose—it’s a wrap.” That was a reference to stromboli as a food, which is a wrap.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Stromboli --> storm, boil

    Stromboli is a small, volcanic island off the coast of Italy. After the required letter transformations, Stromboli yields storm and boil as its two derivative words. If you agree that this is the intended answer, read on. If not, pardon the interruption and skip to the next blogger’s comments.

    I realize there are some here at Blainesville who like this puzzle. I am not one of them. It was a clever idea to start with but, in the end, it just doesn’t work well. Storm and boil do not accurately describe “what this place famously does.” It’s much too much of a stretch. The puzzle is insufficiently clued, poorly worded and too arcane. So few of us had even hinted at a solution on Sunday that its creator had a fellow blogger post 3 additional clues on his behalf. Evidently, it wouldn’t do to have Ayesha start off the segment by saying “there were 5 correct answers this week” :)

    Anyway, sincere thanks for the extra help, Mike, from me and from many others here at Blainesville, including those who would never admit they needed it.

    ReplyDelete
  47. STROMBOLI, STORM, BOIL

    I liked the puzzle.

    My hint was in the sentences In illness or in health, you may return, of course. As lifers in the puzzle world....

    The film Stromboli (1950) developed when Ingrid Bergman (a huge star after Casablanca) wrote to Director Roberto Rossellini and asked to work with him. They created this film, with Bergman as the star, then began an extramarital affair, and had their child Isabella Rossellini a few weeks before the film's American release.

    In illness or is Rossellini spelled backwards (almost) and As lifers contains Ilsa spelled backwards, which is, of course, Bergman's most famous role.

    ReplyDelete
  48. STROMBOLI; STORM, BOIL. My hint referred to the “heated discussion” about the puzzle that occurred here.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Oh wow, it was Stromboli. The connection to last week's puzzle is that one needs (kneads) dough to make the food stromboli.

    ReplyDelete
  50. First of all, too bad someone tried screwing up Blaine's website!! Hope that comes to a stop really soon!!
    I was disappointed at this puzzle. I had never heard of an island called Stromboli and never really watched the movie "Pinocchio".
    My entry regarding not being able to "vent" referred to a volcanic vent:
    "Any opening at the Earth's surface through which magma erupts or volcanic gases are emitted."
    This puzzle was just too obscure.

    ReplyDelete
  51. STROMBOLI; STORM BOIL


    "Solved it. Not all that satisfying a solve, though, as it's a bit of a stretch." >>> One stretches dough to make STROMBOLI.

    Here is my suggested wording for the puzzle:

    Name a (natural) feature in Europe in nine letters. Swap the third and fourth letters, then the eighth and ninth letters. The resulting two words describe two separate things that often happen at the feature.

    This wording (or something similar) would have elevated my view of the puzzle by enhancing "place" and changing "what this place famously does" to what was actually being asked for with greater clarity.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. much better iteration. Go Mr. Schriff(sp?)

      Delete
    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    3. Thanks, WW, for getting this started. Here is my suggestion, incorporating some of your ideas:

      "Name a place in Europe in nine letters. Swap the third and fourth letters, then the eighth and ninth letters. The result can be split into two words that signify what often happens in that place, thanks to one very distinctive natural feature."

      Delete
  52. My hints "kick" as in the boot of Italy and "My Music" a song from Loggins and Messina, Messina being not too far from Stromboli. Thanks all!

    ReplyDelete
  53. I found it interesting that when I Googled: "list of Italian volcanoes" Stromboli was not listed, but 10 others are.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is very odd, since Mt Stromboli is an active volcano, unlike most of the 10 others.

      Delete
    2. This is a helpful article about the types of volcanoes that discusses Strombolian.

      Delete
  54. My hint was Jackie Gleason. The reference was to Mrs. Manicotti from The Honeymooners. Manicotti is another Italian food like stromboli.

    I think the puzzle was fine, although it was relying on an obscure place and the puzzle wording was unclear. I'd rather have a hard puzzle based on a clever twist than one based on obscure geographical knowledge. I have seen Pinocchio, but didn't really remember Stromboli. I certainly remember Figaro, however, and considered using my black and white cat as a hint. That would have helped precisely zero people.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I too did not know of this place or volcano, nor did I know of the 2 Stromboli movies. I also did not know of a Pinocchio character named Stromboli, and I don't think I have heard of the food item in years, but who nose?

      Delete
  55. I looked up a list of foods named after places in Wikipedia. Did not take but a few minutes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Places in Wikipedia???
      I've never eaten anything that was named after a Wikipedia location.

      (I feel like this is a SDB kind of joke, but SDB may disagree.)

      Delete
    2. Crito, I could have phrased that better. Sorry.

      Delete
  56. I did not solve this week nor two weeks back when the answer was the only word that has the zh sound from t, which I felt was only gonna be solved by doing internet searches, which I generally do not do to solve, only to confirm. That run-on sentence being besides the point, I thought this weeks’ puzzle was below standards, as, apparently did a few others. “Famously does” – come on. I vaguely even recognize Stromboli as a place, let alone famous. And the “does” part seems like the words should be boils and storms. Without the “s” the wording maybe should have been along the lines of what this place might do. Boil and storm. And both seem like stretches.
    At least I was not trapped in a room with letters between the doors.
    To anyone who actually came up with the answer without the hints given here, I salute you. You are a better solver than me. And if I spelled anything wrong, it was a cut and pasta error.

    ReplyDelete
  57. Complain all you want about this puzzle, and I too have complaints, but we should all be able to agree that it is gneiss.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A very magmanimous comment.

      Delete
    2. I can afford to be. The Brits have Saint Helena, but here where I reside, we have Mount Saint Helens.

      Delete
  58. Master Lock to shut down Milwaukee manufacturing plant. Does mean there will be a lock out?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If there is, the ex-employees will come out to pick it.

      Delete
    2. Would they have to sign up first?

      Delete
    3. You two are like Abbot and Costello... but, better yet, improvisational.

      LegoJustReportingTheReparteeFacts

      Delete
    4. sdb, signing up first and notifying the city authorities would be a safe combination.

      Delete
    5. Yes, but they must strike before Spring or they are doomed to become tumblers.

      Delete
    6. If the police show up a lot of the picketers will bolt, probably.

      Delete
    7. I knew you'd eventually pin me with your spin.

      Delete
    8. I couldn't resist the urge to latch onto your comment.

      Delete
    9. It's a part of the chain of events.

      Delete
    10. No doubt a Jack of all trades, but a Master on none.

      Delete
    11. Sometimes he is too schlossed to think clearly.

      Delete
    12. Whereas a fearless man will always Diebold.

      Delete
  59. Yes, it could have been worded better but I should have solved it. No excuses. Accidenti!

    ReplyDelete
  60. I am a dissenter. While I can grudgingly go along with a volcano 'boiling', I challenge someone to show me one writer who has ever said a volcano 'stormed'.
    Further, the question clearly implies that Stromboli is "famous" (as if it "famously" storms and boils, the volcano itself must be 'famous', right?).
    As skydiveboy points out, it's not even on a list of famous Italian volcanos (and Googling just 'Stromboli' gets me tons of recipes way before I find a listing for the volcanic island).
    I'm disappointed as I love geographic based puzzles...and now I'm going to have to wait another 3 months (which seems to be the frequency) before we see another one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I tend to agree with you about the 2 words, but I did not use them to solve the puzzle. Anyway, to be fair, I just found this on a Google search:

      "Volcanic thunderstorms occur especially in the eruption clouds of volcanic and plinian eruptions. Occasionally, volcanic lightning also occurs during smaller eruptions: at Sakura-jima, Anak Krakatau and Etna I could already observe occasional flashes in the ash clouds of strombolian eruptions. The flashes mostly formed between 5 and 10 seconds after the explosion. At Sinabung volcano lightning appeared in the fast rising ash clouds of pyroclastic flows."

      Delete
    2. I challenge someone to show me one writer who has ever said a volcano 'stormed'.

      Challenge accepted!

      "Victors sing, the oppressed kept in silence, 'til tables are turned and art is reformed by wrath's force as if a volcano stormed."

      Matthew Theisen, "Author of the Worlds"

      Delete
  61. Woody Guthrie wrote a love song to Ingrid Bergman called "Ingrid Bergman," in which he mentioned Stromboli. The volcano serves as a metaphor for, um, Woody.

    I know of the song by way of the '90s cover by Billy Bragg & Wilco, hinted at by my "Roger that" reply to Courtney's post.
    .

    ReplyDelete
  62. No sense in making a long post, since about half of my recent ones have evaporated.
    Beyond admitting I never solved it, I'll just say that I agree with the folks who found this to be a very poor effort all around.
    The posting by Mike Reiss via Ben Bass is one of the strangest things I can remember on Blainesville.
    I'll put my suspicion level of correct submissions at 20.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure there are more than 20 of us here in Blainesville who saw Corky blurt out the answer before it was blogadministered. There had to be more than that many correct submissions. What's surprising to me is that we haven't seen one of us claiming to have gotten The Call this week!

      Delete
  63. Probably on a par with STROMBOLI in terms of obscurity is tonight's Final Jeopardy:

    GROUPS IN HISTORY

    THE THIRD-MOST FAMOUS GROUP THAT INVADED BRITAIN IN THE 5th CENTURY, THEY GAVE THEIR NAME TO THE CONTINENTAL PART OF DENMARK

    Tough week all around!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Missed it, even though I've read the Cornwall saga.
      Mayim seems more over her head with each show.

      Delete
    2. I am related to Mayim through marriage. I never met her but did meet the relatives. I prefer Ken on Jeopardy.

      Delete
  64. To be fair to Mike Reiss, if you work in animation and you have the money to travel extensively in Europe this was probably an easy and cute play on words. Unfortunately, none of share those traits.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We get pretty animated at times, though.

      Delete
    2. Not to mention animus at times.

      Delete
    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    4. Keep it up and you might get locked in a cel.

      Delete
    5. And wouldn't that just be my lock? I could celebrate.

      Delete
    6. I know, that reply was a bit filmsy.

      Delete
    7. When you're reely in the can, you'll be whistling a different toon.

      Delete
    8. I am still in the lavatory trying to do more volcano research.

      Delete
    9. Watch out for the ejecta!

      Delete
    10. Not a problem. I will plunge ahead.

      Delete
  65. STROMBOLI, STORM and BOIL
    I have to admit I had only heard of STROMBOLI as an Italian food before now. I also have to admit I didn't even really get it from Mr. Reiss's hints. I think eventually I looked up "islands in Europe" because of all the "places" lists I had consulted, islands had not crossed my mind initially. Otherwise I'm sure I would've solved it much sooner.
    "Apt" anagram of MIKE REISS:
    I SEE SMIRK, or possibly I SEE.(SMIRK)
    pjbBelievesThisPuzzleIsProofSometimesMr.ReissIsMuchBetterAtHisWorkOn"TheSimpsons"ThanWithWhateverHeSendsInHere

    ReplyDelete
  66. That's where I heard of it! The movie Bergman was in and went off with Rossellini. My father was scandalized because he thought she was so wholesome she'd stay married to the doctor or whomever she was married to. But I didn't know it was a place, even. And I lived in Italy for a whille.

    ReplyDelete
  67. Wow: Looking for a "place" that "does" something, I looked at a list of volcanoes in Europe ... and missed Stromboli! But years ago I was on a Mediterranean cruise that passed right by Stromboli ... it was very impressive.

    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.

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.