NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 31, 2024): Women's History Month

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 31, 2024): Women's History Month

Q: The English language developed in a patriarchal society, so many words in our language were traditionally assumed to be male, and turned into female versions by adding a prefix or suffix. Waiter and waitress, comedian and comedienne — those are just two examples of the many stereotypically "male" words that become new "female words" by adding a suffix.

There is a common English word that works the opposite way. What is the common English word that is generally used to refer exclusively to women, but which becomes male when a two-letter suffix is added?

The answer hit me squarely on the forehead.

Edit: A forehead is where you might see a widow's peak.

A: WIDOW + ER = WIDOWER

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 24, 2024): Periodic Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 24, 2024): Periodic Puzzle

Q: Each chemical element can be represented by a one or two-letter symbol. Hydrogen is H, helium is He, and so on. There are two commonly known elements whose names each can be spelled using three other element symbols. Name either one.

Could they be Zirconium and Tungsten, but a small quantity?

Edit: Zirconium (40) and Tungsten (74) make 4074. Convert that to hexadecimal (FEA) and add a small quantity (gram = g) and you have Fe,Ag

A: Iron = Ir (Iridium) + O (Oxygen) + N (Nitrogen), Silver = Si (Silicon) + Lv (Livermorium) + Er (Erbium)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 17, 2024): A Couple of Trees

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 17, 2024): A Couple of Trees

Q: Take two three-letter tree names and combine them phonetically to get a clue for a type of fabric, then change one letter in that word to get something related to trees. What are the two trees?

Anagram the letters of the clue to get an appropriate surname.

Edit: Well, I had ASH + YEW --> A SHOE --> LEATHER --> HEATHER, so I was hinting at O'SHEA for St. Patrick's Day. So can I say I was half right?

A: YEW + FIR --> EWE FUR --> WOOL --> WOOD

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 10, 2024): Yet Another Body Part Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 10, 2024): Yet Another Body Part Puzzle

Q: Take a body part. Add one letter at the beginning and another at the end to get a different body part. Then again add a letter at the beginning and another at the end to get something designed to affect that body part.

I can tell you it isn't a knee.

I used the same hint last time this puzzle was used. Knee was a hint to NEA which is the National Endowment For The Arts. My image could be considered "art" and she has a heart painted on her side.

A: EAR --> HEART --> THE ARTS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 3, 2024): Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 3, 2024): Peace on Earth, Goodwill to All

Q: Take the last name of a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Remove the middle three letters and duplicate the last two letters to get the first name of a different Nobel Peace Prize winner. What are those two names?

I gave a major clue to this week's puzzle previously.

Edit: Last week's post had an image of "I Dream of Jeannie" and Major Nelson

A: Nelson MANDELA --> MALALA Yousafzai