NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 20, 2025): An Oz, Iraq, ArizonaQ: This is a two-week creative challenge, and it's a tough one. Most people are familiar with palindromes, which read backward and forward the same. For example:
Madam, I'm Adam.
Do geese see God?
Sit on a potato pan, Otis.
The object is to write a palindrome that contains the letter Q. Entries will be judged on sense, naturalness of syntax, and overall elegance. The person who submits what Will considers to be the best palindrome containing the letter Q will play the puzzle on the air with him in two weeks.
I'm not going to even try this one. It's not worth my time!!
ReplyDeleteOnly 850 correct answers last week.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the over-under is this week, I'm taking the under.
DeleteI think Blaine may have given away the core of the only set of answers coming anywhere even close to "elegance".
ReplyDeleteI have something that technically qualifies, but I think it can be better. I'll keep working on it.
ReplyDeleteHo hum, so much fun ahead in the queue.
ReplyDeleteOur current Puzzleria! features great puzzles created by our friend Chuck (Chad Graham), and this coming Thursday's Puzzleria! will feature more great puzzles created by our friend SuperZee (Jeff Zarkin). So... after crafting and submitting your "Will-Worthy Q-bearing Palindrome," why not mosey on over to P! and partake in a bit of non-palindromedary fare?
ReplyDeleteLegoOfArabiactrian
Can't say as I have ever even seen a palindrome that included the letter Q anywhere in it before. Is it even possible?
ReplyDeletepjbKnowsThe[U]ThatWouldUsuallyFollowThe[Q]WouldIndeedBeQuiteProblematicWhenTryingToMakeUpAPalindrome
Are you questioning Will's challenge?!
DeleteRudolfo, kindly read my comment below.
DeletepjbThoughtAboutIt,AndThenDecidedToStayOutOfIt(IfIt'sAllTheSameToAnyoneElseHere)
If anyone can actually do this, you're a better man than I am, Gunga Din.
ReplyDeletepjbIsNotGoingToEvenAttemptThisOne
Since - so far -there is no Will/Blaine/Lego group picture posted, if Blaine and Lego are not surprise guest hosts next Sunday, I, for one, will be most Disquieteddeteiuqsid.
ReplyDeleteI hope that Dr. Awkward comes up with something for this one, although she would probably not submit it under her nifty nom de plume.
ReplyDeleteah, unlikely I'm afraid, but I appreciate the vote of confidence! curious to see what others come up with...
DeleteNo bad spit, Q-tips dab on.
ReplyDeleteI think I will mind my P's and Q's for the next two weeks.
ReplyDeleteI have an answer involving math.
ReplyDeleteWell, Bobby, we all knew you would. :-)
DeleteMy sentence involved quaternions and the real part of a number tau, Re(tau).
DeleteIf enough evidence is made public implicating Trump with Jeffrey Epstein, in a manner even republican lawmakers will not be able to ignore, then it is possible our emperor may be making the noose, rather than the news, for a change.
ReplyDeleteHey, Happy Pythagorean Triple Day to all!
ReplyDeleteThey are few and far between.
Blainesvillians: Please read this!
ReplyDeleteOur friend Jeff Zarkin (aka “SuperZee” is one of the best world-class word-puzzle composers that I know. We have been privileged and proud to feature his linguistic gems on Puzzleria! over the past decade. His “Jeff Zarkin Puzzle Riffs” has been a P! mainstay since 2019.
You can witness Jeff's artistry on this week's Puzzleria! which we shall upload very soon this afternoon. His “Puzzle Riffs” this week are a “Blankety-Blank-Blank-Blank” Appetizer titled “A dozen double-barreled-shooting-blanks homonym challenges” (in which you must find the homonyms that belong in the blanks. For example, a sample:
“After passengers aboard ______ ships wait patiently for _____ to _____ anchor, they are happily on their ___!” (Answers at the end of this post).
Also on this week's menu are:
~A Schpuzzle of the Week titled: All Tolled, All Donne: “Discont’ent on the Isle of NoMan”;
~A Natural Nutritious Hors d’Oeuvre titled: Conundrum requires “crittercal thinking!”
~An Absurd And Nonsensical Slice titled “Historic landmark & research university,”
~A Major Vs Minor Dessert titled “Massacre history & Missouri his story,” and
~a few handfuls of Riffing Off Shortz Entrees titled: Will’s on the “Whiz Short List!” (including six composed by our friend Nodd).
So, why not join us for some Jeff, master puzzle-chef!
LegoNowRevealingTheAnswersInTheMissingBlanksAs"CruiseCrewsWeighWay"
R.I.P. Hulk Hogan
ReplyDeleteRIPped in death as he was ripped in life...
ReplyDeleteI was surprised Will used the 1983 movie, Streamers, in his on air challenge. I've watched it 3 or 4 times, but wonder if anyone else here remembers it.
ReplyDeleteR.I.P. Tom Lehrer (and he was only 97)
ReplyDelete