NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 26, 2025): Current American SingerQ: Name a famous current American singer. Replace the last name with a colloquial term for a person from the place where this singer was born and raised. Say the result out loud. Phonetically, you'll get a form of singing the singer doesn't usually do. Who is the singer and what is the kind of singing?
I realize why I was having trouble with the puzzle. I knew the singer, but the "phonetically" was what threw me. I had to change my pronunciation for the sake of making the puzzle work.
Bedeviling.
ReplyDeleteNodd, are you the creator of today's puzzle? I don't know of too many Donns that live in CA. Haven't solved it yet, in any case.
DeleteYes, it's mine. Hope you like it!
DeleteCongrats, Nodd!
DeleteCongratulations, Nodd!
DeleteAnother nod to Nodd!
DeleteWay to go, Nodd!
DeleteThanks, everyone!
DeleteIt took a while, but I finally got it. Nice one, Nodd!
DeleteKudos, Nodd. I had to research the connection of the singer to the place. But how did you know the singer "doesn't usually do" this kind of singing?
DeleteSo, with that cat outta the bag...
DeleteDonn DiMichele (also known by his screen name. "Nodd") is an excellent puzzlesmith! His "Nodd ready for prime time" puzzle collections have appeared regularly on Puzzleria! since March of 2023. Both the quantity and the quality of his puzzlemaking are quite impressive. In addition, each week "Nodd" writes six riffs of the NPR Puzzle. You can see his six "self-riffs" when we upload P! this Thursday!
LegoWhoConfessesThatPuzzleContributorsLikeNoddAreTheTrueStrengthOfPuzzleria!
Congrats, Nodd. Finally solved it. It's a fun puzzle!
DeleteLancek, I relied on an Internet search. I don't actually know, of course.
DeleteJust solved it! Good one, Nodd! Also, I didn't know your screen name is a phonetic pronunciation of your real name, Donn! BTW Anybody here know why you can't hear the on-air puzzle on the NPR website right now? I solved all the examples that were printed on the site from the on-air puzzle, but I can't hear it. Blaine, is there another site we can find the recording?
DeletepjbIsRemindedOfAHorrorMovieCharacterWithThisOne
Nice one Nodd.
DeleteI think I have the answer, but I never heard of this person.
ReplyDeleteI hope my hint wins a ribbon this week.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the singer. I admit to having to use lists.
ReplyDeleteRearrange another colloquial name for a resident of the place, and you get someone associated with capital punishment.
I don't know most current American singers. I might have to use lists.
ReplyDeleteHow many forms of singing are there?
ReplyDeleteThat's what gets me too...I tried working it backward from singing forms or styles and...nada. I tried to make "mariachi" work, alas.
DeleteAt least three... ;-)
DeleteAI should help.
ReplyDeleteI solved it and asked Chatgpt. Did not solve it. Made good attempts though.
DeleteMe too - I don't think I would have found this singer without AI
ReplyDeleteI really like this puzzle, maybe because I solved it! I've had a long dry spell lately. Been feeling like I'm stuck in Folsom prison like last week... or is that San Quentin?
ReplyDeleteAnother fun puzzle - interestingly, the answer to this puzzle (the singing style) is actually quoted in one of the singer's most popular songs. And for those that use AI to solve, you know that's not appropriate!
ReplyDeleteSquares
ReplyDeleteOkay, Chuck! You must be proud of that one.
DeleteI dunno, I'd think twice before using AI on this one.
ReplyDeleteI'm proud to have solved this one. The singer has the same last name as the lead roles in a sort-of-recent TV drama series. One of the lead actors in that series was a lead in a classic movie. The actor in the other lead role in that movie shares a first name with the singer. (I'll grant you that's an unusually large and twisty rat's maze to follow.) (Several clue here.)
ReplyDelete(The actor in the other lead role in that movie shares a first name phonetically with the singer.)
DeleteThis was the second singer I thought of. Not my particular taste in singers, but seems like a really decent person
ReplyDeleteThe mere act of asking oneself how to solve this could lead to the answer.
ReplyDeleteWould overly lengthy Gregorian chanting be considered chapel drone? (I happen to be sitting in a chapel as I type this.)
Students today have laptops, but I went to college with a portable typewriter.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThat's TMI, ZenoCosini. Please delete.
DeleteThe situation that first brought this singer fame has been likened (by detractors) to the type of singing.
ReplyDeleteTake another colloquial term for a resident of the place, remove one repeated letter, rearrange, and get the surname of a renowned artist.
ReplyDeleteHe thought it was hip to be square. Eventually, anyway.
Delete"Sooner or later, those who win are those who think they can."
ReplyDelete~Paul Tournier
The singer's first name sounds like the last name of another famous singer.
ReplyDeleteThe singer and singing style are both well known, so I wouldn't go overboard scouring lists
ReplyDeleteGood one, Nodd. I thought it would be hard for me to solve because I know almost nothing about current singers other than opera singers. However I solved it both easily and quickly while still in bed, except for the singer's last name, which I had to use a short list to discover.
ReplyDeleteWe're not in Kansas anymore.
ReplyDeleteI can't find today's puzzle episode on the app or online. Anyone have a link?
ReplyDeleteI found the transcript; "audio will be available later today" :(
DeleteClick the blue highlighted subheading link below Blaine's heading.
DeleteNodd's puzzle earns a big yellow thumbs-up.
ReplyDeleteA more specific description of a person from the same place as the singer was sung about by a famous past American singer in the same genre
ReplyDeleteI am embarassed to say that I went to chat gpt which gave the answer readily. It's totally cheating and if I receive the call, politely, I will decline and tell them why. I hope others will own up as well. AI is not like using lists. If you do plan to use AI, You're not using your ability to think and it will atrophy!
ReplyDeleteI did not resort to AI for solving, but after getting the answer, I asked Gemini for its thoughts. It declared that "Taylor (Swift) Pennsylvanian" sounded like "acapella". 😜
DeleteOh, you mean that Mexican resort town where they sing; sing without accompaniment.
DeleteAtrophy will not win you a trophy.
DeleteIf I use ChatGPT to solve it, I simply won't submit the answer. I think a good rule of thumb is that when Ayesha asks, "How did you solve the puzzle?", if I'm embarrassed to tell the truth, then it's a good idea to not submit that week.
DeleteFinally got it. It didn't help that none of the lists I found had the "form of singing" needed.
ReplyDeleteHey Blaine people! I KNOW some of you have gotten the CALL. When do they call, and what is the AREA code? I get so much SPAM that I DECLINE everything and then BLOCK the number. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI got the call, but it was more than 15 years ago. I'm certain their servers/strategies have changed since that time. But your answers:
Delete- I got a call on Thursday about 3:15pm
- Caller ID said National Public Ratio and had a 202 Area Code.
- They told me I had won, booked a second call to record on the next day (Friday) to ready for the Sunday Broadcast
Don't depend on a 202 area code. The call can come from an intern's cell phone. Accept all calls from 3:00 to 4:00 ET or so on Thursday.
DeleteMine was in January 2020 (after 30 years of submissions!) and had a 202 area code but no caller ID. The call came sometime between 3:05 and 3:10 p.m. But Jan may be right. If you've submitted the correct answer, it's probably best to take your chances and answer any call on Thursday between 3 and 4 p.m.
DeleteNodd -
ReplyDeleteCongrats! I and a number of other puzzle writers here know how difficult it is to get through the WS screen :)
Ben -
Your experience was exactly like mine the first time around. But less than a year later, I was picked again! I told the producer that I would be happy to be on a second time, but, if he'd rather, I'd give my spot up and have him draw someone else. He very thankfully accepted my offer.