Take the even letters of the second word and rearrange to name something associated with this --> ❤️Q: A man said to a friend: "I'm thinking of a 9-letter word that contains my name, Ian ("I-A-N"), embedded somewhere inside it. If you replace my 3-letter name with your 4-letter name, you'll get a familiar word in 10 letters." What are the two words, and what is the name of Ian's friend?
Sunday, February 15, 2026
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 15, 2026): Ian and his Friend
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 15, 2026): Ian and his Friend
43 comments:
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To solve this puzzle, you’re really going to need a thoughtful strategy.
ReplyDeletePithy. The first word might make the second.
ReplyDeleteGood clue!
DeleteThanks, Jan.
DeleteNodd, I agree with jan
DeleteYour clue is good to the core.
Thanks, WW.
DeleteExcellent clue. Definitely not the pits.
DeleteAlso, as an aside to viral diseases talk in my answer coming up Thursday, I met a 19 year old girl from CA staying at the same motel (She and her parents were there for her jugular surgery; I was there in the aftermath of a water remediation project.) Long story short: mom was bit by a tic when she was 8. No Lyme disease issues presented themselves until Covid. Covid seemed to activate the Lyme.
DeleteThe daughter who got Lyme from mom at birth is now struggling with Lyme/Long covid/chronic fatigue syndrome. She did not leave her hotel room for 13 days, except for the painful surgery to scrape tissue from around her 90 percent blocked left jugular vein.
Is one of the main reasons why covid is so devastating is that it activates or wakes up old viruses? It's a dreadful, harmful "catalyst," if you will, that won't let sleeping dogs/viruses lie.
What do you think, jan? Other MD, PA/medical folks?And others here with a virus interest?
Not an MD, but merely a geologist who would love to help her friend's son with long covid.
I've been pondering. . .
Lyme disease isn't caused by a virus; it's the spirochete Borrelia. I'm not aware of Covid reactivating previous viral infections, though, of course, some viruses, like herpes simplex and varicella zoster, can be reactivated by many non-specific stressors. As for long Covid, that's a complicated, controversial subject beyond my pay grade.
Deletejan, I didnt know that about the spirochete. Do you suppose covid acts more intensely/intently upon the corkscrew shape of that Lyme bacteria? More places to hook onto, if you will?
DeletePondering more...
Iris, Breeze/Bries was an inspired alternative to Draft in the on-air puzzle. You go girl!
ReplyDeleteYes, but Tom Brady wouldn't work (but is somewhat related to this puzzle).
DeleteYeah that was an eyebrow-raiser!
Delete(I’ve had a Sea Breeze at many a tavern, by the way.)
That part was edited; it was *far* more clear that I meant "Brees", not "breeze". One question was left off, "A china cabinet, college football, and a toilet". It was "bowls", but I needed a clue.
DeleteAn old friend posted on my FB, noting that they pronounced my name correctly. That's because I told Ayesha how to pronounce it!
Ayesha is great. Puzzlemaster is pleasant. I imagine he's more subdued now that pre-stroke.
You performed superbly on-NPR-air, Iris. You represented Blainesville wonderfully! Congrats!
DeleteLegoInAweOf"IrisOurRainbowWithAnInsanelyBrilliantBrainWow!"
There are at least two answers. One answer I got immediately suggests that there is an equivalent puzzle with a seven-letter and resultant eight-letter answer. But for the answer I think they are looking for, if you rearrange the even letters of the first word, you get something you might hear at a concert.
ReplyDeleteI have one answer. I have never met anyone with the second name. I'd be surprised if anyone else here has.
ReplyDeleteRight, as I said at the end of the last thread, the second name is quite unusual.
ReplyDeleteBut it makes sense to use it to replace another name!
I'm sure I have the same answer as Blaine, by the way.
Deletecc:
ReplyDeleteAnd I have, indeed, met someone with the second name.
Now that I've had coffee, here's the rest of the story.
DeleteWe kidded this 4-letter-named person that rather being in our geology conference he/she should be at a different conference being held concurrently with ours in the same large facility.
I have Blaine's answer plus another that ends in -ian, which is probably not in the spirit of "embedded inside."
ReplyDeleteif that is the case, there are at least 4 answers (I have 3) --Margaret G
DeleteMy answer(s) seem to be what Rob is describing. I feel like there may be other equally good answers. Big congrats to Iris for a fine performance and a final bow to CAP who came up with a surprisingly tricky puzzle (surprising to me at least.) I thought there would be more correct submissions.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh! I see what most everyone else is referring to. (Including Rob. I had his alternate...)
DeleteThanks, JayB
DeleteCute puzzle - I can see a connection to so many of our recent puzzles, including famous duos, a weight loss/gain item, and even a hooved animal that might go well with one of today’s words (as perhaps alluded to by Tortitude).
ReplyDeleteTV hint: The Brady Bunch
ReplyDeleteMusical clue: Kriss Kross.
ReplyDeleteNice clue!
DeleteThanks!
DeleteI have at least 3 answers, but all use moderately exotic names. One works well if you drop the last 4 letters of the words.
ReplyDeleteMusical Clue: Holding Back The Years
ReplyDeleteI'm assuming that when it says embedded, the letters stand together to spell the name. Would it be TMI if someone could say yes or no to my question?
ReplyDeleteYes. Embedded means the letters IAN are together in the word.
DeleteThanks Blaine
DeleteI now think of him as Bliane.
DeleteThere are some connections with the last puzzle.
ReplyDeleteWell, I think I may have ironed this one out. But I'm not sure.
ReplyDeleteI didn't put the PE at the end.
ReplyDeleteI see a certain textural similarity between the second word and a word associated with the second name.
ReplyDeleteStrange. My dictionary search came up with 116 possible word pairs, and of the possible substitutions I see one that looks like a very common name, appearing in three of the pairs. However, none of the possibilities seem to match the clues that people are posting.
ReplyDeleteI have found two more words with embedded "ian" that make words if you substitute a different, more common, 4-letter name, but none of the word are common (at least according to the Moby word list).
ReplyDelete