Q: Name something in seven letters that most people keep in their homes. Take the first, third, fourth and seventh letters and rearrange them. The result will be a four-letter word naming something that the seven-letter thing is commonly used for. What is it?For some reason, the answer hasn't yet come to me so I can't post a clue. I'll leave that to all of you.
A: ASPIRIN --> PAIN
Anyone else feel they spent a lot of time poring through long lists of movie, cartoon or literary characters before finding the answer?Q: The name of what character, familiar to everyone, contains each of the five vowels (A, E, I, O and U) exactly once? The answer consists of two words — eight letters in the first word, four letters in the second.
A: QUESTION MARK
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 15, 2013): Noteworthy Names of the 20th Century: Q: Name a well-known person from the 20th century who held an important position. Take the first and last letters of this person's last name, change each of them to the next letter of the alphabet, and you'll get the last name of another famous person who held the same position sometime after the first one. Who is it?I got the answer right away, then thought, wait they didn't hold the same position. Anyone think the same thing for a moment?
A: FORD & GORE were both Vice Presidents in the 20th century
Q: Name a famous person in history with four letters in the first name and six letters in the last. Move the first letter of all this to the end. The result will be a two-word phrase that might be defined as "the opposite of a curve." Who's the famous person, and what's the phrase?What is this? Another reference to the puzzle from three weeks ago? At least we know the answer isn't EDIR ECTLIN.
A: MARC ANTONY --> ARC ANTONYM
Q: Think of a well-known celebrity who goes by a single name — the last two letters of which are alphabetically separated by only one letter (like A and C, or B and D). Replace this pair of letters with the one that separates them, and you'll have a common, everyday word. What is it?I wonder if this was inspired by the puzzle of two weeks ago? Anyone know?
A: Beyoncé --> Beyond
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 25, 2013): Open for Business: Q: Think of a business that's found in most towns. Its name consists of two words, each starting with a consonant. Interchange the consonants and you'll get two new words — neither of which rhymes with the original words. What business is it?Checking with my dictionary, I can confirm the words don't rhyme. That goes double for last week's answer.
A: CAR WASH --> WAR and CASH
Q: The Roman numeral for 38 is XXXVIII. What is special or unusual about this Roman numeral that sets it apart from every other Roman numeral that can be written?I'm sure I'll figure this out next month when I go to New Jersey.
A: XXXVIII sorts last alphabetically.
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 11, 2013): Twisted Family Tree: Q: It's a twist on an old puzzle: Nieces and nephews have I none, but that man's father is my father's son." What is the gender of the speaker? And who is the speaker referring to?Honestly I don't see the reason, except for the slight wording change at the beginning, that this is any different than the classic puzzle. Am I missing something? Was it perhaps stated differently on the air?
A: The speaker is male and he is talking about his son.
Q: Name a foreign make of automobile. Cross out several letters in its name. The remaining letters, reading in order from left to right, will spell a food that comes from the country where the car is made. What is the country, and what is the food?I'm going to have to go dark this week since we're going on vacation. Please moderate yourselves and play nicely with each other.
A: Mitsubishi --> sushi (both from Japan)
NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jul 28, 2013): What Does NPR Stand For?: Q: In three words, name a product sold mainly to women that has the initials N-P-R. The answer is a common phrase.My wife's first answer: Nipple Piercing Ring. Okay, just forget I said that.
A: Nail Polish Remover
