NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 4, 2014): Two Week Challenge: It's Near the Planet Mars

NPR Sunday Puzzle (May 4, 2014): Two Week Challenge: It's Near the Planet Mars:

A: Write a clue for a word that also contains the answer in consecutive letters. For example, "It's near the planet Mars," contains the answer "Earth". The answer word must contain six or more letters. The clue should both define or describe the answer and contain the answer in consecutive letters.

Given the parameters of the puzzle, all we can do is save up our best answers for two weeks from now. But if people want to express their creativity, post clues for words with 5 (or fewer) letters.

A: In cold weather most attempt to keep this set low. (thermostat). Other answers can be found here

NPR Sunday Puzzle (April 27, 2014): Actors and Actresses Ending in Double Letters

NPR Sunday Puzzle (April 27, 2014): Actors and Actresses Ending in Double Letters:

Q: Name a famous actor or actress whose last name ends in a doubled letter. Drop that doubled letter. Then insert an R somewhere inside the first name. The result will be a common two-word phrase. What is it?

I've got nothing...

Edit: Literally, a "blank card"

A: CATE BLANCHETT --> CARTE BLANCHE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (April 20, 2014): April Showers

NPR Sunday Puzzle (April 20, 2014): April Showers:

Q: Name certain trees. Also name something that trees have. Rearrange all the letters to get the brand name of a product one might buy at a grocery or drug store. What is it?

The puzzle went around and around in my head until I came up with an answer.

Edit: The hints were "around" and "came up" as in a drowning person "came up" for air and caught "a round" object.

A: FIRS + LEAVES --> LIFESAVERS

NPR Sunday Puzzle (April 13, 2014): An American Company and Two TV Shows

NPR Sunday Puzzle (April 13, 2014): An American Company and Two TV Shows:

Q: Name a well-known American company. Insert a W somewhere inside the name, and you'll get two consecutive titles of popular TV shows of the past. What are they?

And if you insert a word starting with 'W', you name somewhere one of the shows takes place.

Edit: The added word is "White".

A: WESTINGHOUSE --> WEST WING, HOUSE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (April 6, 2014): "Gimme a Cow and Drag it Through the Garden"

NPR Sunday Puzzle (April 6, 2014): "Gimme a Cow and Drag it Through the Garden":

Q: Split pea soup is something that might be found on a menu at a diner. The phrase contains each of the 5 vowels — A, E, I, O and U — exactly once. Name something else that might be served in a diner — also 3 words, consisting of 3, 6 and 8 letters, respectively — that contains each of the 6 vowels (A, E, I, O, U and Y) exactly once.

Sorry, I'm busy connecting the HDTV, Blu-ray player, AV receiver and speakers together so I have no time for a clue today.

Edit: I'm done connecting my Home Theater System and can now provide the answer.

A: Hot Turkey Sandwich

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 30, 2014): Film with Two W's

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 30, 2014): Film with Two W's:

Q: The film Wild Wild West had three W's as its initials. What prominent film of last year had two W's as its initials?

There are several comments at the end of last week's post. I too am wondering whether this is an April Fool's joke.

Edit: Indeed it was... Kudos to Al and anyone else that figured it out.

A: "The Wolf of Wall Street" has TWO WS as its initials

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 23, 2014): A World of Instruments

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 23, 2014): A World of Instruments:

Q: Name a capital of a country. Change the first letter to name a familiar musical instrument. What is it?

It's not easy to come up with a thumbnail that doesn't give the answer away.

Edit: My hints were to an alternate answer. The photo is from a music store in Yuba City, California. The word "ThUmBnAil" contains "TUBA" in order.

A: Caracas (Venezuela) --> maracas.
Juba (South Sudan) --> tuba

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 16, 2014): Driving to the Supermarket

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 16, 2014): Driving to the Supermarket:

Q: Take the brand name of a popular grocery item, written normally in upper- and lower-case letters. Push two consecutive letters together, without otherwise changing the name in any way. The result will name a make of car. What is it?

I was having trouble with this, then a light bulb turned on.

Edit: GE trademarked the name Mazda for their incandescent light bulbs with tungsten filaments.

A: Mazola --> Mazda

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 9, 2014): It's All Greek to Me

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 9, 2014): It's All Greek to Me:

Q: Take the name of a classical Greek mathematician and re-arrange the letters in his name to spell two numbers. What are they?

A: DIOPHANTUS --> THOUSAND + PI

P.S. We discussed Diophantine Equations 5 years ago.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 2, 2014): The Oscar Goes To...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Mar 2, 2014): The Oscar Goes To...:

Q: Take the first name of a nominee for Best Actor or Best Actress at Sunday's Oscars. You can rearrange these letters into a two-word phrase that describes his or her character in the film for which he or she is nominated. Who is this star, and what is the phrase?

You'll need the following list of nominees.

A: SANDRA (Bullock) --> NASA DR.