NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 12, 2017): Having Fun in the Kitchen

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 12, 2017): Having Fun in the Kitchen:

Q: Name some things commonly seen on a kitchen table. Switch the positions of the fifth and sixth letters of the word, and read the result backward. You'll name two things commonly seen in a kitchen. What are they?

For us, practically everything ends up on the kitchen table, but maybe the rest of you have a "normal" amount of stuff to consider. It's all relative.

Edit: Well, perhaps I have everything but the kitchen SINK? My other hints were rest as in NAP and relative as in KIN.

A: NAPKINS --> SINK, PAN

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 5, 2017): And They Lived Happily Ever After

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Feb 5, 2017): And They Lived Happily Ever After:

Q: Name a prominent figure in a fairy tale. Write this in all capital letters. Add a stroke to one letter and rearrange the result. You'll name another prominent figure in a fairy tale. What two fairy tale figures are these?

A: FROG —> OGRE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 29, 2017): Take six different letters

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 29, 2017): Take six different letters:

Q: Take six different letters. Repeat them in the same order. Then repeat them again — making 18 letters altogether. Finally add "tebasket" at the end. If you have the right letters and you space them appropriately, you'll complete a sensible sentence. What is it?

I'm not sure I'd call it "sensible" unless it was spoken by someone a little nutty.

My hint was to nuts, bolts and washers.

A: HERWAS --> HER WASHER WAS HER WASTEBASKET

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 22, 2017): Think of a Number...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 22, 2017): Think of a Number...:

Q: This week's challenge is unusual. The numbers 5,000, 8,000, and 9,000 share a property that only five integers altogether have. Identify the property and the two other integers that have it.

The hard part isn't figuring out the pattern, it's figuring out how we are supposed to extend it to find integers four and five.

Edit: The title contains each of the vowels (a,e,i,o,u) exactly once. The 4 and 5 in my hint refer to the number of digits in the two other answers.

A: When spelled out in English, the numbers contain the 5 vowels (a, e, i, o, u, but not y) exactly once.
The other two numbers would be 6,010 (six thousand ten) and 10,006 (ten thousand six).

I discounted answers like 80,000 and 90,000 which also contain y and wouldn't preclude 26,000 as an answer.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 15, 2017): Gods of Comedy

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 15, 2017): Gods of Comedy:

Q: Take the first and last names of a famous comedian. The first three letters of the first name and the first letter of the last name, in order, spell the name of a god in mythology. The fourth letter of the first name and the second through fourth letters of the last name, in order, spell the name of another god. Who's the comedian, and what gods are these?

Here's a long list of comedians and a list of gods to help you out.

Edit: The antonym of long is...

A: MARTIN SHORT --> MARS, THOR

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 8, 2017): The Cat's Away...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 8, 2017): The Cat's Away...

I'm unable to post the puzzle this week, but I didn't want to leave you without a place to post comments on the puzzle. Somebody help me out by posting a copy here. Then feel free to add your *hints*.

Here's my standard reminder... don't post the answer or any outright spoilers before the deadline of Thursday at 3pm ET. If you know the answer, click the link and submit it to NPR, but don't give it away here. Thank you.

Update:

Q: Think of a two-word phrase you might see on a clothing label. Add two letters to the end of the first word, and one letter to the end of the second word. The result is the name of a famous writer. Who is it?

A: VIRGIN WOOL --> VIRGINIA WOOLF

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 1, 2017): Start the Year with a Word Square Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Jan 1, 2017): Start the Year with a Word Square Puzzle:

Q: Take the four-letter men's names TODD, OMAR, DAVE and DREW. If you write them one under the other, they'll form a word square, spelling TODD, OMAR, DAVE and DREW reading down as well.

Can you construct a word square consisting of five five-letter men's names? Any such square using relatively familiar men's names will count. Will has an answer using four relatively common names and one less familiar one.

This list of 5-letter names or this list of 5-letter boys names should help you get started.

A: Will's intended answer was:
KEMAL
EMILE
MILAN
ALAIN
LENNY

One of the many possible answers, and the answer of the person chosen to play on the air was:
ABRAM
BLANE
RANDY
ANDRE
MEYER

Christmas Snowflake Matching Puzzle for 2016

Our annual Christmas puzzle is available now.
As in prior years, the reward for solving is a video Christmas card, but you'll need to figure out the password by solving the puzzle first.

Note: If you need some help, the full answer is posted here, but try solving it without help first... it's more fun that way.

Feel free to add a comment below to let us know that you successfully figured it out (without giving away the answer to others). We are always looking for new ideas for next year's Christmas puzzle, so submit those too.

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 25, 2016): Just a Matter of Course

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 25, 2016): Just a Matter of Course:

Q: Think of three words used in golf. Say them out loud one after the other. They'll sound like a group that was in the news in 2016. What group is it?

Am I the only one that read about the "Rough Eagle Club" in the news?

Edit: Rough is a part of the course. Eagle is a scoring term. Club is a piece of equipment.

A: Green Party (green + par + tee)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 18, 2016): Adding Historical Figures

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Dec 18, 2016): Adding Historical Figures:

Q: Take the initials and last names of two opposing historical figures. Add a C and mix all the letters together. You'll get the title and last name of another historical figure from approximately the same era. Who are these people?

I'll just leave this space empty.

Edit: Custer's last stand was at Little Bighorn, MT (Montana).

A: U.S. GRANT + R.E. LEE + C --> GENERAL CUSTER