NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 17, 2019): Next Largest U.S. City

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 17, 2019): Next Largest U.S. City:

Q: The city of Mobile, Alabama, has the interesting property that the name of the city has exactly the same consonants as its state (M, B, and L), albeit in a different order. What is the next-largest U.S. city for which this is true?

When studying the state capitals, I'd often get confused by this. Also, don't think that you can just say New York, New York — that's a little larger than Mobile, Alabama.

Update: I used to confuse Charleston, WV (capital) with Charleston, SC (not a capital).

A: CHaRLeSToN --> SouTH CaRoLiNa

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 10, 2019): Five Letter Antonyms

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 10, 2019): Five Letter Antonyms:

Q: Think of two five-letter words that are opposites. One of them begins with E, the other ends with E. Drop both E's. The remaining eight letters can be rearranged to spell a new word that is relevant. What are these three words?

The hardest part is coming up with a clue that is relevant.

A: ENTER, LEAVE, RELEVANT

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 3, 2019): Tiptoe Through the Seedy Ivy

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Nov 3, 2019): Tiptoe Through the Seedy Ivy:

Q: The letters C + D together sound like the word "seedy." And the letters I + V together sound like "ivy." Take the 18 letters in the phrase END BACKSTAGE TV QUIZ. Rearrange them into pairs, using each letter exactly once, to make nine common, uncapitalized words phonetically. Can you do it?

I like most of my words but one is a bit of a stinker.

The one word that wasn't my favorite was 'ew' (also spelled with additional letters like eww) to express disgust, often at something gross and smelly. Merriam-Webster does have it as two syllables (ˈē-ü)

A: beady (BD), cagey (KG), cutie (QT), easy (EZ), eighty (AT), envy (NV), essay (SA), ew (EU) and icy (IC)

Update: Will's intended answer was u-ey (UE)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 27, 2019): Dear...

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 27, 2019): Dear...:

Q: Think of a familiar two-word phrase — 5 letters in each word — that might be something you'd write in a letter. The first and last letters are the same. The 3rd and 8th letters are the same. The 4th and 7th letters are the same. And the middle two letters are consecutive in the alphabet. What phrase is it?

Here's a bonus puzzle: take a 5-letter word. Change the 2nd letter so it is three earlier in the alphabet. Change the 5th letter so it is one later in the alphabet. Write the word backwards and... Are you following me so far? Great, because I don't remember what the answer was supposed to be.

A: YOURS TRULY

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 20, 2019): Are You Ready for Some Football?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 20, 2019): Are You Ready for Some Football?:

Q: Think of a 7-letter past tense verb for something good you might have done in a football game. Move each letter one space later in the alphabet (so A becomes B, B becomes C, etc.), and rearrange the result. You'll get a past tense verb for something bad you might have done in football. What words are these?

Sometimes the first leads to the second.

Edit: Charles pointed out that once a player is tackled, the ball is dead. So I guess it would be more accurate that the second may happen while in the process of the first event.

A: TACKLED, FUMBLED

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 13, 2019): Igpay Atinlay Everagesbay

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 13, 2019): Igpay Atinlay Everagesbay:

Q: Think of an informal term for a beverage. Say it in Pig Latin and you'll have an informal term for another beverage. What are they?

I have about 5 answers.

Joe DiMaggio was known as "Mr. Coffee" for his series of commercials for the coffee maker. His retired jersey number was 5.

A: JOE (Coffee) --> O.J. (Orange Juice)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 6, 2019): People Pile Up Paella

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 6, 2019): People Pile Up Paella:

Q: There are two answers to this one, and you have to get them both. Name two tasty things to eat, each in 8 letters, in which the only consonant letters are L and P.

You end up tasting both answers with your PAPILLAE.

Edit: My hint was "end" as in the last part of a meal being dessert.

A: LOLLIPOP and APPLE PIE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 29, 2019): E, E, I, O, U

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 29, 2019): E, E, I, O, U:

Q: Think of a word that has five vowels — two E's, an I, O, and U. Curiously, every vowel except the "I" is pronounced like a short "I." And the "I" in the word is not pronounced at all. What word is it?

I can't claim that this word describes me. And I question the second syllable as my dictionary says its a schwa sound, not a short I.

A: BUSINESSWOMEN (when pronounced 'biz-nis-wi-min)

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 22, 2019): No Letters in Common

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 22, 2019): No Letters in Common:

Q: Think of an adjective in five letters in two syllables. The first syllable phonetically sounds like a synonym of the full, five-letter word. And strangely these two words have no letters in common. What words are these?

I was so focused on homophones like "ewe" and "you" and "aye/eye" and "I" that I couldn't see the forest for the trees.

Edit: My hints were FOcused, homoPHONEs and FOrest

A: PHONY --> FAUX

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 15, 2019): World Menagerie

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 15, 2019): World Menagerie:

Q: Name a world capital in 12 letters. If you have the right one, you can rearrange its letters to name two animals — one in three letters and the other in nine. What capital is it, and what are the animals?

I guess we have no hope of rehabilitating Will Shortz; he can't pull himself away from the anagram puzzles.

Edit: The country of HAITI can be found consecutively in the work reHAbilItaTIng.

A: PORT-AU-PRINCE --> RAT, PORCUPINE