NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 23, 2011): Retail Store to Electronics Manufacturer

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 23, 2011): Retail Store to Electronics Manufacturer:

Q: Think of a two-word name of a nationally known chain of retail stores. Insert the second word of the name into the exact middle of the first. The result will spell the name of a well-known electronics manufacturer. What are these names?

Edit: Time to reveal the answer.

A: Pier One (Imports) --> Pioneer

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 16, 2011): Two-word Rhyming Phrases

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 16, 2011): Two-word Rhyming Phrases:

Q: Think of a familiar two-word rhyming phrase that starts with the letter F, like "fat cat." Change the F to a G and you'll get another familiar two-word rhyming phrase. What are these phrases?

My wife and I came up with the same answer and we need to get a hint up quickly, so I guess we'll go with that. I like the first as a familiar two-word rhyming phrase, but I'm not as excited about the second.

Update: After listening to the audio of the puzzle, I discovered that Will provided several other examples of two-word rhyming phrases (fun run, fine line, flower power) which would preclude them from being the answers. So you can scratch my original comment since it no longer fits and would have to change anyway.

Edit: My revised hints were "scratch" and "change".

A: Fender Bender --> Gender Bender

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 9, 2011): A Group of Twelve and a Group of Nine

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 9, 2011): A Group of Twelve and a Group of Nine:

Q: Name something that is part of a group of twelve. Change the first letter to the next letter of the alphabet to name something that is part of a group of nine. What are these things?

Now that I have the answer, anyone care to have a discussion on whether there are eight or nine in that last group?

Edit: My comment was an attempt to mislead people into thinking the group of nine was planets (8 now without Pluto). My hint was "answer" which rhymes with the answers. The starting letters were hidden in care and discussion.

A: Cancer (from the 12 signs of the zodiac) and Dancer (from Santa's 8 reindeer plus Rudolph).

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 2, 2011): A Meal Composed of an Entrée and a Dessert

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Oct 2, 2011): A Meal Composed of an Entrée and a Dessert:

Q: Think of a common one-word entrée and dessert. When you insert the name of the entrée into the dessert's name, it will read as a certain meal. Name the entrée, dessert, and meal.

To everyone that appreciates this blog, I say, "Thank you, thank you very much!"

Edit: My hint was a reference to Elvis Presley who starred in the 1967 musical film Clambake. Incidentally, a version of this puzzle appeared back in August 2007

A: LAMB + CAKE --> C(LAMB)AKE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 25, 2011): Occupational Study Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 25, 2011): Occupational Study Puzzle:

Q: Think of a ten-letter occupation ending in "er." The first four letters can be rearranged to spell something that person would study, and the next four letters can be rearranged to spell something else that person would study. What is the occupation?

This week I'm going to put my feet up and let everyone else come up with the obvious clues.

Edit: You put your feet up on a footstool or ottoman. The flag of the Ottoman Empire had both a STAR and a MOON.

A: ASTRONOMER --> STAR, MOON

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 18, 2011): College Campus Mix-Up

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 18, 2011): College Campus Mix-Up:

Q: Take the name of a well-known university in two words. Switch two letters in the respective words; that is, take a letter from the first word, put it in place of a letter in the second word, and put that letter where the first letter was. The result will name something you might take on a camping trip. What are the names of the university and the camping item?

To tell the truth, while the two-week challenge was interesting, I'm glad we are back to our regularly scheduled program with a weekly NPR puzzle.

Edit: The original host of To Tell the Truth was Bud Collyer. On radio (and later TV and film) Collyer supplied the voices of both Superman and his alter ego Clark Kent.

A: KENT STATE --> TENT STAKE

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 4, 2011): Two-Week Challenge - Famous Person Palindrome

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Sep 4, 2011): Two-Week Challenge - Famous Person Palindrome:

Q: This is a special two-week creative challenge involving palindromes. A palindrome reads backwards and forward the same. Write a palindrome that contains the name of a famous person. For example: "No, Mel Gibson is a casino's big lemon." Or "Ed, I saw Harpo Marx ram Oprah W. aside." You can use the famous person's full name or just the last name, whatever you like. The object is to write the most interesting palindrome that contains a famous person's name, past or present. Any length is fine, short or long. Palindromes will be judged on their interest, elegance and naturalness of syntax.

Given this challenge is open-ended, there are no hints in my post this time. So anyone going to tackle a Sarah Palin palindrome?

A: "Did I cite operas I'd revere? Verdi's are poetic. I did!"
Runners-up:
"Peewee let reborn Robert E. Lee weep."
"Yawn, Madonna may baby a man, no damn way!"

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 28, 2011): Air Cushioned Anagram

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 28, 2011): Air Cushioned Anagram:

Q: Rearrange the twelve letters of the words "AIR CUSHIONED" to name a person in the media, first and last names.

Previously, this puzzle would have had the ability to heal nannies!

Edit: If you anagram 'heal nannies' you get 'Liane Hansen'.

A: The new host of Weekend Sunday Edition, Audie Cornish

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 21, 2011): Certain Amphibians Need Not Apply

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 21, 2011): Certain Amphibians Need Not Apply:

Q: Take the name of an aquatic animal, in two words, six letters in the first word and four letters in the second. Remove the first letter of each word, the remaining eight letters in order, will spell a word that might describe an animal that is not aquatic.

This seems to be a common problem for me. I should know this answer, but instead it is right on the tip of my...

Edit: My hints were "common" as in the "common seal" (also known as the harbor seal) and "tip of my..." referring to the way a trained seal can balance a ball on the tip of his nose.

A: HARBOR SEAL --> ARBOREAL

So, would a tree frog be both arboreal and aquatic?

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 14, 2011): Dog Breed and Animals Puzzle

NPR Sunday Puzzle (Aug 14, 2011): Dog Breed and Animals Puzzle:

Q: Name a breed of dog that starts and ends with the same letter of the alphabet. Drop that letter at both ends, and if you have the right dog, the remaining letters phonetically will name some animals. What's the dog and what are the animals?

It's a bit of a stretch to say that the remaining letters are pronounced exactly like the name of some animals.

Edit: My clue was "stretch" referring to the shape of this dog. The puzzle also reminded me of this Sprint commercial

A: Dachshund --> "achshun" --> Oxen