Sunday Puzzle

Each week, New York Times crossword puzzle editor and NPR's Puzzlemaster Will Shortz presents an on-air quiz to one contestant and gives a challenge for Weekend Edition listeners at home.

Two States Enter, One Four-Letter Word Leaves()  

Sunday Puzzle.

February 19, 2012 Every answer consists of two adjoining U.S. states. Each clue is a four-letter word formed by one or more letters starting one of the state names plus one or more letters starting the other state name. For example, given "mist," the answer would be "Mississippi" and "Tennessee," or "Missouri" and "Tennessee."

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

Hey, I've Got Five On It!()  

February 12, 2012 Every answer is a familiar three-word phrase, name or title in which each word has five letters — for example, "Royal Opera House."

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

Rearranging The Deck Chairs On The Anti-Tic()  

February 5, 2012 Each clue contains at least one seven-letter word. Rearrange the letters in that word to answer the clue.

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

This Puzzle Is The Pits()  

January 29, 2012 Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or name in which the first word starts with "PI" and the second word starts with "T."

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

Sitting Comfortably In Between()  

January 22, 2012 You'll be given two things in the same category. You name the only other thing in the same category that fits between the given things alphabetically. For example, given "Mars" and "Saturn," the answer would be "Mercury."

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

Second To Last()  

January 15, 2012 Think of a word that can follow a given word to complete a familiar two-word phrase or name. The first two letters of the word must be the second and last letters, respectively, of the given word. For example, given "fallen," the answer would be "angel."

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

Arrange The Notes()  

January 8, 2012 Each answer is a five-letter word or phrase containing the letters N, O, T, E plus one other letter. Answer the clues to get the words.

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

The Fame Game()  

January 1, 2012 In our annual year-end news quiz, you are given new names in the news — people you probably never heard of before 2011, but who became famous during the past 12 months. Explain why they're famous.

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

Unwrap The Phrase To Reveal A Gift()  

December 25, 2011 Identify a gift for a child spelled by consecutive letters in familiar two-word phrases. For example, if given "tomato paste," the answer would be "top."

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

Rearranging Titles On The Magazine Rack()  

December 18, 2011 Rearrange a series of anagrams to identify some well-known magazines. For example, if given "never point," rearrange the letters to spell "Prevention," the name of a popular health magazine.

Summary

On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

Teasing Out A New Word()  

December 11, 2011 Add a letter to create new words in a series of word teasers.

Transcript

On Weekend Edition SundayPlaylist

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