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Humor & Fun Games, puzzles, and contests plus odd stories from comedy, art, and society.

Humor & Fun

Sunday

Sunday Puzzle

Well, Hey 'OP'

Puzzle master Will Shortz quizzes one of our listeners, and has a challenge for everyone at home. (This week's winner is Jeff Terrace from Chelmsford, Mass. He listens to Weekend Edition on member station WFCR in Amherst.)

Well, Hey 'OP'

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Friday

Science

Highlights from the Ig Nobel Awards

We broadcast the best of the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony, recognizing the strange, the silly and the stupid in the world of science. This year's ceremony includes an operatic tribute to infinity, a look at e-mail spam as literature, and photographs of 34 years' worth of meals.

Highlights from the Ig Nobel Awards

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Tuesday

All Things Considered

Turkeys' Big Day at the White House

President Bush is presented with the National Thanksgiving Turkey (and an alternate) -- for whom he promptly issues pardons. On Thursday, Marshmallow and Yam will serve as honorary grand marshals for Disneyland's annual Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Turkeys' Big Day at the White House

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Monday

Stump the Puzzle Master

Will Shortz is the puzzlemaster for NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday, when he often confounds listeners with riddles and word games. We test his ability to solve puzzles. Shortz is also the crossword puzzle editor of The New York Times

Stump the Puzzle Master

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Sunday

National

'Thwacker:' Comic Chris Elliott's Novel Debut

Chris Elliott, son of the venerable humorist-performer Bob Elliott and a former Late Night with David Letterman gofer-turned-writer, has crafted a mystery-history, tragi-comedy, time-traveling work of literary fiction.

'Thwacker:' Comic Chris Elliott's Novel Debut

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Saturday

An Underdog Favorite Makes Toy Hall of Fame

The giant cardboard box -- the kind that refrigerators and washing machines come packaged in, was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame this week. Host Debbie Elliott talks with curator Christopher Bensch of the Strong Museum about the appeal of the simple box.

An Underdog Favorite Makes Toy Hall of Fame

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Friday

Diversions

Betting Underground in Semi-Legal Gambling Lairs

Major League Baseball officials have chastised New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez for frequenting "underground" card rooms. Mike Pesca gets the lowdown on these semi-legal gambling lairs from the people who frequent them.

Betting Underground in Semi-Legal Gambling Lairs

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Diversions

Pumpkin Party Turns Gourds into Missiles

Millsboro, Del., is home to Punkin Chunkin 2005 World Championship. This year was the 20th for a contest to see who can build a machine to hurl a pumpkin the farthest. It's part science, part sport and all party.

Pumpkin Party Turns Gourds into Missiles

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Wednesday

Sunday

Sunday Puzzle

'P___' of What?

Puzzle master Will Shortz quizzes one of our listeners, and has a two-week challenge for everyone at home. (This week's winner is Dr. Laurie Abbott from Las Cruces, N.M. She listens to Weekend Edition on member station KRWG in Las Cruces.)

'P___' of What?

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Saturday

Movies

Las Vegas Documentary Goes Beyond Casinos

People think of Las Vegas as Sin City, a version of Disneyland, or maybe a little of both. Director Stephen Ives talks about Las Vegas: An Unconventional History, his new PBS documentary.

Las Vegas Documentary Goes Beyond Casinos

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Wednesday

Tuesday

Opinion

Some Very Bad Global Warming Solutions

Actress and commentator Annabelle Gurwitch thinks the country that invented Google and Silly Putty ought to be able to solve global warming. She submits some of her personal solutions for scientific evaluation by UCLA physicist Michael Rich.

Some Very Bad Global Warming Solutions

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Monday

News

Mexican Wrestling as Art

In Spanish, lucha libre is translated literally to mean "free fighting" -- and to many Latinos, it's professional wrestling, vaudeville, a venerable cinema genre and the Bushido code of the Japanese Samurai all wrapped up in one campy and crowd-pleasing spectacle.

Mexican Wrestling as Art

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