LULU GARCIA-NAVARRO, HOST:
And it's time to play The Puzzle.
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GARCIA-NAVARRO: Joining us is Will Shortz. He's puzzle editor of The New York Times and WEEKEND EDITION's puzzlemaster. Hi, Will.
WILL SHORTZ, BYLINE: Hey there, Lulu.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Remind us of last week's challenge.
SHORTZ: Yes. It came from Todd McClary of the National Puzzlers' League. I said think of a place where a plant might grow in two words. Spoonerize it. That is, switch the initial consonant sounds. And the result will name another place where a plant might grow and a plant that might grow there. And the plant might grow in a flower box. Spoonerize that. You get a bower, which is a leafy place where flowers might grow. And the flower - flox.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: We received just under 400 correct responses. And the winner this week is Harry Phillips of Solon, Iowa. Congratulations. And welcome to the program.
HARRY PHILLIPS: Thank you.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: How did you figure it out?
PHILLIPS: It was actually - it just - the first thought that came to my mind was a flower pot. And I did that, and it didn't work. And I thought a flower box. And I got it instantly.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: There you go. I hear you've been playing The Puzzle for a while.
PHILLIPS: I have. I have. I'm a retired teacher. And I used to use the puzzle as a - as an incentive for my students - a language arts teacher. I would post The Puzzle on Sunday night. And the first person who got the answer would get a great prize. And I would show up sometimes on Monday morning, and there'd be a group of kids, like, waiting for me.
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GARCIA-NAVARRO: I love that. That's amazing.
PHILLIPS: And, sometimes, they had the answer before me. And, sometimes, they answered, as well.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Aw. What was it like when you finally got the call?
PHILLIPS: Oh, it was very exciting - been waiting a long time for this. Yeah.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: So here we go. Will, take it away.
SHORTZ: All right, Harry. Every answer today is a word, name or phrase in which the only consonants are R and C repeated as often as necessary. All the other letters are vowels. For example, if I said to happen, you would say occur.
All right. We'll start with five-letter answers. And the first one is capital of Ghana.
PHILLIPS: Accra.
SHORTZ: Accra is right. Number two, about - as before a date that's uncertain. You'd say blank, you know, 1,200. It's a Latin word.
PHILLIPS: Ooh.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: it means around a certain date.
PHILLIPS: Circa, circa, circa.
SHORTZ: Circa - there you go. Bravo. One spreading news in colonial times.
PHILLIPS: Town crier.
SHORTZ: A crier is right. Now we're going to six-letter answers, occupation. So teaching was your...
PHILLIPS: Career, career - I'm sorry. Career - I'm sorry.
SHORTZ: (Laughter) There you go. Career is it. Here's your next one. Elaborately ornamental style.
PHILLIPS: Rococo.
SHORTZ: That's it - journalist Katie.
PHILLIPS: Currie (ph).
SHORTZ: Almost.
PHILLIPS: Couric, Couric.
SHORTZ: Couric is right. Ancient Roman statesman and orator.
PHILLIPS: This is a...
SHORTZ: Ancient Roman statesman and orator.
PHILLIPS: Cicero.
SHORTZ: That's it, Cicero. And now we're going for a seven-letter answers - one who transports documents.
PHILLIPS: A courier.
SHORTZ: Courier is it. Partner of Ives in old lithography.
PHILLIPS: Oh, Currier.
SHORTZ: It's a different Currier - spelling of Currier, right? Verizon or AT&T.
PHILLIPS: Carrier.
SHORTZ: Carrier is it. Here's another vocabulary tester - native of Rio de Janeiro.
PHILLIPS: Not Brazilian.
SHORTZ: Uh-huh. That's in general - someone from Rio, in particular.
PHILLIPS: A Rio-er (ph).
SHORTZ: OK (laughter). I think I'm going to tell you this one. It's a Carioca, C-A-R-I-O-C-A - Carioca.
PHILLIPS: Of course. All right (laughter).
SHORTZ: All right. Here's your last one. It's a two-word answer. And your clue is a vehicle in the Indianapolis 500.
PHILLIPS: A race car.
SHORTZ: A race car - good job.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Great job - how do you feel?
PHILLIPS: Oh, great. I'm glad it's over. Yeah.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: (Laughter) You did really well. And for playing our puzzle today, you'll get a WEEKEND EDITION lapel pin, as well as puzzle books and games. And you can read all about it at npr.org/puzzle. And, Harry, which member station do you listen to?
PHILLIPS: WSUI in Iowa City.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: Harry Phillips of Solon, Iowa, thank you so much for playing The Puzzle.
PHILLIPS: Thank you very much.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: All right, Will. What is next week's challenge?
SHORTZ: Yes, it comes from listener Peter Collins of Ann Arbor, Mich. Think of a country. Embedded in consecutive letters is a well-known brand name. The first, second, eighth and ninth letters of the country in order spell a former competitor of that brand. Name the country and the brands. So, again, a country - embedded in consecutive letters is a well-known brand name. And the first, second, eighth and ninth letters of the country in order spell a former competitor of that brand. Name the country and the brands.
GARCIA-NAVARRO: When you have the answer, go to our website, npr.org/puzzle and click on the Submit Your Answer link. Remember, just one entry per person, please. Our deadline for entries is Thursday, July 15 at 3 p.m. Eastern. Include a phone number where we can reach you at about that time. And if you're the winner, we'll give you a call. And you'll get to play on the air with the puzzle editor of The New York Times and WEEKEND EDITION's very own puzzlemaster, Will Shortz. Thanks so much, Will.
SHORTZ: Thank you, Lulu.
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