Will Shortz

Investigating The Crime Scene

Will Shortz — Tue, 28 May 2013 13:46:13 +0000

On-air challenge: Today's theme is "C.S.I." — as in the name of the long-running TV show. You're given three words starting with the letters C, S and I. For each set, give a fourth word that can follow each of the original words to complete a compound word or a familiar two-word phrase.

Last week's challenge from listener Jeffrey Harris of Chappaqua, NY.: Name a category of books, in two words. Add one letter to each word — the same letter of the alphabet in each case.

Two Last Names For The Price Of One

Will Shortz — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:57:33 +0000

On-air challenge: Every answer today consists of two people, either real or fictional, whose last names are anagrams of each other.

Last week's challenge: It comes from listener Matt Jones of Portland, Ore. Jones creates a weekly syndicated puzzle called the "Jonesin' Crossword," which appears in more than 50 alternative newspapers around the country. The first 12 letters of the alphabet are A to L. Think of a familiar six-word proverb that contains 11 of these 12 letters (along with additional letters from the second half of the alphabet).

As You Know, Puzzles Are A Pastime

Will Shortz — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 13:12:30 +0000

On-air challenge: For each given category, name something in the category where the first letter is also the first letter of the category. For example, given "Military Ranks," you would say "Major."

Last week's challenge: Name a geographical location in two words — nine letters altogether — that, when spoken aloud, sounds roughly like four letters of the alphabet.

A Brand-New Word

Will Shortz — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:01:31 +0000

On-air challenge: Every answer is a well-known commercial name that spells a regular word or name backward. Identify the brands. For example, given "laundry detergent" and "work in a magazine office," the answer would be "tide" and "edit."

Last week's challenge: Name something in four letters that you use every day. Add the letters O, H and M, and rearrange all seven letters. You will name something else you probably use every day. This seven-letter thing is usually found near the four-letter thing.

Finding The Answers Within

Will Shortz — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 18:00:28 +0000

On-air challenge: You'll be given clues for some five-letter words. In each case, the letters of the answer can be found consecutively somewhere inside the clue. For example, given "Some teenagers' language," the answer would be "slang"(hidden inside "teenagerS' LANGuage").

Last week's challenge from Tyler Hinman: Take an eight-letter word for something used in water. Phonetically remove a word for something else used in water. Squish what is left together. The result, phonetically, will be a verb describing what water does.

From A To Z

Will Shortz — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 16:49:03 +0000

On-air challenge: Every answer is a word containing an A and a Z. Given anagrams of the remaining letters, name the word. For example, given "leg," the answer would be "glaze".

Last week's challenge: Eight people are seated at a circular table. Each person gets up and sits down again — either in the same chair or in the chair immediately to the left or right of the one they were in.

Dear Mr. President, What's Your Name?

Will Shortz — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:53:31 +0000

On-air challenge: In honor of Presidents Day, every answer is the last name of a U.S. president. You will be given a word or phrase that is a president's last name with two letters changed. You name the president. For example, given "Carpet," the answer would be "Carter."

Last week's challenge: Take the last name of a former president of a foreign country, someone well-known. Change the last letter of this name to an O and rearrange the result. You'll get the last name of someone who wanted to be president of the United States.

Tackle 'Yards' To Make A Touchdown

Will Shortz — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:02:20 +0000

On-air challenge: In recognition of the Super Bowl, the key word is "yards." You will be given some categories. For each one, name something in the category beginning with each of the letters Y, A, R, D and S. For example, if the category were "Girls' Names," you might say Yvonne, Alice, Rachel, Donna and Sally.

Last week's challenge from listener Jed Martinez of Margate, Fla.: Name a personal mode of transportation. Remove its first and sixth letters.

Scrambling To Ring In The New Year

Will Shortz — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:20:27 +0000

On-air challenge: This week's puzzle celebrates ringing in the new year. Take the letters Y-E-A-R. Add one letter and scramble to make a new word that answers the clue. For example, by adding the letter B to Y-E-A-R, with the clue "maker of aspirin," the answer would be "Bayer."

Last week's challenge from listener Ben Bass of Chicago: First, name a U.S. state capital. Rearrange its letters to spell the name of another American city. Remove one letter and read the result backward to spell a third American city.

If You Didn't Know, Now You Know

Will Shortz — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 14:06:37 +0000

On-air challenge: This week is the annual "new names in the news" quiz. You're given some names that you probably never heard of before 2012, but who made news during the past 12 months. You say who they are. These names were compiled with the help of Kathie Baker and Tim Goodman, who were players on previous year-end quizzes.

Last week's challenge: Take the last name of a famous actor. Drop the first letter, and you'll get the last name of a famous artist. Drop the first letter again, and you'll get the name of a god in classical mythology.

Unwrap 'Christmas' For Your Gift

Will Shortz — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 12:17:36 +0000

On-air challenge: Every answer is a word that can be formed from the letters of "Christmas." You'll be given two words as clues. The first one can precede the answer word, and the second one can follow it — in each case to complete a compound word or familiar two-word phrase. For example, given "forward" and "madness," the answer would be "march" (as in "forward march" and "March Madness").

Last week's challenge from listener Henri Picciotto of Berkeley, Calif.: Name a two-word geographical location. Remove the first letter.

Sticking With The Sunshine State

Will Shortz — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:43:18 +0000

On-air challenge: Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or name in which the first word starts with "F" and the second word starts with "LA."

Last week's challenge: Name a major U.S. city in two words. Take the first letter of the first word and the first two letters of the second word, and they will spell the standard three-letter abbreviation for the state the city is in.

This Puzzle Is One For The PROs

Will Shortz — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 13:28:48 +0000

On-air challenge: Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or name in which the first word starts with "P" and the second word starts with "RO." For example: For the clue, "A moving part of an automobile engine," the answer would be a "piston rod."

Last week's challenge from listener David Rosen, a member of the National Puzzlers' League: The name of something that you might see your doctor about is a two-word phrase. Three letters in each word.