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Sunday Puzzle: 7 Famous Letters

NPR

On-air challenge: Every answer today is a famous person, past or present, whose last name has 7 letters. I'll give you a word or phrase that contains those letters in left-to-right order (not consecutively) and a hint to that person. You name the person.

Example: CAME AROUND — British prime minister --> (David) Cameron

1. EMERY STONE — Philosopher and essayist

2. FENDER BENDER — Tennis champion

3. STRANGELY ENOUGH — American poet

4. BOMBER JACKET — Humorist

5. GROUP THEORIES — Folk singer

6. SLANDEROUS — U.S. senator

7. PRO WRESTLING — Best-selling author

8. TO TAKE EFFECT — American painter

Last week's challenge: Write down the name of a country plus its capital, one after the other. Hidden in consecutive letters inside this is the name of a film that won an Academy Award for Best Picture. Name the country, capital, and film.

Challenge answer: Bahrain, Manama --> Rain Man

Winner: Debbi Samuels of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from listener Sandy Weisz, of Chicago. Name a famous woman in American history with a three-part name. Change one letter in her first name to a double letter. The resulting first and second parts of her name form the first and last names of a famous athlete. And the last part of the woman's name is a major rival of that athlete. Who are these people?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here by Thursday, June 17, at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Include a phone number where we can reach you.

Copyright 2025 NPR

NPR's Puzzlemaster Will Shortz has appeared on Weekend Edition Sunday since the program's start in 1987. He's also the crossword editor of The New York Times, the former editor of Games magazine, and the founder and director of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (since 1978).

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.