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Sunday Puzzle: Drop a letter to make it better

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: I'm going to give you two words. Drop one letter in each of them to leave two words that are in the same category of things.

Example: DRILL STAGE --> dill & sage (both herbs)
1. THEN THIRSTY
2. BOOST SHORE
3. LINDEN SATING
4. BUNGLE SHORN
5. JUDGE PESTER
6. CANINES NIECE
7. COUNTY PEARL
8. BRASS TREMBLE
9. LOITER GALLEON
10. LAUNCH SCUPPER

Last week's challenge: This challenge came from Michael Shteyman, of Freeland, Md. Think of a popular tourist attraction in two words. The second, fourth and sixth letters of the second word, in order, spell the first name of a famous author. The last four letters of the first word spell the author's last name. Who is the author, and what is the tourist attraction?

Challenge answer: Grand Canyon --> Ayn Rand

Winner: Marion Yoder of Cheyenne, Wyoming

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from listener Neville Fogarty, of Newport News, Va. Name a variety of song and a genre of music. Switch the initial consonant sounds of these two words, and, phonetically, you'll name an object found in the kitchen. What is it?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here by Thursday, Nov. 11, 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 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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).

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.

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

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.