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Sunday Puzzle: Name's the Same

By Will Shortz
Published November 16, 2025 at 8:07 AM EST
NPR

On-air challenge

Every answer today is a well-known brand name that's also the proper name of something else.
 

What brand name of ... is also the name of ...

Ex. An iced tea ... a U.S. state?   -->   ARIZONA

1. Chocolate bar ... a planet?

2. Vacuum cleaner ... a U.S. president?

3. Paper towels ... an historical ship?

4. Cigarette ... a state capital?

5. Lock ... a university?

6. Potato chips ... part of Massachusetts?

7. Ice cream bar ... part of Alaska and northern Canada?

8. Peanut butter ... a classic children's book?

9. Bottled water ... a South Seas island?

10. Car model from Ford ... a sign of the zodiac?

11. Drink mix ... Chinese dynasty?

Last week's challenge

Here's a funny challenge from Mark Scott, of Seattle. Think of a famous actress -- first and last names. Interchange the first and last letters of those names. That is, move the first letter of the first name to the start of the last name, and the first letter of the last name to the start of the first name. Say the result out loud, and you'll get some advice on fermenting milk. What is it?

Challenge answer

Drew Barrymore —> Brew Dairy More

Winner

Phil Feller of Durham, N.C.

This week's challenge

This week's challenge comes from Dave Shukan, of San Marino, Calif. Take the name of a famous person in American politics (6,6). Hidden in this name reading from left to right, but not in consecutive letters, is the name of a well-known place that's very dry, in 4 letters. Remove these letters. The remaining 8 letters in order from left to right will name another well-known, very dry place. What politician is this?

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it below by Thursday, November 20th at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle.

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Will Shortz
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).
See stories by Will Shortz

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Federal funding is gone.

Congress has eliminated all funding for public media.

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