Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or name in which the first two letters of each word are the same state postal abbreviation. (Ex. Colorado — everyday ailment there’s no cure for — COmmon COld)
1. Florida — sudden rush of water down a streambed
2. Wisconsin — aid in seeing the road when it rains
3. Louisiana — deep-blue gem with a Latin name
4. California — Christmas tree decoration you can eat
5. Pennsylvania — tricky thing to learn to do with a car
6. Indiana — something a stockbroker is not allowed to share
7. Alabama — star of “M*A*S*H”
8. Massachusetts — female disciple who anointed the feet of Jesus
9. Maine — tribal doctors
10. Delaware — event in which vehicles go around a track crashing into each other
11. Georgia — part of the dashboard that measures from full to empty
12. Washington — city in Washington
Last week’s challenge came from Andrew Chaikin, of San Francisco. Name a popular automobile import — make + model. Add the letter V and anagram the result. You’ll name a popular ethnic food. What names are these?
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?
If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it below by Thursday, November 13 at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle.
Transcript:
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
It’s time to play the Puzzle.
(SOUNDBITE OF STEVEN HENLEY JR.’S “PLAY THE PUZZLE”)
RASCOE: Joining us as always is Will Shortz. He’s puzzle editor of The New York Times and Puzzlemaster of WEEKEND EDITION. How’s it going, Will?
WILL SHORTZ: I’m doing great. How are you, Ayesha?
RASCOE: I am doing well. Will, please remind us of last week’s challenge.
SHORTZ: Yes. It came from Andrew Chaikin (ph) of San Francisco. I said, name a popular automobile import – make plus model. Add the letter V and anagram the result. You’ll name a popular ethnic food. And the answer is the Kia Soul. Add a V and scramble, you get souvlaki.
RASCOE: Oh, OK. There were 545 correct entries, so this might’ve been a little tricky for folks. This week’s winner is Kevin Tenney (ph) of Denver, Colorado. Congratulations, Kevin.
KEVIN TENNEY: Thank you very much.
RASCOE: How long have you been playing the Puzzle?
TENNEY: I’ve been playing for about five years, listening for closer to 20.
RASCOE: OK. And so this is your first time winning?
TENNEY: Indeed.
RASCOE: And apparently, this is going to be a surprise for your boys. When they hear this, they’ll know the surprise (laughter).
TENNEY: Oh, they’re going to go nuts.
RASCOE: ‘Cause how old are your boys? And they listen to the Puzzle?
TENNEY: They do. They’re 11 and 9, and they listen with my wife and I every single Sunday morning.
RASCOE: Oh, my goodness. And are they really good at it?
TENNEY: They’re getting there.
RASCOE: OK, OK. Well, we’ll have to see how they do today ’cause you’ll be there to get their reaction. What do you do when you’re not playing the Puzzle?
TENNEY: Hanging out with my family mostly. We spend a lot of time together. We write music and read to each other a lot.
RASCOE: Oh, that is wonderful. Well, Kevin, I have to ask you, are you ready to play the Puzzle?
TENNEY: As I’ll ever be.
RASCOE: All right. Take it away, Will.
SHORTZ: All right. Kevin and Ayesha, every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or a name in which the first two letters of each word are the same state postal abbreviation. For example, if I said Colorado and everyday ailment that there’s no cure for, you would say common cold ’cause the abbreviation for Colorado is C-O, and that starts both words common and cold. Here you go. First one is Florida, a sudden rush of water down a streambed.
TENNEY: Flash flood.
SHORTZ: That’s right. Wisconsin, an aid in seeing a road when it rains.
TENNEY: Aid when seeing road. Oh, window.
SHORTZ: What’s on the front of your car?
TENNEY: Window wiper or windshield wiper.
SHORTZ: Windshield wiper is right. Louisiana, a deep-blue gem with a Latin name.
TENNEY: Ooh. Deep-blue gem. Louisiana. Lapis.
SHORTZ: Maybe I’ll just tell you this one. Do you know lapis lazuli?
TENNEY: There you go.
SHORTZ: L-A-P-I-S L-A-Z-U-L-I.
RASCOE: OK. I wasn’t going to get that one.
(LAUGHTER)
SHORTZ: There’s your vocabulary builder for the day. Your next one is California, a Christmas tree decoration you can eat.
TENNEY: Candy cane.
SHORTZ: That’s it. Pennsylvania, a tricky thing to learn to do with a car.
TENNEY: Parallel park.
SHORTZ: That’s right. Indiana, something a stockbroker is not allowed to share.
TENNEY: Inside information.
SHORTZ: Excellent. Alabama, star of “M-A-S-H.”
TENNEY: Alan Alda.
SHORTZ: Right. Massachusetts, female disciple who anointed the feet of Jesus.
TENNEY: Mary Magdalene.
SHORTZ: That’s correct. Maine, tribal doctors.
TENNEY: Medicine men.
SHORTZ: That’s right. Delaware, an event in which vehicles go around a track, crashing into each other.
TENNEY: Demolition derby.
SHORTZ: Good job. Georgia, part of the dashboard that measures from full to empty.
TENNEY: Gas gauge.
SHORTZ: That’s right. And here’s your last one. Washington, a city in Washington.
TENNEY: Walla Walla.
SHORTZ: You got it. Boy, except for lapis lazuli, you just blazed through that.
RASCOE: Yeah. Exactly. I mean, you didn’t even need any help. You just went (vocalizing). You were – and you were so fast. I was still trying to think of the abbreviation when you (laughter) had already got it. So, I mean, you did a wonderful job. How do you feel?
TENNEY: I feel fantastic.
RASCOE: For playing our Puzzle today, you’ll get a WEEKEND EDITION lapel pin as well as puzzle books and games. You can read all about it at npr.org/puzzle. And, Kevin, what member station do you listen to?
TENNEY: Ninety point one, Colorado Public Radio.
RASCOE: That’s Kevin Tenney of Denver, Colorado. Thanks for playing the Puzzle. Your boys will be proud.
TENNEY: Thank you.
RASCOE: (Laughter) OK, Will, what’s next week’s challenge?
SHORTZ: Yeah. It’s a funny challenge from Mark Scott (ph) of Seattle. Think of a famous actress – first and last names. Interchange the first and last letters of these 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? So again, a famous actress – first and last names. Interchange the first and last letters of those names. Say the result out loud, and you’ll get some advice on fermenting milk. What advice is that?
RASCOE: When you have the answer, go to our website npr.org/puzzle. To submit your response, just fill out the form on the Puzzle page. Remember, just one entry, please. Our deadline for entries this week is Thursday, November 13, at 3 p.m. Eastern. Don’t forget to include a phone number where we can reach you. If you’re the winner, we’ll give you a call, and if you pick up the phone, you’ll get to play on the air with the puzzle editor of The New York Times and Puzzlemaster of WEEKEND EDITION, Will Shortz. Thank you, Will.
SHORTZ: Thank you, Ayesha.
(SOUNDBITE OF STEVEN HENLEY JR.’S “PLAY THE PUZZLE”)
