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Sunday Puzzle: A puzzle for the Puzzlemaster

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: Today's puzzle is a tribute to our dear friend, Puzzlemaster Will Shortz. Each answer is a two-word phrase with the initials WS. So, for example, if I gave you the clue, "Climax of the baseball season." You'd say WORLD SERIES.

  1. Celestial event that usually occurs on Dec. 21
  2. Inferior or unimpressive, metaphorically
  3. A cane, for example
  4. In the 1920s, Tulsa was home to the Black version of this financial center
  5. Dish made with apples, nuts, celery, and mayonnaise
  6. Largest known species of fish
  7. Sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat

Last week's challenge: Last week's challenge came from Emma Meersman of Seattle, Washington: Take two three-letter tree names and combine them phonetically to get a clue for a type of fabric, then change one letter in that word to get something related to trees. Your answer should be the two tree names you started with.

Challenge answer: Yew and Fir to get wool and wood.

Winner: Nate Tschaenn of Yukon, Oklahoma

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes to us from Mae McAllister, from Bath, in the United Kingdom. As you may know, each chemical element can be represented by a one or two-letter symbol. Hydrogen is H, helium is He, and so on. McAllister points out that there are two commonly known elements whose names each can be spelled using three other element symbols. Name either one.

(There are two possible answers, but you only have to submit one for credit)

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it here by Thursday, March 28th at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: include a phone number where we can reach you.

Copyright 2024 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).
Greg Pliska