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Sunday Puzzle: Doubling up

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: If I asked you to name two colors starting with the letters GRE-,  you'd say Green and Grey. Now try these:
 

Name two ... starting with:

  1. Parts of the body ... HEA
  2. Numbers ... TWE
  3. Countries ... CHI
  4. Business magazines ... FOR
  5. Fruits ... PEA
  6. State capitals ... SAL
  7. Foreign makes of cars ... VOL
  8. Breakfast cereals ... CHE

Last week's challenge: Last week's challenge comes from Sandy Weisz, of Chicago. He runs puzzle hunts and trivia events under the name The Mystery League. Think of a familiar two-word phrase that means "a secret mission." Move the last letter of the first word to the start of the second word. The result will be two words that are synonyms. What are they?

Challenge answer: Covert op —> cover, top

Winner: Marian Fowler of Indian Purchase Township, Maine.

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from listener Greg Smith, of Roscoe, Ill. Think of a popular singer whose first and last names each have two syllables. Drop the second syllable from each name and you'll be left with the piece of a toy. What singer is this?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it here by Thursday, January 30th 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 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).