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Sunday Puzzle: Know the middle to solve the riddle!

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: I'm going to name something — like a state, state capital, flower, etc. You name something else in the same category as my thing that has the same number of letters as mine ... and that starts and ends with the same letters as mine.

Example: Augusta --> ATLANTA [both state capitals, both 7 letters long, both start and end in "A"]
1. Alabama
2. Pansy
3. Forty
4. Raven
5. Rupee
6. Baylor
7. Sudan
8. Jackson
9. Cocoa Puffs

Last week's challenge: Write down the last names of two U.S. presidents. Move a letter from the second name into the first one. You'll name a vehicle that's used for special occasions. What is it?

Challenge answer: Carter, Bush --> Charter bus

Winner: Gerry Reynolds of Chicago

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from Adam Cohen of Brooklyn. I'm going to see him next weekend at the annual convention of the National Puzzlers' League in Nashville, Tenn. Name a food item in seven letters. Move the first letter to the fifth position and you'll get two words that are synonyms. What are they?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here by Thursday, July 21 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 2022 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).