Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Sunday Puzzle: Category is...

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: It's spring, and today I've brought a game of Categories based on the word BIRDS. For each category I give, name something in it starting with each of the letters B-I-R-D-S. For example, if the category were "Flowers," you might say Buttercup, Iris, Rose, Daisy, and Snapdragon. Any answer that works is OK, and you can give the answers in any order.

Note: In some cases there may be other answers. Any answer that works will be counted as correct.

1. BIRDS
Blackbird, bluebird, bullfinch, buzzard
Ibis
Robin, raven
Dove, duck
Sparrow, starling, stork, sandpiper, swallow, swan, swift

2. STATE CAPITALS
Boston, Boise, Baton Rouge, Bismarck
Indianapolis
Raleigh, Richmond
Denver, Dover, Des Moines
Sacramento, Santa Fe, Springfield, St. Paul, Salt Lake City, Salem


3. THINGS YOU MIGHT KEEP IN A MEDICINE CABINET (no brand names)
Bandages, baby lotion
Iodine, ibuprofen, insect repellent, Insulin
Razor blades, rubbing alcohol
Decongestant, dental floss, deodorant
Shampoo, sunscreen, shaving cream, sleeping pills, soap, swabs

Last week's challenge: Last week's challenge came from listener Mark Maxwell-Smith. Think of an eight-letter word for a certain musician. Switch the order of the second and fourth letters and you'll get a word for a certain writer. What words are these? I'm looking for words, not famous people.

Challenge answer: Sitarist --> satirist

Winner: Terrence Bennett of Upper Black Eddy, PA.

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from Joseph Young, of St. Cloud, Minn., who conducts the blog "Puzzleria." Name some things you might grow in a garden. Move the middle letter to the beginning. Phonetically the result sounds like part of the human body and an article of clothing that covers it. What words are these?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to this week's challenge, submit it here by Thursday, April 13th 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 2023 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).