STUMPERS XII
Credit: Will Shortz
NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle

1. Think of two words which describe an elite, amateur athlete. Change one letter in each word to get two US capital cities.

2. Think of the name of an Asian capital city. Anagram the letters to name a distinctly unpleasant insect. The name of the insect is a homophone for another Asian country. What is the capital city, the insect, and the country?

HINTS:
1)
A. This athlete competes every four years.
B. The second capital starts with the same letter as its state. 

2. South Korea

Answers:

1. Olympic diver - -  Olympia - Dover
2. SEOUL - LOUSE - LAOS