THREE TOUGH NUTS
NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle
#1: Will Shortz
      October 9, 2005
#2: Will Shortz
       October 30, 2005
#3: Ron Gallup
      November 6, 2005

1. Consider the words MAY NAY STAY. They begin with M, N, and ST, end with the same two letters(AY), and they rhyme. Can you find three words that also begin with M, N, and ST, end in the same five letters, and do not rhyme?

2. Take the name ELI. Put three letters in front of it and the same three letters in reverse order behind it, to make a two-word phrase of nine letters. As a hint, the answer is something the Puzzle on NPR has.

3. Consider the words PELICAN and ANTELOPE - a bird and a mammal. PELICAN begins with the same two letters that end ANTELOPE, and ANTELOPE begins with the same two letters that end PELICAN - completing a loop. Can you think of another bird and mammal that follow the same pattern?

HINTS:
Puzzle 1:
Hint #1: The first of the five letters is A
Hint #2: The second of the five letters is T.

Puzzle 2:
Hint #1: The three letters that precede ELI are also a name.
Hint #2: Remember, the answer is a two-word phrase
Hint #3: The E in ELI is the last letter of the first word of the answer.

Puzzle 3:
Hint #1: The first two letters of the bird are CA.
Hint #2: The first two letters of the mammal are AL.

Answers:

1. The words are MATURE, NATURE, STATURE
2. TIM ELI MIT - TIME LIMIT
3. CARDINAL - ALPACA