NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle
March 19, 2017
Will Shortz

The words in the left-hand column can be paired with those in the right-hand column according to a certain pattern. The words in both columns are in random order. Can you determine the relationship and match each word with its partner?

PEON         SOTS
NAME        HEAT
VOLE         DUST
FLIT           THUS
OWLS         SOLE
PEEK          CINE
REAM         FATS

Answer:

The words are anagrams of opposites:

PEON - THUS - - - OPEN - SHUT
NAME - CINE - - - MEAN - NICE
VOLE - HEAT - - - LOVE - HATE
FLIT - PROD - - - LIFT - DROP
OWLS - FATS - - - SLOW - FAST
PEEK - SOTS - - - KEEP - TOSS
REAM - DUST - - - MARE - STUD