NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle

October 26, 2025

Will Shortz 

 

Change the first and last letters of each word below to get the name of a major U.S. city. 

 

Ex: JURORS - AURORA (Colorado or Illinois)

 

1. BALLAD

2. MOST OF

3. CUNEAL

4. KOPEKS

5. SIERRA

6. RELENT

7. NUNCIO

8. NUGENT

9. FUR HAT

10. RUSTIC

 

Answers:

 

1. DALLAS

2.   

KENNECTIONS I

Ken Jennings 

The answers to the clues below will have something in common. Can you determine what it is?

1. Element associated with silence

2. Most populous city in Nebraska 

3. What was King Arthur's Excalibur? 

4. Queen of the gods in Roman mythology

5. Only US State with a three-word capital city

 

Answers:

 

1. Gold

2. Omaha

3. Sword

4. Juno 

5. Utah (Salt Lake City)

 

Kennection: D-Day Beaches 

   

 

The answer to the clues below will have something in common.

1. Over-protective one

2. Symbolic American

3. He's always watching

4. Vague relation 

5. Tart green apple 

6. Pittsburgh, PA and Sheffield, England  

7. The guard in The Wizard of Oz had one

8. Wording recognizing previous rights and exempting certain people or things from the requirements of new legislation

 

Answers:

 

1. Mother hen

2. Uncle Sam

3. Big Brother

4. Distant cousin

5. Granny Smith

6. Sister cities

7. Aunt Em

8. Grandfather clause  

LOW SCORE WINS XIV

Add the fewest letters possible to each of the groups below - but at least one letter on each side - to complete common words. 

1. _____ WTE _____

2. _____ KWA _____

3. _____ DJU _____

4. _____ AGL _____

5. _____ ERH _____

6. _____ PR _____

7. _____ RPH _____

8. _____ ENR _____

9. _____ YEN _____

10. _____ CR _____

11. _____ CHI _____

12. _____ BRI _____  

HINTS: 

Number of letters to be added in this solution:
1. 3

2. 4

3. 3

4. 2

5. 4

6. 2

7. 3

8. 2

9. 3

10. 2

11. 3

12. 3 

 

(Possible) Answers:

 

1. PEWTER

2. AWKWARD

3. ADJUST

4. EAGLE

5. PERHAPS

6. SPRY

7. ORPHAN 

8. GENRE  

9. HYENA

10. ACRE or ECRU

11. ORCHID or  URCHIN

12. DEBRIS  

 

SHUFFLE 'EM LVII

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

Spring, 2025

 

Two six-letter words with their letters in correct order are combined in each row of letters below. To solve the puzzle, separate both words. There are no extra letters and no letter is used more than once. Hint: the two words are opposites.

 

1. S T F R L I O N M S Y G

 

2. A R C E C E J P E T C T

 

3. C O D N I F C F E R U R

 

4. C P U O V E B R L I C T

 

5. H A S I S I N D S E T R 

 

6. I N R S E M E R O T V E

 

Answers:

 

1. STRONG - FLIMSY

2. ACCEPT - REJECT

3. CONCUR - DIFFER

4. COVERT - PUBLIC

5. HINDER - ASSIST

6. INSERT - REMOVE  

SYNONYM/ANAGRAM CCCXI

The two words in each line can be anagrammed into one - beginning with the given letter. The meanings of the anagrams are given below the clues. 

1. NOSE + URGE = G

2. HEAR + TENT = T

3. CAST + CITE = E

4. CALL + RICE = C

5. VEIN + ALBEIT = I

6. COME + SCION = E 

7. TINE + COPPER = P

8. TITLE + IMAGE = L 

9. HUNT + IMPART = T 

10. PEEP + CASUAL = A 

 

Meanings of the anagrams:

1. Willing to share

2. Intimidate

3. Deliriously happy 

4. Office-related work

5. Unavoidable

6. Social science related to finance

7. Awareness, understanding of something

8. On the up and up

9. Victorious

10. Criss-cross _______, Kindergarden seating instruction 

 

Answers:

 

1. GENEROUS

2. THREATEN

3. ECSTATIC

4. CLERICAL

5. INEVITABLE

6. ECONOMICS 

7. PERCEPTION

8. LEGITIMATE

9. TRIUMPHANT

10. APPLESAUCE 

  

NY Times Crossword

October 23, 2025

Aimee Lucido 

 

Fill in the dashes with a word that will complete the partial word on the left and begin the partial word ending on the right. Imagine circles around these answers, and they will have something in common that is hinted at by the fourth clue.

 

1. BA _ _ _ EXICO 

2. THUM _ _ _ _ EX

3. TI _ _ _ _ QUARE 

4. Sports craze of the 2020's

 

Answers:

 

1. baJA Mexico 

2. thumB INDex

3. tiMES Square

4. Pickleball - - - JAM, BIND, and MESS are kinds of pickles (problems). With a circle around them, they are the shape of a ball.