NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle
July 26, 2020
Will Shortz

The nine words below can be changed into nine new and related words according to a certain pattern. #9 has three answers. What is the pattern and what are the new words?

1. FENCE
2. BELLE
3. GRACE
4. BRAWL
5. NO SAY
6. POLAR
7. DEBARK
8. MALARIA
9. PANDA

HINTS:
A. One letter in each word has to be replaced by two new letters.
B. The new words are proper names.

Answer:

Replacing one letter in each word by two new letters gives you the name of a country:

1. FENCE - FRANCE (replacing the E with RA)
2. BELLE - BELIZE
3. GRACE - GREECE
4. BRAWL - BRAZIL
5. NO SAY - NORWAY
6. POLAR - POLAND 
7. DEBARK - DENMARK
8. MALARIA - MALAYSIA
9. PANDA - PANAMA, RUANDA, UGANDA