Imagine that you were asked to find eleven names or phrases, each containing the name of a country in reverse order. It seems impossible to me, but that is what Evan Birnholz has done in this puzzle. Titled "As the World Turns", each phrase not only contains the name of a country in reverse order, but the initial letters of the countries, read downward, spell out the theme of the puzzle. I stand in awe. 

1. NINE BALL

2. BUFFALO GNATS

3. JUDAH COHEN

4. WAYNE KNIGHT

5. MEGABUCKS

6. IN A MOMENT

7. MUHAMMAD NAGUIB

8. REGINALD

9. NEOGOTHIC

10. OBTAIN A MORTGAGE

11. EUGENE MEYER

 

Hidden countries in reverse order;

 

1. BENIN

2. ANGOLA

3. CHAD

4. KENYA

5. CUBA

6. OMAN

7. UGANDA

8. NIGER

9. TOGO

10. ROMANIA

11. YEMEN

 

The initial letters, read downward: BACK COUNTRY