From The Enigma

NPL Magazine 

May, 2026

raw

 

The first keyword of this flat, DOUGH, is a 4-letter, one-syllable word. The second keyword, DODO, is a 4-letter, 2-syllale word - in which both syllables are the same and sound exactly like the word DOUGH stand for. 

 

A wealthy couple wed, 

The family invite said

"In DOUGH of gifts send cash

To fund our nuptial bash

At the swank Hotel Europa."

What a DODO of a faux pas.

 

Answers:

 

LIEU

LULU  

 

Note from JA: This clever puzzle is doubly intriguing because the LU in LULU sounds like LIEU and the DO in DODO sounds like DOUGH 

THEM'S THE BREAKS

GAMES/World of Puzzles

June, 2026

Patrick Berry

 

What is unusual about the following phrases?

 

1. Inane pickings

2. Honest sardine

3. Karate chop ink

4. May adolescent

5. Alamo defiance 

 

HINT:

The title is a hint. 

 

Answer:

 

Each phrase be broken into component words:

 

1. INANE PICKINGS - IN AN EPIC KINGS

2. HONEST SARDINE - HONES TSAR DINE

3. KARATE CHOP INK - KARAT ECHO PINK

4. MAY ADOLESCENT - MAYA DOLES CENT

5. ALAMO DEFIANCE - A LA MODE FIANCE  

 

NY Times Crossword

July 16, 2026

Zhou Zhang and Mallory Montgomery

 

The first four clues below are answers a question hinted at by the fifth clue. What is the question, and what things are the clue answers referring to?

 

1. Yes, three arduous ones

2. Yes, sometimes more than 1,000

3. Yes, but just one

4. No, but it has three feet 

5. Question about an idea during a brainstorming session 

 

Answer to Clue 5:

Does it have legs?*

 

What the clue answers refer to:

1. Ironman triathlon

2. Millipede

3. Direct flight

4. A yardstick  

 

*The question, "Does it have legs?" is asking if an idea can stand on its own, if it has the potential to last and succeed 

 

 

 

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle 

July 12, 2026

Will Shortz (1-7)

 

Name two things in each category - given the number of letters in both words and the first and last letters of both words.

 

Ex: Foods from Italy

      5 letters, P - A 

Ans: PIZZA, PASTA 

 

1. ROCKS

    5 letters, S - E

 

2. European languages

    7 letters, S - H

 

3. Ancient stringed instruments

    4 letters, L - E

 

4. Birds

    6 letters, P - N

 

5. Body parts

    5 lettters, T - H

 

6. Books of the Bible

    4 letters, A - S 

 

7. Things found in a classroom

     5 letters, C - K 

 

8. Santa's reindeer

    6 letters,  D - R 

 

Answers:

 

1. Slate, Shale

2. Spanish, Swedish

3. Lyre, Lute

4. Pigeon, Puffin

5. Thigh, Tooth

6. Amos, Acts

7. Chalk, Clock 

8. Dasher, Dancer

 

 

 

 

 

  

NPR Weekend Edition Sunday Puzzle

July 5, 2026

Will Shortz (3-8)

 

The two words in each pair below can be changed to new ones by adding the same two letters to the end of the first word and to the beginning of the second word. One of the answers is a two-word phrase.

 

Ex: PAPA - PRESS

Ans: PAPACY - CYPRESS

 

1. TOT - BARK

2. DEBT - DEAL 

3. LATER - READY

4. HABIT - TEMPT

5. SINCE - VENUE

6. SURGE - STAGE 

7. BLANK - CHING 

8. SHACK - GROOM

 

Answers:

 

1. TOTEM - EMBARK

2. DEBTOR - ORDEAL 

3. LATERAL - ALREADY

4. HABITAT - ATTEMPT

5. SINCERE - REVENUE

6. SURGEON - ON STAGE  

7. BLANKET - ETCHING 

8. SHACKLE - LEGROOM 

 

Universal Sunday Crossword

July 12, 2026

Paul Coulter

DANCING PARTNERS 

 

The answer to each clue (lower case) below is related to the accompanying name, word, or phrases (upper case) - according to a certain pattern. Can you solve the clues and determine the connections?

 

1. Safari sights - GOLDIE HAWN 

 

2. Bittersweet feelings - SINGLES' BAR

 

3. Villainous characters in white coats - FILM TEASER

 

4. Household like the one in "The Brady Bunch" - SNAPDRAGON

 

Answers to Clues:

 

1. Wild animals

2. Mixed emotions

3. Mad scientists

4. Blended family

 

Relation of clue answers to the accompanying name, word, or phrases:

 

Anagrams of the accompanying name, word, or phrases correspond to the clue answers:

 

1. GOLDIE HAWN - WHALE, DINGO (wild animals)

2. SINGLES' BAR - ANGER, BLISS (mixed emotions)

3. FILM TEASER - FERMI, TESLA (mad scientists)

4. SNAPDRAGON - GRANDPA, SON (blended family) 

 

  

 

TWO PAIR

GAMES/World of Puzzles 

June, 2026

Shawn Kennedy

 

The answer to each clue below joins two related words or category items to form a different word or phrase. 

 

Ex. Two brands of jeans that form a correct shot in the dark

Ans. Lucky Guess 

 

1. Two objects in a place setting that form a kind of window.

 

2. A common name for a newspaper and a brand of soap that form a timepiece

 

3. Two US universities that form a whole grain

 

4. Two baseball terms that combine to form a phrase meaning to relate to you on a personal level

 

5. Two rooms in the board game Clue that form a school period

 

6.  A world capital and a big name in hotels to form the name of a socialite

 

7. Two words that sound like things on a golf course that form a beverage

 

8. Two hairstyles that, with "and" in between them, form a boxer's tactic

 

9. Two words associated with Mars that form a children's game

 

10. Two things that a football player does, with "and" in between them, that form a simple machine

 

Answers:

 

1. Plate glass

2. Sundial

3. Brown Rice

4. Hit home

5. Study hall

6. Paris Hilton

7. Green tea

8. Bob and weave

9. Red Rover

10. Block and tackle  

GAMES/World of Puzzles

June, 2026

Scott Erdman 

 

The same change can be made to each word below to get a new one. What is the change, and what are the new words?

 

QUEEN

QUEER

QUELL

QUEST

QUILL 

QUAIL 

QUALM

QUARTER 

QUARREL 

 

Answer:

 

Replace the QU in each word with the letter B:

 

BEEN

BEER

BELL

BEST

BILL

BAIL

BALM 

BARTER 

BARREL  

FOOLING AROUND 

Can you complete these familiar phrases that are about foolishness?

1. A fool and his money ..... 

2. There's no fool .....

3. Fools rush in .....

4. To be on a fool's ..... 

5. A lawyer who represents himself has .....

 

Answers:

 

1. ..... are soon parted.

2. ..... like an old fool  

3. ..... where angels fear to tread.

4. ..... errand

5. ..... a fool for a client.  

 

MIRACLE LIMERICK

From The Enigma

National Puzzlers' League Magazine (NPL)

April, 2026

LINKO 

 

Can you complete the last line of this limerick? 

 

When faced with 5K empty dishes,

He exceeded our wildest wishes:

Through some divine will

The whole crowd ate their fill - 

And all from _________________!

 

Answer:

 

five loaves and two fishes!  

Can you think of three familiar expressions that use the word IS two times each that reflect resignation - the feeling that there's nothing more that can be done to change the situation?

(Possible) Answers: 

It is what it is.

That's how it is. 

What's done is done.

Each of the phrases below has a very unusual property. Can you determine what it is?

1. MONA'S THICK RAINCOAT

2. RECORDS A TV EPISODE

HINT:

Anagrams

 

Answers:

 

1. Two of the three words can be anagrammed to make a synonym of the remaining word:

     MONA'S THICK = MACKINTOSH (raincoat)

 

2. Three of the four words can be anagrammed to make a synonym of the remaining word:

     A TV EPISODE = VIDEOTAPES (records) 

 

Credit:
Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles 

DE WORD'S DE THING 

Ex: De organ that filters de blood - DELIVER 

1. De thing you get after taking de test 

2. De thing used to boil water on de stove

3. De way a shy but flirtatious girl might act 

4. De Jewish circumcision ceremony

 

Answers:

 

1. DEGRADE

2. DEPOT

3. DECOY

4. DEBRIS

 

Credit:
1-3: Braingle  

THE AI REVOLUTION

GAMES/World of Puzzles

April, 2026

Raymond Simon (1-8)

 

The answer to each clue below is a two-word phrase or name beginning with the letters A and I, in that order. 

 

1. Potentially risky poker bet

   A _ _   I_ 

 

2. Slangy interjection suggesting something is too absurd to be true

    A _   I_

 

3. Subject of Orson Welles' The War of the Worlds

    A _ _ _ _    I _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 

4. Alaskan archipelago

    A _ _ _ _ _ _ _   I _ _ _ _ _ _

 

5. One year's salary

    A _ _ _ _ _   I _ _ _ _ _

 

6. Question to friends to see if they are inclined to do something you want to do

    A _ _   I _ _ _ _ _ _ _?

 

7. Crucial medication component

    A _ _ _ _ _   I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 

8. Like the amenities at some vacation getaways, supposedly

    A _ _   I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

 

9. Being about as smart as everyone else

    A _ _ _ _ _ _   I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

 

10.  Navajo and Cherokee Nations

       A _ _ _ _ _ _   I _ _ _ _ _ _ 

 

Answers:

 

1. All in

2. As if

3. Alien invasion

4. Aleutian Islands

5. Annual income

6. Any interest?

7. Active ingredient

8. All-inclusive  

9. Average intelligence

10. American Indians  

 

 

  

NY Times Crossword

May 5, 2026

Max Schlenker 

 

Q. Why is a ladyfinger something easy? 

A. Because it's a piece of  cake.

 

Can you think of a short phrase in the form of "It's _______ ." or "It's a _______." to explain why the clues below can be thought of as something easy?

 

1. SIMON SAYS

2. TRADE WIND 

3. EASY NATURE HIKE 

4. HEADLESS HORSEMAN

 

Answers:

 

1. It's child's play.

2. It's a breeze.

3. It's a walk in the park. 

4. It's a no-brainer.

  

GAMES/World of Puzzles

April, 2026

Alan Arbesfeld 

 

PRINTER'S DEVILRY

 

In this very challenging puzzle, each clue is a passage (one or two sentences) from which the name of a European country has been removed: closing the gap between words, taking liberties sometimes with punctuation and spacing, but not disturbing the order of the letters. 

 

Ex: Pete seeth ink is sounder; appreciated as an artist (7)

Ans: Pete SeeGER, MANY think, is so under appreciated as an artist.

 

Note that when complete, the passage makes sense, and the clue is full enough to hint at the overall idea without giving away the actual name of the country. The number of letters in the missing country is indicated in ( ) after each clue. Can you match each clue with the correct country listed below the clues? 

 

1. I once wanted to be an artist, so museums make me misting (5)

 

2. Astronauts are a great source - O', for barns! (5)

 

3. Can't rue grit? Beth oughta mine film. (6)

 

4. Shameful acts? Could be, Theon! Ey, do in G (6) 

 

5. I'd like to know to what Dell phones distract students in classrooms (6)

 

6. The bread shop: pee behind the counter! (7)

 

7. The former educator turned corporate chi enters fort raining. (6)

 

France         Italy          Hungary

Greece        Norway

Spain          Sweden

 

HINTS:

Where the name of the missing country should be entered:

1. after the s in misting

2. after the b in barns

3. after the i in minor

4. after the E in Ey 

5. after the e in Dell

6. after the first e in pee 

7. after the first e in enters   

 

(BIG) HINTS:

The names of the missing countries:

1. Spain

2. Italy

3. Norway

4. Sweden

5. Greece

6. Hungary

7. France    

 

Answers:

 

1. I once wanted to be an artist, so museums make me misS PAINting.

 

2. Astronauts are a great source of orbITAL Yarns.

 

3. Can True Grit be thought a miNOR WAYne film? 

 

4. Shameful acts could be the oneS WE DENy doing. 

 

5. I'd like to know to what deGREE CEll phones distract students in classrooms.

 

6. The bread shoppe HUNG A RYe behind the counter.

 

7. The former educator turned corporate chieF RAN CEnters for training.

 

Note from JA: I did not include three other clues that were in the puzzle because I felt their solutions required specialized knowledge. 

                                                                    

NY Times Crossword

May 3, 2026

Mark Diehl

WHAT ARE THE ODDS? 

 

In each pair of clues below, the second clue has a punny relationship with the first. Can you determine what it is. 

 

1. PLASTIC SHEETS

    Gives a darn

 

2. NO EASY TASK

    Sticky pads

 

3. BRIDGET JONES

    Low digit

 

4. KEN KESEY

    Child support

 

5.  ACCOUNT REP 

    Not quite right 

 

6. BARBARIANS

    Scarecrow's lack 

 

HINT:

The puzzle title is a hint. 

 

Answers:

 

In each pair of clues, the odd letters in the first clue spell out the answer to the second clue:

 

1. PlAsTiC sHeEtS = patches (gives a darn)

2. No EaSy TaSk = nests (sticky pads) 

3. BrIdGeT jOnEs = big toe (low digit) 

4. KeN kEsEy = knee (child support) 

5. AcCoUnT rEp = acute (not quite right) [angle]

6. BaRbArIaNs = brain (scarecrow's lack) [in The Wizard of Oz]  

     

COMPOUND FRACTURES  

GAMES/World of Puzzles

April, 2026

Jon King

 

Each answer in this puzzle is a word that can be split into three smaller consecutive words. The first and third words are clued below, but they need to be joined with one of the joiner words to form a complete answer. 

 

Ex: Desire + ______ + Male

       Long + _______ + Man 

      ( Here you would put in one of the Joiner words)

       LongSHOREman - LONGSHOREMAN

 

1. Desire + _______ + Male

2. Sadness + _______ +  Outta here

3. Kitchen surface + _______ + Sage

4. Negative + _______ + On one's feet

5. Small bed + _______ + River's opening

6. Baseball and football + _______ + Seacraft

7. That woman + _______ + Tibia, e.g.

8. CD, e.g. + _______ Camper's bedroom

9. Not once + _______ + Fewer

10. Trendy + _______ + Country

11. Baby bear + _______ + Golf target

12. Deceive + _______ + Picnic insect 

 

JOINERS:

SHORE       MAN          TEST

BY               ON             THE

CAR            RING         TON

CLOCK      SHORE      WITH

 

Answers:

 

1. LONGSHOREMAN

2. WOE BE GONE - WOEBEGONE

3. COUNTER CLOCK  WISE - COUNTERCLOCKWISE  

4. NOT WITH STANDING - NOTWITHSTANDING

5. COT TON MOUTH - COTTONMOUTH

6. SPORTS MAN SHIP - SPORTSMANSHIP  

7. HER RING BONE - HERRINGBONE

8. DISC ON TENT - DISCONTENT

9. NEVER THE LESS - NEVERTHELESS

10. IN CAR NATION - INCARNATION

11. CUB BY HOLE - CUBBYHOLE

12. CON TEST ANT - CONTESTANT

 

Dell PennyPress Variety Puzzles

Volume 141 

 

Each of the four clues below shares an unusual property. Can you determine what it is?

 

1. Posy harm

    orchestral work

 

2. Mercy, men cycle

 

3. Bolted sodden cab

 

4. Made country

    non-fiction film

 

HINT:

Anagrams

 

Answers:

 

The first two words or the last two words of each clue can be anagrammed into a word that is defined by the rest of the clue:

 

1. Posy harm = symphony (orchestral work)

2. men cycle - clemency (mercy)

3. sodden cab = absconded (bolted)

4. Made country = documentary (non-fiction film)

Wall Street Journal Crossword

April 21, 2026

Gene Laganza and Theresa Brady

HOW PEDESTRIAN!

(Clue 5 by JA) 

 

The first four clues below have something in common that is hinted at by the fifth clue. Can you determine what it is?  

 

1. SLIM PICKENS

2. LAST EPISODE 

3. COMBAT READY

4. GRAMMAR CHECKERS

5. Moving ________ - airport convenience

 

HINTS:

a. The puzzle title is a hint

b. Hidden words

 

Answer to Clue 5:

moving WALKWAY

 

Answers to Clues 1-4:

 

Each clue contains a way of walking - with the letters in consecutive order:

 

1. sLIM Pickens

2. laST EPisode

3. combaT READy

4. gramMAR CHeckers