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Sunday Puzzle: This puzzle is as easy as 1-2-3!

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: The word BANANA is spelled with 1 B, 2 Ns, and 3 As. Identify each of the following words from their 1-2-3 combinations of letters.

  1. 1 A, 2 Os, 3 Ts
  2. 1 H, 2 Us, 3 Bs
  3. 1 L, 2 As, 3 Ms
  4. 1 N, 2 Cs, 3 Os
  5. 1 H, 2 Os, 3 Rs
  6. 1 P, 2 Os, 3 Ws
  7. 1 L, 2 Gs, 3 Os

Last week's challenge: Last week's challenge came from listener Judy Seaman, of Sandy Springs, Ga. Think of a famous American woman with a two-syllable last name. The first syllable is spelled like a body part, but isn't pronounced like one. The second syllable is pronounced like a body part, but isn't spelled like one. Who is this famous woman?

Challenge answer: Amelia Earhart

Winner: Michael Carniello of Deerfield, Ill.

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from listener Greg VanMechelen, of Berkeley, Calif. Think of a popular food item in six letters. Change the last two letters to a K to make a common five-letter word in which none of the letters are pronounced the same as in the six-letter food. What food is this?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it here by Thursday, August 15th at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: include a phone number where we can reach you.

Copyright 2025 NPR

NPR's Puzzlemaster Will Shortz has appeared on Weekend Edition Sunday since the program's start in 1987. He's also the crossword editor of The New York Times, the former editor of Games magazine, and the founder and director of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (since 1978).
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