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Sunday Puzzle: Word sandwiches

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: I'm going to give you some five-letter words. For each one, insert two letters after the initial letter of my word to make a common seven-letter word.

Example: SPENT --> SERPENT

1. GAFFE
2. ONION
3. CLONE
4. TOUGH
5. SOLAR
6. RIVAL
7. MARCH
8. FEIGN
9. TIGHT
10. VILLA
11. BATHE
12. DRAMA
13. AWARD
14. SLIME

Last week's challenge: Words starting with a "kw-" sound usually start with the letters QU-, as in question, or "KW-," as in Kwanzaa. What common, uncapitalized English word starting with a "kw-" sound contains none of the letters Q, U, K, or W? And there are multiple answers — including choir, coif, and croissant.

Challenge answer: Choir, coif, or croissant

Winner: Wes Rouher-Willoughby of Versailles, Ky.

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from Tyler Hinman, of San Francisco. He's the reigning champion of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, which is coming up again on April 1-3. Think of two four-letter words that complete the phrase "___ in the ___." Move the first letter of the second word to the start of the first word. You'll get two synonyms. What are they?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here by Thursday, March 17, at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Include a phone number where we can reach you.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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).