NPR's Puzzlemaster Will Shortz quizzes one of our listeners, and has a challenge for everyone at home.
Challenge from May 22
This challenge is from Ed Pegg, Jr., from Champaign, Ill. Take the word "plantation" -- it contains the consecutive letters of the movie Patton reading from left to right, although not consecutively. What familiar word contains the letters of Star Wars, reading from left to right, and not necessarily consecutively?
Answer: STRAIGHTFORWARDNESS
This week's winner: Mary Sheedy from Hollidaysburg, Pa. She listens to Weekend Edition on NPR station WPSU in State College, Pa.
Challenge from May 29
This challenge involves a four-letter word square. Write down these four words, one under the other: SAGA, OPAL, FELL, and TRAY. The results spell four different words vertically: SOFT, APER, GALA, ALLY. This square contains three "L's" and no plurals, or verbs formed by adding "S". The challenge is to create a similar square with as many "L's" as possible, and no plurals or verbs formed by adding "S". And our reference for acceptable words will be Merriam-Webster's eleventh Collegiate Dictionary.
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