© 2026 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

'Hailing Cabs'

NPR's Puzzlemaster Will Shortz quizzes one of our listeners, and has a challenge for everyone at home.

Challenge from Oct. 30:

This week's challenge is from listener Ron Gallop.

Take the names pelican and antelope, the first is a bird the second a mammal.

The last two letters of pelican are the first two letters of antelope, and the last two letters of antelope are the first two of pelican, completing a loop.

Can you name another bird and mammal that this is true of?

These should be the general name of the bird and mammal not a specific breed or gender.

Hint: Each is a single word no more than eight letters.

Answer: Cardinal and alpaca

Winner: Lynda Unowsky, from Hot Springs Village, Ark.

Challenge from Nov. 6:

This week's challenge comes from listener Tom Sylke, from Whitefish Bay, Wis.

Take a familiar brand name, seen along roads and highways in the United States. It has five letters, two syllables. The first syllable, phonetically, is a word that is the opposite of the word spelled by the second syllable. What brand name is it?

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

Will Shortz has been the puzzle master for NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday since the program's start in 1987.
Recent cuts to federal funding are challenging our mission to serve central and upstate New York with trusted journalism, vital local coverage, and the diverse programming that informs and connects our communities. This is the moment to join our community of supporters and help keep journalists on the ground, asking hard questions that matter to our region.

Stand with public media and make your gift today—not just for yourself, but for all who depend on WRVO as a trusted resource and civic cornerstone in central and upstate New York.