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Sunday Puzzle: In The 'No'

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: Every answer is a word or name that has the accented syllable "no" somewhere inside it.

Example: Kind of equation in mathematics --> BINOMIAL or POLYNOMIAL

1. Children's character whose nose grows when he lies

2. Wine-making region of California

3. Trance-like state in which a person may be easily manipulated

4. Site of a 1986 nuclear disaster in Ukraine

5. Brilliantly exploding star

6. One of the longest rivers in South America

7. French city that hosted the 1968 Winter Olympics

8. Wisconsin city on Lake Michigan

9. Ladies' man

10. Old name for Istanbul

Last week's challenge: This challenge came from listener Joe Krozel of Creve Coeur, Mo. Name a vehicle in two words, each with the same number of letters. Subtract a letter from each word, and the remaining letters in order will spell the first and last names of a famous writer. Who is it?

Challenge answer: Army tank --> Amy Tan

Winner: Rob Olmstead of Clearwater, Fla.

This week's challenge: This challenge comes from listener David Edelheit of Oyster Bay, N.Y. Think of a word meaning "a particular body of water." Change one letter in it to get a new word meaning "a particular body of land." What words are these?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here. Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Include a phone number where we can reach you by Thursday, Feb. 7 at 3 p.m. ET.

Copyright 2026 NPR

Will Shortz has been the puzzle master for NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday since the program's start in 1987.
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