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Sunday Puzzle: Words in a country

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge

What countries contain each of the following four-letter words hidden in their names?

Ex. CHIN (5) --> CHINA

1. PAIN (5)
2. NADA (6)
3. RUNE (6)
4. WAND (6)
5. RAIN (7)
6. DIVE (8)
7. HAIL (8)
8. LAYS (8)
9. DONE (9)
10. GENT (9)
11. GLAD (10)
12. PINE (11)

Last week's challenge

Last week's challenge came from Chad Graham, of Philadelphia. Name a well-known comic actor (4,5) whose name is an anagram of two terms in golf (4 and 5 letters, respectively). Who is it?

Answer:

Seth Rogen --> shot, green

Winner:

Russell Weeden of Saratoga Springs, New York.

This week's challenge

This week's challenge comes from Joshua Green, of Columbia, Md. Think of a popular film franchise with many sequels. Hidden in consecutive letters inside its name is a place mentioned multiple times in the Bible. Replace that place with a single letter and you'll name a Major League Baseball team. What franchise and team are these?

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it here by Thursday, May 14 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 2026 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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