Sunday Puzzle: A paired puzzle!

In the United States, a recent on-air challenge was presented during NPR's Weekend Edition, hosted by Eric Westervelt with puzzle master Will Shortz. The challenge required listeners to find two five-letter words that could be completed into common seven-letter words by adding the same pair of letters in front of them. Listeners were invited to submit their answers by October 24th, 2024, providing an opportunity to participate in a live puzzle on air. Additionally, the segment recapped the previous challenge posed by a listener from Washington, which involved identifying a compound word for a drink and deriving terms related to athletes and their competition. The winning answer was "Screwdriver," which led to the words "crew" and "river" when certain letters were omitted. Current activities also included engaging listeners in a geography challenge that highlighted U.S. cities. Participants were tasked with identifying a well-known city containing 13 unique letters, thereby enriching the interactive nature of the puzzle section. This participation fosters a sense of community among listeners as they engage with wordplay and brain teasers, reflecting a long-standing tradition of public radio in promoting education and entertainment through audience involvement.