Will Shortz

On-air challenge:

In a series of categories, name something in the category starting with each of the letters W-I-N-D-S. Any answer that works is fine, and you can give the answers in any order.

For example: Two-Syllable Girls' Names --> Wilma, Ingrid, Nancy, Donna, and Suzanne.

Last ...

On-air challenge: Every answer is the name of a movie that has won in one of the top four categories at the Oscars: best picture, best director, best actor or best actress. Every answer is a solid word or name. Identify the movies from their anagrams.

For example: Go Asunder ...

On-air challenge: Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or name in which the first word ends in the letter -E, and the second word starts GO-.

For example: Something you might say when you're about to take a plunge --> HERE GOES.

Last week's challenge: Name something to eat. ...

On-air challenge: Change one letter of each word and rearrange the result to get a new word that can follow it, to complete a common two-word phrase.

For example: FALL ... changing one of the L's to a T --> FLAT: Fall Flat.

Last week's challenge, based on an idea ...

On-air challenge: Every answer given in this week's puzzle is a compound word or a familiar two-word phrase in which each part contains the consecutive letters A-N.

For example: Steinway product --> GRAND PIANO.

Last week's challenge, from listener Michael Shteyman of Odenton, Md.: Take the name of a country ...

On-air challenge: I'm going to give you some six-letter words. For each one, insert two letters in the exact center to complete a familiar eight-letter word.

For example: ACCENT --> ACCIDENT.

Last week's challenge, from listener Fred Piscop of Bellmore, N.Y.: Take these three phrases:

Turkey breast
Ski slope

On-air challenge: I'm going to give you a clue for a word that has two Os. Change both Os to Es to get the answer to the second clue.

For example: Sport played on horseback / Brazilian soccer legend --> POLO, PELE.

Last week's challenge: Last week's challenge was an ...

On-air challenge: I'm going to name a category. You name something in the category whose first two letters are the last two letters of the category's name.

For example: Vegetable --> Leek or lettuce.

Last week's challenge, from listener Sandy Weisz of Chicago: Weisz runs something called The Mystery League, ...

On-air challenge: Every answer this week is the name of an article of apparel — something to wear. Name the items from the anagram given.

Example: LOOP --> POLO.

Last week's challenge: This was a variation on the old word-ladder puzzle. The object is to change WHOLE to HEART by ...

On-air challenge: Each of the following sentences has two blanks. The first word has the letter O somewhere in it. Double the O to get the second word, which completes the sentence.

Example: In math class, my PROF asked me to find the shortest PROOF.

1. To get to an ...

On-air challenge: It's the end of the year, so it's time for a challenge featuring the names of people who made news in 2015. For each description given, name the person (or people) described.

1. Transgender woman and Olympic gold medal winner in the decathlon, formerly known as Bruce ...

On-air challenge: Every answer today is the name of a Christmas carol or song — mostly carols. Answer the questions.

For example: What's the title of a Christmas carol or song that sounds like a member of King Arthur's Round Table who won't speak?

Last week's challenge, from from listener ...

On-air challenge: Three words will be given, starting with the letters F, B, and I respectively. Find a word that can follow each one to complete a compound word or a familiar two-word phrase.

Last week's challenge: Name a state capital. Drop one of its letters. The remaining letters can ...

On-air challenge:

I'm going to give you some 5-letter words. For each one, change the middle letter to two new letters to get a familiar 6-letter word.

Ex. FROND --> FRIEND
1. EARLY
2. TULIP
3. MOURN
4. BROTH
5. LATCH
6. JUROR
7. SCOWL
8. FUTON
9. DEITY
10. ...

On-air challenge: For each category given, I'll name something in the category that closely follows the name of the category alphabetically.You tell me the only other thing in the category that fits between these two things alphabetically.

For example: "Shakespeare Plays" and "Tempest" --> "Taming of the Shrew."

Last week's ...

On-air challenge: Each sentence contains two words that have homophones that are opposites. For each sentence given, find the homophone opposites.

For example: Actress Susan Dey dressed up as a knight on Halloween. --> "Dey" and "knight" are homophones of "day" and "night," which are opposites.

Next week's challenge: Think ...

On-air challenge: For each word, think of a synonym whose first and second letters, in order, are the second and third letters, respectively, of the given word.

For example: Shock --> horrify.

Last week's challenge: Name a famous actor — first and last names. Drop the first two letters of ...