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Sunday Puzzle: Supermarket Scramble

NPR

On-air Challenge: Every answer today is something — or someone — you might see at a supermarket. Rearrange the given letters to get the answer.

Ex. I SEAL --> AISLE

1. LIED

2. BAR KEY

3. SOUPCON

4. A GERMAN

5. THE CURB

6. CHAMP RAY

7. PRO NIGHTCAPS

Last week's challenge: This challenge comes from listener Evan Kalish, of Bayside, N.Y. Name a famous blues singer — first and last name as this person is generally known. Change the first letter to a "B," and phonetically you'll get a nationality. Who's the singer, and what's the nationality?

Challenge answer: "Ma" Rainey --> Bahraini

Winner: Haneef Pasha of Lawrenceville, Ga.

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from listener Jim Dale, of Plano, Texas. Think of a word with six syllables that's spelled with only 11 letters — and the four middle syllables have the same vowel. What word is it?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here by Thursday, May 13, at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Include a phone number where we can reach you.

Copyright 2025 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).