Last week's challenge
Start with the phrase TEN PLUS ONE. Add a letter and you can rearrange the result to spell a five-letter word for something that might go down the side of a mountain and a six-letter word for something that might go through a mountain. What are the words?
Answer: Add and L and you can spell SLOPE and TUNNEL.
THIS WEEK'S CATEGORY: LONG-RUNNING SCRIPTED TV SHOWS
On-air questions: On this date in 1955, a television institution debuted after making the transition from radio. “Gunsmoke” would go on to air for 20 seasons and 635 episodes before wrapping up in September of 1975. It today is tied for the longest-running prime time drama. In honor of “Gunsmoke,” today’s show is about other long-running scripted television series. I’ll name some episodes, you name the show.
1. Also 20 seasons from 1990 through 2010: “For the Defense,” “Turnstile Justice,” and “Cruel and Unusual.”
2. Recently renewed through what will be its 30th season in 2027, what series’ 309 episodes to date include “Timmy 2000,” “Canada on Strike,” and “Kenny Dies.”
3. From season 32, “The7 Beer Itch,” from season 22, “The Fool Monty,” from season 2, “Lisa’s Substitute.”
4. Coming back for an 11th season spread over 20 years, this fall: “The Seder,” “The Ski Lift” and “Lewis Needs A Kidney,” all from Season 5, and its most recent and 100th episode, “The Spite Store.”
5. Canceled after its third season before being revived two years later and now about to begin its 20th: “Brian In Love” from season two, “Brian the Bachelor” from season four, “Saving Private Brian” from season five.
Extra credit
1. Eclipsing the show it was spun off of and now on the eve of its 23rd season, “Bad Blood,” “Depravity Standard” and “Pathological”
This week's challenge
Start with the word TELEVISION. Replace two consecutive letters with an S, and then rearrange the letters, and you can spell the name of a famous real-life TV character. Who is it?
ANSWERS
On-air questions
1. “Law & Order” (Spinoffs include Special Victims Unit, Criminal Intent, Trial by Jury, Los Angeles, True Crime, and Organized Crime)
2. “South Park” (After a 1999 feature film, “Bigger, Longer & Uncut,” “the new contract with creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker includes 14 new South Park films streaming for Paramount+)
3. “The Simpsons,” now up to 706 episodes, Al Jean has been showrunner for 22 of the show’s 32 seasons
4. “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (And plans for a real-life spite store in Los Angeles in 2020 to celebrate the show’s season finale were thwarted by a lack of hand sanitizer during the pandemic, according to that season’s showrunner Jeff Schaffer)
5. “Family Guy,” creator Seth McFarlane is responsible for the voices of Brian Griffin, Stewie Griffin and of course Peter Griffin and will continue doing so for at least two more seasons
Extra credit
1. Mount Everest
