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Hustle, Puzzle-Rustlers! This Week's A Toughie

NPR

On-air challenge: Every answer today is a made-up three-word phrase in which all three words rhyme ... and every word has two syllables.

For example, using the the initials V, H and F, an extremely hirsute sprite: very hairy fairy.

Last week's challenge from puzzle-maker Rodolfo Kurchan: Write down these six numbers: 19, 28, 38, 81, 83, 85. What are the next three numbers in the series?

Answer: 89, 97, 102. The series consists of the numbers that, when written in English, start and end with the same letter of the alphabet.

Winner: Ken Roberts of Philadelphia.

Next week's challenge from listener Daniel Grossman: Name something in three syllables that an auto mechanic might have. Move the second and third syllables to the front. The result, with some respacing, will name a group of auto mechanics. What is it?

Submit Your Answer

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

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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).