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Sunday Puzzle: First and last initials

NPR

On-air challenge

I'm going to give you clues for some famous people. The first two letters of each clue are the person's initials.

Ex. Media exec at Disney, once  -->  Michael Eisner

1. Scowling judge on "America's Got Talent"

2. Employs many people at Tesla and SpaceX

3. A CNN host

4. Chariot-riding actor in "Ben-Hur"

5. Eminent French leader

6. American playwright who wrote "Death of a Salesman"

7. Cleared the Atlantic in the Spirit of St. Louis

8. By his efforts the Mormon Church settled in Utah

Last week's challenge

This week's challenge came from Bob Weisz. In a certain classic film, the protagonist uses two weapons. The name of one of these has 10 letters. If you take its first letter and last six letters, you can rearrange them all to name the other weapon this protagonist uses, in seven letters. What weapons are these?

Challenge answer

Light saber  -->  blaster

Winner

Stephanie O'Neil of Jamesville, New York

This week's challenge

This week's challenge comes from Dave Shukan, of San Marino, Calif. Take the phrase EASTERN TIME. Change one letter and rearrange the result to name a place that observes Eastern Time.

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it below by Thursday, September 25 at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Will Shortz
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).