AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
And it's time to play the Puzzle.
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RASCOE: Joining us, as always, is Will Shortz. He's puzzle editor of the New York Times and puzzlemaster of WEEKEND EDITION. Hey there, Will.
WILL SHORTZ, BYLINE: Good morning, Ayesha.
RASCOE: So, Will, would you please remind us of last week's challenge?
SHORTZ: Yeah, it came from listener Bruce DeViller of Brookfield, Ill. I said, think of a popular online service. Change the first letter to a Y and rearrange the result to get what this service provides. And the answer is Venmo, V-E-N-M-O. Make that change, and you get money.
RASCOE: Oh, my goodness. I would have thought more people would have got this, even though I didn't get it. But there were about 450 correct entries. And this week's winner is Milo Fett of New Carlisle, Ohio. Congratulations, Milo.
MILO FETT: Thank you.
RASCOE: So how long have you been playing the Puzzle?
FETT: Oh, since way back at the postcard days.
RASCOE: Oh, OK. But you never won before?
FETT: Never.
RASCOE: OK, so it finally paid off.
FETT: We hope.
RASCOE: (Laughter) Well, what do you do when you're not playing the Puzzle?
FETT: I play other puzzles (laughter), do crosswords, piddle around the house.
RASCOE: Are you ready to play the Puzzle?
FETT: I am.
RASCOE: OK. Take it away, Will.
SHORTZ: All right, Milo and Ayesha. This is a good two-person puzzle. I brought a game of categories based on the word smart. For each category I give, name something in it starting with each of the letters S-M-A-R-T. For example, if the category were traditional three-syllable girls' names, you might say Samantha, Margaret, Abigail, Rosalind and Theresa. Any answer that works is OK, and you can give the answers in any order. So here's your first category - things seen in a hotel room.
FETT: Telephone.
SHORTZ: Telephone. Excellent.
FETT: Room requirements on the back of the door.
RASCOE: (Laughter).
SHORTZ: There's something else on the back of the door. They tell you how much the room cost. I'll give you that one.
RASCOE: Room rates?
FETT: Room rates?
SHORTZ: Rates, yeah. OK - S, M and A.
FETT: Air conditioner.
SHORTZ: Excellent. Also, art.
FETT: And what have I got left - S and M?
RASCOE: Soap.
FETT: Mattress.
SHORTZ: Soap, yeah, shampoo, shower - all of that...
RASCOE: (Laughter).
SHORTZ: ...And mattress. Good job. OK, your second category is place names in Canada. They can be provinces, cities or anything else.
FETT: Saskatchewan.
SHORTZ: Nice.
FETT: Manitoba.
SHORTZ: Yes.
FETT: Uh - hmmm.
RASCOE: Where Drake's from (laughter).
FETT: Where who's from?
RASCOE: Drake, the rapper (laughter).
FETT: I don't know where he's from.
RASCOE: It's a big city - the big city.
FETT: Alberta.
RASCOE: Oh, Alberta is good.
FETT: Toronto.
RASCOE: Yes. That's where Drake's from.
SHORTZ: Toronto is your T. All you need is an R. It's the name of a provincial capital.
FETT: Regina.
SHORTZ: Regina - you got it. Good job. Here's your last one - brand names ending in X.
FETT: Brand names ending in X...
SHORTZ: I'll give you some hints if you need. What about a sleeping aid starting with S?
FETT: Sominex.
SHORTZ: Sominex.
FETT: Mucinex.
SHORTZ: Oh, nice. OK.
FETT: Ajax.
SHORTZ: Ajax - good job.
RASCOE: Roblox, Roblox (laughter).
SHORTZ: OK.
RASCOE: My kids play that. You probably don't know that one. It's like a computer app for kids. They love it.
FETT: Brax, which don't exist anymore, and Terminix.
SHORTZ: Good going. I was thinking of Rolex and RE/MAX, the real estate company. Anyway, you guys did great.
RASCOE: That was a little tricky, but we pulled through. We had to pull together, Milo. That's what - we're better together (laughter).
FETT: If more people felt that way, we'd all be better off.
RASCOE: Excellent job. How do you feel?
FETT: Well, relieved and disappointed I wasn't doing better.
RASCOE: Oh, no. You did a great job. No, no, no, I won't even allow that. You did a great job. For playing our Puzzle today, you'll get a WEEKEND EDITION lapel pin as well as puzzle books and games. You can read all about it at npr.org/puzzle. And Milo, what member station do you listen to?
FETT: Well, our main station is WYSO...
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: We're sustaining.
FETT: ...In Yellow Springs. We're sustaining members.
RASCOE: That's Milo Fett of New Carlisle, Ohio. Thank you for playing the puzzle.
FETT: It was a pleasure to talk to both of you.
RASCOE: OK, well, what's next week's challenge?
SHORTZ: Yes. It comes from listener Jim Vespe of Mamaroneck, N.Y. Think of a major American corporation of the past - in two words, it has 15 letters all together. Change the last three letters of the second word, and the resulting two-word phrase will name something that will occur later this year. What is it? So again, a major American corporation of the past - two words, 15 letters. Change the last three letters of the second word, and the resulting phrase will name something that will occur later this year. What is it?
RASCOE: When you have the answer, go to our website, npr.org/puzzle, and click on the submit your answer link. Remember, just one entry, please. Our deadline for entries this week is Thursday, April 25 at 3 p.m. Eastern. Don't forget to include a phone number where we can reach you. If you're the winner, we'll give you a call, and if you pick up the phone, you'll get to play on the air with the puzzle editor of the New York Times and puzzlemaster of WEEKEND EDITION, Will Shortz. Thank you, Will.
SHORTZ: Thanks a lot, Ayesha.
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