On-air Challenge: Every answer today is a word or name that sounds like it starts with two spoken letters of the alphabet.
Example: Wanting what other people have --> ENVIOUS (N-V-ous)
1. Place for camels to drink
2. Capital of Austria
3. Try to equal or excel
4. Boredom
5. 9 x 9
6. Activity of secret agents
7. One involved in trickery
[Each of the last answers starts with three spoken letters of the alphabet]
8. Following orders
9. Online travel agency that competes with Travelocity
10. [Fill in the blank:] "___, my dear Watson"
Last week's challenge: This challenge comes from listener Gerry Reynolds of Chicago. Name a national landmark (6,3). Add the name of a chemical element. Rearrange all the letters to name two states. What are they?
Challenge answer: Hoover Dam + tin --> Vermont + Idaho
Winner: Hannah Kummer of Arlington, Va.
This week's challenge: This week's challenge is a spinoff of my on-air puzzle, and it's a little tricky. Think of a hyphenated word you might use to describe a young child that sounds like three letters spoken one after the other.
If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here by Thursday, Jan. 28, 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 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.