On Sundays, Weekend Edition combines the news with colorful arts and human-interest features, appealing to the curious and eclectic. Weekend Edition Sunday features interviews with newsmakers, artists, scientists, politicians, musicians, writers, theologians and historians. The program has covered news events from Nelson Mandela's 1990 release from a South African prison to the capture of Saddam Hussein.
With a nod to traditional Sunday habits, the program offers a fix for diehard crossword addicts--word games and brainteasers with The Puzzlemaster--a.k.a. Will Shortz--puzzle editor of The New York Times. A caller plays the latest word game on the air while listeners compete silently at home. The NPR mailbag is proof that the competition to go head-to-head with Shortz is rather…vigorous.
Hosted by Ayesha Rascoe
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NPR's Leila Fadel plays the puzzle with puzzle master Will Shortz and this week's winner Steve Vittori from Gig Harbor, WA.
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Leila Fadel speaks with musician Bryson Tiller about his first holiday album, "A Different Christmas."
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Some state Republicans are against federal vaccine mandates. In Iowa, a new law allows workers to opt out if they think the vaccine would hurt their well-being or that of those they live with.
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"A Snake Falls to Earth" is a fantasy book set against a backdrop of climate change and rooted in Lipan Apache storytelling. Leila Fadel talks to Darcie Little Badger, the book's author.
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Nick Von Turkovich plays the puzzle with puzzlemaster Will Shortz and NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben.
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The NPR family has suffered a tremendous loss: NPR book editor Petra Mayer died suddenly Saturday. We take a moment to remember our ebullient, brilliant and proudly nerdly colleague.
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Danielle Kurtzleben speaks to London-based jazz musician Jelly Cleaver about her new EP, "Jelly Cleaver and The Forever Presence."
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A woman gives birth to an owl-baby in the novel "Chouette." Danielle Kurzleban talks with author Claire Oshetsky about why magical realism was a good vehicle to explore motherhood.
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NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben and puzzlemaster Will Shortz play the puzzle with Marion Yoder from Cheyenne, Wyoming.
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Danielle Kurtzleben of Weekend Edition speaks to Otura Mun of the Afro-Cuban electronic music project ÌFÉ about the group's new album, "0000+0000."