Public Radio East serves Eastern North Carolina by providing news, fine arts, and informational programming that challenges, stimulates, educates, and entertains an intellectually curious audience.

© 2026 Public Radio East

Public Radio East
800 College Court
New Bern, NC 28562

EIN 56-1802728
Public Radio For Eastern North Carolina 89.3 WTEB New Bern 88.5 WZNB New Bern 91.5 WBJD Atlantic Beach 90.3 WKNS Kinston 89.9 W210CF Greenville
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Sunday Puzzle: Sandwich the letters

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: I'm going to give you some six-letter words. Insert two new letters between the first and second letters of my word to make a familiar eight-letter word.

Example: BEHEAD --> BONEHEAD
1. ATOMIC
2. SUNKEN
3. LAMENT
4. MAROON
5. ORATOR
6. DONATE
7. CINDER
8. INSIDE
9. HACKER

Last week's challenge: The initial letters in the title of a popular movie from this century spell the name of a popular sitcom from the last century. What titles are these?

Challenge answer: "Snakes On A Plane" --> "Soap"

Winner: Mark Englehart of Seattle, Wash.

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from listener John Sieger, of Wauwatosa, Wis. Name a famous living movie star. Insert an R in the middle of the first name, and drop the last two letters of the last name. You'll get a familiar French phrase. What is it?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here by Thursday, May 19th 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 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Will Shortz has been the puzzle master for NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday since the program's start in 1987.