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Sunday Puzzle: New Names In The News 2018

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: This is my annual "New Names in the News Quiz." I'll name some people and things you probably never heard of until 2018, but who sprang to prominence during the past 12 months. You tell me who and what they are. My list was compiled with the help of Kathie Baker, who played one of my year-end quizzes in the past.

1. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

2. Stacey Abrams

3. Jair Bolsonaro

4. Mark Judge, Donny and Squee

5. David Hogg

6. Sergei Skripal

7. Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson

8. The Most Rev. Michael Curry

9. Naomi Osaka

10. Justify

11. Tham Luang cave

12. Wakanda

Last week's challenge: It's a straightforward puzzle. Think of a place you can find coins, in two words. Put the second word first, and you'll get a compound word describing most holiday cards. What words are these?

Challenge answer: Wishing well --> well-wishing

Winner: Lance Wynn from Stansbury Park, Utah

This week's challenge: What world capital becomes the informal name for a farm animal if you change its third letter?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here. Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Include a phone number where we can reach you by Thursday, Jan. 3 at 3 p.m. ET.

Copyright 2024 NPR

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).