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Sunday Puzzle: Complete the compound with these animal connections!

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: I'm going to give you three words, one of which is an animal. You give me a fourth word that can follow each of mine to complete a compound word or a familiar two-word phrase.

Ex. Toad, Step, Bar --> STOOL (toadstool, stepstool, bar stool)

1. Snake, Olive, Castor

2. Pig, Fountain, Play

3. Cow, Door, Dumb

4. Dog, Shooting, Rock

5. Cat, Bathing, Paternity

6. Whale, Wish, Collar

7. Horse, Power, Foul

8. Tortoise, Shotgun, Taco

9. Mule, Gravy, Wagon

10. Bear, Stock, Black

11. Monkey, Show, Unfinished

Last week's challenge: Think of a well-known seven-letter geographical name in a single word that has just two consonants and yet is pronounced in five syllables.

Challenge answer: Oceania

Winner: Craig Hamilton of Mountain View, Cali.

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from the noted crossword constructor and editor Peter Gordon. Think of a famous film with a three-word title (six letters in the first word, three letters in the second, and four letters in the last), in which the first and last words are rhymes for consecutive numbers. What movie is it?

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it here by Thursday, May 23rd at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: include a phone number where we can reach you.

Copyright 2025 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).

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT is an initiative from Connecticut Public, the state’s local NPR and PBS station, to elevate Latino stories and expand programming that uplifts and informs our Latino communities. Visit CTPublic.org/latino for more stories and resources. For updates, sign up for the SOMOS CONNECTICUT newsletter at ctpublic.org/newsletters.

SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

Fund the Facts

You just read trusted, local journalism that’s free for everyone, thanks to donors like you.

If that matters to you, now is the time to give. Join the 50,000+ members powering honest reporting and a more connected — and civil! — Connecticut.