Sunday Puzzle: Game of Words

On-air challenge: I'm going to read you pairs of incomplete phrases. Put the same word in each blank to complete them. Every answer is a four-letter word. Ex. ___ of wolves / ___ of cigarettes --> PACK1. ___ of sale / ___ of rights2. ___ of arms / ___ of paint3. ___ of thought / ___ of scrimmage4. ___ of fire / ___ of wax5. ___ of thumb / ___ of law6. ___ of mouth / ___ of God7. ___ of hands / ___ of force8. ___ of Africa / ___ of plenty9. ___ of paper / ___ of the tongue10. ___ of luck / ___ of both worlds

Last week's challenge: This challenge comes from listener Ben Austin, of Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. It's not too hard. Name a major world city with a population in the millions. Take one letter in its name and move it two spots earlier in the alphabet. Reading backward, you now have the name of a major restaurant chain. What is it?

Challenge answer: Sydney --> Wendy's

Winner: Bruce McEldowney of Newington, N.H.

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from listener Micah Margolies of Lenexa, Kan. Think of an 8-letter word with three syllables that contains the letter "I" in each syllable — but, strangely, doesn't contain a single "I" sound, either long or short. The answer is not a plural. What word is it?

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, Oct. 8, at 3 p.m. ET. [Copyright 2020 NPR]