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\nToday’s theme is “hot.” Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase in which the first word starts HO- and the second word starts with T-.<\/p>\n
\nEx. Rowdy bar with country music, in slang –> HONKY TONK
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1. Guided walkthrough of a property
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2. Any member of the N.H.L.
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3. Lone Star State metropolis that’s the fourth-largest city in the U.S.
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4. Like an animal with its four legs bound (hyph.)
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5. Instruction manual (hyph.)
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6. A little pompous and arrogant, informally (hyph.)
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7. Punny greeting from a magician
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8. Someone who steals animals from a stable
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9. Congestion that drivers encounter around July 4th, say
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10. Acquisition of a company against its will.
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11. Exclamation for “wow!” on TV’s “Batman”<\/p>\n
\nLast week’s challenge comes from Evan Kalish, of Bayside, N.Y. Take the name of a nocturnal creature, in two words. The first word is a spooky sound. Move the last letter of the first word to the start of the second word and you’ll get another spooky, nocturnal sound. What is the creature and what are the sounds?<\/p>\n
\nAnswer: Screech owl –> howl<\/p>\n
\nDan Sadoff of St. Paul, Minnesota<\/p>\n
\nThis week’s challenge comes from Rawson Sheinberg. of Plymouth, Mich. Think of a U.S. city with a two-word name. Add a letter to the first word, without rearranging letters, to name a country. Then, without adding a letter, rearrange the letters of the second word to name another country. What places are these?<\/p>\n
If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it here by Thursday, July 2 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.\n<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 NPR<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n