NPR Puzzles Ask Listeners to Name U.S. Locations
A new on-air challenge requires identifying 13 places across the United States based on specific word clues.
By Jason Lee ·
NPR released a new Sunday puzzle on November 1, 2026.
The on-air challenge asks participants to identify 13 specific locations within the United States. Each answer must be a two-word name for a city, state, river, mountain, or other geographic feature. The initial letters of the provided clues match the first letters of the correct answers. One example given in the broadcast is Fort Lauderdale, which corresponds to the clue Florida Locale.
The list includes clues such as Northeast Haven and Pioneers' Pinnacle. Other prompts reference a Storied Fire, Molten Lava, and the Oil Capital. The puzzle also features Lotsa Vacationers and Newlyweds' Favorite. A clue for Dry (very!) appears alongside Hydroelectric Development. Port Honolulu and Engineered Channel are also listed. The final two-word clue is Health Spa. One answer requires three words and is described as Minnesota's Sizable Population.
Deborah Freedman of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, won last week's puzzle. The previous challenge asked listeners to find two companies with logos that start with lowercase letters and contain a capital B inside. The correct answers were eBay and jetBlue. The commercial name iPhone was noted as starting with a lowercase i and containing a capital P.
This week's teaser asks listeners to find a three-letter part of the human body. Participants must insert this word into a four-letter body part to create a brand name found at supermarkets. The deadline to submit answers is Thursday, November 5 at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners selected for the on-air segment win a chance to play the puzzle. Submitters must include a phone number for contact.
Source: WOI
