While driving down an East Texas country road I spotted this scene. The autumn trees and the late afternoon sun made these golden bales of hay shine just a little bit more. Fortunately I had my camera with me. (c) James Q. Eddy Jr.
The Four States NPR News Source 2025 Kansas Association of Broadcasters Award Winner 2nd Place for Website in a Medium Market
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Stream and Listen To KRPS's Weekday Morning & Afternoon Newscasts In The NPR App

'-Ex' Marks the Spot!

Sunday Puzzle
NPR
Sunday Puzzle

On-air challenge: Each answer today is a product or company whose name ends in -ex.

Ex. Cold medicine --> MUCINEX
1. Facial tissues

2. Glass cleaner

3. Luxury watches

4. Another brand of watches and clocks

5. Overnight delivery service

6. Credit card company, informally

7. Rotary address files

8. Ovensafe glassware

9. Synthetic fabric with high elasticity

10. Breakfast cereals


11. [bygone product:] Tape for recording

Last week's challenge: Last week's challenge came from Ed Pegg Jr., who runs the website mathpuzzle.com. Think of an animal in which the singular form of the female and the plural form of the male sound like synonyms. What animal is it?

Challenge answer: Deer (doe, bucks --> dough, bucks)

Winner: Kieran Cahalan of Weatherford, OK.

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from Mike Reiss, who's a writer/producer for "The Simpsons." Name a place in Europe in nine letters. Swap the third and fourth letters, then the eighth and ninth letters. The result is two words describing what this place famously does.

Submit Your Answer

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it here by Thursday, May 25th 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

Will Shortz
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).