September 09 2011
Crowl
Will Shortz, the New York Times crossword editor, and puzzle master heard on National Public Radio, threw out a cute challenge last week. The gimmick involved two members of the same category who shared two overlapping letters, such as TUBA and BASSOON, VOLVO and VOLKSWAGEN, or CROW and OWL. To warm you up, here are a few more Shortz shorties:
- Connecticut
- Obama
- Peach
- Genesis
- Matisse
- Omega
- Othello
- National
If we can’t crack them all as a squad, I will post the answers later next week. Though I’m more interested in unearthing treble-plus examples, or maybe a few more sweet doubles that Will could have chosen?
The Dutch beer AMSTEL, say, leads to the Belgian, STELLA ARTOIS, while GRENACHE can overlap with CHENIN BLANC. Feel free to extend the list with 2-3-4 overlaps, by supplying the opener to see if the rest of us can pick up the partner.
Comments
RK — 09 September at 08:00AM
9. Handel
10. Weber
11. Pachelbel
(All trebles. There may be more than one correct answer.)
DA2 — 09 September at 08:03AM
Classical Hall of Fame to the rescue. (Funny how I chose alcohol...)
Boniface — 09 September at 09:15AM
I'm guessing (no Google):
1. Utah
2. Madison
3. Cherry
4. Isaiah
5. Seurat
6. Ganymede
7. Lothario
8. ?
Em — 09 September at 09:29AM
9. Delius
10. Berlioz
11. Bellini
Nice.
How about ones that are their own answer?
12. Les Miserables
JD — 09 September at 09:35AM
3. Grape
Mr X — 09 September at 09:35AM
For 7 I would have gone Lorenzo and for 6 Gamma
Sam — 09 September at 09:50AM
Nice wrap-around Em, this one is a four:
13: Larkspur
Boniface — 09 September at 09:52AM
@ X, yes both better fits. Dunno why I didn't see gamma. National still has me beat though...
Sam — 09 September at 10:00AM
8: all-state? Though if we were looking for opposites, it could be alien!
RM — 09 September at 10:03AM
8. It's an American puzzle. Do we think professional football leagues from the 1940s are too obscure? Because that would give National->All-American
Boniface — 09 September at 10:18AM
14. Suriname (2-overlaps, 3 in the set)
15. Guadeloupe (2-overlaps, 3 in the set)
Sam — 09 September at 10:27AM
14: Suriname – Mexico – Columbia?
Anthony Douglas — 09 September at 10:47AM
I'm pretty sure there'll be collective self-kicking if I suggest that
3 is better answered with pear.
6 I'd prefer omicron or gamma
15 looks good for 3-overlaps: Guatemala, Mali
Anthony Douglas — 09 September at 10:48AM
...unless, of course, overlap is meant to refer to beginning or end letters, that is. I think it's ambiguous at this point, but ymmv.
DA2 — 09 September at 10:56AM
Spot on. This was an American puzzle. The actual clue that Shortz gave for National was 'think airports'. You may need to be embedded.
I like your loop idea, Em. And that republic chain too, Sam. It's a rich vein this overlap trick.
RM — 09 September at 11:04AM
16. There's at least four starting with:
Grand Bahama
(although you have to allow cities as well as islands)
Mauve — 09 September at 11:55AM
On a slight tangent...
Using the same principles, I've made a daisy chain of 4 components.
Number 1 is Ice Cube
Number 4 is Men At Work
What are Numbers 2 and 3?
KM — 09 September at 01:20PM
For 7 I had Love's Labour Lost...
KM — 09 September at 01:29PM
8 stumped me, but I'm going with Alvarez (guitar brands). :)
DA2 — 09 September at 02:18PM
Time to reveal 8's underwhelming answer. I put in as a hurdle to a breezy opening list. National is a car-hire firm in the US, a rival of Alamo.
Reckon we could do some brand fusion closer to home. I love Mauve's missing link format, yet to be solved.
Em — 09 September at 02:41PM
Mauve: Ice Cube - Berlin - InMe - Men at Work
DC — 09 September at 03:01PM
I was going for Love's Labour's Lost as well, although I didn't mention it because I thought multiple words might be bad.
Criseyde — 09 September at 03:13PM
Brand names: Aldi to Eagle Boys.
The missing one should be universally known.
Criseyde — 09 September at 03:23PM
From north to south:
1 Brisbane
4 Onkaparinga
2 and 3?
Criseyde — 09 September at 03:26PM
To keep the numbering, Mauve's would be 17,
then my two 18 and 19.
I'm intrigued. Has Em got Mauve's .. brilliant.
Mauve — 09 September at 03:37PM
Em: Your solution works, so well done, but it's not the one I had in mind.
My number 2 and 3 are very well-known bands - even better-known than Inme, which I'm ashamed to admit I don't know well. At all, even.
Mauve — 09 September at 03:48PM
I should add that I took DA's implied liberties with the overlaps. Em's three were all 2-letter overlaps, whereas my three were 2,4,3
Mauve — 09 September at 03:53PM
Hmm, further due diligence informs me that my spelling was wrong on 3. Apparently Boys is spelt Boyz. So I humbly sack myself and reveal my 2 and 3 were Beach Boys and Boys2men, er Boyz2men
Mauve — 09 September at 03:59PM
Criseyde: 19:
Newcastle, Lemington (or Leeton)
Criseyde — 09 September at 05:20PM
Yes, Mauve, although to my chagrin I should have known Lemington, having been more familiar with those parts than Leeton.
Em — 09 September at 06:49PM
Mauve, no shame in not knowing InMe. The... benefits?... of having a relative in the UK who's a fan of metal.