Sunday Puzzle: 7 Letters

On-air challenge: Here's a list of seven-letter words. For each one, change the first and last letters — but only the first and last letters — to make a new, uncapitalized seven-letter word. Both the first and last letters have to change.

Ex. TOURISM --> NOURISH

1. PARTOOK

2. TERSELY

3. GUNROOM

4. HELLISH

5. LORELEI

6. CARCASS

7. GORDIAN

8. LIGNITE

9. PARTING

Last week's challenge: The letters C + D together sound like the word "seedy." And the letters I + V together sound like "ivy." Take the 18 letters in the phrase END BACKSTAGE TV QUIZ. Rearrange them into pairs, using each letter exactly once, to make nine common, uncapitalized words phonetically. Can you do it?

Challenge answer: AT, BD, EZ, IC, KG, NV, QD, SA, UE

Winner: Julia Frey of Brooklyn, New York

This week's challenge: This week's challenge comes from Steve Baggish of Arlington, Mass. Think of two five-letter words that are opposites. One of them begins with E, the other ends with E. Drop both E's. The remaining eight letters can be rearranged to spell a new word that is relevant. What are these three words?

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, Nov. 14 at 3 p.m. ET. [Copyright 2019 NPR]