Sunday Puzzle: Missing Doubles

On-air challenge: Each sentence has two missing words. The first missing word has a double-D. Change that to a double-T and you'll get the second word to complete the sentence.

Example: Nosy people who _____ can really test a person's _____. --> MEDDLE, METTLE

1. The new milkmaid with her hands on the cow's _____ was a complete and _____ failure.

2. As the head foreman at the failing factory, I _____ to think what will happen if they _____ it.

3. Is that plum _____ that the dessert chef is _____ on the table?

4. After the angry boy got even _____, the teacher asked, "What's the _____?"

5. To learn an arithmetic term like "_____," you'll have to _____ class.

6. After losing out in the auction, the _____ felt _____ toward his winning rival.

7. Which peculiar-looking animal is _____ — the weasel or the _____?

8. At the antique car show, an old, rundown _____ was the subject of _____ remarks.

9. Ducks are known for their _____, while turkeys are known for their _____.

10. Before sealing her _____ invitations, the bride-to-be was _____ the flaps of the envelopes.

Last week's challenge: Write down the letter C. Beneath that write ENT. And beneath that write a G. What profession do these letters represent? Here's a hint: It's a two-word phrase — 10 letters in the first word, 5 letters in the second.

Challenge Answer: Undercover agent (under C, over a G, ENT)

Winner: Sara Stasi of Santa Cruz, Calif.

This week's challenge: The actress Michael Learned, who played the mother on The Waltons, has an unusual property in her name. The last three letters of her first name are the same as the first three letters of her last name reversed. The name of what current celebrity has the same property? Here's a hint: The first and last names each have 6 letters.

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, Feb. 6, at 3 p.m. ET. [Copyright 2020 NPR]