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Sunday Puzzle: Phonetically 'Gay'

NPR

On-air challenge

Every answer today is a word or name with the syllable "gay" — phonetically,  in any spelling — somewhere inside it.
Ex. Group of worshippers in a church  —>  CONGREGATION

1. Cousin of a crocodile

2. Big, fancy party

3. Japanese female dancer

4. Small bouquet

5. Person who plays Call of Duty or League of Legends

6. The "I" of F.B.I.

7. Russian composer Rachmaninov

8. River through Pittsburgh

9. Artificial watering of land for agriculture

10. Dance that's the national dance of the Dominican Republic

11. Merrymaking or festiveness

Last week's challenge

Think of a famous current actor. His first name is also the name of a famous movie character. Drop the middle letter of his last name and you'll name another famous movie character. Each character is a central figure in a dozen or more films. What actor is this?

Challenge answer

Jason Bateman (Jason of the "Friday the 13th" movies + Batman)

Winner

Carina Aleckson of Minneapolis, Minn.

This week's challenge

This week's challenge comes from Joseph Young, of St. Cloud, Minn. Name certain female animals. Insert a T somewhere inside the word, and you'll get a synonym for this animal's offspring. What animals are these?

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it below by Thursday, June 12 at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle.

Copyright 2025 NPR

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).