Sunday Puzzle: TransformeR
3 minute readPublished: Sunday, February 22, 2026 at 12:00 pm
BNN Puzzle Corner: Test Your Wordplay Skills
BNN's weekly puzzle segment is back, challenging listeners with wordplay and linguistic puzzles. This week's segment features two distinct challenges, testing the mental agility of our audience.
The first challenge, titled "TransformeR," presents listeners with a series of clues for two four-letter words. The task is to insert the letter "r" between these words to form a common nine-letter word. For example, the provided example uses the clues "World's Fair" and "tiny bell sound" to create the word "EXPORTING." The puzzle includes eight such clues, each requiring a different combination of words to be deciphered.
The second challenge, a carryover from last week, involved a nine-letter word containing the name "Ian." The puzzle required listeners to identify the word and the name of Ian's friend. The solution to last week's puzzle was revealed: the word was "appliance," and replacing "Ian" with "Esau" resulted in "applesauce." The solver was Joan Suits of Ann Arbor, Michigan.
This week's challenge, submitted by Greg VanMechelen of Berkeley, California, asks listeners to name something they don't want to have at night, using two words. The second word's letters must then be shifted nine spaces forward in the alphabet. The resulting phrase will name a famous singer.
Listeners are encouraged to submit their answers to this week's challenge by Thursday, February 26, at 3 p.m. ET. Selected participants will have the opportunity to play the puzzle on-air.
BNN's Perspective:
These puzzles offer a fun and engaging way to stimulate the mind. While the challenges may seem niche, they provide a welcome break from the more serious news of the day and encourage critical thinking. The segment's format, with its clear instructions and the opportunity for listener participation, makes it accessible and enjoyable for a wide audience.
Keywords: puzzle, wordplay, challenge, clues, nine-letter word, alphabet, singer, answers, listeners, on-air, transform, BNN