MAY 2008: GIMME FIVE

Solution: The countries formed by adding the missing letters are INDIA, SUDAN, QATAR, BENIN, SPAIN, EGYPT, NEPAL, JAPAN, and YEMEN.

Answer: The new letters can be unscrambled to form the word JERUSALEM.

April 2008: TOP OF THE LINE

Solution: The new letters from left to right are O, N I, A, A, D, C, S, K, D, and R.

Answer: The letters can be unscrambled to form the word ADIRONDACKS.

March 2008: STATES OF CONFUSION

Solution: The states in order as they appear in the message are Nevada, California, Maryland, Minnesota, Delaware, New Hampshire, New York, Michigan, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Oregon, Wyoming, Rhode Island, Washington, West Virginia, Montana, Colorado, and North Dakota.

Answer: The extra letters spell HAWAII

February 2008: CITY SQUARES

Solution: The capitals are Vientiane, Kingstown, Amsterdam, Islamabad, Mogadishu, Stockholm, Reykjavik, Phnom Penh, and Singapore.

Answer: The missing letters spell BUCHAREST

January 2008: COUNTRY TALK

Solution: 1. CONGO HUNGARY; 2. CHILE GREECE; 3. CUBA ICELAND; 4. KENYA BOLIVIA; 5. JAMAICA SAMOA; 6. GHANA RUSSIA; 7. BENIN IRAQ; 8. NORWAY ISRAEL; 9. YEMEN GABON; 10. SUDAN SINGAPORE

Answer: The remaining country is the answer, LAOS

December 2007: FORWARD AND BACK

Solution: Going across from top to bottom: MADAM, RADAR, SELES, SAGAS, KAYAK, SHAHS, LEVEL, STATS, MINIM

Answer: The circled letters spell the answer: MALAYALAM

November 2007: MAKING A SHIFT

Solution: 1. TEAS, EAST; 2. STAIR, SITAR; 3. MARS, ARMS; 4. TREAD, TRADE; 5. THIN, HINT; 6. USHERS, RUSHES; 7. DELTA, DEALT; 8. VENERATE, ENERVATE; 9. THERE, ETHER; 10. PLANE, PANEL

Answer: The letters that change places spell the answer: TIME TRAVEL

October 2007: SPACE TRAVEL

Solution: 1. NORTH, 2. DEFOE, 3. IRISH, 4. PANDA, 5. POLKA, 6. SIOUX, 7. BAMBI

Answer: The extra letters spell the answer, FLY ME TO THE MOON

September 2007: TABLE-HOPPING

Solution: 1. Jellyfish (no country inside)= H; 2. Laredo= O; 3. Abroad, aboard= R; 4. Arkansas= S; 5. R(Oman)ia= O; 6. Denmark= R; 7. F(Oregon)e= F; 8. Santa Barbara, California= C; 9. Pa(y en)velopes= P; 10. Chad, Spain= A; 11. Siberia, Iberia= E; 12. Sue nursed eight, Sooner State, Oklahoma= O; 13. E-a-s-tern= E; 14. Polaris= P; 15. Ireland, Iceland= C; 16. Road, rode, rowed= R; 17. Oom-pahs= F; 18. Emperor Julius of Rome= E; 19. Script= T; 20. Tennessee= E

Answer: The Final Phrase is HOPE FOR A PERFECT SCORE

August 2007: TABLE-HOPPING

Solution: Items spelled out in the table include: MATTERHORN, EVEREST, PYONGYANG, ACONCAGUA, KILIMANJARO, and RAINIER

Answer: All are mountains except for PYONGYANG, the answer

July 2007: FOLLOW THE LEADER

Solution: 1. MASCOT, ASCOT; 2. ORANGE, RANGE; 3. GROUND, ROUND; 4. AISLES, ISLES; 5. DRIVER, RIVER; 6. IRISES, RISES; 7. SLOGAN, LOGAN; 8. HARBOR, ARBOR; 9. USABLE, SABLE

Answer: The first letters spell MOGADISHU

JUNE 2007: SOUNDS OF THE CITY

Solution: The circled letters form the words CAR and TOMB

Answer: Taken together, these sound like the answer, KHARTOUM

May 2007: A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

Solution: Going down from left to right: SNAFU, BLAH, EXTOL, AURORA, STREW, KITSCH, HAPPY, LOOP, PHASE. Going across from top to bottom: SKULK, NEXT, STOOL, FLOATS, LURCH, REHASH, ELBOW, OPUS, WHEAT

Answer: The answer, running from southeast corner to northwest corner, is EUPHRATES

April 2007: MOVING OUT OF THE COUNTRY

Solution: Going across from top to bottom: KENYA, NIGER, CHINA, MACAO, SUDAN, NEPAL, GABON, SPAIN, GHANA

Answer: The extra letters in the rightmost column spell EAST TIMOR

March 2007: GEOGRAPHICAL LITERACY

Solution: 1. C, 2. O, 3. T, 4. E, 5. D, 6. I, 7. V, 8. O, 9. I, 10. R, 11. E

Answer: The letters in the blanks spell COTE D'IVOIRE

February 2007: Peak Performance

Solution: A. ARARAT, B. PITON, C. ETNA, D. BELAY, E. MCKINLEY, F. PITCH, G. EIGER, H. VINE

Answer: The extra letters spell KASHMIR

January 2007: Changing Planes and Trains

Solution: Going across from top to bottom: 1. PENPAL, 2. RATION, 3. GRATES, 4. THROES, 5. CATHAY, 6. SUNDAE, 7. CAPONE, 8. ROMPED, 9. MALICE, 10. BANGER, 11. TICKER, 12. REMOTE

Answer: The numbered letters spell PORT-AU-PRINCE

2006 GRAND PRIZE WINNER

Beth Groundwater of Colorado Springs, CO

December 2006: Rolling Along

Solution: The rolling items are: TRICYCLE, RICKSHAW, CAISSON, TROLLEY, CHARIOT, WAGON, TRUCK, TRAM, TANK, and TAXI

Answer: The eleven unused letters spell WHEELING, W. VA

November 2006: Changing Motels

Solution: Going across from top to bottom: 1. ELOPEMENT, 2. DOLOMITES, 3. LATECOMER, 4. MAELSTROM, 5. HOME PLATE, 6. LION TAMER, 7. BALTIMORE, 8. THE OLD MAN, 9. TOTEM POLE, 10. MISTLETOE, 11. MILESTONE

Answer: The circled letters spell NORMAN BATES, the contest answer

October 2006: Square Deal

Solution: 1. PRINCESS, 2. TOLL, 3. ERIN, 4. SPOTLESS, 5. SENTENCE , 6. EERINESS , 7. TENT, 8. RIDE

Answer: The anagrammed letters spell ST. PETER'S, the contest answer

September 2006: Function At The Junction

Solution: Going across from top to bottom: CRAW, CLUES, FOREFRONT, PASTE, BARK; Going down from left to right: RATIO, AUDIO, RINSE, CARFARE, NEVER

Answer: The anagrammed new letters spell FOUR CORNERS, the contest answer

August 2006: Time Travel

Solution: Clue answers are: PIEDMONT, YOSEMITE, ANTIETAM, MEDALIST, DIAMuTER, DOMESTIC, CAMPSITE, MASERATI, MIGHTIER, and MAGRITTE

Answer: The underlined letters spell SECOND CITY

JULY 2006: Letters From Abroad

Solution: Clue answers are: BARHOPS, CHIPS, LEDERHOSEN, SCHISM, CHIFFON, CHISEL, AIR HOLE, URCHIN, RHOMBUS, and POORHOUSE. The two letters employed are the Greek letters CHI and RHO

Answer: Said aloud, these make CAIRO

JUNE 2006: Heads or Tails?

Solution: Going across, from top to bottom: TURBAN, LATHER, KARATE, VARIES, ICONIC, BELIEF, STEREO, UPLINK, CRAVEN, TRAVEL, AUNTIE, SCAMP, HEAVEN

Answer: The first and last letters spell: TREVI FOUNTAIN

MAY 2006: Museum Piece

Solution: First row across: PICASSO, CEZANNE, MATISSE; Second row across: SARGENT, HOLBEIN, EL GRECO; Third row across: GAUGUIN, VERMEER, BERNINI; Fourth row across: DA VINCI, RAPHAEL, WATTEAU

Answer: The central letters spell: THE ASHMOLEAN

APRIL 2006: Misplaced Letters

Solution: Going across: 1. ROME, BERLIN, QUITO; 2. GENEVA, HURON, CRATER; 3. RIYAL, DINAR, YEN; 4. ANDES, URALS, ALPS; 5. DUTCH, THAI, GREEK; 6. FORD, HONDA, FIAT; 7. PURSE, WALLET, HANDBAG; 8. SICILY, FIJI, BALI; 9. FERRY, CLIPPER, JUNK; 10. ALE, STOUT, LAGER

Answer: The shaded letters spell: ROUND-TRIP TICKET

MARCH 2006: Going to Extremes

Solution: Going across: 1. UPLAND; 3. ENAMEL; 5. ABOARD; 7. WALTON; 9. SHIVER; 11. SPOKEN; 13. NEARLY; 15. APOLLO; 17. REVILE; 19. SAFARI

Answer: The letters spell: YOUR ANSWER IS LAND'S END

FEBRUARY 2006: City Center

Solution: Across: 5. ADVERB; 7. IRAQ; 8. TAXI; 9. LAKERS; 11. SOAR; 13. JOHNCABOT; 15. ELBA; 16. SAMOSA; 18. FOGG; 20. YETI; 21. ASIMOV
Down: 1. IDEA; 2. JEWISH; 3. MILK; 4. PARROT; 6. BALACLAVA; 10. ARAB; 12. ONES; 13. JUAREZ; 14. BAFFIN; 17. OHIO; 19. GOOD

Answer: The anagrammed letters spell: BARCELONA

JANUARY 2006: Inner Cities

Solution: CABERNET; CAROMED; CORNICED; DEADENER; LESSENED; MOSQUITOES; POSTERIOR; TIMBERLINE

Answer: The city BONN goes inside the word SORE to form the answer: SORBONNE