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NPR Topics: Fun & Games

Games, puzzles, and contests plus odd stories from comedy, art, and society.

CH-CH-CH-CH-CHanges Each word you're given has the letters C-H within it. Rearrange the letters to come up with an anagram that begins with C-H. For example, "inch" becomes "chin." Moms Discuss Teaching Sportsmanship Despite Loss The Olympic Games are throwing a spotlight on how elite athletes respond to winning and losing. However, the challenge of good sportsmanship in the face of loss is something that many parents have to confront regularly, whether their children are playing sports, or competing in spelling bees. This week's Mocha Moms discuss teaching kids good sportsmanship, even when they lose. Is It A Real Gun, Or Is It Airsoft? Airsoft guns are the hottest new type of toy replica guns. They shoot lightweight plastic BBs and are designed to look as real as possible — so real that police, teachers and parents often can't tell the difference. A Turn Of Phrase Every answer starts with the letter A and completes a familiar three-word phrase that takes the form "blank of blank." Waterboarding At Coney Island: The Thrill That Chills It might not be surprising that waterboarding, the controversial interrogation technique that simulates drowning, would become the subject of satire. But it was shocking to many when artist Steve Powers created an attraction called the Waterboard Thrill Ride. Of Primo Importance In the on-air puzzle, you are given several 10-letter words. For each word, rearrange the first five letters to spell a common word and the last five letters to spell another common word. Hasbro Gives Clue Board Game A Makeover This time, the murder at the heart of the game occurs at a party of the rich and famous. The weapons have been updated, too. And though the characters' names are the same, they've got new back stories. Putting Fun Back In the White House John McCain's celebrity ad raised some hackles last week. Humorist Brian Unger says a celebrity president might not be such a bad idea. Facebook Application Scrabulous Suspended The popular Facebook application Scrabulous has been suspended for users in the U.S. and Canada after threats of legal action from Hasbro, the makers of Scrabble . Stefan Fatsis, of The Wall Street Journal, says the move is a short-term disaster for Hasbro. Gamers To Compete For World Title Video gaming is emerging as a legitimate spectator sport. Some of the best gamers in the world will compete for the Championship Gaming Series World Final on Monday night in Los Angeles, and the event will be televised to the world. DJ Wheat, the event's TV play-by-play announcer, talks to host Andrea Seabrook about the final. Finish The Phrase In the on-air puzzle, you must complete a two-word phrase with a word that starts with the third and fourth letters of the word given to you. Double Dutch Becomes Official Sport In New York The popular urban street game called double Dutch, in which participants jump between two jump ropes swinging toward each other, eggbeater-style, is getting recognition. This school year, it becomes an official sport in the New York City school system. On Economy, How Much Are We Really Hurting? Americans are steaming mad! Hot under the collar! Boiling over the high cost of gasoline! So, how are we dealing with it? By buying iPhones and going to see Batman at the movies, of course. Humorist Brian Unger pokes fun at America's way of displaying its displeasure in this week's Unger Report. Live And Learn In this week's on-air puzzle, you are given two words. Move a letter from one word to the other to make two new words that complete the familiar phrase, "___________ and ___________." Could A Mere Mortal Really Be Batman? When a superhero is just a human being with fantastic gear, can anyone dream of becoming Batman? That's the question professor E. Paul Zehr considers in a new book.