State and National News

Every spring, high school students descend on the headquarters of the New York Federal Reserve, a few blocks from Wall Street in downtown Manhattan. They compete to see who does the best impression of a central banker.

The High School Fed Challenge is a big deal. Schools like Montclair High in Montclair, New Jersey have multiple rounds of tryouts just to get on the team. Then they practice for months.

Transcript

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

OPHIRA EISENBERG, HOST:

But that's great because our next game is about Cole Porter who, like you, was also a member of Yale University's Whiff and Poofs. Is that real? Come on. As well as, much like you, one of America's great songwriters. He gave us, of course, I've Got You Under My Skin, Let's Misbehave and this little ditty.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG "YOU'RE THE TOP")

Transcript

OPHIRA EISENBERG, HOST:

All right everybody, this is what we've been waiting for, our final round, Ask Me One More. In this final elimination round, we will determine who is our ASK ME ANOTHER champion. So let's have our winners back from our previous rounds. From For The Fun Of It, Brendan Sullivan.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: From the Dictionary of Dr. Moreau, Ned Tyrrell.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: And from the End Of the World, Melissa Kirsch.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

Transcript

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

OPHIRA EISENBERG, HOST:

Let's welcome our two new contestants, Dan Feyer.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: And Melissa Kirsch.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: Melissa, you wrote a book and you're writing another book, but I love the name of your book, "The Girl's Guide to Absolutely Everything." What is that book about other than everything?

MELISSA KIRSCH: Well, there's no trivia in it and there's no word games.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

Transcript

OPHIRA EISENBERG, HOST:

This is ASK ME ANOTHER, I'm your host, Ophira Eisenberg, your hostess with the mostest answers. Let me introduce you to our ASK ME ANOTHER puzzle guys, John Chaneski.

JOHN CHANESKI: Hi Ophira, how you doing? It's great to be back.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: Great to have you and Art Chung.

ART CHUNG: Hey Ophira.

EISENBERG: You'll be hearing more from them later in the hour, as they will lead us in some puzzles to come. And the man who is always making sweet, sweet music, Jonathan Coulton.

Transcript

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

OPHIRA EISENBERG, HOST:

You're listening to ASK ME ANOTHER, NPR's show for those of us who read dictionaries for fun. Ah thick Oxford and the Beach, what more could anyone want? I'm your host, Ophira Eisenberg and with me is Resident Puzzle Expert, John Chaneski.

JOHN CHANESKI: Hi everyone.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: And next up on ASK ME ANOTHER, we have Janet Bradlow...

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

EISENBERG: ...and Ned Tyrrell.

(SOUNDBITE OF APPLAUSE)

Dennis McLaughlin interviewed his mom, Theresa, to thank her for how she raised him. Born in 1948 with spina bifida, he was missing several vertebrae and was unable to use his legs. Theresa was a single mom, working in a paper mill near Portland, Maine.

"When you were 1 year old, your grandfather McLaughlin built you a little wheelchair," Theresa says, "built it out of wood that he had and wheels from a tricycle, and you got around in that very, very well."