Sunday Puzzle: First and last initials

On-air challenge

I’m going to give you clues for some famous people. The first two letters of each clue are the person’s initials.

Ex. Media exec at Disney, once  –>  Michael Eisner

1. Scowling judge on “America’s Got Talent”

2. Employs many people at Tesla and SpaceX

3. A CNN host

4. Chariot-riding actor in “Ben-Hur”

5. Eminent French leader

6. American playwright who wrote “Death of a Salesman”

7. Cleared the Atlantic in the Spirit of St. Louis

8. By his efforts the Mormon Church settled in Utah

Last week’s challenge

This week’s challenge came from Bob Weisz. In a certain classic film, the protagonist uses two weapons. The name of one of these has 10 letters. If you take its first letter and last six letters, you can rearrange them all to name the other weapon this protagonist uses, in seven letters. What weapons are these?

Challenge answer

Light saber  –>  blaster

Winner

Stephanie O’Neil of Jamesville, New York

This week’s challenge

This week’s challenge comes from Dave Shukan, of San Marino, Calif. Take the phrase EASTERN TIME. Change one letter and rearrange the result to name a place that observes Eastern Time.

If you know the answer to the challenge, submit it below by Thursday, September 25 at 3 p.m. ET. Listeners whose answers are selected win a chance to play the on-air puzzle.