America’s Pastime – Answer: STONE AGE

America’s Pastime – Answer: STONE AGE – By Jeff Reynar

Store	Store	Double Letter	Digit	Solution Letter
A2	Harry & David	R	7	S
B1	Pottery Barn	T	8	T
A1	J.C. Penney	N	6	O
C4	Monsoon	O	6	N
D2	Eddie Bauer	D	3	E
F2	Gap			(Space)
B2	Accesorize	C	2	A
F3	Egghead Software	G	4	G
H3	Geoffrey Beane	F	3	E

The text of this puzzle contains a number of verbal hints, namely the use of the words “couple” and “twins.” In fact, there is a pair of double letters in the name of each store John visited. The text of the message refers to making a phone call, and converting each of those letters into a digit on the phone keypad gives you a number. Trying to subsequently make a word from the letters on the phone keypad for that number sequence results in STONE AGE.