Harrisburg Nonprofit Leader Wins NPR’s Sunday Puzzle
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Asia Tabb
Aired; June 27th, 2025.
Harrisburg’s own M. Travis Dinicola had his public radio dreams come true when he was selected as the winner of NPR’s Sunday Puzzle segment on Weekend Edition. A long-time listener, public media volunteer, and nonprofit fundraiser, Dinicola represented Central Pennsylvania on the national airwaves with enthusiasm and humility.
“Oh my gosh, I was so nervous doing the puzzle,” Dinicola said. “But being called was like one of the most exciting things. I’ve been playing it forever, hoping to be called.”
He nearly missed the chance. While taking out the garbage, he didn’t notice his phone ringing. “Then I looked at it and it was three o’clock on Thursday and the call was from Washington, DC. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, could this be?’ So I immediately called it back,” he recalled. On the other end was NPR’s Steve and confirmation that Dinicola had won.
Dinicola has been playing the puzzle for nearly three decades, though for many years he couldn’t officially enter. While living in Indianapolis, he co-hosted a public radio show and wasn’t eligible. But once he and his wife moved to Harrisburg nine years ago, he began submitting answers regularly.
On the puzzle that won him a spot, Dinicola correctly solved this challenge: “Name a kids’ game in eight letters. Replace the sixth letter with ‘C-H’ and you get the name of an animated character kids love.” His answer? “Peekaboo” became “Pikachu.”
Even with a background in radio, Dinicola admitted to nerves during the live taping. “I knew a lot of friends and family were listening. I just wanted to do well and not look silly,” he said.
But the experience exceeded expectations. “Will [Shortz] asked me a lot more questions than what they could use. That helped me relax because I knew they’d only air the best parts,” Dinicola explained. “When I heard the edited version, they left in a couple I missed and a few I got—it was fair.”
Dinicola is a well-known figure in the Harrisburg community for his nonprofit work. He volunteers with WITF, sits on the Community Advisory Board, and is the board president of the Art Association of Harrisburg. His connection to public radio runs deep, beginning with helping at pledge drives as a teen in Erie, where his grandfather hosted a show.
“I’ve always been involved with nonprofits, but public radio has been the one constant,” he said. “It’s the number one way I get my news and information—and also entertainment, like with the puzzle.”
For Dinicola, being on NPR wasn’t just a personal win. It was a chance to represent Harrisburg and WITF on a national stage.
“That was kind of a big deal for me,” he said. “From what I can tell, there haven’t been many people from Harrisburg on the show recently. It felt really good to be that person.”
As a passionate advocate for public media, Dinicola expressed concern about the potential loss of federal funding for public radio.
“I know WITF is in a good place, but smaller, rural stations might be the only source for local news, weather, or emergency alerts,” he said. “If funding gets cut, those communities lose vital resources.”
Despite the challenges, Dinicola remains hopeful and engaged. “It’s all about giving back and being a part of something bigger than yourself.”
