52 | New Scientist | 30 January 2021
Quick crossword #75 Set by Richard Smyth
Scribble
zoneAnswers and
the next cryptic
crossword next week The back pages Puzzles
Our crosswords are now solvable online
newscientist.com/crosswordsQuick quiz #86
1 Zymology, also known as zymurgy,
is the study of which process?2 Animals that enter hibernation
when cold-stressed or food-deprived
are what kind of hibernators?3 How many mountains in the
US are 5000 metres or higher?4 Bromelain is an enzyme extract
derived from which fruit?5 What is the only country to
have completely banned the
cultivation, harvesting, production
and sale of tobacco?Answers on page 55Puzzle
set by Zoe Mensch
#98 Puppies galore!Dog breeder Harriet Hound’s
prize pooch has just had
10 puppies. She is particularly
pleased, because there are only
nine puppies in the latest litter
of her arch-rival, Matilda Mutt.However, for Harriet, it isn’t just the
overall quantity that counts, it is the
number of female puppies, because
females earn her a premium. On
average, 50 per cent of puppies
are female. “What is the chance I’ve
got more female puppies than
Matilda?” wonders Harriet.You might think she needs to use
sophisticated probability maths to
work this out, but in fact there is a
way to figure out the solution with
some relatively simple reasoning.Answer next weekACROSS
1 Omnivorous mustelid (6)
4 1992 hacker caper (8)
9 Quantum flavour also called bottomness (6)
10 Term for an autostereogram (5,3)
12 Lu (8)
13 Lubricant (6)
15 NaCl (4)
16 Misaligned eyes (10)
19 Speed up (10)
20 4047 square metres (4)
23 Discard; throw out (6)
25 1984 comedy-horror film (8)
27 Process of acquiring new information,
skills or values (8)
28 Bird in the order Columbiformes (6)
29 Series of small waterfalls (8)
30 Catalytic protein (6)DOWN
1 Gas globules in liquid (for example) (7)
2 Referring to part of the cardiac cycle (9)
3 Thing (6)
5 Of a tide, at its minimal range (4)
6 Low-pH precipitation (4,4)
7 Injection of fluid into the lower bowel (5)
8 German engineering and
electronics conglomerate (7)
11 Scavenging bird of prey (7)
14 Electrochemical power source (7)
17 Mechanical structures (9)
18 Foetal organ, in mammals (8)
19 Synthetic fibre (7)
21 Fundamental attributes; quiddity (7)
22 Membrane surrounding an embryo (6)
24 Sir James ___ , English astronomer
and mathematician (5)
26 On a single occasion (4)CALLING ALL PUZZLE SETTERS
Fancy setting a New Scientist puzzle?
It needs to be novel, or an old puzzle
with a new twist, and needs to make
us smile. Email suggestions to
[email protected].