52 | New Scientist | 6 March 2021
Cryptic crossword #52 Set by Rasa
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newscientist.com/crosswordsQuick quiz #91
1 Akira Yoshino is credited with creating
the first commercially viable what?2 What are the three forms of plague?3 The Exocoetidae family of fish
is better known by what name?4 How old was US astronaut
John Glenn when he became the
oldest person to fly in space?5 Nordic Gold, a gold-coloured alloy
often used in coins, is made of copper,
aluminium, tin and which other metal?Answers on page 55Puzzle
set by Holly Biming
#103 Trouble brewingOur office vending machine
normally allows me to get any
combination of tea, coffee,
chocolate, milk and sugar, each
with its own button. Unfortunately
it has developed a glitch.What happens now is that instead
of delivering its own ingredient,
each button delivers two other
ingredients instead. Each button
delivers a different pair, and each
of the ingredients is delivered
by two of the buttons.However, if two buttons demand
the same ingredient, such as tea,
they cancel each other out and
I don’t get tea at all.The result? If I ask for chocolate with
milk, I get tea with sugar. If I ask for
tea with milk and sugar, I get those
three ingredients plus coffee!What do I get if I press the coffee
and milk buttons?Answer next weekACROSS
1 Once again take in Cambridge university
in wake of study (7)
5 Electronic part from Candle
in the Wind 1997? (5)
8 Spy nods off at current location for proposed
megastructure (with 14 Across) (5,6)
9 Made fun of coddled misses
beginning to nap (7)
10 Mark almost feeling a little thrill
wearing rude look (8,4)
12 Make certain error coming after
disorganised nurse (6)
14 See 8 Across
17 Sterno used to produce hormone (12)
21 Salt (very small quantity) coats article (4,3)
22 Ungulate blood factor in human blood type (5)
23 Meat pie from previous year (5)
24 Type of battery used for cars and trucks
and so on found in water source (3,4)DOWN
1 Entrées topped with practically
raw vegetables (8)
2 Lost a certain amount of fat seasonally (2,3)
3 Lizard egg laid in heath (7)
4 Titanium added to balanced concoction (6)
5 Witty doctor let loose “lol” (5)
6 Indignation displayed by Newton amid
spilt coffee (7)
7 Swirl in topless nightwear (4)
11 Backward facilities enclose, say,
source of inheritance (4,4)
13 Call for assistance around returning
abysmal swimsuits (7)
15 I report deranged clown (7)
16 Avoid south-eastern hiking champ (6)
18 Sycophant’s promotion interrupting play (5)
19 Am after round Martini garnish (5)
20 Stat: leaders in anaesthesia sometimes
abuse paracetamol (4)