21 May 2022 | New Scientist | 53The back pages Puzzles
Quick quiz #152
1 Which geological period comes
between the Cambrian and the Silurian?2 The first radio signal detected from a pulsar,
a type of neutron star, was nicknamed LGM-1
by its discoverer. What does “LGM” stand for?3 Benzaldehyde is an organic compound
with a smell reminiscent of which food?4 What is the largest living equid species?5 The organelles responsible for modifying
proteins and lipids into vesicles are named
after which Italian scientist?Answers on page 55Puzzle
set by Rob Eastaway
#168 Bone idleUniversity student Rick Sloth has spent
his life avoiding work, and even though
it is exam season he has no intention of
mending his lazy ways.He is studying palaeontology, which he
thought might be an easy option when he
signed up for it, as he loves dinosaurs, but he
has now discovered that it requires rather
more study than he was expecting.It turns out there are 18 topics in the
syllabus and his end-of-year exam will
feature 11 essay questions, each on
a different topic. Fortunately for Rick,
candidates are only required to answer
four questions in total.Rick wants to keep his exam preparation to
a bare minimum, while still giving himself a
chance of getting full marks.How many topics does he need to revise if
he is to be certain that he will have at least
four questions that he can tackle?And can you come up with a general formula
for the minimum number of topics you need
to study based on the number of exam
questions and topics in the syllabus?Solution next weekQuick crossword #108 Set by Richard Smyth
Scribble
zoneAnswers and
the next cryptic
crossword
next week ACROSS
1 Antibody (14)
10 Savoury flavour (5)
11 Slow motion of earth down a slope (4,5)
12 Hooved mammal of Europe
and western Asia (3,4)
13 Valentin ___ , Soviet rocket engineer (7)
14 Surgical stitch (5)
16 Inflammation of stomach lining (9)
19 Neurotransmitter (9)
20 Natural rubber (5)
22 Seabirds related to gannets (7)
25 US term for a bulrush or reedmace (7)
27 Hakaru ___ , Japanese physician (9)
28 Tracks (5)
29 Nostrum; quack remedy (6,8)DOWN
2 Carnivore (4,5)
3 Waste water (5)
4 Sex hormone (9)
5 R. D. ___ , Scottish psychiatrist (5)
6 Bq (9)
7 Bloodsucking invertebrate (5)
8 Sleeping capsules (3,4)
9 Elementary particles (6)
15 Consumption and assimilation of food (9)
17 Desert weather phenomenon (4,5)
18 Method of chemical analysis (9)
19 Type of familial relationship (7)
21 Sugar isolated from wood (6)
23 Beginning (5)
24 Atmospheric disturbance; tempest (5)
26 Doughnut-shaped (5)Our crosswords are now solvable online
newscientist.com/crosswords