PRIZE WEEK PUZZLE

ACROSS

5. LOVELY not lively. Lively is redundant in regards to “snowboarding.” LOVELY is apt.

6. BEACH not bench. Bench is redundant since benches are intentionally built to be “inviting” to passersby and to be “large” in order to fit more than one person. BEACH makes a logical answer.

8. LID not lip. If the “aunt” was trying to “open” “the jar,” she’d be hitting the LID “repeatedly,” not the lip of “the jar.” The clue indicates that the container is unopened, and in order to “hit the” lip, there can’t be a top on it.

10. RESCORE not restore. RESCORE is a good choice. A work of art is not necessarily improved by restoring it; only its condition is improved.

13. LESS not loss. LESS is the best answer. It would have been sufficient to refer to the loss “in sales” without the phrase “over previous years,” which is redundant.

15. YEARN not learn. They usually YEARN “to ride bicycles at an early age.” But many families can’t afford to buy “children” “bicycles” in order for a child to learn how “to ride” one.

17. HUNGER not hunter. One “easily” associates HUNGER with “the act of obtaining food.” But a hunter might pursue prey for sport, with no intention of eating it.

18. CONCESSION not confession. It’s usually some evidence or proof of guilt that will “extract” a confession, not necessarily “a bit of persuasion.” CONCESSION links directly to the clue word “persuasion.”

DOWN

1. CLASHES not classes. “Social inequality” can lead to “certain” CLASHES or conflicts. But the different “social” classes are an embodiment of “social inequality” rather than something arising from it.

2. RETAIN not regain. She can’t regain “her balance” if she’s already lost it (i.e., fallen off the “tightrope”). RETAIN is best.

3. MEAL not meat. MEAL is all-encompassing because it includes meat.

4. WHIP not ship. “Inexperience” is often due to lack of training, in which case, WHIP makes a good answer. To be given the responsibility of “handling” a ship, much training is required.

7. GAME not name. “Being told of” a “foreign” GAME implies that some details, such as the rules, have been pointed out, which might well be confusing. As for name, one would simply “be told” a name, not “told of” it.

9. FORK not pork. FORK naturally links up well with the clue word “lunch,” but there’s no reason to assume that the “client” has any pork to toy with, or that she ordered it in the first place.

10. RISK not rise. The RISK of “buying” “shares” includes their sudden rise or fall in value, making RISK a comprehensive answer.

12. LANE not lake. The clue suggests this “private spot” was “romantic” if there was “moonlight,” which fits well with a “country” LANE. A lake can be “romantic” even without the “moonlight.”

14. RUGS not rubs. RUGS is best. “Giving” it some “good” rubs is too vague. How extensive the polishing (i.e., rubbing) is would determine if the “floor” is “really” improved, or is left with a patchy, unappealing appearance.