PRIZEWEEK PUZZLE

Due to an error, the wrong answers were printed to the Prizeweek Puzzle that was published May 5. Here are the April 28 Prizeweek Puzzle answers.

ACROSS 4. RIDING not hiding. RIDING is apt. Hiding is redundant since being stowed away is defined as a means of being hidden. 5. WEEDS not seeds. It’s not the seeds themselves that are the problem, but the plants that grow from the seeds. WEEDS, therefore, is more to the point. 9. BANG not band. An “unexpected” BANG is a straightforward answer. A band could be slowly approaching from a distance and, therefore, not be a startling sight. 10. PUP not pep. “Too much” PUP “to handle” is an all-encompassing answer that would include a PUPPY’S highly energetic behavior (e.g., pep). 11. TOUR not hour. “One” TOUR “is not enough” fits well with the clue’s context that “not enough” time has been allotted for the TOUR, which would include the hours spent on the outing. 12. LOST not last. It’s not uncommon for a politician to fade “from the scene” after having LOST a bid for election. But there’s the possibility that the last “campaign” was a successful one and the politician is still in the spotlight. 14. SETTER not settee. Guessing “how many years old” a dog (i.e., SETTER) is makes a plausible answer. As for a settee, it’s more common to discuss the era or even the decade of an antique’s origin rather than the exact number of “years.” 17. GETTING not letting. GETTING “him out of” the “project” implies the “employee” is reluctant to take it on, perhaps daunted by its “high-tech” aspect, which is emphasized in the clue. Letting him forgo the assigned task doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have appreciated the challenge; rather, there might have been a conflict in scheduling. DOWN 1. HILL not bill. The fact that the “car” “owner” said, “I’m afraid” could indicate a sentimentality about the “vehicle,” which matches up well with his concern about its struggle to climb a HILL. Not wanting to have to pay a bill is more an indication of frustration or bitterness toward the “car.” 2. SIDE not size. “Her contribution” regarding her SIDE (i.e., her team) is apt. Size needs further explanation since large stature isn’t always vital to success. For example, many world-class gymnasts are small, but make enormous contributions when it comes to high scores for their teams. 3. DEFY not deny. To “publicly” deny a dictator’s “authority” is one way of DEFYING him, making DEFY a comprehensive answer. 6. SLAPS not slips. Usually, slipping something into a person’s “hand” is a discreet action, unseen by others. But since the clue indicates there’s a “line” of customers at the “cash register” who react to the businessman’s gesture, the obvious action of SLAPPING the bill into the “young” father’s “hand” makes the most sense. 7. WINES not vines. A “farmer” “produces” WINES, but usually one refers to vines as something a “farmer” grows. 8. OUR not fur. When the “local” resident refers to OUR “coats,” he might well be referring to “outerwear” made of fur. OUR makes an all-encompassing answer. 10. PICK not pack. PICK is the strongest choice. The “berries” might have already been packaged since the clue simply states the “farmer” is “planning to sell” them. 13. HEARS not fears. The clue word “anxiety” is redundant with fears. HEARS is best. 15. BOAT not coat. The clue’s context stresses the visual appeal of a “picture” with “white” as a prominent element. A “picture” with a BOAT might well include the natural elements associated with it: the “summer” blue of the water and sky. The “graphic” of a “white” coat needs to be explained more, including the purpose of the coat.