PRIZE WEEK PUZZLE
ACROSS
1. SCENT not scene. SCENT is a strong answer. “Animals” wouldn’t react to scenes; rather, it’s “strange” surroundings or events that would cause “an adverse reaction.”
5. ASSURED not assumed. If the “promoter” has manipulated the situation so as to ASSURE a win, he would indeed be shocked when his team ends up losing. If he has assumed his team would win and then it doesn’t, he may or may not be shocked, depending on how important the outcome was to him.
10. YELL not bell. The routine ringing of a school bell several times a day makes it illogical to think student would be easily startled by one. A “loud” YELL, however, might be unnerving.
12. LEND not land. To LEND “money” has a direct link to assisting “a worthy cause” since businesses are often asked to contribute to charities. Simply landing (i.e., obtaining) the “money” has no tie whatsoever to assisting “a worthy cause.”
15. OAR not bar. Since a bar could simply be a small rod or a hollow pole, for instance, it’s unlikely that carrying it would annoy the “girlfriend” as much as a big, awkward OAR.
16. RINGS not rinks. “Types of” RINGS worn to commemorate an athlete’s skills fits the clue word “attractive” well. It’s not usually a rink’s attractiveness that’s considered of value, since most rinks are standardized in looks; rather, it’s how well equipped and maintained they are.
18. SAWING not saving. It is at a particular moment “when she stopped” SAWING that a sense of “relief” would be felt. Usually, there is no definite moment in time when a person stops saving money or for a collection.
19. RAPID not vapid. RAPID is a good answer. Since vapid means uninteresting, “bored” makes vapid superfluous. DOWN
2. CASTLE not cattle. A CASTLE might be “functioning” in the sense that it’s a tourist attraction, but one doesn’t refer to living beings (i.e., cattle) as “functioning,” since the actual state of being is a “functioning” one.
3. FULL not dull. Since a lengthy period of time such as a “year” is usually filled with highs and lows, and a reference to FULL can encompass both the exciting and the dull times, FULL is an apt choice.
4. TEAS not team. Many amateur teams are “weak” when first starting out, and their supporters are often willing to wait for the team to grow in experience before complaining. “Weak” TEAS can certainly cause complaints.
6. SKILL not skull. Why stress a skull, in particular, when there are many other important parts of the body? SKILL makes a better choice.
7. TAIL not toil. If the “two” kids were toiling “a lot” and possibly in pain, there’d probably be no question that the “supervisor” would advise them “to quit”; it wouldn’t be a matter of considering it. TAIL is a better answer.
9. FLOPS not flips. Whereas a flip is often performed quickly and quietly, the sound of a FLOP (e.g., a thud) and the sight of a “clown” falling might well be startling enough to cause a child to “wail.”
11. LIAR not Lear. Many would agree that there is, indeed, “something” “pathetic about” the Shakespearean character King Lear. But “there can be something” “pathetic about” a LIAR.
14. SCARED not spared. SCARED is apt. Spared is too vague since there’s no indication as to what they’re being spared from.
16. ROAR not roam. ROAR is best. Roaming “lions” are usually secretive in their behavior so that the “gazelles” might be unaware of them and have no reason to “take off.”