Star index.

Star 2003 Crossword Puzzles

Puzzle 20

Across

1) Seaman, German
4) Temper, torpor
7) Garnish, varnish
9) Cloud, flood
10) Glow, flow??
14) Meekly, feebly?
15) Pallid, sallow
18) Thud, thug
21) Tuner, tenor
22) Putting, potting
23) Hasten, hustle?
24) Horror, sorrow

Down

2) Elate, exult, evade??
3) Minds, mania
5) Properly, promptly
6) Rodeo, radio
8) Hull, helm, hold
11) Wear, wrap
12) Feelings, dealings
13) Flat, plot
16) Dump, pump
17) Match, pitch??
19) Deter, alter??
20) Banjo, bingo, bongo, tango

Comments

I had originally considered and rejected "tango". On further reflection I do accept it as valid (if reluctantly!). So how did I do? 13 first choice, 10 second choice, 1 miss. Must do better!

Puzzle 21

Across

1) Rascal, madcap
4) Blocks, places
7) Rounded, pointed
9) Farce, curse?
10) Jars, cans??
14) Stored, cooled, frozen??
15) Safari, Sahara
18) Leak, lean
21) Again, apart
22) Singing, staging
23) Method, motive
24) Stress, duress

Down

2) Adopt, avoid
3) Candy, canes?
5) Carnival, carousal?
6) Sheer, steep?
8) Draw, drag
11) Soar, stay
12) Contract, covenant
13) Deal, heal
16) Gaps, ways
17) Claim, alarm?
19) Tiger, anger
20) Bonds, funds, banks?

Comments

I had not considered "madcap". I don't particularly like it, but the dictionary definition is consistent with the clue. Maybe I'm just grouchy because I got it wrong! 14 across (frozen) I'm disappointed with the compiler. While it is technically possible to freeze food in a refrgerator, that is not how it is normally used. Food is cooled to and stored at a few degrees above freezing point. It is also normally possible to make ice cubes. If you want to freeze food you use a freezer (or the freezer half of a fridge/freezer). So how did I do? 13 first choice, 9 second choice, 1 third choice 1 miss. Marginally worse than last time!

Puzzle 22

Across

1) Scandal, slander
7) Lose, late???
8) Asking, airing??
9) Hat, hut?
10) Dead, drab, drag
13) Petty, testy???
16) Sons, boys
17) Are, lie
20) Change, charge??
21) Coin, corn
22) Treated, cheated??

Down

1) Secluded, shielded, shrouded
2) Arsenal, admiral
3) Delay, dread
4) Flight, plight
5) Need, seek, heed?
6) Utility, ability??
11) Replace, release?
12) Disowned, deserted?, despised?, disliked?
14) Comfort
15) Decent, recent
18) Sense, peace
19) Jack, deck, pack

Comments

"Drag" is acceptable, though slang usage, as in "It's a drag" (meaning "It's boring"). I had briefly considered the word and totally overlooked this possible meaning! So how did I do? 16 first choice, 6 second choice, 1 miss. A bit better.

Puzzle 23

Across

1) Cracks, traces, tracks??
4) Trader, lender
7) Furrows, burrows??
9) Voted, rated
10) Calm, warm
14) Nearly, really?
15) Unread, unseen, unsent
18) Plot, ploy
21) Dream, dread
22) Loading, landing
23) Desire, design, device?
24) Queasy, uneasy?

Down

2) Round, rough
3) Cards, carol??, carve???
5) Deterred, detected, detained???
6) Radio, radar
8) Sway, stay?
11) Mint, mine
12) Baseless, careless
13) Slip, flop?
16) Soil, coal???
17) Faded, ended
19) Hedge, fudge, dodge
20) Banks, bonds?? bonus

Comments

In my personal opinion, for "bonus" to be an acceptable answer the question should have read "20D One may associate a ( B?N?S ) with obtaining money". i.e. with an "a" inserted before the target word. However, this could just be sour grapes on my part because I got it wrong! So how did I do? 15 first choice, 7 second choice, 1 third choice, 1 miss (again!). Getting worse....

Puzzle 24

Across

1) Shelter, sweater
7) Pool, pail
8) Excuse, endure
9) Act
10) Gain, grip
13) Mines, wines
16) Seen, been??
17) Lot, bit??? pot??? set???
20) Reaper, reaver
21) Link, lock
22) Cutlery, pottery??

Down

1) Struggle, straggle?
2) Exhibit, explain
3) Taken, tried
4) Appeal, spread
5) Blow, flop?
6) Bouncer, bruiser??
11) Violate, vitiate? viciate??
12) Gingerly, tenderly??
14) Require, receive?
15) Stroke, strike
18) Treat, trust
19) Sale, talk, gala, ball, walk?? (A really tricky one!)

Comments

So how did I do? 16 first choice, 6 second choice, 1 third choice. Reasonable - at lest I didn't have any complete misses!

Puzzle 25

Across

1) Prison, grisly
4) Shirks, scorns, spurns?
7) Muscles, punches
9) Tepee, rupee
10) Goal, foul
14) Bitter, rotten?? hatred???
15) Modest, honest?
18) Deal
21) Pains, pride?
22) Evasive, elusive??
23) Legacy, legend?
24) Openly, freely

Down

2) Rough, round
3) Socks, sacks
5) Repelled, repulsed
6) Spend, sleep
8) Snow, smog?
11) Lion, look??
12) Sterling, stirring, stunning, striking
13) Send, lead
16) Maze, haze, daze?
17) Repel, expel
19) Waste, haste??
20) Naval

Comments

On 9A I fixated on the wrong sort of Indian. My error. For 14A I still think the way the question was worded calls for an answer that is a adjective and not a noun. (So what's changed with this competition!) So how did I do? 14 first choice, 6 second choice, 3 third choices and one miss. Not the storming finish I'd hoped for but at least I was always better that half first choice correct.

Star index.