Monthly Prize Puzzle (May 2021)
A Puzzle by Prolixic
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Why not have a go at our latest Monthly Prize Puzzle?
The winner will receive their choice of any of the Telegraph Crossword Books.
Please note that, due to punitive postal charges, while the competition is open to all, the prize is only available to UK solvers.
A review will follow after the closing date (15th May 2021).
The competition is now closed
The puzzle is available by clicking on the above grid.
Please read the instructions carefully.
I’ve left this post open for comments, but if you don’t want your comment to be deleted then do not provide any help for other solvers or mention any detail about the puzzle, especially references to individual clues, until after the closing date.
Started off at a great rate in the NW but it was all uphill from there. Really struggled in the SE but eventually it all came together and then, I hope, managed to sort out the answer.
Certainly a challenge and good fun as ever.
Thanks Prolixic.
A similar experience to KiwiColin, except I haven’t cracked the code yet. I have observed a promising theme so will return to the grid later to see if the answer leaps out at me! Thank you, Prolixic, for an enjoyable challenge, with some favourite clues I will mention after the review. And you have introduced me to three new words which required dictionary confirmations, which is about par for one of your puzzles!
Stuck on just two (12a and 27a), assuming the rest of it is correct, which is probably unlikely as I found this to be right at my limit. Some great clues, so I don’t resent the time it took me, which was in **** territory. ***** for enjoyment, nevertheless.
I think I’ve found the answer but the Returning officer has just informed me that a recount may be necessary.
Thanks to Prolixic.
Thanks to Prolixic for the puzzle but not for the riddle. At least I have got two weeks to stare at it and hoping that answer will leap off the page!
I too am waiting for the result to come clear….
A long bike ride must have blown the cobwebs away, I think I may have a plausible answer now. I failed to get my name into Mrs BD’s hat last month, so fingers crossed this time! Answer on it’s way shortly… :mail:
I’m not going out on a bike in the rain.
Very wise, I wouldn’t risk that either. Fortunately the rain didn’t arrive in Kent until this evening, also we managed to harvest a decent crop of wild garlic leaves en route. Hope you have a better day tomorrow!
Just as well you were on a bike ride, Spartacus. I collected a full bag of wild garlic leaves from a friend’s garden a couple of years ago and put said bag in the passenger foot-well for the drive home – only a 10 minute journey. Over a week later, the smell of garlic was still overpowering every time I opened the car door!
I’ve now got the grid filled but haven’t got the faintest idea as far as the vote is concerned. Think I’ll sleep on it and hope the relevant pennies drop tomorrow.
Thanks for the challenge, Prolixic.
My experience mirrors Jane’s, and sleeping on it caused the voting penny to drop as soon as I awoke. All Prolixic’s usual deviousness was on show here, with the SE corner proving particularly challenging. 1d was my favourite, and as for the surface of 32a …
Many thanks to Prolixic and in advance to the various scrutineers and returning officers involved.
P.S. The pdf file has a different MPP number at the top of the page.
Your sleep obviously did you more good than mine did. At the moment, the result of the vote here is Prolixic 1 – Jane 0.
I think I’ve now got the gist of the riddle but suspect that the main thrust is still escaping me. Maybe I’ll have to ‘pass’ on this occasion!
We have completed the grid – hopefully correctly – but so far I haven’t the faintest idea of the right answer to the question. Mr Ton thinks he has two possible solutions but I don’t believe either are correct! So the dispute continues …… Many thanks for the puzzle and struggle Prolixic. No solution on the way as yet.
That was quite tough and the grid is now filled.
I think I got the gist of the riddle but can’t find an answer.
I’ll give myself a few more days before sending something.
Thanks to Prolixic.
I think it has all come clear to me…time will tell.
Great puzzle as always from Prolixic
Got in just before the closing date. A nice puzzle and a couple of challenging clues where it took ages to work out the parsing. Riddle solved after a good bit of thought. Favourite clue was 32a for the visual imagery and 19d for its similar association. Thanks, Prolixic.
Was engaged with the puzzle on the 2nd, but had reserved the last day for solving the riddle part. Today, I just stared at the filled grid for some time and think I may have hit on the solution if it were to be prophetic. My wait for the review is not going to be a long one though. Clues that I liked were 10a, 12a, 17a, 33a and 20d, but my favourite was 32a. Thanks to Prolixic for the entertainment.