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Nor'West News: October 16, 2025

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alana@alliedmedia.co.nz<br />

FOR LOCAL ADVERTISING<br />

Alana Powell<br />

Ph: 027 535 6583<br />

alana@alliedmedia.co.nz<br />

Native species<br />

get boost from<br />

FOR LOCAL ADVERTISING<br />

Annabel Judd<br />

Ph: 021 457 469<br />

annabel.judd@alliedmedia.co.nz<br />

harbour pest<br />

FOR LOCAL ADVERTISING<br />

Jenny Wright<br />

Ph: 021 220 3484<br />

jenny@alliedmedia.co.nz<br />

control project<br />

A successful pest control<br />

programme taking place<br />

around Whakaraupō Lyttelton<br />

Harbour The Star, has January removed 23, <strong>2025</strong> nearly<br />

4700 predators, thanks to a<br />

network of volunteers, support<br />

from landowners and city<br />

council funding.<br />

The Whaka Ora Pest Project<br />

(WOPP), run in partnership<br />

with Conservation Volunteers<br />

New The Zealand Star, January (CVNZ), 23, <strong>2025</strong> targets<br />

invasive predators such as possums,<br />

rats and stoats.<br />

It also tackles invasive weeds<br />

including spur valerian, old<br />

man’s beard, banana passionfruit,<br />

boneseed, wilding pines<br />

and sycamore.<br />

The The project’s Star, January overall 23, <strong>2025</strong> goal is to<br />

restore the harbour’s natural<br />

biodiversity while building a<br />

resilient, engaged community,<br />

said CVNZ Canterbury regional<br />

manager Hamish Fairbairn.<br />

With more than 90 trained<br />

volunteer trappers, a network of<br />

800 traps and 31 traplines, WOPP<br />

currently protects more than<br />

440ha of public and private land.<br />

Reducing pest numbers creates<br />

space for native populations to<br />

recover and thrive, Fairbairn<br />

said.<br />

“As pest numbers drop, we<br />

see increased nesting success in<br />

native birds, more sightings of<br />

invertebrates, and the regeneration<br />

of native vegetation.<br />

“In the harbour, people are seeing<br />

larger flocks for kererū, the<br />

return of tomtit miromiro and<br />

The success of the Whaka Ora Pest Project in targeting invasive species around Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour has created<br />

space for native species like kererū to recover and thrive.<br />

PHOTOS: CCC<br />

increased sightings<br />

of tūī.”<br />

WOPP covers<br />

council parks<br />

and reserves,<br />

Department of<br />

Conservation<br />

land, and private<br />

land, recognising<br />

that ecological<br />

threats can move<br />

freely across<br />

​Hamish<br />

Fairbairn<br />

property lines, Fairbairn said.<br />

“We rely on the commitment<br />

of our volunteers, and the funding<br />

we receive from council<br />

helps cover the costs of essential<br />

equipment like traps, bait and<br />

monitoring tools as well as training,<br />

co-ordination and safety<br />

support.”<br />

The city council has two funds<br />

to support community environmental<br />

initiatives like WOPP,<br />

both now open for applications.<br />

The biodiversity fund is<br />

aimed at landowners wanting<br />

to protect and enhance areas<br />

of ecological significance on<br />

private land within council<br />

boundaries.<br />

Parks programmes and partnerships<br />

manager Roslyn Kerr<br />

said this could be through<br />

initiatives like fencing, native<br />

planting or pest control.<br />

“Working in partnership starnews.co.nz with<br />

private landowners, we can<br />

achieve outcomes that benefit<br />

the whole city.”<br />

The city council also offers<br />

the environmental partnerships<br />

fund, Kerr said.<br />

“This is targeted at community<br />

organisations, charities starnews.co.nz and<br />

non-profit groups looking to<br />

partner with our parks rangers<br />

on projects of shared interest to<br />

the community and the city as a<br />

whole.”<br />

WOPP has received a combined<br />

$70,000 in city council funding<br />

from both the biodiversity starnews.co.nz and<br />

environmental partnership funds.<br />

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The Star, <strong>October</strong> <strong>16</strong>, <strong>2025</strong><br />

starnews.co.nz<br />

Rehoming requests soar as financial<br />

​BY GEOFF SLOAN<br />

The rising cost of living is<br />

forcing some pet owners to give<br />

up animals they can no longer<br />

afford to care for.<br />

One animal rescue charity,<br />

already at full capacity, recently<br />

received five rehoming requests<br />

in a single day.<br />

Dogwatch Sanctuary Trust<br />

general manager Bridget Paterson<br />

said there has been a steady<br />

increase in the number of<br />

requests to surrender dogs.<br />

“On average, at least one a<br />

day,” she said.<br />

Many of the reasons people<br />

gave were linked to financial<br />

hardship.<br />

“We had some dogs who<br />

required medical treatment<br />

which owners couldn’t afford,<br />

elderly people moving into care<br />

where they can’t take their dog<br />

or elderly passing away and<br />

family not wanting to care for<br />

their dog.<br />

“Also, people moving rentals<br />

and unable to keep their dogs<br />

or people who rescue a dog in a<br />

poor situation but cannot keep<br />

it themselves,” Paterson said.<br />

One such person was Papanui<br />

resident Dana Bennett, who was<br />

driving home when she spotted<br />

a man walking down the street<br />

pushing a shopping trolley with<br />

four chihuahuas in a dog crate.<br />

“I had to stop. I felt it wasn’t<br />

right,” she said.<br />

When she pulled over to talk<br />

to him, the man told her he was<br />

Dogwatch Sanctuary Trust general manager Bridget Paterson with Snow, an eight-month-old shar pei–bull terrier cross currently<br />

available for adoption.<br />

homeless and had been given<br />

the dogs by his niece to look<br />

after, but she never came back<br />

for them.<br />

“I offered to take them and<br />

let them run around in my back<br />

yard.”<br />

A few days later, the man<br />

visited Bennett at home and said<br />

he was happy to leave the dogs<br />

with her, as he couldn’t give<br />

them the life they deserved.<br />

“We want to do more,<br />

save more dogs, offer<br />

more education, more<br />

support, more desexing<br />

to prevent unwanted<br />

litters and more<br />

vaccinations to prevent<br />

the spread of lifethreatening<br />

diseases.”<br />

Bridget Paterson<br />

“He said I’d given them more<br />

in four days than he had in six<br />

months."<br />

Bennett surrendered the<br />

chihuahuas to Dogwatch, but<br />

with no space available, she<br />

agreed to foster them until<br />

homes could be found.<br />

One found a home straight<br />

away, and Bennett decided to<br />

adopt one herself.<br />

Paterson said the trust’s Dyers<br />

Rd site is always at its 14-dog<br />

capacity.<br />

The organisation also has<br />

13 dogs in foster care and 18<br />

recently adopted dogs currently<br />

settling into new homes, with<br />

support and guidance to help<br />

both owners and pets adjust.<br />

She said it was not<br />

uncommon to hear stories of<br />

people facing hardship who still<br />

put their dogs’ needs before<br />

their own.<br />

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starnews.co.nz The Star, <strong>October</strong> <strong>16</strong>, <strong>2025</strong><br />

hardship takes its toll<br />

Dogwatch offers food<br />

assistance for dog owners, but<br />

demand for that service has also<br />

increased this year.<br />

The trust adopts out about<br />

100 dogs each year, but rising<br />

demand means “it’s looking<br />

more like 120 dogs this year,”<br />

Paterson said.<br />

Data from Companion Animals<br />

NZ shows New Zealand<br />

has about 4.35m companion<br />

animals – proportionately the<br />

second-highest rate in the world<br />

after the United States.<br />

About two-thirds of New<br />

Zealand households share their<br />

home with a pet (63%), with<br />

cats the most popular at 40% of<br />

households, followed by dogs at<br />

31%.<br />

Dogwatch is now in its 43rd<br />

year of operation.<br />

“It all started with a group of<br />

ladies protesting outside local<br />

pounds, objecting to the number<br />

of unclaimed dogs being<br />

euthanised,” Paterson said.<br />

The group persuaded local<br />

pounds to allow them to set up<br />

fostering networks to care for<br />

animals until permanent homes<br />

could be found.<br />

“Back in those days, dogs were<br />

held in a pound for five days<br />

and if not claimed they were<br />

euthanised. That practice has<br />

significantly changed now.”<br />

Dogwatch does not receive<br />

any council or government<br />

funding and relies heavily on<br />

grants and public support.<br />

The registered charity has<br />

Dana Bennett with five-year-old chihuahua-crosses Mama and Ghosty, which she<br />

rescued from a homeless man late last month. Both dogs are available for adoption<br />

and have attracted strong interest.<br />

PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN<br />

about 130 volunteers and 13<br />

part-time staff at its Dyers Rd<br />

headquarters, plus three parttime<br />

staff at its variety shop in<br />

New Brighton, which provides<br />

some regular income.<br />

Paterson said their goal is<br />

simple – to save more dogs.<br />

“We want to do more,<br />

save more dogs, offer more<br />

education, more support, more<br />

desexing to prevent unwanted<br />

litters and more vaccinations<br />

to prevent the spread of lifethreatening<br />

diseases.”<br />

She said the ultimate goal is<br />

to have every dog in a loving<br />

home.<br />

“So effectively, we won’t need<br />

to exist.”<br />

‘Huge win for city’ as<br />

national events secured<br />

With the doors of New Zealand’s<br />

largest indoor sport and<br />

recreation venue set to open<br />

before the end of the year, the<br />

2026 calendar is already filling up<br />

with national competitions and<br />

events.<br />

Swimming New Zealand and<br />

Basketball New Zealand have<br />

signed on with the city council<br />

to make use of the brand-new<br />

spaces at Parakiore Recreation<br />

and Sport Centre.<br />

City council head of recreation,<br />

sport and events Nigel Cox said<br />

bringing the events to Christchurch<br />

and Parakiore is “a huge<br />

win for the city”.<br />

“Having these exciting events<br />

in our own backyard is not only<br />

a boost to our local athletes and<br />

sports fans but will also have positive<br />

impacts for the whole city.”<br />

Swimming NZ will hold its 2026<br />

short course championships at<br />

Parakiore from September 27 to<br />

<strong>October</strong> 1.<br />

“Our swimming community<br />

can’t wait to be competing at<br />

Parakiore in the brand-new<br />

facility,” said Swimming NZ head<br />

of participation, competitions<br />

and engagement Dale Johnson.<br />

Swimming NZ estimates about<br />

1350 athletes, coaches and supporters<br />

will travel to the city for<br />

the event, with 150 local athletes<br />

also set to compete.<br />

Basketball New Zealand is<br />

also bringing the Foot Locker<br />

U<strong>16</strong> national championships to<br />

Christchurch in July.<br />

Swimming NZ estimates about 1350<br />

athletes, coaches and supporters will<br />

travel to Christchurch for the 2026<br />

national short course championships, to<br />

be held at Parakiore.<br />

“For many of these young<br />

athletes, it will be their first experience<br />

competing on a stage of<br />

this scale, and we know it’ll be<br />

a memorable one,” said Basketball<br />

NZ tournaments lead Jay<br />

Macdonald.<br />

More than 400 competitors and<br />

2000 spectators are expected to<br />

attend the four-day event.<br />

The city council is also working<br />

with other sporting organisations<br />

to secure hosting rights for further<br />

events.<br />

“We’re aiming to secure<br />

around 12 national or international<br />

events and 15-20 regional<br />

events each year for Parakiore,”<br />

Cox said.<br />

Parakiore will open to the<br />

public before the end of the year,<br />

once the operational fit-out, load<br />

testing and site-specific staff<br />

training has taken place.<br />

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The Star, <strong>October</strong> <strong>16</strong>, <strong>2025</strong><br />

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Telling Stories:<br />

Narrative That Matters in Marketing<br />

I recently came upon a work by Morgan<br />

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following: “I’ve noticed we live in a world<br />

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and need complicated things distilled into<br />

easy-to-grasp scenes.” And I agree. Housel<br />

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best story wins.”<br />

People don’t want a lecture; they want a story. So<br />

much so that sometimes the story has become more<br />

important than its accuracy or context. There are so<br />

many conclusions I could draw from this, but the one<br />

I’ll stick with is considering the marketing or stories that<br />

provide a platform for real estate sales. I was told early<br />

in my career that people respond to the ‘sizzle not the<br />

steak’ and although it sounds old-fashioned, the best<br />

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There’s an art to storytelling and it’s easy to understand<br />

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History has provided some outstanding storytellers;<br />

men and women who, through strength of personality,<br />

great timing and magnetic voices or extraordinary<br />

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and – for the sake of our story – purchase.<br />

I love a great story and have the beautiful fortune of<br />

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I also belong to a profession where stories – good, bad,<br />

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It can be hard to find marketing, however, which hits<br />

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One of the keys to getting the balance of narrative and<br />

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These items needn’t be minimised by realtors. To a<br />

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Emotions move people: the right stories reach out<br />

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In this case you will truly know that it's the best story that<br />

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And with that I’ll end my own story and wish you well as<br />

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starnews.co.nz The Star, <strong>October</strong> <strong>16</strong>, <strong>2025</strong><br />

The Way<br />

We Were<br />

Jumpy contestants in 1971, including Stephen Woods<br />

with winning frog Hercules (right, below right).<br />

Below – National Wigram candidate David Cox proved he was<br />

no blowhard when he won the competition in 1972.<br />

1971 – FROG JUMPING CHAMPS<br />

It was an un-frog-gettable<br />

opportunity. New Zealand’s<br />

first national frog jumping<br />

competition leapt into action<br />

at Bishopdale Mall on <strong>October</strong><br />

20, 1971.<br />

Contestants scoured rivers<br />

and marshes in the lead-up in<br />

search of frogs.<br />

The competition ran for<br />

seven days, with a testing<br />

and weigh-in station set up at<br />

Bishopdale Pharmacy.<br />

An estimated 10,000 frogs<br />

were expected to take part,<br />

contest secretary-organiser<br />

Mr D. Grady told The Press.<br />

“I expect at least 500<br />

entrants on the first day and<br />

I expect the number to rise<br />

at each of the 10 jumping<br />

sessions over the next seven<br />

shopping days,” he said.<br />

Frogs from other parts of<br />

the country, including 25<br />

from the West Coast, arrived<br />

after preliminary rounds<br />

conducted by Lions clubs<br />

in regional towns.<br />

Rodney Prescott’s frog, Mr<br />

Muldoon, made the biggest<br />

leap on day one – 6ft (1.8m).<br />

But the competition was won<br />

by Stephen Woods, aged 9,<br />

with his frog, Hercules.<br />

Hercules leapt 7ft 41/2in (2.2m)<br />

to pick up $700 in prizes and<br />

cash – and the right to fly on<br />

a specially moisturised velvet<br />

cushion on a BOAC V10 to the<br />

United States.<br />

The following May, Hercules<br />

was cleared to participate<br />

in the world frog jumping<br />

championships in California.<br />

He was thought to be the first<br />

NZ frog to leave the country<br />

for such a competition.<br />

However, Hercules would<br />

not be allowed to return<br />

home because of Department<br />

of Agriculture regulations;<br />

he would be adopted by an<br />

American boy.<br />

The national competition<br />

was held again in 1972.<br />

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The Star, <strong>October</strong> <strong>16</strong>, <strong>2025</strong><br />

starnews.co.nz<br />

Fresh ideas, full flavours<br />

Fresh focaccia, a zesty dip and<br />

bright pea salad makes a vibrant<br />

spring lunch, writes Nigel Slater<br />

HERB FOCACCIA WITH GREEN<br />

OLIVE, BURNT LEMON AND<br />

THYME DIP<br />

If you happen to have a<br />

jar of sourdough starter in<br />

the fridge, add a couple of<br />

tablespoons when you add the<br />

yeast. Grilling the lemon gives<br />

the juice a more mellow, lightly<br />

toasted flavour.<br />

Ingredients<br />

Serves 2-4<br />

For the focaccia<br />

400ml warm water<br />

2 tsp easy-baked dried yeast<br />

1 tsp sea salt<br />

1 tsp caster sugar<br />

500g strong white bread flour<br />

6 Tbsp olive oil<br />

1 Tbsp thyme leaves<br />

sea salt flakes<br />

You will also need a high-sided<br />

baking tin, about 24x24cm<br />

For the dip<br />

1 large lemon<br />

250g stoned green olives<br />

1 Tbsp thyme leaves<br />

6 Tbsp olive oil<br />

​<br />

Method<br />

• Put the water and yeast into<br />

a large mixing bowl and add the<br />

salt and sugar. If you are adding<br />

sourdough starter, do so now.<br />

• Mix in the flour by hand or<br />

with a spatula. Add 2 Tbsp of<br />

the olive oil and mix into the<br />

dough. Cover the bowl with<br />

a tea towel and refrigerate<br />

overnight (I like to give the<br />

dough a good eight hours).<br />

• Next day, when the dough<br />

has risen to about twice its<br />

original size, chop the thyme<br />

leaves and add them into the<br />

dough along with another<br />

2Tbsp of the oil.<br />

• Lightly oil the baking tin<br />

and turn the dough out into<br />

it. Push the dough to fit the tin<br />

with your fist, gently pushing it<br />

almost into the corners.<br />

• Wrap the tin in a cloth and<br />

place in a warm spot for about<br />

an hour until it has risen to<br />

twice its size. Set the oven to<br />

220degC. When the oven is<br />

ready, push 12 or so hollows<br />

into the dough with your finger,<br />

scatter the surface with sea salt<br />

and bake for 30 minutes until<br />

golden. Remove from the oven<br />

and pour the remaining oil<br />

over.<br />

• For the dip: Get a small<br />

griddle pan hot. Cut the lemon<br />

in half and place cut side down<br />

on the griddle. Leave until the<br />

underside is toasted, even a<br />

little blackened, then remove<br />

and squeeze the juice.<br />

• Put the olives in a food<br />

processor with the thyme<br />

leaves, and process until finely<br />

chopped.<br />

• Pour in the olive oil then,<br />

finally, 4 Tbsp of lemon juice.<br />

Check the seasoning — you may<br />

need a little black pepper. Serve<br />

with the warm focaccia.<br />

PEA SALAD WITH RICOTTA<br />

AND LEMON<br />

A soft, sharp and creamy salad<br />

with the crunch of peas and<br />

crisp, raw radishes.<br />

Ingredients<br />

Serves 3 as a light salad<br />

For the ricotta<br />

2 cloves young garlic<br />

250g ricotta<br />

4 Tbsp natural yoghurt<br />

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest<br />

For the salad<br />

200g peas, podded weight<br />

2 handfuls (about 150g) peas in<br />

their pod (or mangetout)<br />

2 Tbsp olive oil<br />

2 large handfuls pea shoots<br />

2 Tbsp pine kernels<br />

6 radishes, halved<br />

For the mint oil<br />

12-15 mint leaves<br />

75ml olive oil<br />

Method<br />

• Peel the garlic and crush to a<br />

paste with a tiny pinch of salt. I<br />

use a small pestle and mortar for<br />

this, but the flat blade of a knife<br />

or the back of a spoon will do.<br />

• Mix together the ricotta and<br />

yoghurt to give a loose paste,<br />

then stir in the garlic and the<br />

finely grated lemon zest. Add<br />

a little coarsely ground black<br />

pepper.<br />

• Have a bowl of iced water to<br />

hand. Bring a deep pan of water<br />

to the boil, salt it lightly, add<br />

both lots of peas and cook for 3-4<br />

minutes, then drain and plunge<br />

into iced water. This stops them<br />

cooking and keeps their colour<br />

bright.<br />

• Drain and shake them dry<br />

(you could use a salad spinner).<br />

Toss the peas in the olive oil.<br />

• In a dry pan, toast the pine<br />

kernels until pale gold in colour.<br />

Keep them moving round the<br />

pan so they colour evenly, and<br />

keep an eye on them, as they are<br />

easy to burn.<br />

• Blitz the mint leaves and<br />

olive oil in a food processor or<br />

blender, adjusting to a pouring<br />

consistency with a little water.<br />

Season lightly with salt.<br />

• Put the ricotta dip on a<br />

serving dish, add the peas, pea<br />

shoots and radishes. Scatter with<br />

the toasted pine kernels and<br />

trickle the mint oil over.<br />

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starnews.co.nz The Star, <strong>October</strong> <strong>16</strong>, <strong>2025</strong><br />

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The Star, <strong>October</strong> <strong>16</strong>, <strong>2025</strong><br />

starnews.co.nz<br />

CROSSWORD<br />

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8<br />

9<br />

10 11<br />

12 13<br />

14 15 <strong>16</strong> 17 18<br />

19 20 21<br />

422<br />

SUDOKU<br />

Every row, column and box should<br />

contain the digits 1 to 9.<br />

WordBuilder<br />

WORDBUILDER<br />

T<br />

H W<br />

O Y R<br />

6<br />

322 322<br />

O Y R<br />

words of three or more letters,<br />

How<br />

including<br />

many<br />

plurals,<br />

words<br />

can you<br />

of<br />

make<br />

three<br />

from<br />

or<br />

the<br />

more<br />

six<br />

letters, using each letter only once? No foreign<br />

How words or beginning with a capital are<br />

from many the words six letters, of three using or more each letters, only<br />

allowed. There's at least one six-letter word.<br />

including once? plurals, can you make from the six<br />

TODAY<br />

letters,<br />

No Good words<br />

using 14 each<br />

beginning Very letter Good only 17 with<br />

once? Excellent a capital<br />

No 20 foreign<br />

are<br />

words<br />

allowed. Solution or words 321: There’s desk, beginning desks, at die, with<br />

least dies, a dike, capital<br />

one dikes, are<br />

allowed. six-letter<br />

disk, disks, There's diss, ides, at least ids, kid, one kids, six-letter kiss, KISSED, word. side,<br />

word. sides, sis, ski, skid, skids, TODAY skied, skies, skis.<br />

Good 14 Very Good 17 Excellent 20<br />

letters, including plurals, can you make<br />

Solution 321: desk, desks, die, dies, dike, dikes,<br />

disk, disks, diss, ides, ids, kid, kids, kiss, KISSED, side,<br />

sides, sis, ski, skid, skids, skied, skies, skis.<br />

22 23 24 25 26<br />

27 28<br />

29<br />

Across<br />

1. Anything advantageous used during<br />

negotiations (10,4)<br />

10. Additional (5)<br />

11. Too early (9)<br />

12. Person in charge of a museum (7)<br />

13. Nonsense (7)<br />

14. Evidence (5)<br />

<strong>16</strong>. Uncomfortable (3,2,4)<br />

19. Lowest female singing voice (9)<br />

20. Donate funds (5)<br />

22. Relating to water (7)<br />

25. Morally correct (7)<br />

27. “__ is the sincerest form of<br />

flattery”: Oscar Wilde (9)<br />

28. Elk (5)<br />

29. Mischief, underhand behaviour<br />

(6,8)<br />

Decoder<br />

Down<br />

2. Post meridiem (9)<br />

3. Hard work (colloq) (5)<br />

4. Unbiased (9)<br />

5. Incompetent (5)<br />

6. Warranty (9)<br />

7. Dog (5)<br />

8. Go before (7)<br />

9. Distinctive mushroom (3,3)<br />

15. Top class (5-4)<br />

17. Unfinished business (5,4)<br />

18. Daring (9)<br />

19. Skull (7)<br />

21. Money holder (6)<br />

23. Employees’ organisation (5)<br />

24. Ascend (5)<br />

26. Homo sapien (5)<br />

Crossword<br />

Across: 1. Bargaining chip, 10. Extra, 11. Premature, 12. Curator, 13.<br />

Twaddle, 14. Proof, <strong>16</strong>. Ill at ease, 19. Contralto, 20. Endow, 22. Aquatic,<br />

25. Ethical, 27. Imitation, 28. Moose, 29. Monkey business.<br />

Down: 2. Afternoon, 3. Graft, 4. Impartial, 5. Inept, 6. Guarantee, 7. Hound,<br />

8. Precede, 9. Red cap, 15. First-rate, 17. Loose ends, 18. Audacious, 19.<br />

Cranium, 21. Wallet, 23. Union, 24. Climb, 26. Human.<br />

WordBuilder<br />

Hot, how, hoy, rho, rot, row, throw, thy, tor, tow, toy, trow, troy, try, two, tyro,<br />

who, why, wort, worth, WORTHY, wot, wroth, wry.<br />

DECODER<br />

Each number represents a different letter of the alphabet. Write the<br />

given letters into all squares with matching numbers. Now work out<br />

which letters are represented by the other numbers.<br />

All puzzles copyright<br />

T H E P U Z Z L E C O M P A N Y<br />

www.thepuzzlecompany.co.nz<br />

Sudoku

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