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Nor'West News: February 26, 2026

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Libraries’ historic<br />

lending collection<br />

finds permanent<br />

home at gallery<br />

FOR LOCAL ADVERTISING<br />

Annabel Judd<br />

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Christchurch City Libraries’<br />

historic art lending collection<br />

has come full circle, with<br />

its remaining works now<br />

transferred to the Christchurch<br />

Art Gallery’s collection.<br />

The lending service was<br />

established in 1953 by then City<br />

Librarian The Star, R.N. January O’Reilly, 23, 2025 with<br />

a series of reproductions and<br />

original New Zealand art works<br />

from the 1950s through to the<br />

1990s.<br />

Two years later, in 1955, the<br />

city council approved an expansion<br />

to include works by local<br />

artists. The Star, At that January stage, 23, 2025 80 prints<br />

were in circulation, each purchased<br />

for no more than 19<br />

guineas.<br />

“The collection grew over<br />

the years to 297 items and was<br />

a who’s who of New Zealand<br />

artists at the time,” said city<br />

council The Star, head January of libraries 23, 2025and<br />

information Erica Rankin.<br />

“Some pieces went missing<br />

over time, and even though lists<br />

of missing works were sent to<br />

art dealers, none of the pieces<br />

have ever been returned.”<br />

Library members could borrow<br />

paintings for a month at a<br />

time, renewing them for up to<br />

six months.<br />

However, more valuable<br />

originals by Rita Angus, Colin<br />

McCahon, Bill Sutton and Toss<br />

Woollaston were withdrawn<br />

from lending during the 1970s<br />

and 1980s.<br />

“The library stopped purchasing<br />

in March 1981 when an<br />

inflationary art market made it<br />

impossible to fund, and storage<br />

space was required for Central<br />

Library renovations,” Rankin<br />

said.<br />

“Some pieces stayed on display<br />

at the Central Library, but<br />

many were housed at the Robert<br />

McDougall Art Gallery.”<br />

starnews.co.nz<br />

The recently transferred Buck Nin painting Green Valley is on display at the Christchurch Art Gallery in the Living Archives exhibition.<br />

PHOTO: CCC<br />

starnews.co.nz<br />

The print collection was sold gallery, with the remaining inclusion in a new exhibition,<br />

in June 1995. In 2001, 115 paintings<br />

works sold at auction.<br />

alongside Patrick Mulcahy’s<br />

were formally gifted to the One of the latest transfers, Fish mobile.<br />

Christchurch Art Gallery, with Buck Nin’s Green Valley, is currently<br />

“While Christchurch City<br />

a further 45 transferred in the<br />

on show in the gallery’s Libraries may no longer lend<br />

years since.<br />

Living Archives exhibition. artworks, the celebration of art<br />

Now formally decommissioned,<br />

Next year, further works and culture, and its availability<br />

about 60% of the<br />

by Buster Black and Alfreda for public enjoyment starnews.co.nz continues<br />

collection has moved to the Simmonds will be restored for in our libraries,” Rankin said.<br />

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The Star, <strong>February</strong> <strong>26</strong>, 20<strong>26</strong><br />

starnews.co.nz<br />

A Minor obsession becomes a<br />

BY JOHN COSGROVE<br />

Anita van der Velden believes<br />

when you start giving your<br />

cars personalised names, they<br />

become a part of your family<br />

forever.<br />

“Our first was Monty, a 1952<br />

Morris Minor four door sedan<br />

that bought from one careful<br />

lady owner who had it hidden<br />

in her garage for over 10 years<br />

in Halswell,” she said.<br />

“He’s my husband Brian’s<br />

car and he’s powered by a<br />

side valve 918cc four cylinder<br />

engine.<br />

“Next came Shrek, a 1952 two<br />

door saloon with a larger 948cc<br />

four cylinder motor that Brian<br />

had bought literally from a couple<br />

of houses down the road in<br />

Rangiora.<br />

“It’s his car and he drives him<br />

everywhere. He was a project<br />

car painted bright green.<br />

“We pushed him home and<br />

got him going again, and he’s<br />

still painted in the V Drink<br />

green, making him very visible<br />

everywhere you go.’’<br />

Anita’s pride and joy is<br />

Audrey, a 1959 Morris Minor<br />

1000 four door sedan.<br />

“I went for a drive with my<br />

friend Jane who has a convertible<br />

Morris Minor and she<br />

invited me as her navigator on<br />

a road trip to Rotorua for the<br />

Morris convention being held<br />

up there,” she said.<br />

“I went home and told Brian I<br />

was going on a road trip and he<br />

said ‘what about me?’<br />

Anita van der Velden with Audrey, a 1959 Morris Minor 1000 four door sedan. Audrey is Anita’s personal favourite of the<br />

Morris Minor fleet, but the arrival of George, a 1961 Morris 1100 van, was cause for celebration.<br />

PHOTOS: JOHN COSGROVE/ ANITA VAN DER VELDEN<br />

“I worked out that I had the<br />

funds, which I was saving up<br />

for a new kitchen – which I still<br />

haven’t got. We decided to buy<br />

another Morris Minor and use<br />

that to go up to the convention,<br />

then sell it when we got back. But<br />

we didn’t and now she’s mine.<br />

“(Brian) found Audrey in<br />

Oamaru and drove her home<br />

backfiring and carrying on<br />

all the way back. She needed<br />

a lot of work and so we spent<br />

the next five months to get her<br />

ready.”<br />

“We love these cars<br />

because they are so<br />

easy to work on. We<br />

work on them together,<br />

it’s our thing. He works<br />

on the engine, while I<br />

work on the interior. It<br />

works out very well for<br />

us as a couple.”<br />

Anita van der Velden<br />

“While I acted as navigator<br />

in Jane’s Morris Minor (called<br />

Myrtle) Brian and my son drove<br />

Audrey to Rotorua.<br />

“We did a fundraising project<br />

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starnews.co.nz The Star, <strong>February</strong> <strong>26</strong>, 20<strong>26</strong><br />

major family affair<br />

on the way there called ‘Audrey<br />

and Myrtle’s North Island Hurtle<br />

Fundraiser’, which was heaps of<br />

fun and we raised $5000 for the<br />

NZ Spinal Trust,” she said.<br />

The couple’s latest acquisition<br />

is George, a 1961 Morris 1100<br />

van.<br />

A former MED (Municipal<br />

Electricity Department)<br />

electrician’s van, George still<br />

carries the original paint<br />

colour. The hand-painted MED<br />

emblem is still visible under the<br />

overcoat.<br />

“We were later told that the<br />

most common thing to break on<br />

these vans was the axle because<br />

drivers overloaded them<br />

regularly,” Anita said.<br />

Asked why Morris Minors hold<br />

such appeal, Anita said Brian<br />

had loved them long before they<br />

met – which is why he bought<br />

Monty.<br />

“I love anything retro and love<br />

dressing up in period 60/70s<br />

costumes.<br />

“We love these cars because<br />

they are so easy to work on. We<br />

work on them together, it’s our<br />

thing. He works on the engine,<br />

while I work on the interior. It<br />

works out very well for us as a<br />

couple.”<br />

She said Morris Minors are a<br />

very nice car to drive and always<br />

put a smile on people’s faces.<br />

“Whenever we park up,<br />

people come around and chat<br />

about learning to drive in a<br />

Morris Minor or how it was<br />

their first car.<br />

“Everyone has a story to tell<br />

about driving Morris Minors.”<br />

Monty, Audrey and Shrek – three Morris Minors, each with their own personality and place in the van der Velden family story.<br />

Competition forces<br />

charity to close<br />

BY KEES CHALMERS<br />

Charities competing for funds<br />

and the economic situation has<br />

forced The Sumner Ferrymead<br />

Foundation to close.<br />

It has been helping community<br />

organisations for 32 years.<br />

The foundation is a charitable<br />

trust which supports clubs,<br />

schools, projects and emergency<br />

services from Heathcote<br />

to Taylors Mistake.<br />

Over the past four years the<br />

foundation has had to use its<br />

capital to maintain its annual<br />

grants due to a reducing<br />

amount of donors.<br />

Foundation chair Martin<br />

Hawes said the foundation’s<br />

capital has decreased rapidly<br />

because of competition among<br />

charities, and the economy. It<br />

would need $500,000 to survive.<br />

The loss of donorship coincided<br />

with a the foundation<br />

introducing tertiary scholarships<br />

about four years<br />

ago in addition to grants to<br />

organisations.<br />

“Although we’ve done a lot<br />

of good in the community, we<br />

think it’s time to wind it up,” he<br />

said.<br />

The closure of the foundation<br />

has been discussed by the board<br />

for the past three years.<br />

Despite the writing being on<br />

the wall for a number of years,<br />

Hawes said it was still difficult<br />

to pull the plug.<br />

“Organisations like this gives<br />

you a really good look into what<br />

is going on in the community<br />

and the amount of work some<br />

people are doing to keep clubs<br />

and groups going,” Hawes<br />

(above) said.<br />

“I think the foundation over the<br />

years has had a big role in helping<br />

organisations and families do<br />

stuff they maybe wouldn’t have<br />

been able to without us.”<br />

Before closing down, the foundation<br />

will be distributing the<br />

remainder of its capital, about<br />

$200,000.<br />

“We’ve got enough money to<br />

do that at the moment, but if we<br />

waited another couple of years<br />

we wouldn't have that money.<br />

We’re going to go out on a major<br />

granting round.”<br />

Hawes said the foundation’s<br />

absence may have an impact on<br />

organisations which have previously<br />

received grants.<br />

“I hope we can make significant<br />

donations in this final round<br />

that’ll leave them on strong<br />

footing,” he said.<br />

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The Star, <strong>February</strong> <strong>26</strong>, 20<strong>26</strong><br />

starnews.co.nz<br />

Students race<br />

tiny car against<br />

best in the world<br />

GEOFF SLOAN<br />

Two Villa Maria College<br />

students are set to race their<br />

miniature gas-powered car in<br />

Australia next month.<br />

Odette Knight and Ruby<br />

Flynn, both 17, will take their<br />

20cm long car to Melbourne<br />

for the STEM Racing Australian<br />

national final, formerly known<br />

as F1 in Schools, from March<br />

20-22.<br />

The year 13 students made<br />

the car using a computer-aided<br />

design, with help from their<br />

Endeavor Racing teammates,<br />

brothers Lachie and Fletcher<br />

Gillies, from Saint Kentigern<br />

College in Auckland. The car<br />

was built out of balsa wood and<br />

is powered by compressed gas.<br />

Odette, who is Endeavor<br />

Racing’s principal and design<br />

engineer, put the team together<br />

last month. The students<br />

managed every aspect of the<br />

project, including marketing,<br />

engineering, finance and<br />

sponsorship plans.<br />

“We have zoom meetings<br />

every Friday to make sure the<br />

team is doing everything that<br />

they've been assigned to do.<br />

And then we just chip away at<br />

our tasks throughout the week,”<br />

she said.<br />

The team will compete at<br />

the Australian national finals<br />

against 40 other entries,<br />

including current world<br />

champions, Team Lunar, from<br />

Melbourne.<br />

Odette said their goal is to<br />

qualify for the STEM world<br />

racing finals in Singapore in<br />

October.<br />

“It will be tough, but I think<br />

we're going to go great. We've<br />

got a good team, we've been<br />

working well towards it.”<br />

The Endeavor Racing team<br />

had help from the Canterbury<br />

University motorsport<br />

group, which designs and<br />

manufactures formula one-style<br />

race cars.<br />

Said Odette: “We're<br />

testing our model car in the<br />

university's wind tunnel next<br />

week to figure how much drag<br />

we want to induce or reduce.”<br />

She has previously attended<br />

a code club, where she learnt<br />

about robotics through<br />

hands-on projects.<br />

To enter the STEM racing<br />

national championships in<br />

Odette Knight (left) with a prototype of their race car and Ruby Flynn with the finished model.<br />

Auckland last year, Odette<br />

had to learn computer-aided<br />

design and collaborate on an<br />

engineering portfolio, which<br />

was required for each entry.<br />

Odette finished third at the<br />

national champs.<br />

“My aim was to take this<br />

knowledge, bring it back<br />

to Christchurch and get a<br />

development team going in the<br />

city,” she said.<br />

Ruby, Endeavor Racing's<br />

business and marketing<br />

manager, said they now need<br />

sponsorship to achieve their<br />

goal in Australia.<br />

“We need about $7000 for<br />

the project. We have<br />

approached a number of<br />

companies in Christchurch,<br />

just waiting to hear back.”<br />

Ruby said they take the race<br />

seriously, but still hope to have<br />

fun.<br />

“It just gives you a sense<br />

of being able to be creative.<br />

PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN<br />

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•To sponsor the Endeavor<br />

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Ruby Flynn, Odette Knight, Lachie Gillies, and Fletcher Gillies from Endeavor<br />

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The Star, <strong>February</strong> <strong>26</strong>, 20<strong>26</strong><br />

starnews.co.nz<br />

Classic car show returns to Wigram<br />

From Alfa Romeos to Austin Sevens,<br />

Lamborghinis to Leylands, and<br />

Maseratis to Morris Minors – plus<br />

plenty of unique and quirky machines<br />

– the South Island’s biggest classic car<br />

gathering returns on Saturday, March<br />

7, with the Avid Classic Brit & Euro<br />

Canterbury Car Show.<br />

Held in the grounds of the Air Force<br />

Museum of New Zealand in Wigram,<br />

the event draws on the suburb’s long<br />

and distinguished motor racing history,<br />

adding to the atmosphere as the best of<br />

British and European marques go on<br />

display.<br />

This year marks 70 years since Jaguar<br />

achieved its remarkable 1956 double,<br />

winning both the Le Mans 24 Hour<br />

race and the Monte Carlo Rally in the<br />

same year – a feat no other marque has<br />

matched since.<br />

To celebrate, the Jaguar club will<br />

present a special display featuring a<br />

replica Jaguar D-Type racing car and a<br />

Jaguar Mark VIIM, representing the two<br />

victorious models from that historic<br />

year.<br />

Canterbury’s premier family-friendly<br />

classic car show will showcase more<br />

than a century of motoring, with<br />

vehicles built for discerning owners,<br />

speed enthusiasts and families alike.<br />

Many of the meticulously maintained<br />

vehicles will come from nearly 100<br />

manufacturer clubs and brand<br />

collections — including Jaguar, VW, MG,<br />

Austin-Healey, Citroën and Ferrari —<br />

while others will be exhibited courtesy<br />

of private collectors. All have been<br />

lovingly restored and presented to a<br />

high concours d’elegance standard.<br />

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Organisers warmly invite all British<br />

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European vehicles expected from over<br />

70 car clubs, alongside entries from<br />

private owners, the show promises<br />

to be the largest classic car gathering<br />

assembled in the South Island.<br />

Wrap up summer’s<br />

best in a sandwich<br />

​Nigel Slater whips up a slow and easy<br />

focaccia for summer, and a dreamy<br />

vegan filling to complement it<br />

OLIVE AND ROSEMARY FOCACCIA<br />

If you have any sourdough starter<br />

knocking around, add a couple of tablespoons<br />

with the olive oil at the start.<br />

The bread will keep, wrapped in foil or<br />

kitchen film, for a day, after which time<br />

you could slice it in half horizontally and<br />

toast the cut sides, then place sliced tomatoes<br />

and basil oil on top.<br />

​<br />

Ingredients<br />

Serves 4<br />

400ml warm water<br />

2 tsp easy-bake dried yeast<br />

1 tsp sea salt<br />

1 tsp caster sugar<br />

500g strong white bread flour<br />

6 Tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra<br />

125g green or lemon-marinated olives,<br />

stoned<br />

1 Tbsp rosemary leaves<br />

Sea salt flakes to finish<br />

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

about 34cmx24cm.<br />

Method<br />

• Put the water and yeast into a large<br />

mixing bowl and add the salt and sugar.<br />

Mix in the flour either by hand or with a<br />

wooden spatula.<br />

• Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and<br />

mix loosely into the dough. Cover the<br />

bowl with a cloth and refrigerate overnight.<br />

(The dough will need a good eight<br />

hours.)<br />

• Next day, when the dough has risen<br />

somewhat (don’t expect it to be as high<br />

as if you had proved it in a warm place)<br />

halve the olives and chop the rosemary<br />

leaves and mix them into the dough along<br />

with another 2 tablespoons of the olive oil.<br />

• Lightly oil the baking tin and turn the<br />

dough out into the tin. Push the dough out<br />

to fit the tin with your fist, gently pushing<br />

it almost into the corners – it will swell<br />

during second proving – then wrap the tin<br />

in a cloth and place in a warm spot for a<br />

good hour, perhaps two, until it has risen<br />

to twice its size.<br />

• Set the oven at 220degC. When the<br />

oven is ready, use a floured finger to push<br />

several hollows into the dough, then scatter<br />

the surface lightly with sea salt flakes<br />

and bake for 30 minutes until golden.<br />

• Remove from the oven, pour the<br />

remaining oil over the surface, then<br />

release from its tin with a palette knife.<br />

​ROAST AUBERGINE AND PRESERVED LEMON<br />

SANDWICHES<br />

A juicy filling for sandwiches, but also<br />

a good side dish for grilled lamb cutlets.<br />

Once cooked and dressed, the aubergines<br />

will keep in the fridge, covered,<br />

for several days. It is essential to check<br />

the aubergines are completely cooked<br />

before you remove them from the heat.<br />

Prise the flesh open with a spoon – it<br />

should be completely soft and almost<br />

translucent with olive oil.<br />

​<br />

INGREDIENTS<br />

Serves 4<br />

3 medium to large aubergines (about<br />

800g)<br />

4 Tbsp olive oil<br />

3 cloves garlic<br />

1 small preserved lemon<br />

12 basil leaves<br />

1 focaccia (see recipe)<br />

2 handfuls rocket<br />

Method<br />

• Warm 4 tablespoons of oil in a shallow<br />

pan over a moderate heat. Add the<br />

aubergines scored-side down, tuck the<br />

unpeeled garlic cloves around them,<br />

then let the aubergines fry for 4-5 minutes<br />

until the cut sides are starting to<br />

take on a pale golden colour. You may<br />

need to do this in two pans or in relay.<br />

• Turn the aubergines over, using a<br />

palette knife then pour 100ml of water<br />

into the pan. (Keep a lid handy to deal<br />

with the spluttering.)<br />

• Cover with a lid, lower the heat and<br />

continue cooking for 10 minutes until<br />

the aubergine flesh is soft and silky.<br />

Check it is cooked right through by<br />

tenderly prizing the flesh apart with a<br />

spoon.<br />

• Remove from the heat and allow to<br />

cool. Lift the cloves of garlic from the<br />

pan, scrape their flesh from the skins<br />

and put it in a bowl. Crush the cloves to<br />

a paste with a spoon or fork.<br />

• Using a tablespoon, slide the aubergine<br />

flesh from its skin into the garlic<br />

bowl. Pour in any juices from the pan<br />

– there won’t be a lot – then mash<br />

together with a fork.<br />

• Remove and discard the flesh from<br />

inside the preserved lemon, then chop<br />

the skin very finely. Add to the aubergine.<br />

Shred the basil leaves and stir in.<br />

Taste for seasoning. You may need a little<br />

black pepper.<br />

• To fill the focaccia: Using a long,<br />

sharp bread knife, slice the bread in half<br />

vertically to give two rectangles then cut<br />

each in half horizontally.<br />

• Remove the top half of each, then<br />

cover the bottom half with the mashed<br />

aubergine and rocket leaves. Place the<br />

upper halves on top and press gently<br />

down. Leave for a good half hour, for the<br />

juices to soak in to the bread, then cut<br />

into slices at the table.


starnews.co.nz The Star, <strong>February</strong> <strong>26</strong>, 20<strong>26</strong><br />

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The Star, <strong>February</strong> <strong>26</strong>, 20<strong>26</strong><br />

starnews.co.nz<br />

CROSSWORD<br />

1 2 3 4 5 6 7<br />

8<br />

9 10<br />

11 12<br />

13 14 15<br />

16 17 18 19<br />

20<br />

439<br />

SUDOKU<br />

Every row, column and box should<br />

contain the digits 1 to 9.<br />

WordBuilder<br />

WORDBUILDER<br />

D A D<br />

N R E<br />

6<br />

339 339<br />

N R E<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 18 each<br />

beginning Very letter Good only 22 with<br />

once? Excellent a capital<br />

No <strong>26</strong> foreign<br />

are<br />

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

allowed. Solution 338: There’s are, arm, awe, at least ear, era, one err, mar, six-letter mare,<br />

allowed. maw, mew, There's ram, rare, at least raw, rawer, one six-letter ream, rear, rearm, word.<br />

word. REWARM, war, ware, TODAY warm, WARMER, wear.<br />

Good 18 Very Good 22 Excellent <strong>26</strong><br />

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

Solution 338: are, arm, awe, ear, era, err, mar, mare,<br />

maw, mew, ram, rare, raw, rawer, ream, rear, rearm,<br />

REWARM, war, ware, warm, WARMER, wear.<br />

21 22 23<br />

24 25<br />

<strong>26</strong> 27<br />

Across<br />

1. Cut in half (6)<br />

4. Lucky charm, talisman (6)<br />

9. Delight (4)<br />

10. Improve, make better (10)<br />

11. Person owing money (6)<br />

12. Follower (8)<br />

13. Soldier of fortune (9)<br />

15. Sacred (4)<br />

16. Pole (4)<br />

17. Debauchery (9)<br />

21. Figure of speech (8)<br />

22. Help (6)<br />

24. Certainly (10)<br />

25. Spoken (4)<br />

<strong>26</strong>. Bulk liquid carrier (6)<br />

27. Middle (6)<br />

Decoder<br />

Down<br />

1. Accept as true (7)<br />

2. Fragrance (5)<br />

3. Humiliation (7)<br />

5. Among (6)<br />

6. Meat eater (9)<br />

7. Completely (7)<br />

8. Compassionate (6-7)<br />

14. Halt (9)<br />

16. Stop from happening (7)<br />

18. Examine in detail (7)<br />

19. Waterfall (7)<br />

20. Prosper (6)<br />

23. Portly (5)<br />

Crossword<br />

Across: 1. Bisect, 4. Mascot, 9. Glee, 10. Ameliorate, 11. Debtor, 12.<br />

Disciple, 13. Mercenary, 15. Holy, 16. Post, 17. Decadence, 21. Metaphor,<br />

22. Assist, 24. Definitely, 25. Oral, <strong>26</strong>. Tanker, 27. Centre.<br />

Down: 1. Believe, 2. Scent, 3. Chagrin, 5. Amidst, 6. Carnivore, 7. Totally,<br />

8. Tender-hearted, 14. Cessation, 16. Prevent, 18. Analyse, 19. Cascade,<br />

20. Thrive, 23. Stout.<br />

WordBuilder<br />

Add, adder, and, are, dad, dan, DANDER, dare, dared, darn, DARNED,<br />

dead, dean, dear, den, dread, ear, earn, end, era, nard, near, nerd, rad, ran,<br />

rand, read, red, rend.<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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