Stats -We had a great response to our “French Toast” last week and there were 31 submissions for this puzzle. Of those who submitted, 23 got the full grid score of 33 and fifteen got the maximum possible score of 36. Inspite of the trickiness in embedding the NINA, many of the solvers managed to unearth the “Person of Interest” hiding in the puzzle and make the “prime” connection, with or without Google 🙂
Here’s the Solution grid
The following questions were asked at the end of the puzzle..
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- What’s the full name of the Person of Interest (as per the Nina)
- What’s is the significance of the location(s) of the letters of the middle name?
- Identify any one of the three clues connected to this Person of Interest
The correct answers to these were
(1) The person is MARIE-SOPHIE GERMAIN. This French mathematician and physicist has a class of prime numbers named after her. A prime number p such that 2p+1 is also prime is a Sophie Germain prime
(2) The locations 2,3,5,11,23,29 are Sophie Germain primes
(3) Any one of the following the following three clues: 9A (Tried), 18A (Nee) or 5D (Prison). The connections to the POI are as below,
9a. – The number 41 is also a Sophie Germain prime (the first one after 29).
18a. The surface is applicable to Marie-Sophie Germain’s life.
5d. The surface is applicable to Marie-Sophie Germain’s work.
Here are the Annotations.
Across:
9 Questioned in court after killing 41, Trix lied (5) – TRI(-xli)ED
10 Actually, I can finally land around one (2,7) – I (-ca)N REAL(I)TY
11 They have many stories of wasted revenue, inappropriate spending, extremely spendthrift leaders (4-5) – HIGH R(-evenue) I(-nappropriate) S(-pending) E(-xtremely) S(-pendthrift)
12 Because of reported violations (5) – HP of Sins
13 Cut in, enveloping stellar energy sources (7) E(-nveloping) S(-tellar) E(-nergy) around CLIP. – &lit
15 West-bound final leg includes sampling love-in-a-mist (7) – Rev T
17 Lighter luggage packed right before last suitcase (5) – BA(R)G (-suitcas)E
18 Born in France, encountered setback (3) – Rev T
20 Inferior alternative won by three points (5) – OR in WSE
22 They guide mass movements, leading revolutions among loons, perhaps (7) – R(-evolutions) in DIVERS
25 Males in corrupt, heartless party received money (7) – PA(-r)TY* around MEN
26 Excuse us, sir. Back to show business! (5) – Rev T
27 Color and label your design (5,4) – LABELYOUR*
30 Thinking again and again of meeting with pregnancy specialist? (9) – DD (OB SESSION)
31 Loudly ordered ladies to be present (5) – HP of Nuns
Down:
1 Burn sorceress after first weighing (4) – (-w)ITCH
2 Unique novel: Ursula K. Le Guin’s “Save Us, Luke” (8) – URSULAKLEGUIN* – USLUKE
3 Smell from loo? Do relocate! (4) – T
4 In Germany, a good man. In Germany, a scientist (8) – EIN ST EIN
5 Can prove results in study of numbers, for starters (6) – Acrostic
6 Aisle seats vacated after exhausted plea: a couple of gentlemen show extra courtesy, finally (10) S(-eat)S after P(-le)A A GE(-ntlemen) (-sho)W (-extr)A (-courtes)Y
7 Extraordinary gesture (6) – DD
8 Corrupt, empty, lacking money and class (4) – E(-m)PTY*
13 Sink them! Be daring! Expose!! (5) – T
14 Early exposure to coding creates deep IT careers; log on! (10) CA – PRERELEASE TO CODING* = DEEP IT CAREERS LOG ON.
16 Worker hugs company representative (5) – A(GE)NT
19 In Egypt. M ordered evacuation (8) – INEGYPTM*
21 Wine topped chips and fish (8) – (-f)RIES LING
23 Maintain in top shape over time in Agra (6) – IN S(-hape) IST
24 Debauched droids going crazy (6) – DROIDS*
26 Swindling setter’s confession to hero (4) – I CON
28 Have a strong desire for some tea from 3 to 6? (4) – (-oo)LONG
29 Sexier to go topless 11 to 5 or at all times? (4) – (-s)E(-xi+V)ER
Here is the scorecard (sorted by score and then in the order of submissions received)
The first entry received was from Akshay Bhandarkar. However, he had one error in submission, thus slipping down the leaderboard since we had many all-correct entries subsequently. Congrats, once again to Kishore, who was the first one to submit an all correct entry and to all of you who managed to “max” the score. Glad to see Mohsin, Akshay, Aashwina and Loks back on the leaderboard.
A special shout-out to Crypt Ella, who managed to stay up at night before a red-eye flight. just to solve the puzzle and managed not only to identify the tricky “NINA” connections, but also a setter’s tribute to his hero! (Not sure, if that was intended, but it certainly didn’t catch my eye, while test solving). Must admit that It’s a great feeling when people go over and beyond and try to get in to the setter’s psyche while solving the puzzles.
25 people rated the puzzle as “Excellent” and the remaining 6 rated it “Good”. 5 out of 6 who rated it “Good” hadn’t made the NINA connection.
Thanks Gussalufz, for another really enjoyable puzzle. The NINA and learning a bit about the life and times of this amazing lady mathematician made this hunt even more fulfilling.
Did you enjoy the puzzle? Do you have any feedback for us or for the setter. Do comment in the blog and let us know.