ST×NLB Cross-References: Fanning, Johnson or CC8
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The Circle Line is now an actual circle. Which station is CC8 again?
ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
SINGAPORE – This week’s ST×NLB Crossword puzzle was constructed by National Library Board’s Cherie Loh, who was part of the team of 40 volunteers from both organisations, with even more Singapore flavour than the last one. Here’s her message to solvers:
Welcome to my very first puzzle.
Designing this crossword allowed me to weave in the vibrant fabric of Singapore life – capturing the unique rhythms of our routines, the warmth of our spaces, the shared experiences and icons that bring us together.
I hope solving this brings you as much joy as creating it did for me. Happy puzzling.
We love the local flavour, but if a clue gets too specific or hyperlocal, does that make it easier or harder to solve? That was a question we pondered as we mulled over clues referencing Bollywood Farms and the SkyOrb cabin.
The specificity might make it easier for solvers who recognise these as a VEGETABLE FARM (2D) and a GLASS-BOTTOMED (5D) cable car respectively, yet frustrating for those who don’t. So, we settled for general references that might be more accessible.
Yet, in the case of [Disney’s newest cruise ship, setting sail from Singapore], we felt enough people would have heard of the Disney ADVENTURE (1A) – or at least seen it in a recent advertisement – for it to be a topical and satisfying clue.
As for what [Might be distilled in Tanglin]? That would be local liquor brand Tanglin GIN (5A). Even if you aren’t much of a tippling epicure, you might have seen it on the shelves at a duty-free shop or a local supermarket and the word “distilled” helps to clue you in. Enjoy responsibly and don’t drink yourself into a STUPOR (10A).
Here are a few more fun and/or educational ones.
14A. What is the [Agency which might charge a flat fee?] There are many that fit the bill, but the answer we’re looking for is the Housing Board, HDB. Because it sells flats and it charges a fee for them. Geddit? Tip: Clues that end in a question mark signal that there’s some cheeky wordplay going on. Look for double meanings to come to the right answer.
18A. [Fanning, Johnson or CC8] evokes the image of actresses DAKOTA Fanning and Johnson meeting at the MRT station of the same name. Perhaps they’re there to enjoy something YUMMY (22A) at the nearby Old Airport Road Food Centre?
24A. The Returning Officer in the 2011 General Election was none other than YAM Ah Mee, whose distinctive delivery of the results (pursuant to Section 49, Subsection 7E, Paragraph A, of the Parliamentary Elections Act) made him a true icon. You had to have been there.
15D. [They’re a dollar apiece at IKEA] refers, of course, to HOT DOGS. Our perennial favourite post-furniture-shopping snack has remained the same price ever since it was introduced in Singapore. We have that on good authority from Swedish Food Market and Bistro Team Leader at Ikea Tampines Tham Yan Oon (also known as Uncle Tham) who has worked at the bistro since 1995.
20D. The classic fairy tale about The UGLY Duckling is really about a cygnet, or baby swan. One of our play testers, a self-styled pedant, suggested adding the quotation marks to the clue: [Like a certain “duckling”, at first]. This might be a crossword puzzle, but it doesn’t mean we don’t fact-check.
23D. Singapore’s most decorated Paralympian is backstroke swimmer YIP Pin Xiu, who has won a combined 16 gold, four silver and two bronze medals representing Singapore at the Paralympic Games, the World Para Swimming Championships and the Asian Para Games. Beyond the pool, she was also a Nominated MP in Parliament from 2018 to 2020.
Book recommendations
Let the week’s clues inspire your next read, courtesy of NLB. Follow the links to borrow.
1A. “ADVENTURE, it turns out, is the first major ingredient of play – and perhaps of happiness.” – Feel-Good Productivity: How To Do More Of What Matters To You by Ali Abdaal
17A. “We sat there on the verandah, each of us adrift in our own memories, our tea slowly relinquishing its HEAT into the mountain air.” – The Garden Of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng
21A. “As soon as I tore open the bag and tasted this nutty, darkly toasted, perfectly salted cereal, my opinion of GRANOLA changed forever.” – Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering The Elements Of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat
Don’t have the NLB mobile app? Download it now on the App Store or Google Play to enjoy more great reads.
Across
1. Disney’s newest cruise ship, setting sail from Singapore (9): ADVENTURE
5. Might be distilled in Tanglin (3): GIN
7. Prefix denoting English origins (5): ANGLO
9. They’re banned on our buses (7): DURIANS
10. Insensate state (6): STUPOR
11. Remove from office (4): OUST
14. Agency which might charge a flat fee? (3): HDB
15. Prohibited, to a Muslim (5): HARAM
16. Tastes ___, like spoiled milk (3): OFF
17. Urban ____ island effect (4): HEAT
18. Fanning, Johnson or CC8 (6): DAKOTA
21. Trail mix relative (7): GRANOLA
22. Lip-smacking (5): YUMMY
24. ___ Ah Mee, Returning Officer in GE2011 (3): YAM
25. Heightened (effort) (7,2): STEPPED UP
Down
1. Big name in local life insurance (3): AIA
2. A high-tech one might have a hydroponic rig (9,4): VEGETABLE FARM
3. One seeking a bachelor’s degree (13): UNDERGRADUATE
4. Tune that’s hard to tune out (7): EARWORM
5. Like some boats, bridges or cable cars (5-8): GLASS-BOTTOMED
6. ____ egg – retirement account (4): NEST
8. Part of a two-factor authentication process (3): OTP
12. “Hush!” (3): SHH
13. Near a ship’s rear (3): AFT
15. They’re a dollar apiece at IKEA (3,4): HOT DOGS
19. May be major or minor (3): KEY
20. Like a certain “duckling”, at first (4): UGLY
23. ___ Pin Xiu, Singapore’s most decorated Paralympian (3): YIP
If you have any feedback, feel free to write to us at stgames@sph.com.sg. See you next week.
