This week’s handmade co-op puzzle won’t defox itself. If you’re a dab hand at quizzes, lateral thinking, and search engine sleuthing, why not help out.
The ‘cluster foxer’ is regarded by some as the most demanding form. Solving one involves identifying 25 pictures and five hidden themes. The enlargeable mosaic below consists of five interlocked picture clusters (some possible cluster arrangements are shown above) each with its own theme. Themes have nothing in common with each other. Don’t be surprised to find, for example, “Crocodiles”, “Tulip mania”, “Words beginning with “ter””, “1948” and “Fictional policemen” sharing a puzzle. A picture’s connection to a particular theme won’t always be literal. An image of the Brandenburg Gate is just as likely to be part of a “Bach” cluster as a “Berlin” one.
In an attempt to ensure as many people as possible get a chance to participate, Roman requests defoxers solve no more than five squares per person on Day 1, and guess no more than one cluster theme. (After 24 hours have elapsed, fill your boots!). Use your ration to complete an entire horizontal or vertical line before anyone else to win ‘Connect 5’ bragging rights.
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SOLUTIONS
last week’s hive foxer theme: holes (defoxed by Zwack23)
blow (Colonel_K)
bung (Nutfield)
coal (Nutfield)
cryoconite (Nutfield and Mrs Nutfield)
holy ghost (Nutfield, Colonel_K)
lightening (Nutfield)
limber (Nutfield)
memory (Nutfield)
murder (Colonel_K)
nineteenth (copperbottom)
pigeon (Nutfield)
pilot (Colonel_K, Mrs Nutfield)
priest (Mrs Nutfield)
pritchel (Nutfield)
putlog (Nutfield)
scour (Nutfield)
spider (Nutfield)
tone (Nutfield)
touch (Colonel_K, Nutfield)
winding (Nutfield)
D5 – BEASTMASTER 2 (Through the Portal of Time) – Why didn’t I know this existed? I recognised Beast Master and wondered why the hell there was a car behind him!
(Right, off for lunch)
C4. Hovercraft Museum, Lee-on-Solent
The largest one in the picture is the SR.N4 ‘The Princess Anne’.
B4. Louis Bleriot + wife, both out of shot, after his crossing of the English Channel, 1909
B2 – PRINCE CASPIAN Chapter 2 – The Ancient Treasure House
https://wardrobedoor.substack.com/p/prince-caspian-chapter-2-the-ancient
I haven’t found D3 yet, but i can’t believe something so similar exists!
https://www.strangescience.net/pics/searhino.jpg
Technically, as the jpg name suggests it is a sea Rhino fighting a giant Beetle
Ok, D3 – Page from Gesner’s Historiae animalium:
https://nyamcenterforhistory.org/2015/10/20/merman-or-mandrake-costume-ideas-from-our-collection/gesner_historiaeanimalium_v4_1558_p118_watermark/
Apparently the Beetle is a Lobster
D4 – RADIO QUEEN Model Glider Plans – https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=5471
A3 – LACUS VERIS inflatable habitat – https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Detailed-Cross-Section-of-the-Lacus-Veris-Inflatable-habitat_fig9_228758914
(Lake of Spring)
And that’s me done for the day
Mrs Nutfield has B1 and E1 but I don’t want to go over my quota!
She has A4 now too.
E3 also solved for tomorrow.
Think I’ve got C3 too.
(something)_MASTERs ?
B5. STAIRMASTER – can’t be bothered to search for the exact model but it’s vaguely current
That does link into A4
Lol, and C5 which is now bloody obvious, but i can’t reveal!
MASTERMIND ?, though that does contradict with x_Master
Nah, they all just have MASTER in them
C1. INFRARED THERMOMETER – on the Wikipedia page, a sailor checking the temperature of a ventilation system
Also on the PYROMETER page.
A1 – can’t find the exact picture, but pretty sure it is Alexia Putellas (in a reversed Hermoso shirt) and princess Sofia of Spain during the world cup final 2023 celebrations.
E3 is The Big Book art installation at Peterborough Cathedral
Re: D4. Radio Queen – Radio control model aircraft: “Famously the first RC model to fly across the English Channnel in September 1954.”
would obviously connect with B4. Louis Bleriot
First channel-crossing by hovercraft was by the SR.N1, however that seems to be in the Science Museum’s collection rather than at the Hovercraft Museum…
… so the theme would appear to be Crossings of the English Channel rather than _First_ Crossings
{sorry, Harriet Quimby}
A5. is probably Masters of the Air mini-series
(I presume it’s a behind the scenes shot on the 360-degree LED-illuminated filming rig)
Re: D1. Image taken from a train sim?
I reckon it’s an unliveried British Rail Class 800 on the left (aka Azuma)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmlewLGd3RU
The thing on the right with a pair of lights, one above the other, is throwing me.
D1. British Rail Class 89 – known as BADGER, but also aardvark
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1211476/Train_Simulator_InterCity_BR_Class_89_Badger_Loco_AddOn/
(Multiple copies of the ‘train-spotter’ 3d model is rather funny)
Only one built as a prototype, so no wonder I skipped over it. Grrr.
A2. BORSUK (Polish for Badger) – amphibious IFV. Unmanned turret is ZSSW-30
E5. Mercedes Gleitze – first British woman to swim the English Channel, 1927
First woman was Gertrude Ederle the previous year
B1 – first edition of INFINITY science fiction (Mrs Nutfield) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinity_Science_Fiction
E1 – SENSE & SENSIBILITY (Mrs Nutfield)
A4 – MASTER FLEA by T A Hoffman (Mrs Nutfield)
C3 – David Livingstone Bridge Bothwell (River Clyde)
B3 – Murder of Lord Darnley
C2 – TU-16 (Badger) at the Egyptian Air Force Museum
D2 – Shelter (game)
E2 – Vanessa Redgrave
E4 – Rinspeed Splash
Re: B3. Murder of Lord Darnley
Six of the Earl of C3. BOTHWELL’s servants and acquaintances were executed for the murder. The Earl himself was acquitted, and married Mary Queen of Scots three months after the murder.
A1, B1, C1 – words starting with INF ? INFanta Sofia, INFinity, INFrared
Making the line below A2-E2: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/04/Badgers_Badgers.gif ?
Or is A2 INFantry fighting vehicle a red herring ?
Nah! I suspect INFantry fighting vehicle is valid, together with A3. INFlatable habitat.
(Better than my guess which was words ending -ITY: Infinity, Intercity, Sense and Sensibility)
Relatively confidently solved: MASTERS
A4. Master Flea
A5. (unconfirmed) Masters of the Air
B5. Stairmaster
C5. Mastermind
D5. Beastmaster 2
Crossings of the English Channel / La Manche:
B4. Louis Bleriot – first aeroplane, 1909
C4. SR.N4 Princess Anne – fastest hovercraft: 22min
D4. Radio Queen – first RC model airplane
E4. Rinspeed Splash – fastest hydrofoil car, 3 hours 14 min (doesn’t seem all that fast)
E5. Mercedes Gleitze – first British woman swimmer, 1927
I feel Genser & Darnley might be linked, as they were alive in the mid 16th century, which considering that is 500 years ago, is somewhat coincidental?
Wonder if Mary Queen of Scots is some kind of link, as she used some of Gesner’s art on her embroidery and was married to Darnley :p
Ah-ha, one of her embroideries was the fabled SEA RHINO of D3
She is also Buried in Peterborough Cathedral!
B3, D3 & E3 so far
Ah and the Earl of Bothwell, as mentioned by Colonel K above
And Vanessa Redgrave played her in a 1971 film of the same name.
So, B3, C3, D3, E3, E2 is Mary Queen of Scots
So Badger is the last link?
Prince Caspian had a Badger friend, the train is a badger, the game is about being a badger, and then sense & sensibilities and the TU Badger
Artist for E1. Sense and Sensibility illustration is C E BROCK.