The Chemical Reaction Prize Crossword

An element a day keeps the doctor away….

In my novel, The Chemical Reaction, I’ve indulged in a spot of chemical cryptography.

While many of us are stuck indoors, here’s a little challenge to distract and entertain.

Over the next few posts, I’m going to give you the letters you need to complete a crossword, with a prize awarded for identifying the secret element.

Each post will introduce you to

One of the characters in The Chemical Reaction
One of the treasures from the Emperor Qianlong’s (1735-1796) jade collection
One of the seventeen rare earth metals
One or two of the letters you need to complete the crossword and find the missing element

Crossword

Cryptic clues

Across	Clue	Letters
3	A toilet, it’s said.	2
4	Mauveine, for example? ‘E’s gone!	2
5	Generous bosom found in the middle of puddle	2
8	Meet with Len about part	7
9	Wound the church?	6
10	Provide confused sly pup	6

Down	Clue
1	Overlay backed and led about to separate ore	6
2	Powerful and, oddly, main GCHQ toy	6
5	Artificial duck sitting within hide, coyly observed	5
6	Short man of the cloth	3
7	Slope hit with first powder	4
9	Put out in his tub	4

(Clues set by Professor Wriggly)

Prizes include

Complete the crossword and identify the extra element

Email me at

thechemicaldetective@gmail.com

Put the solution (a one or two letter symbol for the extra element) in the subject line

For example Na for Sodium

And just in case that’s too easy, anyone who adds a new mnemonic to help me remember the 17 rare earth elements will get a special prize

First hint follows – Scandium Sc

The Chemical Reaction is published by the Point Blank imprint of Oneworld and is available here.