As some of you, my devoted Cake Eater readers may vaguely remember, we're big fans of the Financial Times around here. I don't bother with the paper most of the week, but on Saturdays, well, you can't keep me away from it. As the wise RP once wrote, "I heart the weekend section." I wholeheartedly agree. The FT's weekend section is quite wonderful and when I'm done reading it, I do try to give the polymath---it's a crossword with a weird name---a good whack every week, but usually I don't have too much luck.

This week, however, I'm four away from finishing the damn thing--a first---and I need your help, my devoted Cake Eater readers to do so.

If you know any of these throw the answers in the comments. The numbers in parentheses are how many letters are in each word. I'll also list out what letters I do have in each word, too.

28 Across: Department of northern France, created in 1790 and abolished in 1968. (5-2-4)

S_ _ _E_T_I_E

31 Across: Symbiosis (9)

M_ _ _A_I_M

10 Down: In Ancient Greece a male citizen from 18-20 years of age. (6)

_P_E_E

(I think it's some sort of variant of 'Spartan' but I can't figure it out for the life of me!)

18 Down:A name applied by German students to anyone not connected to the university (9)

P_I_ _ _ _ _R

I thank you in advance, my devoted Cake Eater brain trust. I'm sure you have the answers hiding in the recesses of your brain. Please share, so I can retire this puzzle.

UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who helped me fill in the pieces of the puzzle! IT'S FINISHED! Woohoo! I'm so excited! And, yes, I realize it's pretty silly to be excited at finishing a crossword puzzle, but, hey, my life is actually pretty boring so maybe you should give me this one, ok?

Posted by: Kathy at 01:46 PM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
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