2020 Crossword Puzzles
Crossword puzzles that are found in the printable versions of the Monthly Weed Post. The answers are included below each crossword, but that doesn't mean you can cheat.
Contents
PDF files can be printed with Adobe Acrobat or Sumatra PDF.
May 2020
Montana Noxious Weed Survey: Has 25 Years of Education Been Effective?
This crossword is also located on page 2 of the printable PDF (1MB)
Across
- 2: One way in which weeds spread; ranked high in the 1994 survey; 4 letter word.
- 5: Number one "very important" or "extremely important" impact of noxious weeds is associated with these; 2 words, 12 letters total.
- 7: Two most frequent sources of learning about noxious weeds; 2 words, 13 letters total.
- 9: Often touted as an important part of noxious weed management; 9 letter word.
Down
- 1: Method used to conduct 2019 survey; more effective in the era of mobile phones; 2 words, 9 letters total.
- 3: Another way in which weeds spread; ranked high on 2019 survey; 6 letter word.
- 4: Average score of self-reported knowledge for this group was higher than for the sample population; 3 letter word.
- 5: Funding organization for the 2019 survey (abbreviation); 4 letter word.
- 6: Method used to conduct 1994 survey of Montanans' noxious weed awareness; 9 letter word.
- 8: Percentage of people packing livestock onto public lands who use certified noxious weed seed-free forage; 7 letter word.
May Answers
Across
- 2: Wind
- 5: Native Plants
- 7: Friends Family
- 9: Education
Down
- 1: Mail Based
- 3: Humans
- 4: Men
- 5: NWTF (Montana Noxious Weed Trust Fund)
- 6: Telephone
- 8: Seventy
April 2020
Invasive Plants and Pandemics: Reflections from an Invasive Plant Ecologist
This crossword is also located on page 2 of the printable PDF (300KB)
Across
- 3: Management strategy during early stages of invasion; 11 letters.
- 6: My wish for you during this time; 2 words, 8 letters.
- 7: The "T" in "OTA"; 10 letters.
- 10: Website for the Monthly Weed Post; 17 letters.
Down
- 1: Measuring the benefit of this action is hard to do; 10 letters.
- 2: Practice to help slow the spread of coronavirus; 2 words, 16 letters.
- 4: Invasive forb in Montana being managed through early detection and rapid response; 2 words, 9 letters.
- 5: Public awareness of invader usually begins while managers are practicing this; 11 letters.
- 8: (blank) versus reactive; 9 letters.
- 9: Help (blank) the curve; 7 letters.
April Answers
Across
- 3: Eradication
- 6: Stay Well
- 7: Technology
- 10: MSU Invasive Plants
Down
- 1: Prevention
- 2: Social Distancing
- 4: Dyer's Woad
- 5: Containment
- 8: Proactive
- 9: Flatten
February 2020
How to Tell the Difference Between Exotic and Native Thistles
This crossword is also located on page 2 of the printable PDF (440KB)
Across
- 1: You say "nich," I say "neesh," either way it's spelled like this; 5 letter word.
- 4: Look for this along the entire length of the stem to point (pardon the pun) you toward exotic; 2 words, 9 letters total.
- 6: Large ungulate that feeds on thistles; 3 letter word.
- 7: Native thistle that spreads by underground roots; won't grow as densely as rhizomatous Canada thistle*; 8 letter word.
- 9: Species name for exotic thistle with needle-like bracts that point more outward than upward*; 7 letter word.
*answer found in supplemental information
Down
- 2: Only strongly rhizomatous thistle in Montana; 6 letter word.
- 3: Evert's main staple for over a month*; 2 words, 11 letters total.
- 4: This thistle is the poster child for spiny wings, and check out that silvery gray foliage! 6 letter word.
- 5: Bees, flies, and wasps feed on this; 6 letter word.
- 8: Thistle part used in bird nests; 5 letter word.
February Answers
Across
- 1: Niche
- 4: Spiny Wing
- 6: Elk
- 7: Flodmans
- 9: Vulgare
Down
- 2: Canada
- 3: Thistle Root
- 4: Scotch
- 5: Nectar
- 8: Seeds
Further Information
Questions or comments about the Monthly Weed Posts and their crosswords can be addressed to Extension Invasive Plants specialist Jane Mangold. Past posts are available in the Monthly Weed Post directory