The Christchurch “Press” is an indispensable part of my daily routine. I love to catch up on local news (usually over breakfast), check the death notices and do the puzzles (usually over lunch). The Cryptic Crossword, Code-Cracker, Wordfit, and Number Cruncher are mine. Stephen does the other word puzzles. The Sudoku are left to languish – neither of us has yet been tempted to these.
When away from home we still seek a “Press”. In Wellington that’s no problem. In Auckland Whitcoulls stocks it, and we assumed the same would apply in Dunedin. Sadly, no! Whitcoulls in George Street was closed at 9.15am because they were mopping up from the previous day’s downpour. We went back after 10am, confidently seeking our “Press”, only to be told they don’t carry it and neither does any other shop in Dunedin. The Whitcoulls woman told me the “Press” has not been sent to Dunedin for the past three years. I wondered whether this was because of rivalry between Fairfax and the independent “Otago Daily Times”, but she didn’t think so. The Dunedin Public Library doesn’t have a hard copy of the “Press” either, although they have a dedicated terminal where you can read it online. That doesn’t give me access to the puzzles!
“I may endure puzzle withdrawal
if I can’t get a “Press” at all.”
