All peers are equal,
but some peers are more equal than others.

Acknowledgements

The acknowledgements are certainly the most delicate part of a thesis to write. Since my father was a great crossword enthusiast, I decided to pay him this tribute, transferring in the process the difficulty from the author to the reader. A few useful pointers to tackle these acknowledgements in the best possible conditions:

• Many definitions refer to personal anecdotes. It is therefore normal not to be able to solve the entire grid (in this respect, these acknowledgements are after all like any other).
• I do hope, however, that everyone will find their squares. If not, .
• For living organisms, I only give the first name or the species. In case of a duplicate, a single entry on the grid, but possibly two definitions.
• Some words in the grid are not acknowledgements, but are just there to decrease the difficulty (or increase it according to some). They are often (but not always) the shortest ones.

Note: The crossword puzzle below is in French and relies on wordplay, personal anecdotes, and cultural references that are inherently untranslatable. It is preserved in its original French form. Francophone readers will appreciate the clues; others are warmly invited to seek help from a French-speaking friend.