The Week

[Dancinglord]

Administrative trainees secure in question (2,5 A? S?A?E) it At Stake and if so why?

Negative person's word is slang C?N? Is it Can't and again why?

Thanks for help

[Mamyalynne]

Can't =negative , Cant = slang.

[dannyk13]

Administrative trainees = Ats
secure= take
Negative= can,t
Slang= cant

[cupid04]

My parents always said there was no such thing as 'cant' when I was growing
up. Did yours say the same?

[factor-fiction]

I'm scratching my head on the word play for the first one unless AT is abbrev for Admin trainee, plural being ATS, and secure=take

[dannyk13]

Yes

[Flyhalf]

At stake correct;
AT abbr. for admin trainee
Stake, eg a plant = (make) secure

[factor-fiction]

Ab allows no thinking time!

[dannyk13]

Sorry BIGJACK but I think in question refers to at stake

[Flyhalf]

f30, yours is equally valid (most unusual -the coincidence of two possible wordplay explanations, not that you have a valid answer!)

[dannyk13]

To take something is to secure it

[factor-fiction]

The ATS + Take explanation is the valid one, I'm sure.
If the word play was AT + STAKE then I think the clue would have referred to trainee rather than trainees

[factor-fiction]

So I'm endorsing Dannyk13's earlier explanation

[Flyhalf]

Don't go bursting my bubble! On reflection, yours is better.