Minor Nuisance

by George Coffin

South leads the ♠J.
East to make 7NT against any distribution and defense.

East wins the ♠K and plays off the ♦A-K and the ♣A-K.  If either suit splits 3-2, school is out.  If both minors break badly, then:

If the minors are in the same hand, declarer arranges to play off the major-suit winners, and that defender will be squeezed in the minors.  Declarer could humor himself by discarding a club from east and a diamond from west, effecting a criss-cross squeeze.

If the minors are in opposite hands, the ♣Q and ♦Q are played off.  Then the ♥A and two rounds of spades, discarding minors, will squeeze whoever holds the long hearts.