Puzzle Work

Crossword puzzles are humbling. I think I am skilled in problem solving until I run across a set of puzzle clues that make me feel as though I’m wandering in a desert. It happened this morning. The clues simply sat there on the screen and no matter how many times I read them aloud, they meant nothing. My brain was blank. Finally, and I have no idea how, a single answer popped up. From there I was able to unwind the puzzle as various letters appeared. It was a relief, but it was a hard morning.

If doing these puzzles has taught me anything, beside stuffing my head with the names of Korean boy bands, it’s the value of reading slowly. My affinity for speed reading must be set aside for puzzles. The clues may only be five or six words long, but they hold an infinite number of possibilities. So, I’m learning to read again. One word at a time. And I’m learning to let the words marinate and suggest their meaning to me. Satisfying when it works. Exasperating when it doesn’t.

Of course, if my brain decides to go south in the coming years, I’m not sure crossword puzzle will stem the tide. If my muscles are any indicator, my body will simply do what it wants to do because aging is aging. Things are literally not what they used to be. Although, the brain seems remarkably resilient. So, I’m holding out hope. I’ll continue my puzzle work, keep on trying to find my way through the mysteries of quantum mechanics, and keep on attempting to find the words to give form to the world I see.