Friday 20 January 2012

Nod and Wink


On Granny-duty with young Hadrian this morning.  He was slightly alarmed at first, having seen me in action (inaction?  That's better) at the pub last night.  He enjoyed it there, actually.  He chewed Diana's spectacles case and didn't drink my beer, wise child.  I showed him The Cat In The Hat on my iPad, which seemed to go down quite well, but he was tired by the time his mother showed up.  

One good thing about my lazy week is that I've got back to doing the Times crossword.  I always used to, but now I've got out of the habit, it's a whole lot more difficult to get started.  Mind you, I have to do the cryptic one.  I can't understand so-called 'easy' crosswords.  My vocabulary isn't up to them.  I have to have sufficient clues to check that all the letters fit, once the flash of insight into a possible word strikes.

It's been a busy day, actually.  I fell asleep after dinner, which I hate doing.  I don't mind an afternoon nap if that strikes, but anything after 5 pm is likely to keep me awake at night.  Still, done now, I couldn't help it and, unfortunately, I was asleep for the better part of an hour.  

I had a chat with my sister earlier on.  Not sure if I mentioned a few weeks ago that her office closed down, which was a bit disconcerting as she'd worked there a long time.  However, she has got a good redundancy payout and has been offered relief work at a neighbouring office of the same company.  She's feeling pretty good about things, and will have more free time which won't be unwelcome.  We're hoping to have a holiday together in the summer.

19 comments:

Tim said...

I kind of agree about crosswords. In cryptics, there's only one right answer once you've cracked the code, while in 'quick' or 'easy' ones there can be several solutions that all match the definition. My unique achievement was once completing the Guardian cryptic in less time than the 'quick'. It's never happened again though.

Rog said...

Tim's obviously in an advanced time zone so can consult the next day's solutions. It takes me all week to do the Saturday Telegraph crossword- I'm in awe of you two.

Try this you geniuses:

"important instructions to my attorney" (11 letters)

Z said...

Just be in awe of Tim, Rog. I referred to getting started, not completing the blessed thing, which happens rarely. Tim's point about the 'quick' crossword is just what I mean, though.

Unknown said...

I'm with Rog on this one (usually do the Saturday Telegraph Prize Crossword - about my level). But I know what Tim means, in that if you find the right answer to the cryptic crossword and the whole of the clue fits, then there could be no other answer; whereas with the 'quick' crossword clues there are usually two or three possible answers to a clue, and the right answer doesn't come until you've solved all the crossing clues, all of which have more than one possible answer - takes much longer.

Tim said...

Can I please renounce the role of 'awesome genius' or whatever? I complete the cryptic perhaps once a month, and am delighted if I get half the answers. Yesterday I got three.

Z said...

And it's not even much fun.

Z said...

My last comment was in reply to Mike. I'm with Tim's reply on cryptic crosswords, except it was years ago that I used to be able to complete them occasionally. I did so once last year that I can remember, having had time to think about it on a rail journey to London.

Christopher said...

Spoken in anger, by Jove! (3,5,9)

Now that's something I do miss, living in France, like Marmite and marmalade.

*spends rest of day puzzling over Rog's clue*

allotmentqueen said...

Damn. I wanted to put "noteworthy" as the answer to Rog's clue, but it's only 10 letters. Is "notesworthy" a word?

Z said...

Have you got any letters, Rog? I can't get it either. Mind you, I've spent the last half hour looking up pudding recipes involving marmalade.

I might be able to help you with the Times crossword, Chris, but I'm not sure if France permits the importation of Marmite. America is decidedly iffy about it, I know.

Christopher said...

Ha!

Sign if I can't!

(Is there a prize?)

Unknown said...

I'm a Daily Telegraph cryptic crossword addict!

Z said...

Bum! Bum! I've got significant written down right here and I couldn't see why!

Oh yes, there's a prize, all right, Chris. And you're going to get it. Just you wait.

It's Crossword Addicts not-so-Anonymous round here, John, it seems!

Rog said...

Chris - you can have the "awesome genius" badge that Tim threw on the ground. It's a bit scratched but still greatly prized.

I love that clue - sign if I can't!

Tim said...

Okay, an in clue for you all:

'First we part with knowledge - me? Us? Not me! (7, 6)'

Rog said...

I'm still struggling with the Chris-Cross word!

Z said...

Tim, I'm going to have to think about that one. Where is Chris when you need him?

Z said...

Oh, okay, I've got the answer. Now I've just got to work out why...

Z said...

It's 'awesome genius' - First = first letter = a, part= some. Knowledge = gen
A we some Gen I us
Not me! is Tim's disclaimer.

Now tell me I'm an idiot, Tim.