In a few days some people will gather for an annual event in which they try to solve crosswords faster than each other. As I’ve said before (see Crossword 070), I prefer to solve crosswords at a speed that allows me to ponder their nuances and ramifications. Lately I’ve wondered whether, like many of my personal preferences, this one is actually based on universal, objective truth.
Doing something faster than somebody else is all well and good when the thing done is otherwise of little value or interest, like progressing along an oval track on foot or on a horse or in a car. Such is not the case with savoring a cup of tea or a glass of wine, say, or strolling along a scenic lane, or solving a crossword. But as crossword speed contests have proliferated, as crossword apps and web sites have added timers, crosswords have come to seem mere grid-shaped racing venues, equivalent to so many miles or meters of oval track, the view from which must be resolutely ignored by the committed competitor.
The crosswords on this web site will always provide, for those who will take the time, profound insight into the rich variety of human experience. Solve them slowly.
Download this fortnight’s crossword:
Solve this fortnight’s crossword online:
A crossword of mine will appear Wednesday, March 26, in The Wall Street Journal