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Crossword Challenge Winner: Right back at ya!

Alison Sampson September 02

In Meanjin Vol 69/1, David Astle laid down the gauntlet – readers were asked to complete our seventy-year crossword challenge and then use the answers to create a literary response. Our winner, Alison Sampson replied with a cryptic story of her own: new clues (in italics), same grid, different answers.

The solutions will be posted on our website on October 1 2010.

grid

First I thought I’d write a poem, perhaps an ode, but that might be a turn off, please (7) no-one. I could essay an essay, or two essays at that, yet the context suggested otherwise.

Interviews do not bury, lack directions to compete (3), so that ruled out journalism. Could I write a bio – but whose? I have no story of abuse, nor the chance to treat addiction (sounds like fourth poison) * (5). I’m no handsome young man, back in, pop up* (6); neither tweeting nor hip-hopping, I’m not active in the arts.

A headline caught my eye: Two members of SPUNC caught in confused lazy drive away (6): a risk for that coterie? My thoughts in a swirl, horse lost direction (4) as I gazed at a banksia, musing. Then the nag threw me. I sprained my writing arm, and had to strap it tight. Cursing, I left the horse to graze, and thought by rail instead.

As words slowly formed, the rattle of the German train shook two vowels from damaged bandage (3). Injured again, I disembarked, and dreamed myself a boat. Cruising down the Moselle between steep rows of vines, I wondered what will again turn on the jumbled barge (7)? One who sailed in and out of weeks to the mostest (3) came to my assistance, stolid, even though he’d lost his way (3). “Here,” he said. “have some breakfast.” And he handed me toast and some conserve or pickle (3). Raspberry, my favourite!

I had no modernist printer’s measure floundering at sea (5), yet in a tick, Cunningham, given rest (7) by my repast, my thoughts raced along. This lit mag is a stingy demon (7), reputed no good for three wishes – not even one! For my dream to come true, to be published in that bastion of culture, I’d need to try something a little more mad.

Saw, devoured outstanding (3,4) idea: a crossword of my own! That should please the ump. Thought I’d use the twenty two words in the clues, and use the same grid sans ‘seventy years’ – a challenge. Nothing daunted, no, note a cryptic genius (4)!

I fetched my dictionary – adored, less 55 (3) – and a set of implements, too, left above Christopher (7): pencil, eraser, and plenty of paper. Poured a cup of mocha, and set to work.

So I’m throwing it back at you: my tilting at windmills, my picaresque adventure into the world of the word. A set for the setter. This devil’s a tad cryptic (5,5), but I know the script.

It’s only fair to warn you: one answer is an initialism. There are a few proper nouns, and a German word, too. The (5,5) answer spans the top of the grid. Overall, nothing too ponderous, nor very arch (4-6); just a bit of fun, that’s my motto. Yet creating this, I admit, annoyed my family. The effect of mother’s attempt at crossword-compiling on confused adolescent state (6,4) is terrible.



Corrections (and apologies)
In the print edition of Vol 69:3, two grid squares in the last and second-last row, six across, should have been solid colour instead of blank. The correct grid is published above.


 

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Comments

by Ginia
03 Sep 10 at 3:43

You go Alison!

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