slosh down the pepper!

Puzzles

Everytime I sit on the MRT, I will see someone with a book of crossword puzzles or sudoku. They are usually ladies; but yesterday afternoon, I chanced upon a middle-aged man who looked very serious in his crossword puzzles. That was the part that amused me. Most that I saw casually outlined the words. But this guy even used a ruler! Heh, maybe he could have used a highlighter instead. With the advent of highlighter erasers, there is no fear in highlighting the wrong words anymore. Plus, it's convenient and he can still do his puzzles neatly without getting a seat on the train :-p

Now and then, I also like circling words out of a maze of random alphabets. My brother and I used to have a couple of crossword puzzles lying around in the house. We probably got them cheap at a dollar or two in some book sale. When I am bored with nothing else to do, I will pick up those books and while away an hour or so. Strangely, sometimes I just feel like doing those puzzles.

At a glance, it seems like a mindless activity. But somehow, as I squint my eyes and try to uncover each word, I derive a sense of satisfaction from finding strings of letters that are purposely spelt backwards, diagonally, diagonally backwards.. Such concentration isolates the mind. It forces away fleeting thoughts on studies (in the younger days), work, friends, the future, the past, hopes and disappointment. Sounds like I got a troubled past, haha. Far from being the truth though. I simply enjoy a mind-numbing activity now and then.

posted by slingwoof @ 6/23/2009 11:02:00 AM