Regardless of what some people might say, our computer is simply another source of reference. It’s no different to any other, whether it be a dictionary, a thesaurus or an encyclopaedia, or whatever, so if I’ve got one and it finds an answer for me, I win, and I learn something new in the process.

This is what I like about cryptics. There’s no such thing as a cryptic dictionary. One just has to nut it out for oneself from the clue. As I said, very self satisfying. My wife reckons I have a twisted mind so I love telling her how I sorted out an answer from a very convoluted clue. Every compiler has their own individual style, but I haven’t been able to pick who’s who at Lovatts.

At 73 and my wife at 71, we are far too young to be losing it. My mother is 101 and as a high school teacher, librarian and craft teacher, she lead a very active life until dementia got the better of her.

Warwick Lloyd
Ravenshoe, Qld