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Hello! Welcome to TUESDAY FLASH FICTION at GOBBLERS / MASTICADORES!
Crossword puzzles can be challenging.
They can be a great exercise for the brain.
But they can also be a pain if you can’t control your anger.
Read ahead and click the blue link to discover a man’s dangerous passion for them.
CHEERS!
I love crossword puzzles. My wife says they’ll kill me. I chuckle and tell her that I don’t see any assassin ninjas hiding in the blank squares. She smirks and says that the ninjas are inside my head. They lash out every time I sit down to solve the puzzle. I think she’s overreacting. She […]
Who would have thought that a humble crossword puzzle could lead to this much anger! Seems innocent enough… but apparently, combined with coffee, there’s danger lurking. I know I have to stop myself after one cup of coffee a day, otherwise I might indeed resemble your character. I tend to stick to Sudoku, anyway. Seems safer. Great story, Terveen, as always.
Thank you so much, Britta. 🙂
Caffeine and crosswords can be an aggravating pair. Haha! Sometimes, certain activities meant for pleasure and leisure can lead to disaster. I think your ‘one cup’ habit is a safe one.
PS – Numbers might be better than letters.
I really like this. It works as a great metaphor for how emotions can creep up on us before we notice it.
Thank you so much! 🙂
Emotions often have us dangling by a delicate thread.
It is a brilliant story, Terveen! Wonderfully composed. I found it relatable, even though I have the exact opposite reaction to such situations – I feel so down when I get stuck solving puzzles that I have to take a break to clear my head!
Thank you so much, Aaysid! 🙂
Puzzles do evoke weird emotions especially when they work against us. Haha. They often make us obsess about them. The competitive edge can be a sharp one.
So aptly described. You are welcome. 😊
“Cross” words indeed! The narrator seemed very angry and annoyed 🙂
Haha! Very clever. Yes, and puzzled too.
Thanks 🙂
Crossword addiction happens to be a very real thing. And while it’s a great way to keep the old brain box sharp, it has its drawbacks, like distracting you from more important tasks, the frustration of leaving a puzzle incomplete because you lack the knowledge base, and feeling like a cheat when you find yourself Goggling the tougher clues and pretending to others that you’re smarter than you actually are.
On the other hand, you can utilize your skills to solve crimes like Logan O’Connor in the Hallmark Channel Crossword Mysteries series.
23 Down Clue: Deceased magician (11 letters).
Answer: Abracadaver
Please, no applause, just throw money.
Applause anyway.
Well then, cheers anyway.
Hahahaha! That’s sheer genius!
I’m guilty of spending excessive time on crosswords. And googling the tougher ones just to complete it and feel good about getting the job done.
I think crosswords are evil fun. The elves hiding in the squares told me so.
Could you swipe a credit card? 🙂
I’ve heard about your credit rating, cash only, please!
Hahahaahaa! Oh well…
What an entertaining story. I love how you capture so much emotion in so few words. You are a master of flash fiction Terveen.
Thank you so much, Rae. 🙂
That’s really nice of you to say.
I appreciate it.
What a fascinating story. You remind me of a real person who sits in a sales office in New Jersey. He is a Tamil and a super intelligent one. True story. He does crossword puzzle every day and his clients come knocking on his door. Everybody else in the sales office has to go out to soliciting client, but he doesn’t do that. And he has a lot of good ideas. He has always fascinated me.
Haha. This is a delightful share, Haoyan. It looks like he’s a sharp one. And I think his skill at crosswords must be equally good. Some people have all the brains and clients. Thanks for always sharing these real like snippets. 🙂
A great story, Terveen. Laughing here. 😃
Thank you so much, Jeff. 🙂
I’m glad it made you laugh.
I appreciate it.
I just feel like an idiot when I can’t get through even half the crossword. So I stopped attempting to solve them.
Hahahaha! I can relate to this.
Why do puzzles have to make us feel like that?
Isn’t it hard enough to deal with difficult people?
Thanks so much! 🙂