Wednesday 17 October, 2007

Where have all the flowers gone?

To the Guardian Quick Crossword. That's where.

The Guardian Quick courtesy The Hindu Metro Plus has been my time-filler between home and work for many months now. I used to spend many validating minutes figuring out really easy clues and feeling unbelieveably intelligent. And now? They've gone potty. Over the past fortnight, every second clue has to do with flowers and plants. And I am not (ellipsis) horticultural.

Today for example:
ACROSS
1 Indoor flowering plant (7,6)
8,18 Flower closing in the afternoon (7,5)
9 Large daisy (5)
13,23 Autumnal flower (9)
22 Moorland flower

DOWN
18 See 8
23 See 13

I am assuming '8,18' is 'morning glory'. But that was a single inspired flash of agronomical genius. I was elated. I am aware of 'rose', 'lily', 'lotus' and 'carnation'. That, I'm afraid, is where my knowledge of petal-rearing ends. And don't even get me started on plumage.

I'm waiting another week for this heavy-petal madness to end. If it doesn't, I will go back to Travel-Pastime No. 1: Serenading the Auto Driver.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

One of them is surely chrysanthemum. That is a flower, no?

Anoopa Anand said...

:)
It is.
Also a reference to an old post, no?