Malibu Way of Life / By Jody Stump
It seems a hundred years ago when I was young and living in a cold climate that my mother and I would huddle by the living room fire on Sunday mornings poring over clues in The New York Times crossword puzzle. In companionable musings, we’d stick with it until all the long answers resolved themselves from lightly penciled wild guesses into confidently inked letters and phrases. Sometimes, we’d leave a hole or two in the corners, but it was a rare day, and always fine weather, if we quit before discovering the puzzler’s punch line.
Often, it is a pun. For example, this morning I mused over, “Supporters of women’s athletics?” Sports bras, of course. Yesterday was even sneakier. My husband and I passed the paper back and forth during the day, doodling our way into the longest answers, Emperor Penguins and Daily Newspapers, in order to solve the central stumper: a five letter “shade” of the two. Penguins and newspapers are black-and-white. Twelve letters. Gray is four. Hmmm.
Bill insisted the puzzle-maker made up a word combining the two: blite. Huh? Puzzle makers are paid to be devious, but they seldom cheat. All the crossed words were correct. Musing overnight with a vague sense that something must be wrong in the world, we waited for the next morning’s paper to find the printed answers. Wow! The right word was either black or white. A careful examination proved that all the crossing clues were sufficiently ambiguous that both words worked in all directions.
I realized then that just about all the lessons one needs in life could be learned from a daily dose of crossword puzzling. Here’s a short list of recommendations when working with puzzles:
1. In tackling anything, start with what you absolutely know-then leave room to be wrong.
2. The obvious solution to an open-ended problem is seldom the best choice. Wait and learn more before committing yourself.
3. Sometimes the answer you’re sure is right, is just plain wrong. Don’t be afraid of letting go. Erase your mistake and move on-a better answer is there if you open your mind.
4. Sometimes, there is more than one “right answer”-be open to understanding the other side.
5. If a problem has you stumped, walk away and think about something else. Your brain keeps working on it. You may be driving or making the bed, and that tricky solution will “pop” up out of “nowhere.”
6. Share your deepest puzzles with a friend. Finding answers together makes success much sweeter.
7. Never solve a puzzle for someone who hasn’t asked you to share-resentment can last a very long time.
8. The more you twist your brain around puzzles, the smarter you become. Think of it as weight training for the brain. And, don’t stop at mastery. Once you’re good, stretch and try just a little bit harder.
9. Learn something new every day. I often Google a clue to find a factual answer. Today, I read a fascinating bio of Joe DiMaggio while researching the origin of his moniker, “Joltin’ Joe.” Yesterday, I learned the secret of Mari numbers and chortled aloud over quotes from Will Rogers. When I pipe up in a casual conversation with the answer to some obscure shred of knowledge, I can attribute half my apparent wisdom to Will Shortz, editor of The New York Times puzzles. He drove me to it.
I could go on with puzzle-solving’s virtues, but the paper just arrived and I have another puzzle to solve. If you haven’t seen “Wordplay” and you were ever a puzzle-solver, even as a child, go see this affectionate and quirky insider view of the writers who craft crossword puzzles and the impassioned people possessed to solve them-including Bill Clinton and Jon Stewart, devoted fans. The film may inspire you to pick up the arts section and a pencil. Just be sure you have an eraser that works.
Oop-Spicy Thai Eggplant
Adapted from “Hot Sour Salty Sweet” by Alford and Duguid
Serves 8
Puzzle-writers toy with food. Some common dishes dotting the twisted landscape are pupu, lo mein and poi. Recently, I stumbled over oop: a method of water-less braising.
This is a spicy variant on that old summer favorite, ratatouille. A quicker version can be made with greens instead of eggplant-double the tomatoes and halve the chilies. Stop when veggies are wilted but still bright green.
2 tsp. dried chilies*, soaked 15 minutes in hot water
2 bunches scallions
5 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. dried shrimp**
1 tsp. salt
2-3 tomatoes, chunked
3 Tbs. peanut oil
1 tsp. turmeric
3 lb. Asian eggplants, thinly sliced
1/4 cup mint, cilantro or Thai basil, chopped
1. Drain chilies, reserving liquid. Blend all the ingredients through salt. Add tomatoes and whir a few seconds.
2. Place a heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. Add oil, spice paste and turmeric. Lower heat and cook, stirring two minutes. Stir in eggplant to coat. Cover and reduce heat to low.
3. Check every five minutes to make sure it’s not sticking. If it is, drizzle in reserved liquid. Cook 45 minutes or until eggplant is soft.
4. Serve hot or room temperature topped with herbs.
* The recipe calls for Thai chilies. I use a variety of dried chilies and all work fine. Chipotles give it a nice, smoky flavor.
** Available in the Asian section of the market. For convenience, use Thai curry paste, which lasts months in the refrigerator. Omit the turmeric.