The thrill of the crossword

Watching Tyler Hinman win the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, yesterday, may not be as riveting as watching championship basketball, or even golf -- but the mood is definitely the same.

The crucial clues were "Basic," 8 letters = Alkaline

and "Item in stocks," 4 letters = Bone

Blogger Eric Berlin has written a report of the finals that does make them seem riveting. How appropriate that a contest about words comes even more vividly alive in words than it does in pictures.