Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Water cracker

One of my favourite cryptic crossword clues read simply:
H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O (5).

My mind turned immediately to integer numbers because of the convention in early computer languages, such as Fortran, that variables (unless otherwise specified) given the labels I, J, K, L, M or N took only integer values. Useful in statements such as FOR I = 1 TO N or DO WHILE K LT 99.

This got me nowhere.

Actually I am not sure that the clue complies with the rules as laid down by Ximenes, but some rules are made to be broken in the interests of cleverness, wit & stylishness.

On last night’s Material World Quentin Cooper told how some MPs had been fooled into calling for a ban on dihydrogen monoxide – which sounds too much like the Chris Morris spoof on Brass Eye in which he persuaded various MPs & public figures to call for a ban on cake. There is however a very nice website devoted to this campaign.

But, as a serious BBC presenter, Quentin was concerned to ensure that the science behind dry water really is real.

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