There are possibilities for the actual answer of my wish to the fountain. In the short term, I would like to leave this place, get some food or get some money. In the long term, I would like to die of old age while having a 20-year old physical state, obtain fame that will not be replicated in the future or have a really safe life.
You have not regarded this to happen (10).
As the clue says, attempting to complete crossword is never on my list.
You read you follow, you learn. Then you will arrive dancing with a tutu to Rialto (8).
So what is a crossword, according to the pamphlet conveniently placed above a screen where the crossword puzzle is placed, the basic rule of completing a crossword is to utilize the clues given to me to write the answer either horizontally and vertically.
For this task, I am doing the puzzle digitally. When I touch one of the empty squares, a keyboard is shown under the puzzle and I type according to my guess for these clues at the right of the screen. Fortunately, whenever I type the correct word, the color of the square will turn green and the letter itself won't be changed. The observation is strengthened with an answer I have absolute confidence.
Linguistically utter a sound initially, wishes only rescue desecrated souls (5).
The table also has an English dictionary above the table, the dictionary is very thick. I read the content and an unfamiliar nostalgia hits me. I have never touched this edition of the dictionary in my life, but having this treasure showing me words that I would only use in short-term research makes me want to immediately keep this with me forever.
An absent presence that makes this magical realism bittersweet, for example (10).
Now, the biggest problem is solving the clues by themselves. Compared to Sudoku, they are difficult for me.
For example, try solving this clue.
Great writer, composer, work (7)
As a crossword clue doesn't openly show that the word is either a noun, a verb or an adjective, there can be many answers if you like the ability to interpret the clue. Blindly, I may guess the answer is a songwriter, even though the letter count has already exceeded what the clue stated, it can be quite close to the meaning presented. Though songwriter is incorrect since great is included, meaning it should be something specific, bringing me to reason it might be a name and putting me another 5 minutes long trying to get the word blocks all green, because when I surrender to start another puzzle, the answer of the clue is shown to me and it is in hindsight, too obvious.
Sometimes, the crossword clues may edge into pop cultural references, Western to be exact. This type of clue creates cultural confusion causing corrupt conclusion. Some would not be bad like Roxanne is doing a sting operation for every move he makes (6). Some of them make me feel outdated or way too current for the timeline I am in, like shorten the administration to cope with the average daily membership (3). With these types of clues, I don't have any way to solve them even with the help of a pamphlet, as it only shows how to do a crossword, but not how to complete one.
In my past dabbling around with crossword from time to time, I found out a very interesting alternative called Cryptic Crossword, a type of puzzle where you answer the clues by looking at them in a creative manner. An example of one is some female islander's flower garland (3), the clue is easy as you can easily find the answer inside the clue. Some of the cryptic clues can be as simple as anagrams, containers, and odds & evens; some clue can be difficult as words with double meanings, wordplay and companion clues since these clues requires outside thinking to find the answer, something I still struggle with and hesitate to look for harder cryptic crossword puzzles.
Show them you got the gift (6).
Thus, until now I admit I am still a beginner at crossword puzzles. With many clues and words to solve and learn, even with my English ability, I don't have the skills to fully complete a newspaper level crossword, preferring to push myself in numerical puzzles instead and leaving the crossword untainted.
So how would they react to me finally deliver a solid completion to a crossword puzzle, as long as I can hold out, find the meaning to the words as useless as the dictionary it might seem, blindly type in my guesses for my words as the last resort? Would they say finally, good job? Or pout as they are being replaced with the electrical and clean version of them?
As the fuel is revealed under the table, I honestly say I don't know, because being an expert crossword solver has never been my dream in the future. What is the use of an archaic puzzle that could be replaced by more immersive games in RPGs, dating simulators, first-person shooters or dance-offs? What type of educational games that could replace crossword with a game that provides a better English learning experience? What are the benefits aside from using English that has the struggle to use in daily conversation?
Like my existence, crosswords are wavering against the existence of time. Crossword puzzles need to innovate in order to stay as relevant as possible, but the core element of solving by giving clues still remains within it. Unless there is a god that somehow finds the world of electric too tiring and power down the world, crosswords will find eventual extinction in the future.
Start competing heavens against new grounds everlasting (6).
But not as soon as the paperback dictionary I have with me. People still find joy in completing a puzzle by pen and paper (I want a pencil as soon as possible), no one will ally a dictionary as long as electrical alternatives appear. The only choice, like being driven to an unknown place by an invisible driver, will get people to clamor dictionaries as nobles.