Call into question crossword

Crossword puzzles have long been a favourite pastime for many people - they give the brain a workout and a small triumph when the last square is filled. One theme that appears again plus again is the need to doubt or challenge a statement. This demand forces solvers to think hard and to look at words from an angle they had not considered. When a clue tells us to question a statement, we must look beneath the surface, weigh other readings of the words but also notice shades of meaning. In doing so we add to our stock of words and learn to attack a problem from more than one side, a habit that later helps at work as well as at home. A crossword that forces us to doubt what we first read gives a special pleasure, because the task is no longer a simple pairing of clue and synonym. We study the setting of the clue, weigh what it implies or end with an answer that both slips into the grid and mirrors our fuller grasp of the idea. If we keep setting aside time for those puzzles also welcome the order to "call into question," we keep the mind alert and push its limits. By bringing plain curiosity next to a readiness to test fresh paths, we open the door to a long series of lively and rewarding mental adventures.