Letters to the Editor

An Angel Like Miah

I just read "Messages from Miah" (Winter '03) and was so touched. I also have a 16-year-old with Angelman syndrome. His name is Adam and he is truly an angel like Miah. It is funny how they are so alike. I wish Adam had as much assistance as Miah. We have had wonderful help and not-so wonderful help. It is scary to know that as they get older, you have to worry about what they will do after school is over. All our love to Miah's family. We know how you feel.

Jackie and Richard Bowden
Norman, Okla.

Puzzle Reviews

I enjoyed the article on the crossword puzzle guy ("Still Puzzled," Spring 2003). When I saw his puzzle, I dropped everything and ran for a pen (Sunday isn't Sunday without the New York Times puzzle). I think, though, he or his editor made a mistake in one of the clues: "Homecoming participant" would have to have been "alumna" to fit, but the answer was "alumni." It should have read "Homecoming participants." I know, picky picky.

C. Ralph Adler '76
Brentwood, N.H.

I enjoyed reading about Brendan Emmett Quigley and working his clever puzzle. As a fellow constructor, however, I must comment on some of the entries. 3-down calls for "Homecoming participant." Sounds singular to me, but the answer is plural: "ALUMNI." Possibly a typo in the clueing? Elsewhere, one of the cardinal rules of puzzle making was broken. 6-down ("It's caught on spring break") and 46-down ("Relaxed") each make use of the same word in the same sense: "REST" and "AT REST," respectively. Tsk, tsk. Nonetheless, a nice piece of work. Good thing Brendan didn't go to UCSB!

Len Elliott
Auburn, Wash.

Brendan E. Quigley '96 responds: Whoops. It's a good thing I'm not an open-heart surgeon. Those kinds of careless mistakes just lead to, well, all sorts of things. Namely, lawsuits. At least with crosswords, it's just entertainment.

Was it a Thursday Puzzle?

Editor's note: The online puzzle solution asked, "Was it a Thursday?" See the link for the online solution.

I'm not great at crosswords anyway, but I thought that it was more or less a Friday! I might have to keep practicing!

Christine Abrams '90
Pleasant Hill, Calif.

For me, it was at least a "Thursday!" Very clever use of "UNH." I loved it. Thanks to Jane Harrigan and BEQ.

Gary Cilley '78
Associate Director, UNH Admissions
Madbury, N.H.

Yes, I do think it's a Thursday puzzle. Unfortunately, I was using my Monday brain, otherwise the UNH blocks would have come to me. I had the phrase "Almost UNHeard of" early on, but couldn't see how it could fit. Good work, Brendan.

Jeff Palmer '75
Alexandria, Va.

Loved the challenge. Really hard! I never got the hook!

Karen D'Amico Ambrose '72
Lynn, Mass.

Thumbs Up

Our daughter just graduated from UNH (in the rain). For the past four years, we have enjoyed your magazine. We find it more informative and better written than some magazines on the newsstands. Keep up the good work.

Norman and Kathleen Lobb '03P
West Tisbury, Mass.