Okay, let me tell you about this thing I did recently, this “grapevine item crossword”. Wasn’t sure what to expect, just saw the name and thought, alright, let’s give it a shot.
So, first thing, I got myself set up. Found a quiet corner, grabbed a pencil – yeah, I still use pencils for crosswords, feels right – and the puzzle itself. It was printed on some cheap paper, looked like something from a local newsletter maybe. The grid looked pretty standard, but the title “Grapevine Items” had me curious.
Started scanning the clues. Across ones first, usually my way. Some were pretty straightforward, you know, like “Office whispers (5 letters)”. Easy enough, filled in RUMOR. But then things got a bit trickier. There were clues referencing stuff that sounded like half-remembered sayings or maybe inside jokes.
Digging In
One clue, “What you hear on the office communication channel, maybe (9 letters)”, had me stumped for a bit. Kept thinking ‘newsletter’ or ‘bulletin’, but nothing fit. Then it clicked – GRAPEVINE! Felt a bit silly missing that one given the puzzle’s name.
Then came the Down clues. These were mixed. Some were regular crossword stuff, like “Opposite of fast (4 letters)” – SLOW. But others were themed again. “A secret told (7 letters)”. CONFIDE? No, didn’t fit with the letters I already had. Worked around it for a while. Turns out it was GOSSIP. Shows you where their mind was at.
Spent a good hour on it, I reckon. Filling squares, erasing, chewing the end of the pencil. Some parts flowed nicely, others were a real slog. Had to really think about how people talk, how information spreads informally. Stuff like:
- Hearsay evidence source (informal)
- Unverified information
- Passed along talk
These clues weren’t just about vocabulary; they were about the concept of the grapevine.
Got stuck proper on 14 Down: “Result of crossed wires (15 letters)”. Fifteen letters! That’s a big one. Had MISCOMMUNICATION in mind, but it didn’t fit the letters I had from the Across clues crossing it. This one clue actually made me pause and think for a bit. Reminded me of my old job, actually. Not the job itself, but how things worked there.
It was funny, that place. Information traveled in weird ways. You’d hear one thing from a manager, another thing from a coworker who heard it from someone else… total grapevine situation. One time, a rumor went around about layoffs, massive panic. Turned out someone had misunderstood an email about office moves. Just completely crossed wires. People were updating resumes, stressing out for nothing. All because of some silly gossip travelling down the grapevine. Made me realize how easy it is for nonsense to spread.
Anyway, back to the puzzle. I eventually figured out 14 Down. The crossing letters gave me a few hints, and suddenly it hit me: MISUNDERSTANDING. Fit perfectly. Felt good to finally crack that one.
Filled in the last few squares after that. Looked over the completed grid. A mix of regular words and these themed “grapevine” terms. It was an interesting exercise, not just a standard crossword. Made you think about more than just definitions.
So yeah, that was my little adventure with the grapevine item crossword. Just a simple puzzle, but it got the brain working and, weirdly, brought back some old memories. Funny how that happens sometimes.
