At Last, We Listen Closely

At last, we listen closely: cryptic crossword poems brings together two favourite pastimes: reading poetry and doing crossword puzzles. In this collection, Holly Painter invents an original form: interconnected poems based on cryptic crosswords. Each one – a paired “clues” poem and “answers” haiku – can be enjoyed as poetry, with subject matter ranging from moon-washed forests to pub brawls, rebellious churchwomen to Vermont dairy cows, or the reader can join the poet in her work, using the poem to solve the haiku. It’s a unique and boundary-blurring reading experience for poetry lovers and puzzle solvers alike.