Madam, - There are those who advocate the bicycle as a means of becoming and staying fit, and those who champion its use for city and suburban commuting, particularly somewhere as regularly gridlocked as Dublin. But as an aid to solving the Irish Times crossword?
Try this simple experiment. Turn to the Crosaire and begin. If you are an old hand, you should have no trouble with most of it. There are usually, however, three or four clues which prove intractable, despite one's best efforts.
You now have two choices. One is to imagine the compiler, sitting on his verandah with a gin and tonic (possibly being fanned with a gigantic leaf) and curse him for his deviousness. The second is more constructive.
Go into the garage, unearth your bicycle (assuming you have one) and take it out for a brisk ride. About 10 miles should suffice. On your return, pick up the crossword and try again. If you still cannot solve those clues, I will be very surprised.
The explanation is probably quite simple - maybe something to do with strenuous exercise increasing the blood supply to the brain. If it helps with solving crosswords, though, would it not improve performance at work for those who employ that method of getting there?
To the powers that be, I would make this entreaty - do not consider making cycle helmets compulsory. They are there for those who want them. Personally, I have been falling off bicycles for decades and have landed on everything except my head. When helmets have been made compulsory, as in Australia, the use of bicycles has declined sharply.
Sometimes, old ideas are seen to be good ones, and get a second chance. There used to be trams; now they are back. The streets of Dublin used to be full of bicycles. Let us hope we see that again. - Yours, etc.,
PAUL GRIFFIN,
Cilgerran,
Cardigan,
Wales.