300 Words From London: Crosswords With Will Self
Lake indirectly learns a new pastime from novelist Will Self as Nick Cave dances by.
by Lake Editor, London
first published: May, 2008
first published: May, 2008
It's more difficult than you think. Like playing Scrabble through a maze.
A few weeks ago I was part of the cast for the new Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds video "More News From Nowhere". Another person in the video was the writer Will Self. In the film he sits at the bar and does a crossword puzzle. He was filming his bit when I got to the old Raymond's Revue Bar in Soho where the shoot was taking place. After he'd finished his part he went home and left his prop newspaper behind.
Later, while I was aimlessly wandering around waiting for the lighting to be set-up or some such technical detail I took a look at Self's crossword. He had filled it all in but with words that bore no relation to the clues. These were all proper words. In fact they were proper Selfian, or is it Self-ish words like: perfidy, carillon, phylum and quincunx. And they all slotted into the crossword grid perfectly. It was a revelation to me. Nobody I have now asked has ever seen a crossword done like this before. I wonder if it's a common distraction for dissolute braniacs like Self who care not for the rules or questions of regular crossword compilers but prefer to squeeze their vocabulary into artificially restrictive grids like some form of mental B&D.
It's fun though. Try it. It's more difficult than you think. Like playing Scrabble through a maze. And the video is good too. You can see Self in crossword action. And you can see me. Oh yeah, and you can see Nick Cave too.
Lake
Editor, London
the first journalism Lake ever had published was a history of Johnny Thunders for Record Collector magazine, since then he has written for publications including the Guardian, Dazed and Confused, the Idler and more recently, outsideleft.com as you have just seen.
about Lake »»
It's more difficult than you think. Like playing Scrabble through a maze.
RECENT STORIES
Adventures in the archives
RANDOM READS
What Readers are Reading Right Now
- Goodbye, Jet Boy: We Hardly Knew Ye
Sylvain Sylvain: 2021's First Rock & Roll Tragedy - The Hip-Priest of the Hyperreal
Mark E. Smith emerges out of the dust of Baudrillard's demise with a new band, a new record and old wisdom - Our A-Z of Cultural Highs Were Not Always Your A-Z of Cultural Highs
Music, Movies, Television, Art, and Similar Things That Made 2020 bearable chosen by our editors, contributors, and special guest stars - Get Out, Get Out, Get Out - Alex V. Cook Interviews Jason Molina
The frontman for Songs:Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co. takes some time out from his reputation for being an abrasive jerk to kindly answer an adoring fan's questions. - Me So Horny!, or, Jazz is Discovered to Still Exist
New records by Ornette Coleman and David S. Ware are vibrant examples of jazz that blows past the walls of snobbery keeping jazz underground. - The Tubes and You #1: Pussyamazing
In this first of many trawls through the vast seas of YouTube and the like, we find a specimen that teaches us the more we lose, the more we gain. In her underwear. - So Far So Good
Paul Hawkins drops ten pop culture highlights on us - The Garroting of Eric Clapton Will Commence in 3..2..1
Mick Barr may actually have reinvented the guitar virtuoso as something palatable. - A Brief Review of Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
Belle Plankton goes to the movies... - The Soft Rock Renegades
Solace from the push-pull of trends and styles is momentarily found in the glorious pop genius of Susan Cowsill, Pernice Brothers and the Drams.
All About and Contributors
HELP OUTSIDELEFT
Outsideleft exists on a precarious no budget budget. We are interested in hearing from deep and deeper pocket types willing to underwrite our cultural vulture activity. We're not so interested in plastering your product all over our stories, but something more subtle and dignified for all parties concerned. Contact us and let's talk. [HELP OUTSIDELEFT]
WRITE FOR OUTSIDELEFT
If Outsideleft had arms they would always be wide open and welcoming to new writers and new ideas. If you've got something to say, something a small dank corner of the world needs to know about, a poem to publish, a book review, a short story, if you love music or the arts or anything else, write something about it and send it along. Of course we don't have anything as conformist as a budget here. But we'd love to see what you can do. Write for Outsideleft, do. [SUBMISSIONS FORM HERE]
WRITERS thru' the Years
Alan Devey, Alex V. Cook, Ancient Champion, Andy Allison, Annemiek, Belle Plankton, Bruce Bailey, Caiomhin Millar, Chantal, Cheiron Coelho, Chris Connolly, Christian Present, Damon Hayhurst, Dan Breen, David Hackney, Denni Boyd, Dirty Lillie, DJ Fuzzyfelt, Duncan Jones, Emerson O'Sullivan III aka FancyLad, Erin Pipes, Erin Scott, Eswin21, Guilaine Arts, H.xx, Hamilton High, Henderson Downing, Holly Martins, J. Charreaux, Jason Lewis, Jaycentee, Jennifer Lynn, Jeremy Gluck, Jez Collins, Joe Ambrose, John Robinson, Julie O, Karl Morgan, Katherine Pargeter, Kelsey Osgood, Kevin McHugh, Lake, Lee Paul, Luke Skinner, Malcolm, Marek Pytel, Mark Piggott, Meave Haughey, Michelle Williams, mindy strouse, Paul Hawkins, Paul Quigley, Peter Williams, Pixie McMowat, Pixievic, Rene Williams, Rick Casson, Ronan Crinion, Ruby Lake, Ryan 'RJO' Stewart, Samantha Charles, Seth Sherwood, Shane O'Reilly, Sophia Satchell-Baeza, Speedie John, Toon Traveller, and founders, Alarcon & LamontpaulOUTSIDELEFT UNIVERSE
outsideleft content is not for everyone