TOK physics: Cryptic crosswords
Knowledge questions
Is there any point in gaining knowledge that is of no practical use?
Are skills gained in one area of knowledge transferable to other areas?
Is knowing the rules of a game enough to be able to play it well?
Physics is about solving problems, to solve a physics problem you have to know the rules. Physics can be seem baffling if you don't know the rules just like a cryptic crossword puzzle. Here is an example from the Guardian newspaper (UK).
If you haven't seen one of these before you will have no idea what the clues mean but to someone who understands the code it's not that difficult. Entering into the world of cryptic crosswords can be quite intimidating, those who can solve the cluse appear to be so clever, but it's just a matter of knowing the rules.
Each clue has 2 parts, the straightforward definition of the word and the coded part.
22d Secured change of diet
The definition is secures and the coded part is change of diet. If you change the order of the letters of diet you get tied which means secured.
13d High level plot for gore and mayhem
The definition is high level plot and the coded part is for gore and mayhem mayhem means disorderly and if you change the order of the letters of for gore and you get roof garden which is a high level plot of land.
26a Many distributed our menus. This is the same sort of clue, try to solve it.
The definition is many. If you distribute the letter of our menus you get numerous.
Some of the clues are plays on words, both parts are definitions, the word or words could have two meanings.
25aAudibly breathe a cunning plan.
This is a word that could mean audibly breathe or a cunning plan.
Wheeze
Score four? many more
Eighty
8a Impenetrable row of crops at one end of the country?
two words that would mean an impenetrable row of crops or a place at the end of the county.
Cornwall (corn wall) Cornwall is at the south west end of Britain, there is a place there called lands end
Often the first letter of words are used to make up the solution
21a Run after small girl, who may be on thin ice
Run is R and small is S. So the answer is S - girls name -R meaning some one who could be on thin ice.
Skater
3d Crazy about one girl
A 3 letter word meaning crazy and the letter I which represents one gives a girl
Maid
So, once you know the code you can solve the problem but if you don't know the code you have no chance. This is very much like physics, if you don't no the definitions and laws you can't solve the problems.
Cryptic crossword puzzle solvers. How clever are they?
Which of the 12 concepts are related to this activity?
- evidence
- certainty
- truth
- interpretation
- power
- justification
- explanation
- objectivity
- perspective
- culture
- values
- responsibility