Robert McNeil

FOR THE first time in many years, I've started doing quick crosswords again. When life was more leisurely, I used to enjoy this wordular challenge, usually while smoking a roll-up and drinking a cup of coffee, pleasures that back then did not carry the fear of a horrible death.

Most days, we achieve little in life. But completing a crossword affords us a small glow of satisfaction. Being Scottish, this soon fades: "Aye, that must have been an easy one. Ye'll suffer fur it the next time!" But, even then, for a Scot, the guil...