a million empty boxes

There is a pure, synaptic joy to be found in the delicate unearthing of a deviously hidden crossword clue. Solving the New York Times crossword became a staple of my daily routine during Victoria's six long lockdowns, and learning how to parse it's own unique

brand of clues, gradually recognising the individual tricks a crossword constructor uses, and discovering that the humble OREO appears to be the format's favourite cookie have all lead to

hundreds of happily spent hours solving increasingly arcane puzzles whilst commuting to and fro on Melbourne's tram network.

This work, written for the lesser-seen variety of piano trio with oboe and bassoon replacing violin and cello, attempts to emulate the flow of solving a NYT crossword, and capture the pure joy of accidentally uncovering the often deviously concealed theme and wordplay that the puzzle is habitually ripe with.

Recorded at Hanson-Dyer Hall, June 2023