Brian finds a blank postcard in the bundle brought from home. He considers writing a long explanation of the cheese mystery. Instead he writes: “Crossword difficult. Pencil excellent.” He leaves the address blank until he can check it, and props the card against his book. The old seaside postcard remains beside it. For once, he has contributed a puzzle rather than solved one. He suspects his friend will approve of the economy, then ask exactly what was wrong with the crossword.