I wonder if Alan Alda still gets a kick out of seeing his name in crosswords. He’s made thousands of crossword cameos. (Thank you, Alan!) ALDA is a most accommodating grid entry, as is his very friendly full name: ALANALDA
Maybe the crosswords have rubbed off on him. He’s interested in definitions — better, clearer, accessible definitions of simple concepts. Alda urges scientists to break it down for society: “For the good of all of us, we need scientists to use clarity and precision when they explain their work.”
He’s launched a contest that challenges wordsmiths to answer the question: “What is a flame?” If you’ve got a burning desire to define concepts clearly and simply — fire up that cortex and enter the contest.
It’s a tough crowd, though — you’ll be judged by a panel of 11-year-olds. The contest ends on April 2, 2012.