Fighting cognitive decline (Puzzle No. 3,359)

The Nation is finally back to regular publication after the anniversary issue.

There’s been research concluding that crosswords and other puzzles are a good way to keep your mind sharp as you grow older (note to young solvers: it’s never too early to start), but perhaps that’s not enough.

He just missed me there, but Sabers won the bout.

Working out clues exercises your mind, but you get to do it at your own pace.  This Washington Post article, and the scientific study it references say that having to see, interpret, and react to an action is also important to maintaining cognitive abilities.  Playing tennis has it; golf doesn’t.  Refereeing definitely fills the bill, and so does fencing, but fencing is a little more forgiving to the body.  Plus there’s the opportunity to be a competitor again after 25 years where I’ve never been the winner (or the loser) when I come off the ice.

So here’s a shot of me and Sabers from an article about the national collegiate championships, where Sabers refereed and I was assistant director.  And there’s a TV clip (click here and here) where you can see your humble blogger in action (the left-hander in the background).  If you’d like to try out fencing, drop me a line, and I can point you towards a club in your area.  It’s never too late to start: the vet 60 women’s national and world saber champion got into the sport as an adult.

Choose your weapon (pen or pencil) and challenge puzzle no. 3,359!

Link to puzzle:  http://www.thenation.com/article/204289/puzzle-no-3359

Degree of difficulty (by standards of this weekly puzzle): easy

Agility factor: light to moderate—trust your ability

This week’s cluing challenge: REACT.  Add your clue to the comments.

Back with the solution and annotation Monday!

A few errors in form, but an on-target hit.