Reading Mejiaville made me remember something I wanted to say yesterday: the deaths of Spike and Anya were set up beautifully by the Previouslys. Spike's line about only ever believing in one thing (Buffy) makes his sacrifice so fitting and bittersweet and moving. In contrast, "We're dealing with a Big Bad that can be any dead person it wants" for the eightieth time makes one hope and pray for Anya's quick and painful end.

That cryptic crossword was great.

Yeah, Kevin is an amazing constructor. I don't think I've ever done a puzzle of his that didn't make me gasp at the beauty of it. He also wrote what is (IMNSHO) the greatest piece of Xena filk ever. It's at [link] And other places - a lot of people were struck by its beauty & posted it.

I'm still stuck on the whole talisman deal, though. I mean, I get the idea, having done many cryptics before--I just can't *find* the thing. Is it based on an outline of certain letters? Is there shading on the grid that I can't see?

No, there's nothing funky about the grid.

Both whitefont and vagueness appreciated in answering.

I'm with you on that - in my circles giving away answers is worse than spoiling. I'm still pretty new on the board, and this is my first time white fonting. If I mess it up, I'll come back & edit.

General hint for solving cryptics, esp. Kevin's: Read the instructions carefully. There's nothing tricky or deceptive there, but the nature of the instructions should give you some sense of the talisman.

Direct answer to your question about outlines of letters: It's not the outlines of letters. It's entire letters; entire words actually. Note that the instructions say that there are some words entirely within the talisman.

Process hint (how I solved it): I "backsolved, " which means I figured out what the tribute was - you should be able to as well, then figured out which clues were in which class and so figured out where the talisman was, and saw it clearly.

What-is-the-talisman hint: It's a common wordplay thing - you've probably encountered it before. Look over the entire grid - big chunks of it.

Hope this helps, but not too much. I'm happy to vague-hint individual clues, too.

(bookmarks Jenny's post, just in case)

I adore cryptic crosswords, and I intend to tackle this one over lunch.

Also, that Xena filk is fabulous!

It's the revenge of the rest of us.

You know, I love to read you, Fred. There's an emotional truth to posts, too. It's the stuff that reaches me even when I don't happen to share the poster's take on event X. I do happen to agree with you frequently, but that's beside the point. I find it happening each time I read your posts, much like when I read little bam bam's (a Bronzer and lately a delurking Buffista).

So what was Xander's journey in S7?

Buffy's was to be overwhelmed by the responsibility of leadership, try to handle it by using her power to take control, and then to eventually win by sharing her power.

Willow's was the reverse of Buffy's in some ways - she had to move from being afraid of her power to a point where she's willing to claim it and even risk losing control over it.

Dawn was claiming her own power in her own way - claiming the right to make her own choices, rather than being a passive vessel for power like she was in S5.

Anya's tough to work into the "power" theme. I really liked where I thought they were pointing her in Selfless - figuring out who she is and listening to that person - but they really kind of dropped that afterwards. I'm left with her deciding... I dunno. Rectitude is more important than power? Since she was willing to give it up.

Spike... well, I'm assured by Spike fans that he reached a point where he found his own effulgence rather than defining himself through a girl. I'm not sure I saw that, but I'm willing to buy it as another example of someone claiming inner power.

Giles was presumably supposed to be coming to terms with giving up power to Buffy, though unfortunately that was expressed through pod Giles.

I can't make Xander fit, though. Poor guy.

As for Anya, eighty or eight hundred, I'd never wish that for her.

Thought I'd express my belated goodbyes to the show. Warning, schmoopiness ahead.

It invaded my dreams, just as Joss planned. It'll always be with me . And one day, I'll be in Istanbul, rounding a corner, and there it'll be, playing in some cafe. And I'll smile.

I can't make Xander fit, though. Poor guy.

Not much to work with here, I know.

But in some ways, Xander really grew up this season. He and Anya, after a few missteps, managed, I think, to put themselves on the path to a truer, more mature relationship. He stepped into a responsible, adult role with all the house fixing. Even though he had to abandon it, he did work he enjoyed and was good at and he knew it - he'd outgrown a lot of the insecurity that drove him in past seasons.

(ETA - And how could I forget, he also grew to recognize and accept his own role within the group, and to apppreciate its value rather than denigrating it.)

I only wish we'd seen more of this path.

It invaded my dreams, just as Joss planned. It'll always be with me . And one day, I'll be in Istanbul, rounding a corner, and there it'll be, playing in some cafe. And I'll smile.

Aww, Mike. That's so Ozly beautiful.

So what was Xander's journey in S7?

I think Xander's journey climaxed at the end of S6 when he faced down Willow. His speech to Dawn at the end of "Potential" was a good summing up of his character.

His journey continued, however, in that he kept on doing the right thing despite his vulnerability and notable lack of power, and despite the fact that he was badly battered throughout the whole process. He suffered more loss than any of the other Scoobs this season (his eye, Anya), and yet he was still there at the end, standing tall with the rest of them. Lack of power and vulnerability doesn't mean you can't fight the good fight.

Giles was presumably supposed to be coming to terms with giving up power to Buffy, though unfortunately that was expressed through pod Giles.

I think the fact that he stopped being Pod!Giles when he heard Buffy's plan was significant (assuming that the podness was intentional, that is). He was, IMO, grieving the loss of a power structure that he'd known all of his life. In the end, he was able to move on joyfully to a new structure that went against everything that had been drilled into him as a Watcher and as a child in a family of Watchers.

assuming that the podness was intentional, that is

You are kinder than I.

I'm still convinced the podness was everyone (but Joss) suddenly losing a grip on this character that's been there SINCE DAY ONE.

Yeah, still bitter.