Educe and Lucre

I thought of myself as an intellectual

until I started doing the NYT mini-crossword puzzles

the ones for five year olds.

I may not be faulted for the names of football players

or the actress in West Wing, but educe and

lucre cannot be forgiven,

much less forgotten no more than two

minutes after the crossword is done.

it's a hoax, these crossword puzzles,

if they are mini, then what, pray tell,

does that say about me.