Xemu

I got a letter from Treesong back in early '93 (I think), who had seen my name in rec.puzzles.crosswords. He included a minisample and a cryptic crossword that had appeared in the 'Nig. I joined up, not knowing what I was getting into. Those puzzles in the minisample were so easy, but the ones in the real Enigma were so, well, weird. It took a while, but eventually I got the hang of them.

Source: npl-folk email from Xemu.

• Foobar (via rec.puzzles),
• Ghossiologmargn,
• Isis,
• Nekton,
• Pugsley,
• Rexhame (via rec.puzzles).
• cycle

According to L. Ron Hubbard's Scientology, Xemu (often spelled “Xenu”) was a megabadguy who ruled the Earth 75 million years ago. I thought it would make an amusing, slightly mysterious sounding nom, rather in the vein of “Ximenes,” except a little sillier.

Xemu provided a news story with more information which, due to length, is on a separate page.

Pronunciation: ZEE-moo.

As a base-supplier, I've been part of:

• Mark Down: Xemu/100 Down [X is the “mark” of someone who can't sign].
• XE MUON:Xemu/XEIPON
• Guyger: Xemu/Wrybosh
• Wrymu: Wrybosh/Xemu
• Xeaq:Xemu/Qaqaq [I'm not sure if this was the combinom we used]
• Xebec:Xemu/Beacon (now Quiz)
• XED:Xemu/QED
• Xehe:Xemu/Cache
• Xeimhu:Xemu/Ucaoimhu
• Xeker:Xemu/Joker
• Xeki:Xemu/Meki
• Xelk:Xemu/Ulk
• Xema:Xemu/Kea [It's a species of gull–Kea likes bird noms]
• Xemzom:Xemu/Trazom [I'm not sure if that's what the combi was]
• Xerax:Xemu/Crax
• Xi:Xemu/Ai

and as a versifier:

• Bemused:Beacon/Xemu.
• CMU:100 Down/Xemu. [C = 100; I went to grad school at CMU]
• Cramu:Crax/Xemu.
• Lunch Music:Lunch Boy/Xemu.
• Memu:Meki/Xemu.
• QEMU:QED/Xemu.
• Ulmu:Ulk/Xemu.
• Wamu:Wabbit/Xemu.

• President (2008 - present)
• 1st Vice President (2004 - 2007)
• 2nd Vice President (2003)
• Editor of The Enigma (2000 - 2002)
• Cryptograms editor (1994 - 2000)