“I should think this selling lark is dead easy” young Darren announced as he took his morning coffee and sat down next to George. George wasn’t really listening. His mind was more on his crossword. 27 across : Easily Adhere. Cryptic crosswords were his favourite as it made him think more.

“I mean, it’s all down to a formula innit?” continued Darren.

“What formula’s that then?” said George drifting back into the world around him.

“Well, all I have to do is tell somebody what I’ve got for sale. Tell them what it could do for them and how brilliant it would be for them to own what I’m selling. Then just tell them how they can buy it from me.”

“Yes. I suppose that is a formula” replied George looking a bit thoughtful. “Sounds a bit too simple somehow.”

“That’s what I’m saying” enthused Darren. “Sellin’ must be dead easy.”

“What are you selling then?” George was trying to sound interested while he was really looking to see if any downward clues could help him in his quest to find the answer to 27 across.

“Ah. I’m still thinking about that” Darren was sounding thoughtful now.

“Well, when you’ve decided on what you are selling whatever it is, who are you going to sell it to?” George was secretly hoping this question would send Darren into deeper thought and let him finish his morning break and his crossword in peace and quiet. His own problem had just got worse because his mystery word looked like it ended in a letter C. How many words of ten letters ended in a C?

“I suppose it depends on what I decide to sell as to who’s going to buy it”

“So, you are going to find something to sell and then HOPE to find someone to buy it you mean?”

“Yeah. That’s it. I’ll know who’s going to buy it when I know what it is I’m selling!” beamed Darren. Happy that George had just got him out of an awkward question.

“It might just be me” said George, “But I think I’d rather do it the other way around”

“Eh?  How do you mean?”

“Would it not be a bit easier if you found out who wanted to buy something? Then you, having found out what that something is, go and get it to sell to them?”

A stunned looking Darren thought about this for a bit then a big smile spread across his face. “Hey…Yeah…you’re right. That does sound like it would be a lot easier.” Thanks George. “You said that formula sounded a bit simplistic but I reckon you’ve just made it sound like it’s going to work even simpler than I thought.”

“And thank you very much Darren”

“Eh? What for?”

“Giving me the answer to 27 across. The cryptic clue is ‘Easily Adhere’ ten letters ending in a letter c. ‘Simplistic’. Simply Stick. Get it? Anyway, coffee break over time to get back to work and afterwards you can go and start looking for your hungry buyers young Darren.”