A Ruddy-Checked Card

Lo, one month ago (plus two days), Ruud Janssen sent me the following unnumbered card with the message, "Hi Geof,/Try to figure out this card." Would that I could.

I'm now calling it "XAAAAX," based on its looks, but the green-blue footprints on the card also resemble old-fashioned snowshoes. The X's could be tens, I suppose and the putative doubled and mirrored A's could be V's. Maybe this is really "XVVVVX," or six fives (5 being the magical number of my life, as Ruud well knows). Maybe the initial half-X is actually just a design and this is five fives, which would give it greater force.

I'm full of supposition but empty of conclusion on this count.


Ruud Janssen, "XAAAAX" (3 Feb 2005)
un violon d'ingres