Chapter 5, Crib: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 Summary

In Part 1, Hester goes into Claire's room and looks through her makeup. Makeup is a luxury in England during the war. Women go to extremes to look beautiful such as making lipstick out of beetroot and mascara out of shoe polish. Hester puts on Claire's makeup, something she usually would never do. She looks in the mirror and sees her reflection. She is unexcited.

In a flashback, Claire remembers how she got hired to work at the Park. She won a crossword puzzle contest and from there, she was ordered to work for the government communication headquarters. She had to go. The male crossword winners, who placed lower than her, received the crypotoanalyst jobs, but she, the grand prize winner, only received a clerical job. Her work day involves being bossed around by men who...