Greg,


That seemed strange, although the rest is pretty sober and reasonable. Still . . . the Egyptians did like to play with their writing. There is evidence for puns, even for “crossword” puzzles: see, e.g., H. M. Stewart, 'A crossword hymn to Mut', Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 57 (1971), pp. 87-104, on the stela of Paser, which contains a hymn to Mut that can be read both horizontally and vertically, and perhaps around the edge. See [ []]

There are two hymns that one can read vertically and horizontally in:
- The Tomb of Kheruef: Theban Tomb 192, OIP 102, Chicago 1980,
Plates 14-15 and pages 35-36;

Also:


ZANDEE, J., An Ancient Egyptian Crossword Puzzle, Leiden, Ex Oriente
Lux, 1966 (19.6 x 26.6 cm; [VI + ] 80 p., 3 fig., frontispiece)
Mededelingen en Verhandelingen van het Vooraziatisch-Egyptisch
Genootschap "Ex Oriente Lux" / Mémoires de la Société d'Études
Orientales "Ex Oriente Lux" 15.

So I wouldn’t say a playful purpose is out of the question.


Lee