It's always good when you attain something that you have lusted after, something that has made you sweat a little, something that has had you lying awake obsessing over. For me, that was my new problem, The Taken. I don't usually spend a lot of time on a particular problem, once I can do the moves, it's usually only a matter of one or maybe two sessions before for the business is done. That's my MO and that's the way I likes it. But, this sucker was different. I did the power crux in a session, a weird lock off move on the right hand up to a 'no hold' with the left. Move your feet over and dead point sideways to a jug. Take the tension and then begin the scary bit. Unfortunately, it didn't go according to plan. The sequence I had for the top came unstuck pretty quick. Cranking hard on a pebble, I skidded off, only to leave the entire pad of my middle finger resting on the hold. Two weeks and a bunch of fretting later and I was back to it. I knew that I couldn't face trying to do the move that way again, so I jumped on a cord and spent a good hour working out a new sequence. Armed with this new beta, I set off from the beginning, not to be denied my prize. A slight glitch however, I could no longer stick the low crux. Mildly frustrating to say the least. I had to walk away for another day. Luckily, the following day I was able to convince my spotters to venture in again to give me the support necessary. After a couple of falls at the crux I blasted through the bottom, ready to tackle the top section. Take a horizontal slopey pinch with the left, a good crimp with the right, hurl my right heel up to shoulder height, lock in desperately, take a slopey, slopey crimp with the right, drop into a side pull with the left, then launch again with the left to a slopey rail above. Fight hard to hold the tension, then match it up and delicately complete the top out. Result. Punter 1 - Problem 1. A decent tie I reckon... Thanks for the support from all those who came out to spot, it was much appreciated.