Alright, sat down today to wrestle with the New York Times crossword. Saw the theme hinted at something like ‘inner strength’. Always curious how they’ll twist the words for the theme answers.
First thing I always do is just scan the clues. Some jump out, some make my brain go completely blank. Especially if it’s a later-week puzzle, like a Friday or Saturday, those can be real tough, less little words and more wide-open spaces.
Getting Started
I started filling in the ones I knew immediately. You know, the easy stuff, maybe a three-letter word or a name I recognized. Got a few corners going that way. It feels good to get some ink on the grid right away.
Then, inevitably, I hit a wall. Stared at a bunch of empty squares. That clue for 17-Across? No idea. Just blank. This is usually where the ‘inner strength’ idea feels pretty real. You gotta push through that feeling of being stuck.
Working Through It
My go-to strategy is looking at the crossings. If I have one letter filled in from another word, what could this word possibly be? I try sounding things out, thinking of synonyms. Sometimes I’ll focus on a specific section, trying to unlock just that little area.
- Looked for words ending in ‘S’ or ‘ED’.
- Tried to guess parts of the theme answers based on the clue.
- Just let my eyes wander over the grid, hoping something clicks.
Persistence pays off, usually. After a bit, maybe getting one tricky word, it suddenly opens up a few others. It’s like a domino effect. Those “aha!” moments are the best part.
Finishing Up
Made steady progress after getting unstuck a couple of times. Filled in the last square maybe 30 minutes later. Felt pretty good today, got it done.
Honestly, even on days I don’t finish, I like the process. It forces you to think, to connect things. They say these puzzles are good learning tools, expand your vocabulary and make you think logically. I believe it. It’s a good little workout for the brain, keeps things ticking. Just sitting down and focusing on this one thing, figuring it out bit by bit… yeah, that takes a little inner strength sometimes, but it’s always worth it.
