So, I’ve been seeing these “final four” puzzles in the New York Times crossword lately, and I finally decided to give one a shot. Let me tell you, it was a trip.
I started like I always do, just filling in the acrosses and downs, getting a feel for the puzzle. I cruised through some of the clues, but others, man, they were tough. The theme clues were especially tricky, you know, the ones that hint at the bigger picture. I was scratching my head, wondering what the heck was going on.
I kept plugging away, filling in a word here, a word there. Slowly but surely, I started to see a pattern emerge. It was like one of those magic eye pictures. You stare at it long enough, and suddenly, bam! The image pops out.
Getting Closer
- I noticed that four of the longest answers were related in some way. I mean related to the “final four” theme.
- I saw that certain squares seemed to be highlighted or shaded differently. At first, I thought it was just a printing error, but then I realized it was intentional.
- I started to suspect that these shaded squares held some kind of key to the puzzle.
And then, it hit me. The shaded squares formed a shape, and that shape was a big clue to the final answer. It was a basketball! Because “final four” is all about basketball tournaments, right? Makes sense.
The Final Stretch
Once I figured out the basketball thing, everything fell into place. I went back to those four theme answers and realized they were all related to basketball in some way. It was like a light bulb went off in my head.
With the final answer in sight, I filled in the last few letters with a huge sense of accomplishment. I did it! I actually solved a “final four” puzzle. It was definitely a challenge, but super satisfying in the end.
So yeah, that’s my “final four” story. It was a wild ride, but I’m glad I stuck with it. Now, I’m hooked! I can’t wait to try another one. Maybe I’ll even get good enough to solve them without pulling my hair out.
