Okay, so today I decided to try and tackle the New York Times crossword puzzle. You know, the one everyone talks about being so prestigious and all that? Well, let me tell you, it’s a whole different beast when you actually sit down to do it.
Getting Started
First things first, I grabbed my phone and opened up the NYT Crossword app. I’ve dabbled with crosswords before, mostly the free, easy ones you find online. But this… this felt like stepping into the major leagues.
The grid stared back at me, a daunting expanse of black and white squares. I took a deep breath and started scanning the clues. Some of them seemed pretty straightforward, you know, like “Opposite of black” (WHITE, obviously). I boldly filled in a few of those, feeling a surge of initial confidence.
Hitting the Wall
But then… bam! I hit a wall. Clues like “___ culpa” and “Locale for leprechauns” had me completely stumped. I started second-guessing myself, erasing some of my earlier answers, and generally feeling like a complete crossword newbie.
- Tried googling a few clues, but they are very tricky.
- Started to feel defeated
- almost gave up
The “Aha!” Moments
I decided to switch tactics. Instead of trying to go in order, I started focusing on the shorter words, the ones with maybe three or four letters. I figured, even if I didn’t know the exact answer, I could try to guess based on the letters I already had from intersecting words.
And that’s when it started to click! A few “aha!” moments here and there, where I’d finally crack a clue that had been bugging me. It was like a little mental puzzle box unlocking, and it felt so good.
The Slow Grind
It wasn’t a quick victory, though. It was more of a slow, steady grind. I’d fill in a few words, then get stuck again, then chip away at another section. I used the “reveal” option to check my answers a couple of times when I was totally lost, which helped me to find new clues.
Almost There (Maybe?)
I’m still not finished. I can look at the answer any time but I will try harder. It’s a humbling experience, for sure. But it’s also kind of addictive. I can see why people get hooked on these *’s a challenge, a mental workout, and a weirdly satisfying way to spend some time.
I’ll keep poking away at it, one clue at a time. Wish me luck!
