Okay, so I’ve been hooked on the NYT crossword lately. It’s like, my daily brain workout. But sometimes, I just get stuck. Like, staring at a blank grid, feeling totally defeated. So, I decided to figure out a way to, you know, “unleash” my inner crossword master. Here’s what I did:
Start Small, Build Up
First, I ditched the Monday puzzle. I know, I know, it’s supposed to be the easiest, but I needed a confidence boost. I went straight for the archives and started with a bunch of Tuesday and Wednesday puzzles. Getting a few wins under my belt really helped.
Embrace the Check Feature
The NYT app has this “check” feature. At first, I felt like using it was cheating. But then, I realized it’s more like training wheels. I started using it liberally. Like, “check puzzle” after every few words. It showed me where I was going wrong, and I started to see patterns in my mistakes.
Google is Your Friend (Sometimes)
Okay, this is controversial, but sometimes, I just Google stuff. I’m not talking about straight-up answers. More like, if the clue is “Capital of Latvia,” and I’m drawing a blank, I’ll Google it. It’s about learning, not just filling in squares. Some crossword purists might yell at me, but hey, it’s working for me.
Build a Word List
I started keeping a list of words that kept popping up. You know, those crossword-ese words like “EPEE” and “ARIA.” I made a little list on my phone and reviewed it every now and then. It’s amazing how often those same words reappear.
Pay Attention to Tenses and Plurals
This was a game changer: clues give strong hints.
- If a clue is plural the answer is very likely to be plural.
- Same for tenses, past tense clue means past tense answer.
- If the clue has “abbr.” in it, the answer will be an abbreviation.
Practice, Practice, Practice
There’s no magic bullet. The more I do crosswords, the better I get. It’s like any skill – you gotta put in the time. Now, I can usually finish the Thursday puzzle, and I’m even tackling some Fridays. Still working on those Saturdays, though… those are brutal!
So, that’s my crossword journey so far. It’s been fun, frustrating, and ultimately, pretty rewarding. If you’re struggling, try some of these tips. And remember, it’s supposed to be fun! Don’t get too hung up on finishing every single puzzle. Just enjoy the ride.
