Okay, so I’ve been trying to get better at crosswords, and I saw some people talking about the New York Times crossword and how to make your answers “really stand out.” I figured, why not give it a shot and document my whole, messy process? So, here’s how it went:
Getting Started
First, I grabbed the latest NYT crossword. I usually do them online, but today I printed it out ’cause I wanted to really mark it up.
The Initial Scan
I did a quick run-through, filling in all the answers I knew instantly. You know, the easy ones, like three-letter words or pop culture stuff I happen to know.
I use a pen, I like using it better than pencil.
Tackling the Tough Stuff
Here’s where it gets interesting, and where the “stand out” part supposedly comes in. I started looking for clues that had multiple possible meanings, or that played on words.
- I paid extra attention to the theme clues.
- I circled any clues that seemed tricky or like they could have double meanings.
- I started jotting down any possible, even remotely possible, answers in the margins. Even if they seemed silly, I wrote ’em down.
- I started filling it more, more and more.
Working the Crosses
This is the key part, I think. Once I had a few potential answers, even if they were just guesses, I started looking at the crossing words.
- I tried to fit letters from my potential answers into the crossing clues.
- I started see if I could solve more of the cross clues.
Embrace the “Aha!” Moment
I filled, and filled, and finally finished it.
It’s slow, but a fun process. It’s kind of rewarding when you finish a crossword, right?
