Okay, so I’ve been trying to get better at crosswords lately. It’s, like, a mental workout, you know? But I kept forgetting clues, getting stuck, and then just giving up. So I thought, “There’s gotta be a better way!” And that’s how I started this whole “not forget crossword” thing.
My Little Experiment
First, I grabbed a pen and paper. I know, old school, right? But I figured writing stuff down would help me remember better than just staring at the screen.
Then, I started the crossword like usual. Read the clue, think real hard, maybe get a few letters.
- If I got a word, boom, I wrote it in the grid, like normal.
- But here’s the key: If I was even a little unsure, I jotted down the clue number and any possible letters or ideas I had on my separate piece of paper.
This is where things changed. See, usually, I’d just skip the hard clues and come back. But I’d forget what I was thinking! This time, my notes were right there. Like, “14 Across: ‘Musical instrument’ – could be P?ANO?”
I kept going like this, filling in what I knew, making notes on what I didn’t. It was kind of messy, but that was okay.
When I went back to the tricky clues, I had my notes! Sometimes, seeing the clue written down, plus a few potential letters, was enough to jog my memory. Other times, I looked at the intersecting words I’d filled in and used my notes to help me guess.
It actually worked! I finished the whole crossword, which I haven’t done in, like, forever. And the best part? I felt like I actually learned the words, not just guessed them. I did not forget about them. I’m definitely going to keep doing this. It’s way less frustrating, and I’m getting better, slowly but surely.
