Getting Started with That Crossword
Alright, so today I decided I was actually willing to sit down and wrestle with a crossword puzzle. Been putting it off, you know how it is, life gets busy. But today felt different. I actually wanted to do it, felt ready for the little challenge.
First things first, I grabbed my favorite mechanical pencil – gotta love that satisfying click – and poured myself a decent cup of tea. Found my usual spot on the couch, the one with the good light. Spread the newspaper out, or well, the puzzle section I’d saved.
I always start the same way. Just scan the clues, both Across and Down. Don’t try to solve them right away, just get a feel for it. See if any answers jump out immediately. You know, the low-hanging fruit.
- Like, 4-Down was “A morning drink”. Easy peasy, TEA went right in.
- Then 12-Across, “Opposite of fast”. Okay, SLOW. Got it.
Felt pretty good getting those first few in. Creates a bit of momentum, you know? Started filling in the grid, letters crossing, giving hints for other words. That’s the best part, seeing it start to connect.
Hitting a Snag
Things were going smoothly for a bit, maybe the first ten minutes. Filled in the top left corner pretty quick. Got a bit cocky, probably. Then I hit the middle section. Oof. Total roadblock.
There was this one clue, 23-Across, “A state of readiness, perhaps?”. Seven letters. I just stared at it. Drew a complete blank. My brain felt like mush. Tried thinking of synonyms, related ideas… nothing. And that held up like three other Down clues I couldn’t get because I didn’t have the crossing letters.
It’s funny how that happens. You’re cruising along, feeling smart, and then bam! One tricky clue just stops you dead in your tracks. Makes you question your whole strategy. I put the pencil down for a minute. Took a sip of tea. Stared out the window.
Pushing Through and Finishing Up
Sometimes stepping away for just a second helps. I looked back at the grid, focusing on the letters I did have around 23-Across. There was an ‘L’ from a Down word. Hmm. Readiness… Willingness? Ah! WILLING! It fit! That felt like a proper victory.
Once that one fell into place, the other clues connected to it suddenly made sense. It was like dominoes falling. Filled in a few more quickly after that breakthrough.
Didn’t quite finish the whole thing, mind you. There’s still that bottom right corner looking stubbornly blank. One clue about some obscure river and another about an old movie actor I’ve never heard of. Sometimes you just gotta accept defeat on a couple. It’s fine.
But overall? Felt good. Spent maybe 45 minutes, a nice little mental workout. It’s satisfying, working through the clues, even the frustrating ones. A good way to just switch off from everything else for a while. Glad I was willing to give it the time today.
