My Usual Go at the NYT Crossword
Alright, so folks often ask how I tackle the New York Times crossword. It’s become a bit of a daily ritual for me, a nice way to get the brain working.
First up, I usually grab it on the app these days. Used to print ’em out, but the app’s just handier for quick fixes and erasing. I don’t jump right into 1-Across. Nah, I scan the whole grid first. Look over the clues, see if any easy ones pop out. You know, the fill-in-the-blanks or really straightforward definitions. Getting those first few answers in feels good, gives you some letters to work with.
Once I have a few footholds, I start working outwards from there. I focus on areas where answers cross. If I have a letter or two in a word, it makes guessing the crossing word much easier. It’s like piecing together a puzzle, which, well, it literally is. I chip away at it, section by section.
Hitting a Wall (and Getting Past It)
Now, inevitably, I get stuck. Sometimes completely baffled by a clue or a whole corner of the puzzle. Staring at it doesn’t always help. My go-to strategy? Just walk away. Seriously. Put the phone down, or fold up the paper. Go make a coffee, look out the window, maybe tidy up a bit. Anything to clear my head.
It’s amazing how often, when I come back to it later, maybe 10 minutes or even an hour, I see the answer almost immediately. That little break does wonders. There’s no time limit, right? So no point stressing over it. Let the subconscious chew on it for a while.
- Scan for the easy clues first.
- Work on sections where clues intersect.
- Take breaks when stuck! It really helps.
- Come back with fresh eyes.
And yeah, you learn the rhythm of the week. Monday’s the easiest, designed to be welcoming. The clues get progressively trickier toward the end of the week. Saturday is the real beast – those clues are often about wordplay, puns, things that make you groan when you finally get them. Sunday is big, looks intimidating, but the difficulty is usually more like a mid-week puzzle, maybe a Wednesday or Thursday level. Just a lot more of it.
Finishing one, especially a tough Saturday, feels pretty darn good. It’s a nice little mental workout, keeps the mind sharp, or at least I like to think it does. That’s pretty much my process, nothing revolutionary, just what works for me.
