Okay, so I saw this “extra flare with up nyt” thing floating around and, honestly, I was kinda confused. But, I’m all about trying new stuff, so I decided to dive in and figure it out. Here’s how it went down.
The Initial Confusion
First off, I wasn’t even 100% sure what it was. “Up nyt”? Is that some kinda abbreviation? Was it even English? Turns out, it’s referencing adding some pizzazz to the New York Times crossword, specifically with their “Up” theme puzzles. Got it, finally.
Getting My Hands Dirty
My first step was, obviously, to pull up the NYT crossword. I normally do the mini, ’cause, you know, short attention span. But today, I was going for the big one. I found an “Up” themed puzzle from a bit back. Those are the ones where some answers are, like, vertically flipped or something.
The Struggle Was Real
Let me tell you, those “Up” puzzles are no joke! It took me a while to get into the groove. You’re not just thinking about words, you’re also thinking about direction. My brain was definitely working overtime.
- First attempt: Total fail. I got, like, three answers and then hit a wall.
- Second attempt: A little better. I started to understand the “up” gimmick in the clues, and figured out some tricks.
- Third attempt: Now we’re talking! Started to get the answers in the correct orders, and it’s satisfying.
The “Aha!” Moment
After some trial and error (and maybe a tiny peek at a crossword solver…don’t judge!), I finally started to crack the code. The key, I realized, was to really focus on the clue wording. They weren’t always straightforward. And the “up” answers? The ones go backward. It was all about the clever way those were written in.
The Finished Product (Almost)
I didn’t finish the whole thing, I’ll admit. But I got way further than I thought I would! And, more importantly, I understood it. That “extra flare” they were talking about? It’s the challenge, the twist, the thing that makes you think differently.
So, would I do it again? Probably! It’s definitely a good brain workout. And hey, maybe one day I’ll actually finish one of these things without any help. Baby steps, right?
