Okay, so I was messing around with the NYT Games app today, specifically the crossword, and I kept getting stumped. I mean, really stumped. Like, staring at the screen for a solid 10 minutes, chewing on my pen, the whole nine yards. And then, bam, it hit me – I needed to change my approach. It was time to “throw out” some of my usual strategies, just like you’d eject a player from a game.
My Usual, Failing Strategy
My go-to method? I usually start with the across clues, top to bottom. I figure it’s the most logical way, right? Read them in order, fill in what I know, and build from there. But today? Total brick wall.
- Start with Across: Nope. Nothing.
- Look for Short Words: Usually a good trick. Three-letter words? Easy peasy. Not today.
- Check Fill-in-the-Blanks: My usual safety net. Nada.
Time for a Change-Up
So, I decided to shake things up. I basically said, “Screw it, let’s try something different.” I started bouncing around the puzzle like a pinball.
First I scanned all the down clues. Didn’t even read them in order, just skimmed for anything that jumped out. Found a couple of longer words that way, which gave me some new letters to work with.
Next, I focused on the intersections. Instead of trying to solve entire clues, I looked at where the across and down words crossed. If I had one letter in a crossing word, it narrowed down the possibilities for the other word. Think of it like a mini-sudoku within the crossword.
Then I did some of my word with guess and try, sometime I will be very luck.
The “Aha!” Moment
By throwing out my usual rigid approach and embracing a bit of chaos, I started making progress. It was like the puzzle suddenly opened up. Those crossing letters gave me new ideas, and I started filling in more and more blanks.I throw out the normal methods from my mind.
The Takeaway
The big lesson? Sometimes, you gotta throw out the rulebook. Whether it’s a crossword puzzle, a work project, or just life in general, sticking to the same old routine can lead to a dead end. Don’t be afraid to mix things up, try something new, and even embrace a little randomness. You might be surprised at what you discover, sometime we need to throw out the old methods from the mind.
That is all I did today, and I want to share with you, hope you can get some help.
