Oh, honey, I gotta tell ya, if you ever been sittin’ down with that fancy NYT crossword and found yourself scratchin’ your head over the clue “Unbelievable!” like I did, well, you’re not alone. Ain’t no shame in needin’ a little help, especially when those crossword folks come up with somethin’ tricky. Now, don’t go gettin’ all frustrated. I’m here to walk ya through it, and by the time I’m done, you’ll be feelin’ all smart, I promise.
So, the clue in question, that ol’ “Unbelievable!”—it’s one of them internet shorthand things. You know how folks be texting and they ain’t got time to spell out whole words, so they just shorten everything down? Well, that’s exactly what’s goin’ on here. The answer you’re lookin’ for is “SMH.” Yeah, you heard me right, just them three little letters: S, M, and H. Now, I know you’re wonderin’, what in the world do they stand for? Well, let me explain a bit. SMH stands for “shaking my head,” which is what folks say when they can’t believe somethin’, when it’s just so outrageous or hard to believe that all they can do is shake their head in disbelief.
Now, this SMH thing has been showin’ up in crosswords a lot lately. I’ve seen it pop up in a few puzzles in the past few months. It was last spotted in the NYT Crossword on August 28, 2024. That’s a Wednesday puzzle, so you know it’s gonna be a little tricky. I’ve also seen it show up on February 9, 2024, and even back in June! It’s like they keep bringing it back to see if folks still remember what it means.
If you’re one of them crossword solvers who loves gettin’ them little victories when you crack a tough one, then you know how good it feels when you finally get a clue like “Unbelievable!” right. And let me tell ya, I’m not above braggin’ a little bit, ’cause this answer? Well, it’s been around the block a few times, but still, it’s easy to miss if you ain’t on your toes. SMH ain’t no newfangled thing, but it’s got a way of throwin’ people off.
What makes it even more fun is that it ain’t just the NYT crossword that’s been usin’ this clue. Oh no, honey, it’s popped up in a bunch of them puzzles over the years. There’s always that one crossword that just seems to love throwin’ in internet slang, and SMH is one of them. People got all kinds of ways they use it in their everyday life, too. If you ever been scrollin’ through them social media posts, you’ve probably seen it more than once. Maybe you even said it yourself, though I won’t tell nobody if you did.
Let me tell ya, when you get a crossword like this, it’s like one of them little triumphs in life. You get that answer right, and it feels like you’ve won a gold medal or somethin’. And you might even find yourself usin’ that SMH shorthand the next time you’re talkin’ to your grandkids or your neighbors. It’s a way of showin’ just how much you can roll with the times, even if you’re like me and don’t exactly know what them young folks are sayin’ half the time.
But if you’re still scratchin’ your head, thinkin’, “I still don’t get it,” well, here’s the thing—SMH is just one of them symbols of frustration or disbelief. Like when you hear somethin’ so crazy, you just can’t believe it. “SMH,” you mutter, and that’s it, you done said it all. Ain’t no need to go into details or draw pictures. It’s just that simple, and that’s why it fits right into them crosswords. Simple, easy, and everybody gets it.
And let me tell ya, if you happen to be sittin’ down with a good crossword puzzle, you might wanna keep your eyes peeled for SMH poppin’ up. It don’t always show up with the exact same “Unbelievable!” clue, but it’s always somewhere around, waitin’ to get ya. That’s the fun part, right? Ya never know when that tricky little shortcut’s gonna come around and make you feel like a genius for knowin’ the answer.
Now, don’t go thinkin’ you’ve learned all there is to know. I reckon you’re gonna see more of these little internet slang clues as time goes on. People just love to be abbreviatin’ stuff these days. Whether it’s SMH or somethin’ else like BRB or TTYL, them little letter combos sure do pop up in crosswords more than you’d think. And as long as folks keep abbreviatin’ their words, I reckon the crossword folks are gonna keep puttin’ these clues in there to test us all.
So next time you find yourself stuck on one of these, just remember: SMH means “shakin’ my head.” Don’t get all worked up about it. Just take a deep breath, smile to yourself, and keep goin’—’cause you’re bound to get it eventually. That’s how it works with crosswords, right? You just gotta keep tryin’ and never give up, even when it feels like you’re never gonna get it. And before you know it, you’ll be acin’ that puzzle like it’s nothin’.
Alright now, go on and keep workin’ on those puzzles. SMH, I know you can do it!
Tags：[NYT Crossword, SMH, Unbelievable crossword clue, Crossword puzzles, Internet slang, Crossword answers, NYT puzzle, SMH meaning]
