Okay, so I got this thing for crosswords, you know? Started kinda rough, but I’ve been at it for a while now, and I wanna share what I’ve learned. It all kicked off, like, back in January 2025. I was a total newbie, didn’t know jack about solving these things. But hey, I figured, why not give it a shot?
First off, I grabbed a pencil. Yeah, an old-school pencil. Felt kinda weird at first, not using a pen or my phone, but I read somewhere that the pros use pencils, so I thought I’d go with that. Turns out, it’s pretty handy ’cause you can erase your mistakes without making a mess. And trust me, there were plenty of those in the beginning.
Then came the real challenge – actually solving the darn things. I stumbled upon this website, some crossword solver thing. Said it had, like, 57 answers for “disclose”. Seemed a bit much, but what did I know? I was just starting out. I tried using it a couple of times, but it felt like cheating, you know? I wanted to crack these puzzles on my own.
So, I ditched the solver and went back to basics. I found these universal crosswords online, free ones. They’re supposed to be easier, which was perfect for me. The site had this “check” feature, where you could see if your answers were right. Man, I used that thing a lot. It was like having a little helper, showing me where I went wrong and nudging me in the right direction.
- Start with the easy stuff: That’s what I did with those universal crosswords. They were a good starting point.
- Don’t be afraid to check: Using the “check” feature really helped me learn.
- Pencil is your friend: Makes it easy to fix mistakes without making a mess.
- The tactile experience: There’s something satisfying about writing it out.
I also tried these New York Times puzzles. Heard they get harder as the week goes on, so I started with the Monday ones. They were still tough, but I could see myself getting better, slowly but surely. The more I did it, the more I got the hang of the clues, the wordplay, all that stuff.
After about, I don’t know, maybe three or four months, I started feeling more confident. I wasn’t using the “check” feature as much, and I was actually finishing puzzles without any help. It was a good feeling, like I was finally getting somewhere.
Just Keep Trying
One thing I noticed, though, was how much more I enjoyed doing crosswords on paper. I tried a few apps and websites, but it just wasn’t the same. There’s something about holding a pencil, writing on actual paper, that makes it more fun. Maybe it’s the tactile thing, or maybe it’s just me being old-fashioned. It’s like, I can focus better without all those notifications popping up on my phone.
So yeah, that’s my crossword journey so far. It’s been a bit of a bumpy ride, but I’m glad I stuck with it. I’m still no expert, but I can hold my own now. And who knows, maybe one day I’ll be tackling those Saturday New York Times puzzles like a pro. But for now, I’m happy just enjoying the process, one clue at a time.
