Alright, so, let’s talk about this whole “formerly known as NYT Crossword” thing. I’ve been doing crosswords for, like, forever, and I used to be all about the New York Times puzzles. But lately, not so much. I started to get bored with the same old puzzles and started to find some new word games. It’s not that I hated them or anything, it’s just, you know, things change.
So, I started poking around to see what else was out there. First off, I checked out some free puzzles online. Let me tell you, there are a ton. And honestly, some of them are pretty darn good. I mean, why pay for a subscription when you can get your puzzle fix for free, right?
Why did I start to move away from the NYT crossword?
I just got tired of the same old clues and themes. It felt like I was solving the same puzzle over and over again. Plus, with so many other games gaining popularity like The Mini Crossword, The Wordle, Connections, or Strands, I began to have more choices rather than just focusing on NYT crosswords. And to be fair, the NYT puzzles can be a bit, well, pretentious sometimes. It’s like they’re trying too hard to be clever, you know?
What did I do next?
I started exploring some new word games. I found this cool website, and they have a bunch of different types of crosswords. They even had one that was all about cats! How awesome is that? I also started playing around with those “create your own puzzle” tools. It’s actually pretty fun to come up with your own clues and themes. It made me think, as Will Weng said, “It’s your puzzle. Solve it any way you want.” That’s true.
What else did I find?
- New Puzzles: I stumbled upon some indie puzzle makers who are doing some really creative stuff. Their puzzles are fresh, challenging, and often have a fun, quirky vibe that I really dig.
- Community: I joined a few online forums and groups where people share their favorite puzzles and even create puzzles together. It’s been a great way to meet other word nerds and discover new challenges. And there is even a place for crossword solvers and constructors to share and create, which is amazing.
- No More Subscription: I realized I don’t need to stick to just one source for my puzzles. I’ve discovered so many free and affordable alternatives that I’m actually saving money.
So, yeah, that’s my story about moving on from the NYT Crossword. It’s not about hating on them. It’s just about finding what works for you. And right now, I’m having a blast exploring all these new word games and puzzles. It’s like a whole new world has opened up. Oh, and someone mentioned that there’s a way to calculate a “Difficulty Index” for crosswords based on user data. That sounds pretty interesting. I might look into that next. Anyway, if you’re feeling stuck in a crossword rut, I highly recommend branching out and trying something new. You might be surprised at what you find!
