Okay, so today I decided to tackle something I’ve been putting off for a while: the “laments crossword” puzzle. I’d seen it floating around online, and honestly, it looked intimidating as heck. But, you know, gotta challenge myself, right?
First things first, I printed out the puzzle. I’m old school like that – I like to have a physical copy I can scribble on. Plus, staring at a screen for too long gives me a headache. I grabbed my favorite pen – a nice, smooth-flowing one – because nothing’s worse than a scratchy pen when you’re trying to concentrate.
Getting Started (and Stuck)
- I started by scanning the clues, looking for the easy ones, the gimmes. You know, the ones that are, like, three letters long and super obvious.
- I filled in a few of those, feeling pretty good about myself. “Aha!” I thought, “I’m a crossword genius!”
- Then… I hit a wall. A big, blank, frustrating wall.
Most of the clues were these cryptic, wordplay-heavy things that made absolutely no sense. I stared at them, re-read them, even tried saying them out loud in different voices (don’t judge). Nothing.
The “Aha!” Moment (and More Walls)
After what felt like an eternity of staring, I finally got one! It was a longer word, and I just had a sudden flash of insight. I penciled it in, feeling that little rush of accomplishment.
That one word opened up a few more, like a chain reaction. I managed to fill in a corner of the puzzle, feeling pretty smug. But then… another wall. This time, even bigger than the first.
The Grind
I spent a good chunk of time just working through it, clue by clue. Some I got through sheer stubbornness, others through educated guesses, and a few… well, let’s just say I might have peeked at the answers online. (Hey, we all have our moments of weakness.)
- I tried different approaches. Sometimes I’d focus on the across clues, sometimes the down clues.
- I took breaks. Stepped away, made some coffee, came back with fresh eyes.
- There was a lot of erasing. My poor eraser got a real workout.
The Finish Line (Sort Of)
Eventually, after much toil and tribulation, I managed to complete the puzzle… mostly. There were a couple of squares I just couldn’t crack, no matter how hard I tried. But you know what? I’m okay with that. I gave it my best shot, and that’s all that matters.
So, yeah, that was my “laments crossword” adventure. It was frustrating, challenging, and ultimately, pretty satisfying. Would I do it again? Maybe. But I think I need a little break from cryptic clues for a while. I’m going to go do a jigsaw. Something with, like, large color sections.
