Okay, so today I decided to tackle the LA Times crossword for May 22, 2024. I’ve been doing these crosswords on and off for a while, and some days are definitely better than others. Let’s see how today went!
I started by printing out the puzzle. I know, I know, I could do it online, but I’m old-school. I like having the paper in front of me, and I like being able to scribble all over it.
First, I scanned through the clues, looking for any “gimmes” – you know, the ones that you just know right away. I filled in a few of those, mostly shorter words, to get a foothold.
- There were a couple of fill-in-the-blanks that were pretty easy.
- Some short answers, obvious words.
Then, I started working on the intersections of those first few words. This is where it gets a little trickier. I had to go back and forth between the across and down clues, trying to figure out what fit. Sometimes I’d get one letter, and that would be enough to spark an idea for another word. It’s like a little domino effect.
A Few Sticking Points
There were definitely a couple of clues that stumped me for a bit. I think there was one about a type of food. I stared at that thing for ages! I even googled a few things, just to get some hints. No shame in that, right?
Eventually, though, I managed to work through most of the puzzle. I think it took me, oh, I don’t know, a good forty minutes of concentrated effort? Maybe more. Time flies when you’re having fun…or pulling your hair out, depending on the clue.
There were a couple I just couldn’t get at the end. And, I just stared at those blank spaces. I made it to the end, It is all filled. And, I am happy.
