Oh, let me tell ya, I been doin’ them crossword puzzles for years now, and let me just say, some of ’em sure do leave a person scratchin’ their head. Like that “complain” clue in the New York Times crossword, I seen it pop up more times than I can count. It’s like every other month, there it is again, makin’ me frown and mutter under my breath. I remember the last time it showed up, back on October 3rd – had me stumped for a good while! But I ain’t one to give up easy. I just kept thinkin’ and thinkin’, and eventually, it clicked. Sometimes you gotta put your mind to work like you’re searchin’ for a needle in a haystack, but when it comes to crossword puzzles, that’s just the fun of it, ain’t it?
You see, when you’re lookin’ for answers to a “complain” clue, there’s usually a few options. It ain’t always just one simple word. Could be somethin’ like “rant,” “roar,” or “slam,” you know, words that make a loud noise or express some kinda frustration. Those are the kind of answers that pop up for these kinds of clues, but sometimes they trick you, tossin’ in some extra letters to make you work harder.
Now, the New York Times crossword ain’t like the easy ones you find in them daily newspapers, nah. It’s got a bit of a reputation for bein’ tricky. But once you start gettin’ the hang of it, it’s like an old friend. You start to recognize the little hints and patterns they leave behind. For example, if you see a clue like “complain about” with 5 letters, you might be thinkin’ of words like “whine” or “grumble.” But don’t get too comfortable, ’cause sometimes they’ll throw in somethin’ unexpected, like “moan” or “bemoan.” You just gotta keep on your toes and remember, it ain’t about rushin’, it’s about takin’ your time.
I remember back in September, I saw the same clue again – that “complain about” one. Gave me some trouble, but I finally settled on “whine.” Sure, it didn’t feel like a fancy word, but it did the job. Ain’t that the way it is with crossword puzzles? It don’t gotta be fancy, just gotta be right!
Sometimes you get a crossword puzzle where the clues mix up a little, and you gotta fill in two words instead of one. I seen this a few times, like when you get a clue with “(2 wds.)” in parentheses, and you’re sittin’ there wonderin’ what in the world could fit. But it ain’t that bad once you get used to it. For a “complain about” clue with two words, you might end up with something like “make noise” or “vent about.” It’s all part of the game, and ya just gotta keep lookin’ till it all makes sense.
Now, what really gets ya is when they start askin’ for them shorter answers, like the three-letter ones. You know, the ones where you’re sittin’ there starin’ at the grid like it’s gonna solve itself. When that “complaint” clue comes up with three letters, you might be thinkin’ of simple words like “cry” or “yell.” But every now and then, they’ll throw a curveball at ya, and you gotta be quick on your feet to figure it out.
But I ain’t complainin’ (ha, see what I did there?). I mean, that’s the fun of it! If you just wanted easy answers, you could always grab one of them little crossword books at the dollar store. But where’s the challenge in that? The New York Times crossword makes you work for it, and when you finally get that last square filled in, it’s like you’ve won the lottery, but with words.
So, if you’re ever sittin’ down with one of these puzzles and you see that “complain” clue pop up, don’t let it get ya down. Just keep thinkin’, tryin’ different words, and before you know it, you’ll have that answer fillin’ up the space. And hey, if you need a hint, just remember them classic answers: “rant,” “roar,” or “slam.” You might be surprised at how often they show up!
Tags：[NY Times Crossword, complain clue, crossword puzzle, crossword answers, rant, roar, slam, crossword hints, crossword tips]
