Okay, so today I decided to tackle the “all over again” clue in the NYT crossword. I’ve been doing these puzzles more lately, and some days are definitely better than others. This one, though… this one got me thinking.
I started like I always do, filling in the easy answers first. You know, the ones that just pop into your head. Got a few of those, feeling pretty good. Then I hit a wall. Gazed the list to find that “all over again” clue, and my mind went completely blank. I mean, I know what “all over again” means, obviously, but fitting it into a crossword? That’s a whole different story.
I stared at the blank squares for what felt like forever. I tried to think of synonyms. “Repeat,” “anew,” “once more”… nothing seemed to fit quite right. I even tried counting the letters in “all over again” to see if that would magically give me the answer. No luck.
Then, I started looking at the crossing words. Maybe those would give me a hint, you know? Like, if I could figure out one letter, it might help me crack the whole thing. I filled in a couple more of the shorter words, hoping for that “aha!” moment.
- Tried different combinations in my head.
- Looked for any common phrases that used a similar structure.
- Even mumbled “all over again” a few times, hoping the sounds would jog something loose in my brain.
The Moment of Truth
Finally, after some good, and some bad attempts and combining with the other letters I had filled out, it hit me. The answer was “ANOTHER TIME”. It fit perfectly! I felt such a rush of accomplishment. Like, I had conquered this mini-mountain of words.
I went ahead to finish the rest of the puzzle, feeling pretty smug, thanks this “all over again” victory. It’s amazing how these little word games can challenge your brain and give you such a sense of satisfaction when you finally solve them. I guess that’s why I keep coming back to them, all over again.
