Alright, let’s talk about this whole “yeah yeah yeah crossword” thing. I’ve been seeing it pop up everywhere lately, so I figured, why not give it a shot myself? I mean, I’ve always been into puzzles, and crosswords seemed like a fun way to kill some time and maybe, just maybe, keep my brain from turning into mush.
So, I started my little adventure into the world of “yeah yeah yeah crossword” by checking out the New York Times crossword. You know, the classic. I heard that their daily mini puzzles are available the evening before they’re officially published. Pretty cool, right? I found out that weekday and Saturday puzzles show up at 10 p.m. EST the day before, and the Sunday ones are available at 6 p.m. EST on Saturday. I thought, “Perfect, I can get a head start!”
I jumped in, and let me tell you, it wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. I mean, some clues were straightforward, but others? Man, they had me scratching my head. For example, I came across “[Knifehand strike, familiarly]” and after a few tries, I figured it was KARATE CHOP. Then there was “[In a state between waking and dreaming]” which took me a bit longer, but eventually, I landed on HALF-ASLEEP. It felt good to crack those, I gotta say.
Here’s how I went about it:
- First, I read through all the clues. Just to get a feel for the puzzle, you know? I tried to solve the ones that seemed obvious right away.
- Then, I started filling in the blanks. Some answers just clicked, and for others, I had to really think. Sometimes I just started to type some letters in and then wait for inspiration to strike.
- I wasn’t afraid to guess. If I was stuck on a clue, I’d try to make an educated guess. I mean, what’s the worst that could happen? I could always erase it later if it was wrong, that is what I think.
- I used a thesaurus. Yep, good old *. It helped me find synonyms for words I already knew, which was super helpful in figuring out some of the trickier clues. It was always open in a separate tab.
I kept at it, and slowly but surely, I started making progress. It was like a little victory every time I filled in a word. I even found myself looking forward to the next puzzle. But honestly, the “yeah yeah yeah” clue really threw me for a loop. I searched online and found out that lots of people were looking for the answer to this one. Apparently, it had shown up in the New York Times puzzle on June 21, 2024, and there was only one correct answer. I won’t spoil it for you, but let’s just say it took me a while to figure it out.
What I Learned
After spending some time with these crosswords, I realized it’s not just about filling in the blanks. It’s about the process. It’s about the challenge, the “aha!” moments, and yeah, even the frustration. It’s a surprisingly good way to unwind and give your brain a little workout. I am going to do this more often!
So, that’s my experience with the “yeah yeah yeah crossword” craze. It’s been a fun ride, and I’m definitely going to keep at it. Who knows, maybe I’ll even become a crossword pro someday. Or maybe not. Either way, it’s a good time. And that is all that matters in the end!