Tackling That Old Crossword
So, I was rummaging through a pile of old papers the other day, you know how it is, looking for something completely different. And what do I find? A half-finished crossword puzzle tucked inside an old magazine from ages ago. Seeing it just sitting there, maybe two-thirds done, it kinda bugged me. Like, unfinished business, right there on the page.
I remember starting this one. Think it was on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Got pretty far, feeling smart, and then hit a wall. Probably got distracted by something shiny, or maybe dinner was ready. Who knows? Anyway, I put it down meaning to come back, and well, clearly I didn’t. Until now.
Decided right then, okay, let’s finish this thing. Found a pen – had to hunt for one that actually worked, naturally. Sat down at the kitchen table. First thing, I looked over the clues I’d already solved, tried to get back into the groove. Some answers popped out pretty quick, the low-hanging fruit. You know, the four-letter words, the really obvious ones.
- Filled in a few across clues right away.
- That helped unlock some down clues I was stuck on before.
- Started feeling that little buzz you get when things connect.
Hitting the Wall (Again)
But then, yeah, I hit the same spot. That tricky bottom-right corner. Just a bunch of blank squares staring back at me. The clues were weird, maybe puns or something obscure. My brain felt a bit rusty on those. I stared at 14 Down for ages. “Aquatic mammal known for its playfulness (5 letters)”. Could be OTTER, could be SEAL? Trying the letters with the crossing clues wasn’t helping much either.
Got up, made a cup of tea. Walked around a bit. Sometimes you just gotta step away, let the brain reset. Came back, looked at it fresh. Okay, 14 Down. If it was OTTER, what would that make 21 Across? The clue was “Opposite of fast (4 letters)”. LENT? No, that didn’t fit. What if it was SEAL? Then 21 Across would start with an S… SLOW! Yeah, that fits! That felt good.
Once SLOW went in, the rest of that corner started to unravel. One answer led to another, like dominoes. A couple were still tough, had to really think, sound out the possibilities. There was one tricky anagram I almost gave up on, but then the letters just clicked into place.
Finally, the last square. Filled it in. Put the pen down. Looked at the completed grid. Done. Finished. Felt kinda ridiculously satisfying, honestly. Just closing that little loop, finishing what I started, even if it was just an old crossword puzzle. No more unfinished business there. Now, what was I originally looking for in that pile of papers? Completely forgot.
