Alright, guys, so yesterday I decided to tackle the New York Times crossword puzzle, just like any other day. Usually, I just give it a try casually. But this time, there was this one clue that really got me stuck: “inner strength.” I stared at it for a good while, scratching my head. It was only a short one, just two words, but man, it was a doozy.
So, I started like I always do, filling in the answers I knew for sure. A few here, a few there. But I kept coming back to that “inner strength” clue. Nothing seemed to fit. I tried different combinations, thinking about synonyms and all that, but no luck. The clock was ticking, and I was getting nowhere.
Then, I thought, maybe I need to approach this differently. So I started looking at the intersecting words, trying to get some hints from the letters that were already there. I filled in a couple more words around the trouble spot, hoping it would trigger something. Still nothing.
I even stepped away for a bit, made myself a cup of coffee, you know, trying to refresh my brain. When I came back, I looked at it with fresh eyes, but still nothing. It was as if my mind was blank. I started to feel a bit defeated, to be honest.
But then I remembered those online crossword communities. I thought that maybe some crossword fans had discussed about this clue before.
I quickly searched it up and browsed around for a bit, turns out some people had discussed it before! Some said this clue appeared in the NYT Crossword on June 15, 2024, and some said July 11 or June 16. After reading through a bunch of posts, I finally found it. It was a short word, just five letters. I won’t spoil it for you, just in case you’re still working on it. Let me give you a hint: This five-letter word that starts with an “F.”
I’m not sure about the exact date of this puzzle, but it is somewhere around June or July. It wasn’t today’s though. It took me a good hour or two, but I finally cracked it. And you know what? It felt amazing. Like, I had this huge sense of accomplishment. It’s funny how these little puzzles can do that to you, right?
Anyway, I just wanted to share my little victory with you guys. If any of you are into crosswords, and you ever get stuck, just remember: perseverance is key! And sometimes, you just need to step away and come back with a fresh perspective.
- Tried filling in other answers first.
- Looked at intersecting words for hints.
- Took a break to refresh my brain.
- Searched online for the clue discussion.
- Finally got the answer and felt great.
Happy puzzling, everyone!
Moral of the story
Don’t give up easily! Even when things get tough, there’s always a way. And sometimes, all you need is a little help from your friends or the internet.
