My Go at the ‘2016 or 2028’ Crossword
So, I decided to tackle this crossword puzzle I found, the ‘2016 or 2028’ one. Sounded like a decent challenge for a quiet afternoon. First things first, I printed it out. I prefer doing these things on paper, feels more real. Got my favorite pencil, the one with the good eraser because, let’s be honest, I knew I’d need it. Settled into my usual chair, the one by the window.
I always start by just glancing over all the clues, both Across and Down. Looking for the low-hanging fruit, you know? Those short, easy answers that give you a starting point. Found a few gimmes pretty quickly. Something like ‘Sun’s rising direction’ – EAST, obviously. Filled that in. Then maybe a simple three-letter word like ‘Not off’. ON. Felt good to get some ink, well, pencil lead, on the paper right away. It gets the ball rolling.
Digging In
Then I started hitting the clues actually related to 2016 or 2028. Man, 2016. What a year that was. Feels like yesterday and a hundred years ago all at once. Lots happened. And 2028? Still feels far off, but it’ll be here before we know it. The puzzle had clues hinting at events, maybe people from back then or things expected in the future. Made me pause and think for a second, remembering bits and pieces.
I ran into a wall in the top right corner. One clue was about some tech thing prominent in 2016, and I just couldn’t place it. Had a couple of letters from the crossing words, but my brain wasn’t cooperating. It’s annoying when that happens. You know the answer is in there somewhere, but it just won’t surface. Decided not to force it. Got up, stretched my legs, grabbed a glass of water. Sometimes you just gotta clear your head for a minute.
Came back after about ten minutes. Looked at the tough corner again. Stared at the letters I had. Then I looked at one of the crossing Down clues again, something about a ‘summer games host’. Suddenly, the answer popped into my head. RIO! That gave me the ‘O’ I needed for that tricky tech clue across. POKEMON GO! That was it. Man, the relief. Once I got that, the rest of that corner just fell into place.
Wrapping It Up
The rest was pretty smooth sailing, mostly. Had to think hard about a political figure’s name, making sure I got the spelling right. There were a couple of clues I wasn’t totally sure about, but the crossing letters helped confirm them. You know that satisfying feeling when the letters just fit perfectly? Love that.
- Filled in the last few squares in the bottom left.
- Double-checked some of the more obscure answers.
- Read through the clues one last time to make sure everything made sense.
And then, it was done. All filled in. Felt pretty good. Wasn’t the hardest crossword I’ve ever done, but it was fun, especially the theme. Made me think about the passage of time, I guess. Anyway, another puzzle conquered. Time to find the next one.
