So, I heard folks talking about this particular New York Times crossword, calling it “exceptional.” Naturally, I had to see what the fuss was about. You know me, always up for a good puzzle challenge, or maybe just easily drawn into hype.
Getting Started
I got myself set up, grabbed my usual spot on the couch. Fired up the app. First glance, it looked like any other crossword grid. Started in the top left, like always. A few gimmes fell into place pretty quick. Felt that little burst of confidence, you know? Thinking, “Okay, maybe ‘exceptional’ just means ‘slightly tricky’.” Oh, how wrong I was.
Hitting the Wall
Pretty soon, things got weird. The clues felt… off. Not just hard, but like they were speaking a different language. I’d get a few answers here and there, scattered across the board, but nothing connected properly. The theme, whatever it was, was hiding really well.
- I stared at 17-Across for what felt like an hour.
- Tried guessing theme answers based on the few letters I had. Nope.
- Put it down, walked away, came back. Still nothing.
Honestly, I started getting a bit grumpy. This wasn’t just challenging; it felt intentionally obtuse. Was the editor having a laugh? I questioned why I even bother with these things sometimes. It’s just squares and letters, right?
The Breakthrough (Sort Of)
Then, almost by accident, I stumbled onto one of the long answers. It didn’t make sense at first, but then I saw how it related to its clue, and how another answer nearby played off it. Boom. The penny dropped. It was one of those tricky theme types where answers interact or break the usual rules. Sneaky!
Suddenly, the “off” clues started making a twisted kind of sense. It wasn’t straightforward, mind you. Each theme answer required extra mental gymnastics. It felt less like filling words and more like cracking a code.
Finishing Up (Finally!)
Once I understood the gimmick, progress was steadier, but still slow. Some clues were just plain tough, even without the theme messing with my head. I had to really dig deep, dredge up obscure facts, make educated guesses. There were a couple of moments where I almost threw my hands up again.
But I pushed through. Filled in that last square. Sat back. Looked at the completed grid.
So, Was It “Exceptional”?
Yeah, I guess it was. It wasn’t just hard; it was clever. Annoyingly clever, maybe, while I was stuck. But looking back, you have to appreciate the construction, the way it all fit together. It demanded more than just vocabulary; it demanded a different way of thinking about the puzzle itself. It definitely stands out from the usual daily solves. Glad I tackled it, even if it did chew up a good chunk of my afternoon and test my patience. That’s the good stuff, right?
