Walker
San Diego, CA
Hello! I’m an avid crossword solver for the last 3 years when my sister introduced me to the puzzles over a Christmas. Sprawled on the carpet we penciled in our guesses. I was hooked. I’d always thought crossword puzzles were for the gray-haired, sitting in their rocking chairs at 6am with a cup of joe. Little did I know at the time, this would become a hallmark hobby that makes me, me. Now I’m not the sharpest tool in the shed - as I read the comments here I’m acutely aware of how studied this community is. I haven’t opened a book in years, I’ve got my undergrad degree in business, and besides this my hobbies are mostly sports. Beyond that I’m a young millennial, a benefit to fill in the occasional NOCAP or SUS, but very unstudied in the pop culture before me. Alas, I press on! Now the inclusive thing about puzzles is that we can set our own rules. I chose strict method of “no outside study allowed”: if I were to be handed this puzzle on a remote isle, I’d be as likely to complete it as I am each day. Often I’m devastated to not get the little gold pixels by missing just a few boxes. A fun benefit of this is I can see very clearly my progress over the last few years. It’s fun to see the early weeks where I didn’t bother to attempt anything beyond Mondays. As I sit here on a train in London, I’ve failed this Thursday due to the left center cluster. But I am proud of me! There will be another Thursday, and it will be golden. And there I am, a chronic lurker no more!
@Francis A lurker brought to the light! In my early, angsty puzzling days I’d often rush to the comments after finally giving up on a near-but-failed attempt, hoping to see pitchforks and torches ablaze. I wanted to see wrath, cries of injustice for clues that had stumped me or words I didn’t know. But then I’d see a happy community of people, simply enjoying the challenge of the day. I’d see fun comments full of the various words. I’d see praise and admiration for the puzzle creators. It helped me see that crosswords aren’t a competition. It’s for fun! The joy of the challenge is what’s kept me around - and I love how we can pick to what degree we want to be challenged.
My biggest proof that everything is a simulation and I’m the main character is when a crossword puzzle clue/word aligns with niche elements of my life. As I travel around the UK right now (about to step off the train to Cambridge!), the wealth of Welsh, Scottish, and English clues today have me quite self-absorbed. But then if I was the main character, I’m not a very good one. This puzzle stumped me! And in the presence of Cambridge nonetheless. If only I’d spent a little more time in the British Museum memorizing short-lived monarchs! A big “thank you!” again for all the warm welcomes yesterday after my crossword comment christening!
@Nancy J. Thank you for the warm welcome! And I’m with you on that. Plus it builds character - will I choose to break my rules even when I’m so darn close? And it builds humility - I’m okay getting beat up a few days a week. But every year I get better and it’s not as many beatings each week! Best of luck to you in your puzzling journey as well!
@CCNY I appreciate the love! Does being a native New Yorker come with any home field advantages? Every so often I’ll see an NYC neighborhood mentioned that stumps me. Trying to decide if I should uproot my entire life to improve my solve rate :)
Called out by the crossword! Guilty as charged, my TINDERBIO rounds up an inch. On a messy hair day it adds a little padding which has to count for something! I know my boosted ego from getting this one 98% completed puffs me up some too - stumped only by whatever the heck an egg cream alternative is.
@CCNY I’ve just asked the Cambridge admissions office if they offer degrees in Puzzlese and they looked at me like I was speaking another language. FIFA, just one vowel change away from an accounting method :) Thank you!
All 7 comments loaded