Okay, so yesterday I was tackling the NYT crossword, and I got stuck on this clue: “director johnson.” You know, the usual head-scratching moment. I mean, there are a ton of Johnsons out there who direct stuff, right?
First thing I did? Started firing off names in my head. Was it Rian Johnson? Nope, didn’t fit the squares. Maybe… hmm, was it someone more obscure? This is where it gets tricky.
Next up, I jumped onto the web. I typed in “director johnson nyt crossword” hoping for some kind of miracle answer. Lo and behold, a few crossword solver sites popped up. I always try to avoid those at first, you know, wanna solve it myself. But I was officially stuck.
I peeked. The answer was… wait for it… ARI. Ari, as in Ari Aster! Okay, that’s director Ari Aster, last name not Johnson. I felt kinda dumb. Crosswords, man, they get you with the misdirection!
Here’s what I learned from this particular brain-bender:
- Always consider the obvious, but don’t be afraid to think outside the box. My first instinct was a last name, but the clue was just leading to the first name!
- The NYT crossword can be seriously sneaky. They love to play with words and assumptions.
- Sometimes, just admit defeat and use a solver. There’s no shame in getting a little help, especially when you’ve been staring at the grid for way too long.
So yeah, that’s my crossword adventure for yesterday. A little frustrating, a little enlightening. Back at it again today!
Oh, and P.S. Now I can brag I know director Ari Aster is a crossword answer. That’s gotta count for something, right?
