Puzzles

     In Junior High when I really began decorating my room like crazy I covered every inch of wall and then ceiling space. One poster I bought was a huge wordsearch puzzle. I remember it hanging on the wall next to my bed so I could work on it. I circled each word with a different color. When I finished I hung it up on the ceiling. It stayed there for many years. Probably all through high school.
    My dad used to bring home the Daily News newspaper from work sometimes. I loved doing the wordsearch they printed because beyond finding the words there was another word you had to find made up of all the letters that were not circled. I did every one, every time he brought the paper home.
   Senior year of high school I wound up with first period free. I didn't have a car so I wound up sitting in the library every morning with three friends who were in the same boat I was. Sometimes we'd do homework. Usually we did the Jumble puzzle in the newspaper. We would race to see who could figure out the word first. I think we ran about even. It was always a lot of fun and obviously something I won't soon forget being I've been out of high school for, well lets just say, over 15 years.
     Slow times at my former job we spent doing the crossword puzzle in the back of the People magazine. A few years ago me and a few other girls copied every one from 2 years worth of magazines and made sure we completed them all. We kept them all together in order and made sure we had all the answers correct. I believe the pile of pages was still hanging around the desk somewhere before I no longer worked there. No clue if it's there now or if anyone realizes where and what it is.
     Sodoku became a big new puzzle sensation a few years ago. I of course jumped on and still do them when I get the chance. I like how Newsday prints progressively harder ones as the week goes on. I'm always proud of myself when I can finish without any erasures on my game box. I was doing one at work one day when a patron came up and told me there was a secret to doing them. I knew what it was but didn't think it was a secret. Emily will sometimes try to do the kids one they print on Sundays. I love seeing her enjoying the puzzle.
     My mother used to do the crossword puzzle in the newspaper every day. I had tried a few times to do regular crosswords over the years but just could never get them. Or at least finish them. The People Magazine ones weren't quite as hard as they had to do with tv, movies, and pop culture and I'm good with those. The other day I was having a tough time with the Sodoku and my eyes wandered to the crossword. As I scanned it I realized I knew quite a few of the answers. I started to do that puzzle instead. It didn't take me all that long and I finished the whole thing. I was quite proud of myself. It's certainly no New York Times puzzle but I finished it. My first real crossword. It at least gave me a boost for the day as I was having a down one. I tried again the next day thinking it was a fluke maybe, and sure enough finished that one too! The third one I tried I wasn't as lucky with. Guess you can't win them all. But I'll keep at them for sure now I know it is possible for me to finish.
     I really enjoy looking for clues and finding the answers. I loved figuring out what book or movie someone was searching for just by the few pieces of information they gave me. Sure I knew how to use the computer to cheat if I didn't know it straight off but that was part of the fun of the search. I really do miss that. I was damn good at it too because whenever a question was asked if it wasn't posed directly to me they always came to me first for an answer if they didn't know it themselves. Sucks I need a lot of schooling and cash to become a librarian already. In the meantime I have my puzzles. I have quite a few books with tv crosswords and sodokus and word searchs, even fill-it-ins. They kept me busy in the car at times on our big trip, too. It just feels really good to find the answer or finish the puzzle. It's a great little ego boost I enjoy giving myself. One of those little things.