I was on the Q train, coffee in one hand, phone in the other. The car rattled. My thumb hovered over a clue that made me smirk: “Make like a drum and beat it.” I whispered the answer out loud, because I do that. SCRAM. Five letters. It snapped right in. I even penned a longer write-up of that exact moment later on. And you know what? That’s the moment I remembered why I keep my New York Times Crossword streak alive, even on busy days.
Quick context, then the fun stuff
I use the NYT Crossword app on my iPhone 13 and my iPad at home. I’ve done the daily for years. I mix in the Mini on bus rides and the archive at night when my brain won’t calm down. My cat, Pepper, usually sits on my iPad and “solves” by opening the keyboard. She’s no help, but her vibes are strong.
Now, that clue felt silly and smart at once. The crosses gave me S-C-R-A-M, and the aha hit. It’s not deep. But it’s clean. Like a neat joke your grandpa told at Sunday lunch.
What grabbed me
- That clue — “Make like a drum and beat it” (SCRAM) — set the tone. Wordplay, but breezy. Little wink.
- Elsewhere in the same week, I loved “Snack with a Thins line” (OREO). Not hard, just cozy. (Though if I’m really craving salt, I’ll whip up ultra-crisp tortilla chips in my air fryer instead.)
- “One-named ‘Hello’ singer” (ADELE) came fast and made me feel quick. I’ll take the win.
- “Capital on a fjord” (OSLO) — classic crossword fare. If you know, you know. And if you don’t, you learn, which is the point.
These aren’t Saturday killers. They’re friendly. But the grid still nudged me. One theme entry used circles to hide a beat word across two answers. I won’t spoil it, but when I found DRUM hiding across a split, I grinned like a goof. I even showed my kid, who said, “So it’s a secret message?” Close enough.
How it feels to use, day to day
The app is simple, and that helps my routine. I keep the timer on. Mondays are my sprint (under 5 minutes if the train behaves). Saturdays? Let’s be real. I sometimes use Check Square and take a breath. Pride is cute. Finishing is better.
A few bits I like:
- Pencil/pen mode lets me commit lightly, then firm up.
- The clue list scrolls smooth; I jump between Across and Down with my thumb.
- Dark mode saves my eyes on late nights.
- Stats and streaks make me weirdly happy. I once broke my streak at 47 because I fell asleep mid-puzzle. I’m still a little sore about it.
The sweet spot (and the sour note)
Here’s the good:
- The wordplay feels human. Warm, not stiff.
- Themes teach. I learn a bit, even when I’m tired.
- The Mini and the Midi fit those small pockets of time, like waiting for coffee.
Here’s what bugged me:
- The paywall is real. The full crossword needs a subscription, and it’s not cheap (though The Times now offers family subscription plans that can soften the blow).
- On small screens, fat-finger errors happen. I’ve hit the wrong cell and messed up a clean line more than once.
- Auto-check is a trap. If I leave it on by mistake, the red marks spoil the fun. My fix: keep it off and only use Check when I truly stall.
Little moments that stuck with me
- A goofy series of clues had me smiling: “Tree that ‘leaves’” (punny echo), “Beat” used as a noun and a verb, and “Stick” used two ways in one grid. It felt like the constructor was telling a tiny story.
- I hit a rebus midweek — a whole word in one square. My brain did a double take, then it clicked—almost like the mellow head-swirl I get from a legal cup of shroom tea. I love that the app lets you type a whole chunk in there. Feels like bending the rules.
- On a rainy Thursday, I used the archive to tackle an old puzzle. “City with ‘The Bean’” (CHICAGO). My sister lives there, so I smiled and sent her a screenshot. She did not care. That’s okay. I did.
Who this fits
- New solvers who want a fair start (Mondays and Tuesdays).
- Word nerds who enjoy groan-worthy clues that land just right.
- Folks who like a daily habit that feels like a quick stretch for the brain.
If you want something lighter, the Mini is perfect—much like reaching for a gentle cup of green tea instead of espresso. If you want to sweat, try a Saturday. If your brain needs a hug, the themed Thursdays are my favorite. They argue with you, then they make up.
If you ever print puzzles to solve on paper, a quick visit to CoverMaker lets you whip up a slick custom cover page for your puzzle binder in seconds.
Tips from my couch (and train seat)
- Turn off Auto-Check. Save it for the end.
- Read the clue twice. The tone gives hints. A playful clue often has a playful answer.
- Use Down clues to fix Across mistakes. Crosses don’t lie.
- Learn the old friends: OREO, ERIE, ETTA, EEL. They come back like boomerangs.
- If you see circles, there’s a trick. Don’t fight it. Enjoy it.
Sometimes, though, I ditch the clues altogether and just crave a burst of totally random human interaction—like flipping to a bonus round you never planned for. That’s when I hop over to the best chat roulette site to meet hot babes where a quick spin pairs you with new faces in seconds, perfect for a five-minute reset when you want a laugh, a flirt, or simply proof that the internet is full of surprises.
While we’re on the subject of spontaneous detours, on those rare weekends when my crossword obsession turns into a Hill Country getaway, I trade Across clues for across-the-room sparks by browsing Fredericksburg hookups — a locals-only roadmap to the best bars, dating apps, and discreet meet-up spots in town, so you can skip the guesswork and get straight to the fun.
So, should you get it?
I say yes. I pay for it myself, and I use it every day. It’s a small joy, like a warm bagel and cream cheese when the morning goes sideways—especially if I drizzle on some homemade whipped honey for extra comfort. And that silly clue — “Make like a drum and beat it” — summed it up for me. Fun, quick, a little cheeky. The kind of nudge that makes you look up, grin at no one, and feel a tiny bit sharper.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, Pepper just sat on my iPad again. She thinks she solved Saturday. Honestly, maybe she did.