Okay, so I saw this headline, “kind of kick in football nyt crossword,” and I was like, huh? I’m not a huge sports guy, but I do enjoy a good crossword puzzle. So, I decided to give it a shot. I’m gonna walk you through how I tackled this thing, and maybe you can pick up a trick or two. Or maybe you’ll just laugh at my struggles. Either way, it’s a win-win.
First Steps: Survey the Scene
First thing I did was look at the whole puzzle. You know, get a feel for it. How many letters am I working with? Any other clues nearby that might give me a hint? This one was a four-letter word, which, honestly, can be tricky. Short words often have multiple possibilities.
Brain Dump Time
Next, I just started brainstorming. What kinds of kicks are in football? I mean, I’ve watched some football. There’s the obvious ones:
- Punt– Nope, too straightforward.
- Goal– crossed it.
- Kick– crossed it.
I thought of the “onside kick.” But that’s two words, clearly not it. I was kinda stumped at this point, I am not gonna lie.
Getting Clever (Or Trying To)
So, I figured maybe it’s not a literal kick. Maybe it’s some kind of slang or a play on words. The NYT crossword loves to do that. I tried to think of phrases related to football, or kicks, or anything even remotely connected. This is where my lack of football knowledge really started to show.
The “Aha!” Moment (Finally!)
Then, I looked at the letters I already had filled in from other clues. And there it was. One of the crossing words gave me an “O” in the second spot. And suddenly it clicked: DROP.
Why It Makes Sense (Kinda)
Okay, so a “drop kick” is a thing, right? I had to Google it to be sure, but it is. It’s where you drop the ball and kick it right after it bounces. Not super common, but it exists. And more importantly, it fits the clue! “Kind of kick” – it’s not your everyday kick, it’s a specific kind of kick.
Final Thoughts
So, yeah, that’s how I solved that little puzzle. It wasn’t pretty, and it involved a bit of guesswork and a lot of staring blankly at the screen. But hey, that’s part of the fun, right? The satisfaction of finally figuring it out, even if it’s just a four-letter word, is pretty great. Now, on to the next clue!
