Okay, so today I was messing around with the NYT crossword, as one does, and I stumbled upon this clue: “portions out.” It got me thinking about how I’d actually go about solving it.
Brainstorming Time
First thing I did was just stare at it for a bit. “Portions out”… what does that even mean? It’s like, giving out shares of something, right?
- I started by thinking of synonyms. Like, “distributes,” “divides,” “allocates.” None of those seemed to fit the crossword vibe, you know? Too formal.
- Then I thought about more casual words. “Hands out” was close, but not quite there. “Doles out” felt a little too old-fashioned, but it was getting warmer.
Breaking it Down
Next, I looked at the length of the answer. Seven letters. Okay, that helps narrow it down a bit. I started trying to fit in some of the words I’d brainstormed.
- “Divides” was too long. “Hands out” was too long. “Doles out” fit! But the crossing words weren’t making any sense. Back to the drawing board.
The ‘Aha!’ Moment
Then it hit me! What about “allots”? It fits the meaning, and it’s seven letters! I plugged it in, and bam, the crossing words started falling into place. It was like magic.
Checking My Work
I filled in a few more squares, just to make sure I wasn’t going down the wrong path. And yep, everything was checking out. “Allots” was definitely the right answer.
Victory Lap
So there you have it. That’s how I figured out that “portions out” in the NYT crossword was allots. It’s always a good feeling when you crack a clue like that, especially when it’s one that had you stumped for a little while. It’s like a little mental workout, and who doesn’t love that?
