In defense of cheating at crossword puzzles

Essentials Week spotlights unexpected items that make our daily lives just a little bit better.

My name is Rachel, and I am a cheater.

No, not that kind of cheater. I cheat at gamesUno, mostly, on family vacations. There was a very sticky incident with a game of Mille Bornes once. And getting caught in the act during a round of Hi-Ho Cherry-O when I was a young kid still shamefully burns in my memory.

Lately, I've been engaging in a different sort of cheating. And while I know that my typical illicit game play is wrong, I feel — mostly — no shame about this new kind. Because, for now, it's justified. Read more...