Well, let me tell ya, solving them crossword puzzles ain’t always as easy as some folks make it out to be. But one thing’s for sure – once ya get the hang of it, it can be a right fun time. Now, if you’ve been sittin’ there tryin’ to figure out that pesky clue “goes back and forth,” don’t worry, you’re not alone. That kind of clue shows up more often than you’d think, especially in them daily puzzles in the paper. Now, let me walk ya through it and see if we can’t make it a little easier for ya.
First things first, when you see a clue like “goes back and forth,” you’re thinkin’ about somethin’ that moves or swings, right? Something that ain’t quite steady, but keeps changin’ direction. It could be a word like pace, sway, or waver. Those three words are mighty common answers to this type of crossword clue. And don’t you forget, “pace” has four letters, “sway” has four too, and “waver” has five letters. Sometimes, ya gotta think of the word length too – that can help ya narrow down what fits best.

Now, if you still ain’t sure, there’s always more options. For a bigger crossword puzzle, say, the kind you find in the LA Times or them fancy ones, they might throw a bigger challenge at ya. Some answers might have more letters, like when it’s 14 or even 16 letters long. You might run into answers like oscillate, which means somethin’ goes back and forth in a swinging or vibrating motion. You might see answers like that pop up if the puzzle’s tryin’ to get real tricky with ya.
Here’s a little tip from me, just a humble ol’ lady who’s been doin’ puzzles for years: Don’t get stuck on just one answer. If you’re stuck on one clue, take a look at the rest of the puzzle. Maybe one of the other clues will give ya a hint that helps ya with that one. Cross-reference them clues – that’s the secret! Sometimes you gotta fill in the blanks and see what makes sense together. Just like when you’re bakin’ a cake, sometimes ya gotta mix and match till it all comes together right.
- Pace: A steady movement back and forth, usually when you’re walkin’. (4 letters)
- Sway: When somethin’ moves gently from side to side, like a tree in the wind. (4 letters)
- Waver: To move unsteadily or hesitate between options. (5 letters)
- Oscillate: To swing or move back and forth in a regular rhythm. (9 letters)
Now, I know some folks get all tangled up in them long words, but don’t you worry none. Just take your time and think it through. Sometimes it’s good to go back over what you’ve got so far. And don’t be afraid to take a little break, come back, and look at it with fresh eyes. It might be that somethin’ you missed the first time is sittin’ there right in front of ya, just waitin’ for ya to notice it.
So, whether you’re workin’ on a little crossword puzzle from the newspaper or somethin’ a bit bigger, just keep at it. And remember, the more ya do, the easier it gets. It’s like workin’ a garden – at first, it seems like a lotta hard work, but the more you tend to it, the better you get at it. So don’t throw in the towel just yet – you’ll get that “goes back and forth” clue in no time!
Tags:[crossword puzzle, crossword clue, go back and forth, pace, sway, waver, oscillate, crossword answers]
