Okay, so I was working on this crossword puzzle the other day, right? And I got totally stuck on this clue: “high tech industry”, 9 letters. I mean, I racked my brain, but nothing! I’m not exactly a tech whiz, you know?
So, first, I tried just staring at it, hoping the answer would magically appear. Nope. Nothing. Then, I started going through all the tech terms I could think of. “Computer…software…internet…” Still nothing that fit the 9-letter requirement.

Feeling a bit defeated, I decided to call up my buddy, Mark. He’s a total techie, always building computers and talking about things I don’t understand. I read him the clue, and he just laughs. “Dude, that’s an easy one!” he says. I could practically hear him rolling his eyes through the phone.
He gave me a hint, “Think about where a lot of these tech companies are located.” Hmm, a location? That got me thinking. I grabbed my laptop and started searching online. I typed in “tech company locations” and scrolled through the results.
California Dreamin’
- Then it hit me!
- Silicon something…
- Silicon…Valley!
I counted the letters… S-I-L-I-C-O-N V-A-L-L-E-Y. Nine letters! It fit! I typed it into the crossword, and it was right! I couldn’t believe it. I actually solved it!
I thanked Mark profusely. He just chuckled and said, “See? Not so hard, is it?” Easy for him to say, he’s practically a walking encyclopedia of tech knowledge.
Anyway, I learned two things that day. One, I need to brush up on my tech geography. And two, never underestimate the power of a good hint from a tech-savvy friend. And it was really a very interesting experience, you know? It really made me happy, so I decided to share it with you guys.
I kept going on with that crossword after that, feeling a little bit smarter, thanks to that one clue. Who knew crosswords could be so educational, huh?