Look at the clue for 13A: “Locks that might not be totally secure?” It’s tempting to take that clue at face value and think about locks that are on doors (which are not always secure), but you have that question mark there, which calls for lateral or creative thinking. This usually means that you have to think about alternate definitions for words in the clue. Take another deep breath, exhale, and ask yourself whether you know any other kinds of locks. Use a thesaurus if you need to. I’m giving you permission.

The hair on one’s head can be called locks, can’t it? What kind of hair is not totally secure? The answer is TOUPEES. (If you are a seller of hairpieces and would like me to know that your toupees are secure, just stop right there. We both know what a really big gust of wind can do).

So now you have two answers in the grid. Where do you go from here? Well, there are no rules about that, but I am partial to trying to solve the shorter crossings of the entries I’ve already written in. Since I had THE MUSIC MAN running down the eastern portion of the grid, I was able to get GUNS (24A), WAS (27A), CPU (35A), AMID (38A) and INANE (41A). That gave me a lot to work on.

Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel? You’re solving, and don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not.

Once you are in, remember to take breaks and come back to the puzzle. You’d be surprised at how your brain works on these clues in the background as you go about your day. When you come back with a fresh perspective, I wager that you will be able to solve some more.

And there is no rule that you have to finish, either. If you only solve a portion of the puzzle, you’ve still done better than if you had never tried at all.

People are so hard on themselves. I’ve heard people say that if they start, they have to finish, and if they don’t know something they will not allow themselves to look it up or ask for help. You know what that sounds like to me? An exam. And that’s no fun. Remember, this is a game, and games are supposed to be fun.