Elated crossword

Crossword puzzles seize our attention and force us to abandon obvious answers plus hunt for concealed ones. The clue “Elated” does the same - it asks us to look hard at a single feeling and at the many words that name it. The proposed answer, Euphoric, labels a surge of joy so strong that it drowns every other mood. It appears after a goal we pursued for years is reached or during a moment of unmixed delight. Under its spell daylight looks sharper but also lighter and cares retreat. The worth of a crossword lies in the road we take toward the solution. While we weigh the clue and test one word after another, the mind shuttles between strict reasoning as well as playful invention. Every fresh guess widens what we know and stretches the mind the way a muscle stretches. Even if the printed answer turns out wrong, the work already done has value. We train the brain to solve problems, we join a wide circle of people who love puzzles or we earn a quiet reward once the last square receives its letter.