Dear Heloise: I liked the idea of doing easy crosswords upside-down. Something I enjoy is to try to solve the puzzle using only the across clues. It makes it fun, and it requires imagination and visualizing the possibilities when the clues are vague. — Tim K., in Elkhorn, Nebraska

WASHING GREENS

Dear Heloise: What’s the best way to safely wash greens? I love a fresh, delicious salad during this time of year. — Kelly T., in San Antonio

Kudos, Kelly, for eating greens! Here are a few hints:

— Wash greens immediately before eating, not when you first bring them home.

— From a head of lettuce, a bunch of spinach, or a stalk of kale, cut them into fork-sized pieces (1 inch) and submerge them in a bowl of cold water.

— Give it time for the dirt particles (it comes from the earth, after all) to fall to the bottom of the bowl (about 15 minutes).

— Reach in and grab the greens to transfer them to a colander. Don’t dump the bowl into the colander; you’ll redeposit the sediment back over and into the greens.

— Either spin-dry the greens in a lettuce spinner or blot-dry them with paper or cloth toweling. — Heloise

WHEN STORING

VITAMINS

Dear Heloise: Some of my vitamins, such as D and E, come in a soft yellow capsule form. These capsules often stick together and are out of reach at the bottom of the bottle. An easy tip is to simply store these bottles upside-down. My vitamins are always available this way. — Bob, in Port Ewen, New York