Solution: Covering some ground - NYT Crossword

“Covering some ground?” That could be anything, especially with the question mark broadening the options. Running? Planting a bed of hens and chicks? Making progress on a crossword? Why, no, it’s SODDING, an activity that’s a bit like tiling your lawn or laying very expensive carpet squares. Doing it yourself will probably lead to frustration and may find you kicking a few squares of yard toupee around to show it who’s boss. You might, then, utter the British slang manifestation of this answer, which the O.E.D. calls an “intensifier,” as in, “Maybe I should hire a SODDING landscaper to do this.”