I’ve evolved to usually getting Genius before looking at the grid, and when I can’t get to QB on my own, I look at the 3 letter lists before hints. Today was a hint free, fairly fast QB.
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I’m not sure what you mean by hints in this context. Is that the grid/2-letter list or something additional, such as readers comments?
On a related note, once one does open hints, does looking only at the 2-letter list make it easier than only looking at the grid or vice-versa? I tend to look at both (after I’ve got to Genius).
One away from QB using the grid. I’m missing KO6
Edit: Nevermind, literally as I hit send I realized what the word was.
QB with grid!
Got today’s pretty quickly using the grid.
BOYTOY is too a word! 
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Almost got yesterday without hints, needed a hint for one of those recurring obscure 4-letter words
QB, no hints. Easy as long as you know the recurring words.
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I’ve been playing the non-subscriber, cut-you-off-PDQ version. One of the puzzles would not take villi , even though it is a perfectly cromulent word. 
Been on a pretty good streak of QBs. Usually using the grid for a couple of words.
My last word today was new to me. I may have heard it before, but didn’t recognize it. FETTLE
I was surprised that people would know LEITMOTIF. I knew it from studying music, but thought it was pretty obscure.
That one took a while to pop into my head.
I got every other word in that puzzle and needed a clue for the panagram
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That was one I guessed at as well. What is my fettle? Fit as a fiddle!
I love today’s pangram…KNOT!
Took me a while to find that one, and it put me over the top.
Just 1 word to go for QB, and they are not accepting DEIONIZED. They are totally dissing Deion Sanders
I finally made it to genius today, WOOHOO!
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And now QUeen bee WAHOO!
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Been backlogged for several days, took a couple meetings to get caught up