Crossword

CrosswordUSA

A person works on a crossword puzzle in the subway 2008.

The New York Times crossword Clinton-Bob Dole puzzle 1996

CrosswordUK

First crossword

Crossword is a word puzzle that usually takes the form of a square or rectangular grid of white and shaded squares. The game's goal is to fill the white squares with letters, forming words or phrases, by solving clues that lead to the answers. In languages that are written left-to-right, the answer words and phrases are placed in the grid from left to right and from top to bottom. The shaded squares are used to separate the words or phrases.

History

The first crossword puzzle was created by Arthur Wynne, a journalist from Liverpool, and was published in the New York World on December 21, 1913. Wynne's puzzle, called a "word-cross", was diamond-shaped and contained no internal black squares. Since then, crosswords have become a popular pastime in many countries and have evolved into various formats and difficulty levels.

Types of Crossword Puzzles

There are several types of crossword puzzles, including:

• American-style crosswords, which are characterized by a grid with a higher proportion of shaded squares, no symmetry requirement, and clues that may involve puns, anagrams, or other forms of wordplay.
• British-style crosswords, also known as cryptic crosswords, which feature fully checked grids (every letter is part of both an "across" word and a "down" word), symmetric designs, and clues that involve anagrams, abbreviations, or other forms of wordplay.
• General knowledge or quick crosswords, where the clues are straightforward definitions of the answers.

Components of a Crossword

• Grid: The structure of squares where the answers are to be entered.
• Clues: Hints or questions that lead to the answers.
• White squares: Where the answers to the clues are written.
• Shaded squares: These separate the answers and are not filled in.

Solving Crosswords

Solving crossword puzzles requires a combination of vocabulary, general knowledge, and the ability to understand the particular type of wordplay or encoding used in the clues. Some strategies for solving crosswords include:

• Starting with the easiest clues.
• Filling in the blanks for phrases or fill-in-the-blank clues.
• Looking for word patterns, such as verb tenses or plural forms.
• Using the crosses, or letters from already solved words, to help with difficult clues.

Cultural Impact

Crossword puzzles have had a significant cultural impact since their creation. They are a staple of many daily newspapers and magazines, providing entertainment to millions of people worldwide. Crosswords have also been the subject of competitive events, including the annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.

Software and Online Crosswords

With the advent of the internet, crossword puzzles have found a new platform. Many websites and applications now offer digital crosswords, ranging from easy to extremely difficult. These digital platforms often provide features like hints, automatic checking, and the ability to save progress, making crosswords more accessible to a broader audience.