Posted inPuzzle difficulty
Why themed puzzles feel harder
If you’ve ever opened a crossword puzzle, filled a few easy answers, and then suddenly felt stuck even though the grid isn’t especially large, there’s a good chance you were…
Posted inWord knowledge
Words that appear frequently in crossword grids
Crossword puzzles can feel mysterious when you’re just starting out. You might recognize the clue, understand the definition, and still feel stuck because the answer seems oddly short, unfamiliar, or…
Posted inClue types
Understanding Fill-in-the-Blank Clues
Fill-in-the-blank clues are one of the most recognizable and approachable clue types in a crossword puzzle. If you’ve ever seen a clue ending with three dots or an obvious missing…
Posted inClue types
What Are Themed Crossword Clues
Crossword puzzles are more than a collection of isolated crossword clues placed into a crossword grid. Many puzzles, especially in daily crossword publications and online crosswords, are built around a…
Posted inCrossword basics
What makes a good crossword puzzle
Crossword puzzles are everywhere today, from the daily crossword in newspapers to mobile apps and online crosswords enjoyed by millions of solvers around the world. Yet not all crosswords feel…