How to Solve a Crossword Puzzle
Posted on February 11th, 2009 by Marck
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Almost every daily newspaper has a crossword puzzle at the Comics section, where people can test their vocabulary and puzzle-solving skills. Crossword puzzles are enjoyable for some people, but many people just leave that black box with white squares alone for all the frustration that’s in it. You don’t need to have the most extensive vocabulary skills in the world to answer a crossword puzzle. Here are tips that can help you fulfill your goal of finishing a crossword puzzle.
Write In Pencil
When solving a crossword puzzle, a pencil is your best friend. You’ll make mistakes when solving the Sunday crossword, and you may need to go over some of your answers to solve the puzzle correctly. Remember that there’s only one solution to a crossword puzzle, so you need to find the right words that answer the clues.
Instead of using a pen, solve the puzzle with a pencil. With a pencil, you can easily erase mistakes and find a better word or set of words that answer the clue. If you need to use a pen, write down the letters in very small lettering at the corner of the box, just to be sure.
Tick Off Finished Clues
If you’re working on a long puzzle, it helps to tick off the clues once you’re finished with them. You may put a check mark on the number of the clue, or strike through the entire clue. You can then keep track of clues you have already solved.
Start With Long Rows and Columns
Some people think that it’s easier to solve clues with shorter answers than clues with longer answers. Yet sometimes a three-letter answer is more difficult to find than a clue that spans the whole length or width of the crossword puzzle. Longer answers also opens up more rows and columns in the crossword puzzle, which means the puzzle becomes easier to solve.
Work on a Single Section at a Time
Most long crossword puzzles have nine sections; three on the left, three in the middle, and three on the right. Instead of solving clues everywhere, try to solve as many clues as you can in one section before moving on to other sections. That way, you wouldn’t be confused about solving the puzzle.
Watch Out For Tricky Clues
- Anagrams and wordplay. Some clues may not make a lot of sense at first, but if you read the clue carefully, the answer may be the clue. Take a separate piece of paper and shuffle the letters together to find the answer. Get your creative juices flowing whenever you come across a very confusing clue.
- Multiple words. Answers that span the height or width of the crossword puzzle are typically short phrases. Don’t think of long words when answering these clues; instead, think of three or four words, a popular saying, or a quote that will answer the clue.
- The puzzle theme. If you’re confused or stumped, get a clue from the theme of the day’s crossword puzzle. All crossword puzzles have themes that can help you solve a particularly difficult clue.
Don’t Cheat
Most regular papers will publish the answer to the crossword puzzle a day or a week after it’s published, but some may show the solution on a separate page. To get the full experience of the puzzle, you should avoid using dictionaries or peeking at the solution somewhere in the newspaper. Always remember to take your time; even the most experienced crossword puzzle fans may take up to four hours to solve the puzzle.
Comics and other word puzzles on the newspaper may be fun, but there’s a lot of fun and enjoyment to be had playing crossword puzzles. With these tips to help you complete the Sunday crossword, you’ll learn a lot about new words by playing a game that involves nothing more than the Sunday paper, a sharp pencil, and a mind full of ideas and possibilities.
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