Info about Crossword Puzzles
Crossword Puzzles
Crosswords are one of the most basic forms of entertainment available in an age which features a large number of audio and visual distractions, such as televisions, computer games and music. They allow us to focus our minds, engage our problem solving skills and increase our learning capabilities. The characteristic grid and squares of a crossword puzzle are recognizable to almost anyone in the modern world, and very few people have not at least attempted to complete one at some point during their lives. The skill required to complete a crossword puzzle can vary, and specific puzzles can be produced for children, or for experts at solving crosswords.
Although they are relatively simple to understand, there are some terms specific to crossword puzzles that may be difficult to understand for the beginner. The lines which the puzzle solver enters their answers to are simply referred to as ‘entries’ or ‘answers’, whilst the clues are referred to as that, but occasionally can be called ‘definitions’. The white cells in which letters are entered can sometimes be called ‘lights’, whilst conversely, the shaded cells may be called ‘darks’ or ‘blocks’. Sometimes, a white cell containing a letter can be part of two answers, both across and down. These cells are known as ‘checked’ cells, whereas a cell that is only part of one answer is called an ‘unchecked’ cell.
There are several different types of crossword grid. The puzzles that feature in newspapers across North America feature a large number of white cells, and shaded cells are limited to one sixth or less of the design. Almost every cell is checked, which can make the puzzle easier to solve as a person attempting to finish it may have the majority of answers completed and only need to know one more word, of which they already have one or more letters in place. Another variation, the ‘British style’ grid, is more commonplace in the UK and Australia. These grids have more of a lattice like design, with a far higher proportion of dark and unchecked cells. This means that there are a larger number of answers that are part of no other answer, so the person attempting to solve the puzzle will have no assistance if they are stuck on a particular answer. A tradition of the North American and British styles is that the design of the puzzle should have a rotational symmetry, so it should appear the same when rotated 180 degrees. Other popular types of design include the Japanese and German grid types.
The clues of a crossword puzzle can vary depending on the variety of puzzle being attempted. In a ‘straight’ or ‘quick’ puzzle, they are simply definitions of the answer itself. In others, they can include anagrams and less direct definitions. In another variation of crosswords, known as cryptic crosswords, working out a clue is a puzzle in itself. There is a definition of the clue, followed by a wordplay which the puzzle solver must decipher in order to solve the answer to the clue. The person attempting the puzzle must then try and decipher the definition into an answer onto the crossword grid. A further type of puzzle which is more challenging than the average crossword is a cross referencing puzzle. In these cases, the answer to one clue forms part of another.
As a result of the large variety of different puzzles, and their various levels of difficulty, a hobby of solving crosswords will continue to be unique and rewarding, as a fresh stream of puzzles appears every day in various different publications, specifically newspapers and magazines.