
The site will then show you all English words that fit the combination you provided.įor example, if you type ‘G?E’ into the box, it shows these possible solutions: Suggested solutions after typing ‘G?E’, from. In the site’s ‘ANSWER’ box, type in the known letters for your word, and put a ‘?’ for unknown letters.
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For a word where you know some of the letters but can’t crack the solution, try a tool like. To gently guide you to the finish line, it’s completely okay to Google the trivia in a clue, or to look for a word’s synonyms or antonyms online. When you return, you’ll have renewed energy and fresh eyes for the grid. Let the clue marinate at the back of your mind. When frustration sets in, put the crossword aside and do something else. The stress of not getting a few answers can cause brain fog that affects the rest of your game. If we take the example of BOILS, it’s been clued in the past as: Setters try to maintain ‘rotational symmetry’ when placing these boxes - meaning that if you flip the grid upside down, or rotate it in any direction, the pattern formed by the black boxes will remain the same. They are placed by crossword setters to separate words while creating the grid. The black boxes in crossword grids are called ‘darks’, ‘blocks’ or ‘blacks’ and cannot be filled with letters. It’s like reverse-engineering the answer by thinking of a clue’s intentions.

When you’re confused, it’s important to try and guess the intention behind a clue - why did the setter choose X words in the clue, and not Y? Is it because Y is too obvious? Is there something unique to X’s phrasing? Setters consider many factors while writing clues, so as a solver, it’s smart to put yourself in their shoes. One answer could be clued in varied ways. > Cross-referenced clues: To find one answer, you need the other. > Sounds or phrases (“May I speak?” | Answer: AHEM) > Abbreviations, marked with ‘Abbr.’ or shortened clue (‘Econ. > Fill in the blank (‘Our _, Who art in heaven’ | Answer: FATHER) > Trivia (‘Trans-Himalayan river in South Asia’ | Answer: INDUS) > Direct (‘Witch’s brew’ | Answer: POTION) Solving each cryptic clue can require skill at wordplay, anagrams, trivia, and picking up on a crossword setter’s intention.Īlso Read | Inter-school Cryptic Crossword Contest returns for 2022 edition Types of crossword cluesĪ classic crossword puzzle has a mix of these types of clues: Each clue in a cryptic crossword is a word puzzle in itself, which must be deciphered to find the answer that goes on the grid. Image: Wil540art/Wikimedia CommonsĬryptic crosswords are on a completely different level. But online crosswords are all the rage now. A woman solves a print crossword on her commute. The size depends on the publisher, and they may make clues more difficult as the week goes by (Mondays being the easiest, Sundays being the hardest). A classic grid is what you see in newspapers. They are simple to solve, with direct clues. People who decide the grid pattern, clues, and answers of a crossword are called ‘constructors’ (US) or ‘setters’ (UK).Ĭrosswords, broadly, are of three types-mini, classic, and cryptic.

Often, this letter will be part of both an ‘Across’ and a ‘Down’ word. Only one letter (or number) can fit inside each cell. Each white box in the grid is called a ‘cell’.

This list is divided into clues for words that appear horizontally on the grid (‘Across’), and clues for words that appear vertically on the grid (‘Down’). To find these words, you use a list of numbered clues. 🚨 Limited Time Offer | Express Premium with ad-lite for just Rs 2/ day 👉🏽 Click here to subscribe 🚨 What are the rules for crosswords?Ī crossword is a word puzzle where you fill an empty grid with words that intersect (‘cross’) with each other.

