As a passionate crossword solver—or cruciverbalist—I am amazed by the number of people who remark how smart I must be. They are right—I do have above average intelligence—but they are wrong about the difficulty of solving a crossword puzzle.
After completing hundreds of puzzles, I have noted many common trends which making solving the puzzle much easier for those who are aware of them. I have decided to post a series of articles that will help you look like a genius to your friends who don't are unaware of the tricks of the trade. If you follow these tips, you will be on your way to becoming a highly regarded cruciverbalist.
The clues provided here are deliberately easy with obvious answers, such as you'd find in the easiest of puzzles. Many of these examples are taken directly from puzzles I have solved. You will notice that most of the hacks covered related to finding clues hidden in the clues themselves. If you understand that, you already know the biggest secret of successful solvers.
HACK # 1. Know the days of the week
1.1 If you just starting out, don't rush out and buy a book of Sunday crosswords. You might associate Sunday with relaxing leisure, but the Sunday puzzles are the most difficult. Puzzles published on Monday are the easiest and they get progressively more challenging as the week progresses. Amazon.com has a great selection
HACK # 2. First names, surnames and multiple names
2.1 If the clue contains a first name, the answer may likewise be a first name.
Clue: Family Guy Peter
Peter is a character on a TV show called "Family Guy". The expected answer here is going to be the first name of the actor who plays the role of Peter, Seth.
2.2 Some clues may contain tricky surnames
Clue: Trek's Kirk
Kirk is both a first name and a last name. If you answer too quickly, you may be tempted to answer William, instead of Shatner. In this example, the first and last name have the same number of characters, making it a bit trickier.
2.3 A pair of surnames hints at a shared first name
Clue: Malden and Marx
Here many unpracticed solvers will be tempted to look for something else these two men have in common, like a title or role. Instead, they share a first name, Karl.
HACK # 3. Abbreviations and acronyms
3.1 If the clue contains an abbreviation, the answer is also an abbreviation.
Clue 1: Pt. of NASA
Clue 2: Agcy. once headed by Bush
Depending on the number of spaces and the letters surrounding it, possible answers to Clue 1 could be Natl or Admin. The answer to Clue 2 is CIA.
3.2 An acronym in the clue often means the answer is an acronym
Clue 1: S & L protector
Clue 2: J.F.K terminal
The answer to the first clue is FDIC. The second is TWA.
3.3 An acronym is not always an acronym
Clue: The "G" in T.G.I.F.
It's a bit difficult to make an acronym out of the word god.
HACK # 4. Heteronyms
4.1 Be mindful of words with more than one meaning
Clue: French bread, once
Given the word "once", you may think the clue is hinting at an edible French bread of old. The answer, however, is Franc. This clue does assume you have some knowledge of foreign currencies and the euro, which the majority of educated people do.
HACK # 5. The plurality of plurals
5.1 The clue below contains both a play on words, as in HACK # 4, and a plural
Clue: Dairy airs?
Naturally, the expected answer—moos—is also plural.
Get solving!
Mastery is achieved only through experience.
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