How To Be A Pro Crossword Solver

Posted on Jul 30 2015 - 12:01pm by Editorial Staff

Crossword

Have you always looked at the Sunday Crossword in the newspaper and given up? Or do you work your way up a few clues but after 3 hours or so give up? Well, that how everybody begins but if you really want to scale up this Everest of a crossword, then you must start thinking big and like a Pro. That’s why today we thought of giving you some handy tips so that you can become a pro crossword solver. Needless to say, this is a long process and does not happen overnight. But since you have read so far, we know you will take these points seriously. Let’s begin then.

Start at the beginning

Does not sound right? Well, let us explain. The rookie mistake that people do when doing Crosswords is that they pick a random one and try to solve it all. Crossword solving is not something that anybody can pick up at any point. Rather, most Crosswords get tougher as the week passes by. So, just because you thought Saturday is a good day to start, you will pick up one of the toughest crosswords to start and probably never attempt again. So, if you are serious about Crossword solving, try the easy ones first, get some confidence building and then we shall shoot for the stars.

Simple first

Reiterating what we said before, you have to go a little easy on yourself when you start and pick up something you can solve. So, even if the Crossword you picked up says Easy, you have to scan it and start with the easier of the clues. Look up those fill in the blanks or simpler three to four letter words to get you started and fill up the grid a little bit.  Don’t worry if you don’t get a few of them as you can compare them at later stage with the crossword puzzle answers at the end. This is a trap to lower your confidence. Don’t fall for it.

When in Rome, learn the language

Now that you sticking with your goal of becoming a Pro Crossword Solver, learn the language that Crossword publishers tend to use. There are some conventions when it comes to giving out clues and therefore, you should be aware of them to get the answer right. So, do note the clues if they are in a particular tense or mention plurals or any foreign language or any word play that the publisher is using to arrive at the right answers. This is probably a good time to tell you that English is a tricky language and uses the same words for different meanings. So, keep an open mind when reading your clues to ensure that you make it to the finish line.

Take a break

Although Crosswords solvers are awarded for submitting their entries first, right now, we are not racing to win anything. So, when you brain goes numb and you seem to be out of ideas, take a break and do something else. Come back to the grid with a fresh mind later on and you are sure to see your performance improve.

Take some help

A Crossword puzzle is not a University Exam. So taking help does not amount to cheating. Looking up the capital of Azerbaijan is not cheating, you are learning something new. Seek help from a dictionary or encyclopaedia, if you have one, or the all answering internet. A Pro Crossword solver needs to keep adding to his vocabulary and seeking help when needed is a way to do so. Additionally, we would recommend reading books from all genres and all kinds of writers to get a better grasp of the language itself. Plus, you will also have to master crosswords. What is that? Well, that’s the language that most crosswords use and includes small 3, 4 letter words that are used as space fillers. This is why, we said, that don’t worry if you can’t get some of them right.

All in all, solving a cross word puzzle takes a lot of patience and perseverance. Like anything else, it is an uphill task and needs to be taken up slowly and surely. Do follow our tips and you will see your crossword solving abilities improve. Do come back and give us your feedback on how this post helped you.

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Editorial Staff at I2Mag is a team of subject experts.