Some crossword puzzles contain a number of entries that all have something in common. Puzzle makers have a knack for recognizing curiosities in our language, and if they can gather enough of the same kind of curiosity, they have developed a thematic set. As a resolver, you can not only solve crossword puzzles, but also assemble the topic. So start looking at the puzzle theme. If you tighten your belt and press several letters into a single square, you get the word «air» in a square. This puzzle builder turned the word AIR into an eight-square rebus element, with the rebus working for both cross and bottom indices. It`s the frontal applause of crossword cues. The puzzle maker and editor play with words and phrases in a clue like this, so clear your mind and think about other ways the words might be used in the clues. Challenge everything. But don`t limit yourself. Try to master the skills you need to get started, and then push yourself to continue in the week. Here`s all that sneaky and delicious pun in the clues, and therein lies the fun of solving crossword puzzles.
Fill-in-the-Blank: A clue that contains a space indicating where the answer goes. One of the easiest types of clues to solve. Kudos to you for staying here with us! If you have practiced, you should be able to tackle at least one puzzle during the week, if not a later puzzle. All it takes is a dedication to resolution and learning. Oh, and the willingness to have fun. Because like I said, crossword puzzles are a game, and games should be fun. The real fun and challenge of solving crossword puzzles lies in solving the really difficult clues. The obverse of the U.S. ten-dollar bill shows the image of Alexander Hamilton, the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury.
As such, ten-dollar bills are sometimes referred to as «hamiltons.» By the way, the $10 bill is the only U.S. currency in circulation in which the portrait points to the left. On the back of the ten-dollar bill is the U.S. Treasury. If you`ve ever picked up a crossword puzzle and thought, «I`m not smart enough» or «I don`t have enough vocabulary for this,» let us share a little secret with you: talk about difficult clues. This type of review requires careful reading. In 2018, Ross collaborated on a Times crossword puzzle with another resourceful person — his father, Garry Trudeau, the creator of «Doonesbury.» You may also see notes in parentheses. A note in parentheses suggests an answer that could be nonverbal: Of course, some solvers simply say they feel smart when they find a really tricky clue. And there`s nothing wrong with that, especially if you learn how to decipher them. Note: A crossword puzzle is a clue that the solver must decipher to find the answer, which is then entered into the puzzle grid. References are not necessarily dictionary definitions; They can include puns, anagrams, and other types of word games. Tip: We`ve saved the most confusing type of clue for last.
Some indices use heteronyms to mislead you. (We swear it`s fun.) We`ll also talk about some of the learning and mentoring options for people interested in creating their own crossword puzzles. You can reach me directly via Twitter or my personal Rossword Puzzles website. If your comment is to be read by the editors of the Los Angeles Times, you haven`t found the right place to publish it. This blog is the preserve of a Bill Butler who spends a lot of time and energy providing a solution key and feedback on a selected subset of entries for each day`s puzzle. Input: The answer to an index that solvers write in crossword puzzles. Entries that are part of a topic are called – wait – topic entries. Fun fact: In a typical American-style crossword, an entry should have at least three letters. Some harsh and esoteric allusions for me.
Many traces of extinction! A few new things I might remember when they are used again soon. Not all crosswords have themes, but for those who do, it will help you solve better. This is another good reason to know them. You already know more than you think. To borrow a sports term, puzzle or individual reference to subjects you know well, they are said to be «in your wheelhouse.» You will be able to find at least a few entries in every puzzle you know. Then look at the entry that runs through the first letter of CAT, and the clue is «Honest ___ (name of the president).» The answer to this question is ABE, so CAT must be wrong. Word count: Word count is the number of answers in a crossword puzzle. In a New York Times crossword, a 15×15 square themed puzzle usually has no more than 78 answers. A 15×15 puzzle without a theme has a maximum word count of 72 answers. A 21×21 Sunday puzzle usually has no more than 140 answers. Crosswords are ultimately learning tools, whether you`re learning little things or an interesting new word or phrase. When you`re looking for something, you`re learning so you know it for next time.
Try your new acquaintances with this Mini. Some clues and answers will be in the present, others will be in the past. Don`t forget to make sure that the times of each clue and its response match. We won`t spoil the answer, but as an example, note that the score for 1-Across is in the present tense and the score for 5-Across is in the past tense. Read the instructions carefully! In this puzzle, the subject entries were thought-provoking. You`re describing the pun phrase, not the one it`s based on, so it`s up to you to figure it out. Here`s how this confusing clue was found: If a hint is in a certain time (for example, in the past tense), then the answer must also be in that time. This is a simple rule to start with, which will immediately improve your solution.
For example, if you see the clue «Adored» in a puzzle, the answer should be the past. So if the answer is a form of the word «love,» the answer would not be LOVE, LOVE, or LOVE. He would be loved, because that is the past. A rebus element can be a letter, number, or symbol that represents a word, but in many crosswords, the rebus is a word or group of letters that must be written in a single square. Many solvers ask if they should be warned that a rebus exists in a puzzle, and the answer is no, that`s part of solving it. It`s also frustrating when you don`t understand what`s going on. (That`s also why rebuses tend to be reserved for Thursday and Sunday puzzles, says Joel Fagliano, the digital puzzle publisher.) You now know enough secrets to help you solve the most of a puzzle at the beginning of the week, if not to the end. It wasn`t that difficult, was it? Tip: A question mark at the end of a note means that it should not be taken literally. The answer is probably a play on words, a deception, or some other type of pun. Ask yourself if the words in the clues might have a different meaning than the ones you think they have.
But we don`t have you. There is a big difference between a Monday puzzle and a Saturday puzzle. Weekend clues may require more expertise on these delicious treats. Let`s take a closer look at the clue: the word «brave» has a capital B because it`s at the beginning of the clue, but that`s not the only reason it`s capitalized. It has a capital B because it is also the name of a professional baseball player, an Atlanta Brave. The puzzle maker and publishers put it at the beginning of the index to capitalize it (sorry) or to use it. Crossword puzzles > clues > crosswords: TIME I`ve been a fan of your puzzles for years. The 12/3//22 puzzle was very bad, especially in the relationship between the clues and the actual answers. The gas pump was actually there before the cars were on the road. The first dispenser was the invention of a Sylvanus Bowser from Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Its first pump was designed to pump kerosene for lamps and stoves and was introduced in 1885. As automobiles became popular, he changed the design to pump gasoline. He introduced the self-measured fuel battery pump in 1905. He marketed his equipment worldwide, and in some parts the name «Bowser» is still sometimes used to refer to fuel pumps and even some tanker trucks. Do you want to improve your mental flexibility, learn a few interesting things every day and assert yourself with your friends? Solving crossword puzzles is like mental yoga – challenging and relaxing at the same time. Plus, it`s fun, especially if you enjoy words and puns as much as I do. I believe that with patience and practice, anyone can learn to solve crossword puzzles. Once you master a few basic strategies, you`ll find that solving puzzles is not only possible, but also addictive. So let`s get started! Let me say something that may be controversial, but it has to be said: it`s okay to look for something when solving a crossword puzzle. How about a short quiz to help you understand this? Here are some examples of particularly sneaky heteronyms and the number of letters in their answers. We want you to guess those answers.
You may want to spend some time looking at them until the heteronym reveals itself.