How to Solve Crossword Puzzles
Crossword puzzles can help build your mind and improve self-control, language skills, and confidence.
Up next in Puzzles & Brain Teasers (5 videos)
Impossible puzzles and baffling brain teasers making your head spin? Here's how to conquer popular puzzlers like Sudoku, KenKen, crosswords, and more.
You Will Need
- A crossword puzzle
- A pencil
Steps
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Step 1
Start with easy clues across
Solve the easy clues first, starting with number one and moving 'across.'
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Step 2
Now move down
Begin with number one in the 'down' category and answer all you can in the first pass.
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Step 3
Connect intersecting words
Progressing from the puzzle's top left, fill in words that intersect with already completed answers.
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Words that contain a lot of vowels are used frequently in crossword puzzles.
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Step 4
Take breaks
Take a break periodically. If you try too hard, the obvious can seem unintelligible. When you return to the puzzle, note how quickly some answers occur to you.
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Step 5
Check for anagrams
Check for anagrams in clues. Anagrams show up through descriptive terms or names that must be rearranged to divine the intended answer.
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Step 6
Use the puzzle theme
Use words associated with the title of the puzzle.
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Work with a friend – sometimes two heads are better than one when solving a crossword puzzle.
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Step 7
Fill in the rest
Continue filling in answers, moving left to right and top to bottom.
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Step 8
Practice and get better
Practice crosswords to get better. The more puzzles you do, the more familiar you'll be with standard puzzle clues and answers.
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People who work on crossword puzzles more than four times a week may be less likely to get Alzheimer’s disease.
