Crossword Technique

[Highfields Seagull]

After a heated debate in the office I turn to the sages of NSC to settle an argument with perhaps the most boring poll ever.

What is the correct way to do a crossword?

1. Attempt all the across clues in order, then all the down clues in order. Only after doing this can you attempt clues willy nilly, or, if you wish, repeat doing them in order.

2. Start with across clues. Once you have one solution, attempt the down clues that connect to the across answer you already have; continue in this style.

Now in my opinion option 1 is the ONLY way to attempt a crossword and anyone who says differently is wrong.

 

[Knightsworld]

I always use option 2

 

[Gazwag]

I must be wrong as well

 

[Barnet Seagull]

3. 1 across, then any down's off it.
then 2 across etc.

 

[Meade's Ball]

I glance over them and see which are the obvious anagrams. Once i have them, the rest is easier.

If it's the quick ones, then i do corners at a time.



I think i might be the oldest man in the world.

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

I go for the first option. I always go through the clues in order, so that I can fill in the easy ones. Once I've done this, I then look for the clues that have the most letters already penned in.

 

[tedebear]

Option 1 - is the only way - there must be order in this crazy shook up world

 

[Skaville]

Option 2 and i am the Crossword MASTER.

 

[Meade's Ball]

Option 2 and i am the Crossword MASTER.

Now then now then, do you mean concise or cryptic?

 

[tedebear]

Now then now then, do you mean concise or cryptic?

and the Sun or the Times??

 

[aftershavedave]

all the ones across, in order, plus any easy ones that spring out from the page, then all the ones down....FINITO!

 

[Gwylan]

Neither. I look for the clues that I can immediately and also for the longest ones.

If it's the Guardian Saturday crossword, there's normally one clue that others relate to - I try to get that one,

 

[Life After Bobby]

mix and match, depends how i'm feeling.

 

[Easy 10]

Easiest first, kind of work my way back from there.

I like those ones in the Sunday magazines where there's a blurry picture of a celebrity in the middle, and their name is spelt out in the coloured squares. Whoever thought of that idea is a GENIUS, I don't care what anyone says.

 

[Gwylan]

And what about those crosswords that the Guardian runs where there are no numbered clues - you have to fit in the answers where they go best? There's no way that those can be done in any order.

 

[aftershavedave]

And what about those crosswords that the Guardian runs where there are no numbered clues - you have to fit in the answers where they go best? There's no way that those can be done in any order.

typical gruniad printing to forget the numbers

 

[Gwylan]

typical gruniad printing to forget the numbers

 

[Le Premier Cru]

Tend towards option one but, like Afters, filling in any blindingly obvious ones along the way.

I kinda like Arucaria's alphabetical ones, but feel that as he gets older he's starting to lose the plot a bit.

Anyone else on here actually won one?

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

Option 2. The Observer crossword is the only one I do - and that takes all week. So maybe time to change options.

Ooh Err Missus.

 

[Gwylan]

Tend towards option one but, like Afters, filling in any blindingly obvious ones along the way.

I kinda like Arucaria's alphabetical ones, but feel that as he gets older he's starting to lose the plot a bit.

Anyone else on here actually won one?

Does that mean you have?

I often ponder this: I do the Observer crossword every week and most weeks the Guardian too: I send them off and have won cock-all. This has been happening for 25 years; am I unlucky or are there tens of thousands of people doing these crosswords?