Are crosswords all about fun and games? Is it only for newsreaders? Are the elderly the only ones who play this puzzle often? How can you make crosswords more exciting and challenging than they already are? These are some of the questions we will be answering in this article.
There are so many word puzzles that people play all around the world. There are word games made, especially for children, and some which are more challenging for adults. They have different mechanics where some can be a mix of luck and cleverness, visual and spatial reasoning, while others require general knowledge, a vast vocabulary, and more. However, one puzzle stands out as this puzzle has made its way to become a part of thousands of people’s daily lives — the crossword puzzle.
Is it only for newsreaders?
In a Sunday supplement from New York World called “Fun” back in 1913, the first modern-day crossword puzzle was published. Although it contained other mental exercises, it was the crossword puzzle that the public fancied. Thus, soon after, almost every daily newspaper in the US and Great Britain made it a permanent feature. Some people are only interested in answering crossword puzzles but become exposed to the news by buying newspapers for crosswords.
Are the elderly the only ones who play this puzzle often?
Did you know that the crossword puzzle was derived from a children’s puzzle? The first version of the crossword is the“word square”, which are arranged words so the letters will be read alike horizontally and vertically. It was only in 1913 that it became an adult pastime puzzle.
Up to this day, as mentioned above, the variety of crosswords remain, and they cater to all ages. It’s not only the elderly who solve crosswords. However, indeed, old-aged people often play this. One of its benefits is boosting one’s memory and generating and strengthening connections in the brain. More so, having Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other memory-related health risks is prevented when you play one crossword puzzle daily as regular stimulation can help reduce damage or loss of brain cells as you age.
On the other hand, solving crossword puzzles for kids is vital for their learning and developmental stage. It would be best if children were exposed to playing different word puzzles at a young age. It’s also essential that you should make it exciting for them to solve, so they’ll be able to appreciate it even as they grow old. In playing crosswords, a child can also boost their short-term and long-term memory. Improving their memory can go a long way and contribute to their performance in academics and other essential tasks. More so, crosswords also allow children’s creative juices to flow as you have to think creatively and differently to solve the puzzle. There are so many benefits of crosswords for children, young-adults, adults, and the likes, such as helping in becoming more productive by improving one’s concentration, etc.
Are crosswords all about fun and games?
As you’ve read above, crosswords allow us to enhance our cognitive abilities. And more than fun and games, brain training is one of the most common reasons people play the game daily. It’s sometimes even used academically as part of an exam. Some categories or themes can be highly challenging. If you’re stuck in a clue or number, it can get frustrating. You may even feel like asking, “now, where’s the fun in playing this game if it’s now become stressful?” We all need a little help so we can move forward to another clue or number. You can ask your family or friends for help, while you can also use the crossword solver site to help you immediately find what word or phrase you’re looking for. With the help of other people and tools like the crossword solver website, you’ll be able to avoid getting stressed by a game you intended for relaxation.
How can you make crosswords more exciting and challenging than they already are?
Even though crossword puzzles are already fun and tricky, there are various ways you can add spice to the game of crosswords, such as:
- Playing competitively
For many people, joining competitions has been one of the activities they find enjoyable. It doesn’t have to be a major tournament and whatnot. You can play competitively with your friends or family. Moreover, you can test who gets the most words or who can finish the fastest.
- Making it a shared experience.
More than playing competitively, you can make it a bonding moment for your family or friends by solving the puzzle together. You can get together on the weekend or every morning or night to solve the crosswords.
- Challenging yourself by tracking progress
One way you can make crosswords more exciting is when you continuously practice and beat your record. Some people track their progress on how many minutes or hours it takes them to finish a puzzle.
That being said, you’ll want to know some tips and tricks you can follow to solve crosswords fast. Here are some of the most effective strategies:
Answer the easiest ones.
This is one of the essential tips you should apply to solve crosswords fast. When you answer the easiest ones, you’ll have words and letters as clues. It will help you better solve the puzzle as you’ll have an overview of the possible letters in the next word. Additionally, this will help you feel accomplished in the game and avoid stress from not solving others immediately. Once you’re finished with the most manageable numbers, you’ll be able to calmly go back and answer questions that are more challenging than others.
Know the theme.
There may be a pattern in the clues and the word answers. Knowing the theme will help you narrow down the concepts, phrases, and words you should think of and consider for the puzzle. The fewer your options for words are, the faster you’ll be able to figure out the answer.
Recheck it.
The reason why you can’t solve a number may be because you’ve got the wrong answer to the previous clue connected to what you’re solving.
Practice. Practice. Practice.
For every problem, there is a solution. For every goal, there is a way to achieve it. If you want to answer crossword puzzles faster, there’s no other way but to practice. This way, you can familiarise yourself with patterns in clues.
