First published in 1913, crossword puzzles have become a significant part of our daily life since then. Crossword puzzles are loved by people of different age groups, all around the world. Do you want to delve into the world of online crossword puzzles? As an amateur, you might find the crossword to be a little confusing and complicated. So, how do people solve it? What is the secret behind solving a crossword puzzle successfully? We are here to help you answer all the questions and help you become the ultimate crossword expert.
Here are some things you need to know about solving crossword puzzles successfully.
1) Start small with online crossword puzzles
Starting with difficult and complicated crossword puzzles will not help you. The hard process is just going to infuriate you and you will end up leaving it incomplete. Always start with small and make your way towards the hard ones. You can try out easy and small crossword puzzles online to build up your knowledge. There are a plethora of small crossword puzzles with as less as six clues. If you want to solve a newspaper crossword, make sure you attempt it on a Monday or Tuesday. The puzzles are easy on these days as compared to Sunday.
2) Solve the problems that you know first
There is no need to follow any pattern while solving the puzzle. You can just choose the questions that you know and are the easiest and skip over the hard and more complicated ones. Spending a lot of time tearing your hair out over a clue will not help you out. Once you have filled in all the easy answers, you will have a nice base to start working on the harder ones.
3) Utilize the importance of the theme
One of the most crucial points that are often overlooked is the theme. Every crossword puzzle follows a particular theme or topic that if utilized effectively can help you greatly. Keep the theme in your mind while thinking about the clues and their answers. It will significantly lower the possibilities and help you solve your online crossword puzzle much faster.
4) Focus on small word entries
Your crossword puzzle is bound to have small word entries with two, three, or four letters. The English language has quite a limited stock of short words which makes it harder for puzzle constructors to avoid repetition. So, basically, you will see repetitive short words that are extremely easy to identify. Fill them in first so that your grid has a solid foundation for all the tough and complicated clues. Experts say practicing crossword puzzle daily will help you identify and utilize such small words much faster. You can even enjoy online crossword puzzles to build up your crossword solving abilities.
The most important secret to solving crossword puzzles is not to let the process stress you out. If you are unable to solve a particular section, just leave it and come back later. Try to solve at least one crossword puzzle online daily and you will see the difference in your abilities. And do not forget to enjoy while enhancing your crossword solving skills.