The Complete Idiot's Guide to Crossword Puzzles And Word Games,9781592573912

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Crossword Puzzles And Word Games

by
ISBN13: 9781592573912
ISBN10: 1592573916
Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: 2005-10-04
Publisher(s): DK Publishing, Inc.
List Price: $15.70

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Summary

You're no idiot, of course. You do crosswords and word games because they supposedly give your brain-and your vocabulary-a great workout. But when asked for a two-letter word that describes your solving skills, the best you can do is "O-K" ...

Author Biography

Matt Gaffney is a professional crossword puzzle constructor whose puzzles have appeared in New York Times, Washington Post, Newsday, Los Angeles Times, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, Slate, and Brill-'s Content.

Table of Contents

Part 1: One-Across
1(26)
Crosswords Are Fun!
3(4)
The History of Crosswords
4(1)
Crossword Puzzles Today
5(2)
Working On a Theme
7(8)
Unlocking a Puzzle's Theme (Hint: Use Its Title)
9(1)
Do All Crosswords Have Themes?
9(1)
Themes of All Kinds
10(2)
Repeated Word
10(1)
Something in Common
10(1)
Quotations
11(1)
Puns
11(1)
Add/Drop/Change Something
11(1)
Rebus Themes
12(3)
Checkered Past: Crossword Grids
15(6)
Large Puzzle or Small? (How Much Time Do You Have?)
16(1)
The Rules of the Grid
16(2)
Symmetry
17(1)
Two-Letter Taboo
17(1)
Unchecked Letters
17(1)
Wide-Open Spaces
18(3)
Clue Me In
21(6)
Let the Clue Help You Find the Answer
21(3)
Synonyms
22(1)
Examples
22(1)
Fill In the Blanks
23(1)
Trivia
23(1)
Descriptive Phrases
23(1)
Puns
23(1)
Can't We Agree to Agree?: Clues and Answers
24(1)
The Clues Determine the Difficulty
25(2)
Part 2: Easy Does It
27(72)
Basic Crossword Puzzle-Solving Tips
29(34)
Choosing a Good Crossword Puzzle
29(2)
Pencil, Please!
31(1)
Where Do I Begin?
32(1)
After the ``Toehold''
33(1)
Abbr., Pref., Et Al.
33(2)
Multiword Answers
35(2)
Puzzle #1: ``Border Crossing''
37(1)
Puzzle #2: ``In the News''
38(1)
Puzzle #3: Themeless
39(1)
Puzzle #4: ``Name's the Same''
40(1)
Puzzle #5: Themeless
41(1)
Puzzle #6: Themeless
42(1)
Puzzle #7: ``The Bee's Knees''
43(1)
Puzzle #8: ``Keyed Up''
44(1)
Puzzle #9: Themeless
45(1)
Puzzle #10: ``It's Greek to Me''
46(1)
Puzzle #11: Themeless
47(1)
Puzzle #12: Themeless
48(1)
Puzzle #13: ``Say Aa!''
49(1)
Puzzle #14: ``Pulling Rank''
50(1)
Puzzle #15: Themeless
51(1)
Puzzle #16: ``No Problem!''
52(1)
Puzzle #17: ``First, Middle, Last''
53(1)
Puzzle #18: Themeless
54(1)
Puzzle #19: ``What Planet Are You On?''
55(1)
Puzzle #20: ``Crosscourt Rivalry''
56(1)
Puzzle #21: ``Thar She Blows!''
57(1)
Puzzle #22: ``Water, Water Everywhere''
58(1)
Puzzle #23: Themeless
59(1)
Puzzle #24: ``I'm Exhausted''
60(1)
Puzzle #25: ``Albert Speaks''
61(2)
Intermediate Crossword Puzzle-Solving Tips
63(36)
Roman Numerals
63(2)
Compass Points in Crosswords
65(1)
The Big Three Latin Abbreviations
66(1)
Help! I'm Stuck!
67(6)
Figure Out the Theme
67(1)
Puzzle Out a Specific Clue
68(1)
Take a Break
69(1)
Make Educated Guesses
69(2)
Check for Possibly Wrong Answers
71(1)
Cheat!
71(2)
Puzzle #26: Themeless
73(1)
Puzzle #27: Themeless
74(1)
Puzzle #28: Themeless
75(1)
Puzzle #29: Themeless
76(1)
Puzzle #30: ``Play Ball!''
77(1)
Puzzle #31: Themeless
78(1)
Puzzle #32: ``Anyway''
79(1)
Puzzle #33: ``Frightening Writing''
80(1)
Puzzle #34: Themeless
81(1)
Puzzle #35: Themeless
82(1)
Puzzle #36: Themeless
83(1)
Puzzle #37: Themeless
84(1)
Puzzle #38: Themeless
85(1)
Puzzle #39: ``Team Colors''
86(1)
Puzzle #40: ``Capital Crossing''
87(1)
Puzzle #41: ``2002 Champs''
88(1)
Puzzle #42: Themeless
89(1)
Puzzle #43: Themeless
90(1)
Puzzle #44: Themeless
91(1)
Puzzle #45: Themeless
92(1)
Puzzle #46: ``Three Danish for Here, Please''
93(1)
Puzzle #47: ``How Swede It Is''
94(1)
Puzzle #48: ``Norway Four Ways''
95(1)
Puzzle #49: ``Stay Composed''
96(1)
Puzzle #50: Themeless
97(2)
Part 3: Tough It Out
99(34)
Advanced Crossword Puzzle-Solving Tips
101(32)
Beware of Capital Letters
102(1)
``That Can't Be Right ...'': Strange Letter Combinations
103(2)
Ambiguous Parts of Speech
105(1)
Wait! That Answer Might Be a Trap!
105(2)
Puzzle #51: Themeless
107(1)
Puzzle #52: ``President's Day''
108(1)
Puzzle #53: Themeless
109(1)
Puzzle #54: Themeless
110(1)
Puzzle #55: ``The Midas Touch''
111(1)
Puzzle #56: Themeless
112(1)
Puzzle #57: Themeless
113(1)
Puzzle #58: ``All Hands on Deck''
114(1)
Puzzle #59: ``Throw Away''
115(1)
Puzzle #60: Themeless
116(1)
Puzzle #61: ``Roommate from Hell''
117(1)
Puzzle #62: Themeless
118(1)
Puzzle #63: ``County Fair''
119(1)
Puzzle #64: ``College Crossing''
120(1)
Puzzle #65: ``Three Twelfths''
121(1)
Puzzle #66: Themeless
122(1)
Puzzle #67: ``No Fooling?''
123(1)
Puzzle #68: ``On the Table''
124(1)
Puzzle #69: ``Spreading the Gospel''
125(1)
Puzzle #70: ``Left Out''
126(1)
Puzzle #71: Themeless
127(1)
Puzzle #72: ``Capital Confusion''
128(1)
Puzzle #73: ``The Good Doctor''
129(1)
Puzzle #74: Themeless
130(1)
Puzzle #75: Themeless
131(2)
Part 4: Proceed at Your Own Risk!
133(34)
Highly Advanced Crossword Puzzle-Solving Tips
135(32)
250 Words You Might Want to Know
136(1)
Training Secrets of the Pros
136(3)
John McNeill
137(1)
Jon Delfin
137(1)
Doug Hoylman
138(1)
Ellen Ripstein
138(1)
Get to Know Individual Constructor Styles
139(1)
Test Yourself Against the Best: The American Crossword Puzzle Tournament
139(3)
Puzzle #76: Themeless
142(1)
Puzzle #77: Themeless
143(1)
Puzzle #78: ``Are You Lying?''
144(1)
Puzzle #79: Themeless
145(1)
Puzzle #80: ``California Writin'''
146(1)
Puzzle #81: Themeless
147(1)
Puzzle #82: Themeless
148(1)
Puzzle #83: Themeless
149(1)
Puzzle #84: ``Name Games''
150(1)
Puzzle #85: ``South of the Border''
151(1)
Puzzle #86: ``Breathing Room''
152(1)
Puzzle #87: ``Very Dairy''
153(1)
Puzzle #88: Themeless
154(1)
Puzzle #89: Themeless
155(1)
Puzzle #90: ``Direct Action''
156(1)
Puzzle #91: ``On the Town''
157(1)
Puzzle #92: ``Well Worn''
158(1)
Puzzle #93: Themeless
159(1)
Puzzle #94: Themeless
160(1)
Puzzle #95: ``Extremely''
161(1)
Puzzle #96: ``E-Mail Me''
162(1)
Puzzle #97: ``Binary Digits''
163(1)
Puzzle #98: ``Joint Effort''
164(1)
Puzzle #99: ``It's Outta Here!''
165(1)
Puzzle #100: ``B+''
166(1)
Part 5: Other Word Games
167(50)
Cryptic Crosswords
169(12)
It's All in the (Cryptic) Clues
170(6)
Reversals
171(1)
Anagrams
171(1)
Hidden Words
172(1)
Homophones
173(1)
Second Definitions
173(1)
Container Clues
174(1)
Charades
175(1)
Beheading/Curtailment
175(1)
A Few Clue-Related Odds and Ends
176(1)
Want More Cryptic Crosswords?
177(2)
Cryptic #1
179(1)
Cryptic #2
179(1)
Cryptic #3
179(1)
Cryptic #4
180(1)
Cryptic #5
180(1)
Acrostics
181(20)
What Is an Acrostic?
182(1)
How to Solve an Acrostic
182(1)
Keep an Eye on the First Letter
183(1)
The Big Tip for Solving Acrostics: Playing the Grid and Clues Against Each Other
183(6)
Where to Find More Acrostics
189(1)
Acrostic #1
190(2)
Acrostic #2
192(2)
Acrostic #3
194(2)
Acrostic #4
196(2)
Acrostic #5
198(3)
Cryptograms and Hangman
201(16)
What's a Cryptogram?
201(2)
Two General Cryptogram Principles
203(1)
Code-Breaking Strategies
203(4)
Words of Interest
204(1)
Apostrophe Words
204(2)
Phrases of Interest
206(1)
Two More Tips
206(1)
Fill 'Em In
206(1)
How an Expert Solves a Cryptogram
207(3)
How to Play Hangman
210(1)
Avoiding the Hangman
211(1)
Tips for When You're the Hangman
211(1)
Practice Cryptograms
212(5)
Part 6: Solutions
217(86)
Solutions to Part 2, ``Easy Does It,'' Puzzles
219(32)
Puzzle #1
220(1)
Puzzle #2
221(1)
Puzzle #3
221(1)
Puzzle #4
222(1)
Puzzle #5
223(1)
Puzzle #6
223(1)
Puzzle #7
224(1)
Puzzle #8
225(1)
Puzzle #9
226(1)
Puzzle #10
226(1)
Puzzle #11
227(1)
Puzzle #12
227(1)
Puzzle #13
228(1)
Puzzle #14
229(1)
Puzzle #15
230(1)
Puzzle #16
230(1)
Puzzle #17
231(1)
Puzzle #18
231(1)
Puzzle #19
232(1)
Puzzle #20
232(1)
Puzzle #21
233(1)
Puzzle #22
233(1)
Puzzle #23
234(1)
Puzzle #24
235(1)
Puzzle #25
235(1)
Puzzle #26
236(1)
Puzzle #27
237(1)
Puzzle #28
237(1)
Puzzle #29
238(1)
Puzzle #30
239(1)
Puzzle #31
239(1)
Puzzle #32
240(1)
Puzzle #33
240(1)
Puzzle #34
241(1)
Puzzle #35
241(1)
Puzzle #36
242(1)
Puzzle #37
243(1)
Puzzle #38
243(1)
Puzzle #39
244(1)
Puzzle #40
245(1)
Puzzle #41
245(1)
Puzzle #42
246(1)
Puzzle #43
246(1)
Puzzle #44
247(1)
Puzzle #45
247(1)
Puzzle #46
248(1)
Puzzle #47
248(1)
Puzzle #48
249(1)
Puzzle #49
249(1)
Puzzle #50
250(1)
Solutions to Part 3, ``Tough It Out,'' Puzzles
251(16)
Puzzle #51
252(1)
Puzzle #52
253(1)
Puzzle #53
253(1)
Puzzle #54
254(1)
Puzzle #55
254(1)
Puzzle #56
255(1)
Puzzle #57
255(1)
Puzzle #58
256(1)
Puzzle #59
257(1)
Puzzle #60
257(1)
Puzzle #61
258(1)
Puzzle #62
258(1)
Puzzle #63
259(1)
Puzzle #64
259(1)
Puzzle #65
260(1)
Puzzle #66
260(1)
Puzzle #67
261(1)
Puzzle #68
261(1)
Puzzle #69
262(1)
Puzzle #70
262(1)
Puzzle #71
263(1)
Puzzle #72
263(1)
Puzzle #73
264(1)
Puzzle #74
264(1)
Puzzle #75
265(2)
Solutions to Part 4, ``Proceed at Your Own Risk!'' Puzzles
267(14)
Puzzle #76
268(1)
Puzzle #77
268(1)
Puzzle #78
269(1)
Puzzle #79
269(1)
Puzzle #80
270(1)
Puzzle #81
270(1)
Puzzle #82
271(1)
Puzzle #83
271(1)
Puzzle #84
272(1)
Puzzle #85
272(1)
Puzzle #86
273(1)
Puzzle #87
273(1)
Puzzle #88
274(1)
Puzzle #89
274(1)
Puzzle #90
275(1)
Puzzle #91
275(1)
Puzzle #92
276(1)
Puzzle #93
276(1)
Puzzle #94
277(1)
Puzzle #95
277(1)
Puzzle #96
278(1)
Puzzle #97
278(1)
Puzzle #98
279(1)
Puzzle #99
279(1)
Puzzle #100
280(1)
Solutions to Part 5, ``Other Word Games''
281(10)
Cryptic Crossword Solutions
281(4)
Puzzle #1
281(1)
Puzzle #2
282(1)
Puzzle #3
283(1)
Puzzle #4
283(1)
Puzzle #5
284(1)
Acrostics Solutions
285(3)
Acrostic #1
285(1)
Acrostic #2
285(1)
Acrostic #3
286(1)
Acrostic #4
287(1)
Acrostic #5
288(1)
Cryptograms Solutions
288(3)
Solutions to the Quick Quads
291(12)
Quick Quad #1
292(1)
Quick Quad #2
292(1)
Quick Quad #3
292(1)
Quick Quad #4
292(1)
Quick Quad #5
292(1)
Quick Quad #6
292(1)
Quick Quad #7
292(1)
Quick Quad #8
292(1)
Quick Quad #9
292(1)
Quick Quad #10
292(1)
Appendixes
The 250 Most Common Crossword Puzzle Answers
293(6)
Resources
299(4)
Index 303

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