crossword

Thân thiện

A man solves a crossword puzzle with a pencil.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A word puzzle consisting of a grid of squares, some of which are blacked out. The goal is to fill the white squares with letters, forming words or phrases, by solving clues which are numbered and correspond to either "across" or "down" entries in the grid.

Usage

• The word "crossword" is a countable noun. It typically refers to the puzzle as a whole object or activity.
• It is commonly used with verbs like , , , , or .
• It is often part of the compound term "crossword puzzle," though "crossword" alone is standard.

Examples

• Noun:
  • She does the crossword in the newspaper every morning.
  • This crossword is very challenging; I can't solve the final clue.
  • He is an expert at creating clever crosswords.

Advanced Usage

• "to be a crossword buff/enthusiast/fan": to be a person who very much enjoys solving crosswords.

  • My grandfather is a true crossword buff; he finishes the Sunday puzzle in under an hour.

• Cryptic crossword: A specific, more challenging type of crossword where the clues are word puzzles themselves, often involving anagrams, homophones, and other linguistic tricks.

  • I prefer cryptic crosswords because they are more like solving a riddle.

Variants and Related Words

• Crossword puzzle (n): The full term, synonymous with "crossword."

  • The magazine includes a crossword puzzle on the last page.

• Crossword compiler/constructor (n): A person who creates crossword puzzles.

  • The crossword compiler is known for her witty clues.

• Crossword dictionary (n): A specialized reference book listing words commonly used in crosswords, often organized by word length and letter patterns.

  • When I'm stuck, I sometimes cheat and use a crossword dictionary.

Synonyms

• Word puzzle: A general term for puzzles involving words, which includes crosswords.
• Puzzle: A broader term for any game, problem, or toy designed to test ingenuity.

Related Phrases

• Crossword clue (n): The hint or question that corresponds to an answer in the puzzle.

  • The crossword clue for 1-Across was "A type of tree."

• To fill in a crossword: To write the answers into the grid.

  • It's so satisfying to fill in the last square of a difficult crossword.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a puzzle in which words corresponding to numbered clues are to be found and written in to squares in the puzzle

Từ đồng nghĩa

• crossword puzzle