Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Writing a Basic Crossword
• Part 2 of 3: Come up with questions
• Part 3 of 3: Formalizing the Crossword Puzzle

Crosswords and other mind games can provide countless hours of fun and are great brain exercises.They are great educational tools to keep students engaged and to help them remember the connections between term and definition. Some people enjoy making crosswords as much as solving them. Depending on the level of your interest, this process can be either very simple or quite multilevel.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Writing a Basic Crossword

1. 1 Decide on the size of the mesh. If you want to make a regular, standard crossword puzzle, then you should stick to specific sizes. If you are making a more free crossword puzzle, then the size can be anything.
   • By using an online crossword puzzle tool or special program, you can be limited to a number of specific sizes. When composing a crossword puzzle by hand, it all depends on your imagination.
2. 2 Make a word list for your crossword puzzle. Usually the words should be chosen according to the given topic. A topic or an allusion to it can be the heading of a crossword puzzle. Common topics include famous places or languages, words from a certain period of time, celebrities, or sports.
3. 3 Arrange the words in a grid format. This part of the problem is comparable in complexity to the actual solution of a crossword puzzle. After completing the arrangement of the words, shade in any unused cells.
   • In American-style crosswords, it is not customary to use "hanging words" that do not combine with other words. Each letter must match a horizontal and vertical word to ensure complete intersection. In British type crosswords, hanging words are allowed.
   • If the answer to the question is a phrase, and not one word, then its constituent words should go without spaces.
   • There is no need to worry about capitalizing proper names, as crosswords are usually filled with large block letters. Also, the answers should not contain punctuation marks.
   • Many crossword puzzle programs are ready to automatically arrange words for you. You just need to indicate the size of the crossword puzzle, as well as ask a list of words and questions to them.
4. 4 Number the first cell of each word. Start at the top left corner of the crossword puzzle and divide words vertically or horizontally so that you get “1 vertical”, “1 horizontal” and so on. This can be a daunting task, which is why many people prefer to use programs rather than doing everything manually.
   • When using the helper program, it will number the words automatically.
5. 5 Make a copy of the crossword puzzle. This time, the first cells of each word should be numbered but remain blank. When creating a crossword puzzle by hand, it will take extra effort, but the program will do everything for you. Set the filled mesh aside to use as a key. Make as many copies of the blank grids as you like.

Part 2 of 3: Come up with questions

1. 1 Start with simple questions. These are usually referred to as “quick” or “easy” questions and are the easiest to resolve. For example: "Mounted animal" = HORSE.
   • If your crossword puzzle is conceived as an educational tool or you just do not want to complicate anything, then you can get by with some quick questions, but when creating a more complex crossword puzzle, it is better to omit such questions or not use too often.
2. 2 Increase the difficulty level with indirect questions. Usually they have a certain metaphor or require out-of-the-box thinking. Example: "Half dance" = CHA or KAN (from Cha-cha or Kankan).
   • Typically, crossword writers start such questions with the words “maybe,” “probably,” or with a question mark at the end.
3. 3 Use encrypted questions. They are most common in the UK. Such questions are often found in special "cryptic crosswords", and in ordinary crosswords they are indicated by a question mark at the end. They are based on puns and usually involve several levels of decision.There are many subspecies in the category of cryptic questions.
   • Fully cryptic the questions are usually puns. For example, "Multiple personality or social unit" = FAMILY, since the word can be divided into two: "seven" and "I".
   • Inversion questions require an inverted answer. For example, "The eternal city without war" = PEACE. Rome is called the eternal city, which turns from "Rome" to "peace". Note that the second part of the question is also a hint, "no war".
   • Palindromes often require the search for an anagram, which will be the solution to the whole question. For example, "Hole and a loud sound from it as an element of the engine" = ROTOR, because the hole is the "mouth", from which a loud cry - "Ohr" is heard, and together a part of the engine "rotor" is obtained, while the word is read equally in both directions ...
4. 4 Organize the questions in the form of a list. Number them according to the position of the answers in the grid of the crossword puzzle. Combine the answer questions horizontally into a separate block in ascending numerical order, and then do the same for the vertical answer questions.

Part 3 of 3: Formalizing the Crossword Puzzle

1. 1 Use standard sized meshes. Simon & Schuster is one of the first crossword publishers to introduce accepted standards for professional crossword writers. Among other things, the standards provide for one of five grid sizes: 15x15, 17x17, 19x19, 21x21 or 23x23 cells. The larger the grid, the more difficult the crossword puzzle.
2. 2 The crossword puzzle must have an axial symmetry of 180 degrees. Outline refers to the location of the shaded cells in your grid. They need to be positioned in such a way that when the diagram is reflected, the shaded cells remain in the same places.
3. 3 Try not to use short words. Two-letter words are not used at all, and three-letter words are best used as little as possible. If you can't come up with a long word, you can always use the whole phrase.
4. 4 Use words mentioned in official sources. With rare exceptions, words in crosswords should be those that can be found in a dictionary, atlas, fiction, textbook or reference book. Some thematic crosswords may require a deviation from this rule, but you should not overdo it.
5. 5 One word can only be used once. If the phrase "North Sea" appears in the crossword puzzle, then the phrase "Northern Lights" should not be used. Again, some themed crosswords allow some degree of flexibility, but moderation is important in everything.
6. 6 Long words should be important. The trademark of a competent crossword puzzle will be the maximum binding of long words in the key topic. Not all crosswords are themed, but the best examples always have a central theme.