Stan Newman's Daily Crossword

How to Play Stan Newman's Daily Crossword

WHAT TO DO FIRST

For any day Sunday through Friday, you should look at the puzzle title before doing anything else. The title is there to give you a hint about the theme of the puzzle—the subject matter or the common element among the longest answers. When you have filled in the first long answer, take another look at the title; you should be able to make a guess now as to what the theme is. Once you have correctly identified the theme, the remaining theme answers should be much easier for you to puzzle out.

WHERE TO START INSIDE THE PUZZLE

The first answer you should write in a crossword should ideally be one whose clue you are sure of. This may be the very first clue in the puzzle (1 Across), but crossword authors and editors don’t automatically make the first clue the easiest one. Of course, people’s vocabulary and knowledge differ anyway. So review the clue list carefully until you find one that you’re rather sure of, and fill that one in first.

In the case of the more challenging days, it’s fine to get started with one or more answers that you may be less than sure of, getting confirmation of your answers as you proceed (see below).

WHAT TO DO NEXT

The clues to look at next are the ones that cross any of the answers that you’ve already filled in. It’s much easier to think of the answer once you have one or more extra hints from the letters in those crossing words.

KEEPING YOUR TRIP SMOOTH

Your solving will be smoother and easier if you are able to concentrate on one area of the puzzle at a time, with each new answer you write connected to answers you’ve already filled in. If you’re unable to fill in any answers in the area you’re working in, look for another clue elsewhere in the crossword and begin the process again.

FINISHING THE PUZZLE

If you’ve written in all the answers that you can and some blank squares still remain, here are three proven ways to get you to the finish line:

• Take a short break, and return to the puzzle in a few minutes. Many people find that this break gives them a “fresh look” at it, and they’re able to come up with answers that didn’t occur to them before.
• It’s possible that you have one or more incorrect answers filled in. So try erasing or deleting one or more answers that you may be not quite sure of, and take another look at the area with the answers you’ve just removed.
• It’s completely OK to “get help” in any way you like. By using the Check button to a particular letter or word, or even the entire puzzle. Or for a little more help, use the Reveal button to fill in for you a letter, word, or the entire puzzle. It’s also OK to use an Internet search or an online or paper dictionary. Whichever of these ways you choose, part of the educational benefits of crossword solving come from completing each puzzle you do, anyway that you can.

So good luck with Stan’s Daily Crosswords, and have fun!

About Stan Newman's Daily Crossword

This is Arkadium’s never-published-before crossword, delivered to you brand-new every day of the year. It’s the very same crossword that is published daily by the Long Island, New York, newspaper Newsday, and hundreds of other newspapers across the country. Each one is meticulously created for you by a crew of talented crossword authors, and prepared for publication by legendary crossword editor Stan Newman. Each author’s byline appears each day, together with a puzzle title.

Like many of the major daily newspaper crosswords, Stan’s Daily Crossword increases in difficulty through the week. Monday’s puzzles are widely acknowledged by crossword fans and puzzle experts nationwide as the nation’s easiest crosswords for grownups. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are just slightly more challenging. The challenge gradually increases still further on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, culminating with Stan’s themeless Saturday Stumper. Every other day of the week has a unifying theme, hinted at by the title that accompanies each byline.

Stan’s Sunday crossword is the largest of the week, at a Wednesday-or-so level, designed to go perfectly with a day of relaxation.

Many puzzle fans utilize this increasing challenge each Monday through Saturday to sharpen their solving skills.

Just in case you prefer a more “level level” through the week, you’re invited to play one or more of these puzzles: Stan’s Sunday Crossword, with a different archive puzzle every Saturday and Sunday.

If you prefer working your crosswords on paper rather than on a screen, you’ll appreciate being able to select your choice of print formats: for right-handers or left-handers, or with large print for easiest reading. Plus, with the Ink Saver option, you’ll be able to control how dark you’d like the black squares to be.

There’s a new Daily Crossword waiting for you every day of the year. So treat yourself to one or more of Stan’s Daily Crosswords right now!