Crossword

How to solve crossword puzzles: Crosswords are a good way to exercise your brain and memory. Simply work through the clues to solve each answer in turn and fill in the corresponding blank spaces on the grid. 

Crossword puzzle tips: There aren't too many rules when it comes to solving quick crosswords, but there are a number of strategies that can help to complete them. Puzzlers recommend using a pencil to fill out crosswords so that mistakes can easily be corrected. Starting with the easiest clues can help to unlock other solutions – and the fill-in-the-blank clues tend to be considered among the simplest to solve. 

Some players recommend working with another person to help puzzle through the clues together. An educated guess can sometimes be more helpful than leaving an answer blank – and though some puzzlers frown on it, looking up an answer can help players to improve. 

A brief history of crosswords: Word games have existed for centuries, but the first crossword puzzle appeared in the New York World newspaper in December 1913. The game proved particularly popular during the First World War, with newspaper readers keen for the light relief of a word game. Its popularity continued during the Second World War, and by the 1950s crosswords had become a daily habit for many players around the world.