# Do you enjoy crossword puzzles?



## Bretrick (Oct 28, 2021)

My Father was always doing the crossword in the papers and he was really good at it. He would usually be able to complete the whole crossword without referencing any dictionary, et al.
Somehow I started doing crosswords as well and have been doing them for more than 35 years.
My vocabulary is astronomical. If I hear or see a word I have not encountered before then I find out what it means. That is called learning.
I regularly buy a crossword book called, "Mister Wisdoms Whopper", it has 27,
400 word crosswords. I can complete these crosswords in less than an hour. Missing on average 10 words.
When completed, those that I did not know, I look up in the back of the book. 
I was doing this one day in a cafe, and someone sitting beside me said, " That's cheating"
I looked at him and simply said, "If you do not know something, what do you do? You find out, yes? It is called learning, not cheating"
Unfortunately he took umbrage and got uppity.
Some people.


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## Shero (Oct 28, 2021)

Bretrick, may I ask what work you do? You do not have to answer if you prefer not to.


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## Bretrick (Oct 28, 2021)

Shero said:


> Bretrick, may I ask what work you do? You do not have to answer if you prefer not to.


I work in heavy industry as an Overhead Crane Operator.
Not working right now because I broke my ankle at work and will be off for several months


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## Gary O' (Oct 28, 2021)

Do you enjoy crossword puzzles?​
Yes, yes I do.

The NY Times is my 'go to'


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## Shero (Oct 28, 2021)

Bretrick said:


> I work in heavy industry as an Overhead Crane Operator.
> Not working right now because I broke my ankle at work and will be off for several months


Thanks for answering Bretrick. Just want to say you have stood up well to the roasting and I like that!  Not that it matters what I think but I believe you are dinky di. 
Yes I love crossword puzzles especially the cryptic ones.


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## Bretrick (Oct 28, 2021)

Shero said:


> Thanks for answering Bretrick. Just want to say you have stood up well to the roasting and I like that!  Not that it matters what I think but I believe you are dinky di.
> Yes I love crossword puzzles especially the cryptic ones.


Dinky Di Aussie Guy.  
Resilience is my strong point these days.
Can I say, In my posting I am not having a swipe at anyone. I am pointing out that there are ways out of our situations as long as we are prepared to make an effort.
Sometimes I may come across as being la di da but I certainly am not.
Just a blue collar worker who has been kicked and beaten and come out the other end. Not unscathed but with a fighting spirit that allows me to hold my head high.
I can not do cryptic crosswords


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## palides2021 (Oct 28, 2021)

I enjoy crossword puzzles, too, but not the hard ones, because they take too long and time is precious. AARP.org has daily crossword puzzles that I've done in the past on my free time. Like Bretrick said, it's called learning when you learn a new word, etc. I think doing crossword puzzles keeps our brain sharp.


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## Devi (Oct 28, 2021)

Love crossword puzzles. I do them on my computer using the (free) Across Lite software:
https://litsoft.com/across/alite/download/

I download puzzles via this page:
https://www.fleetingimage.com/wij/xyzzy/nyt-links.html
The links with a year (e.g., Wall Street Journal 2021) have downloadable crossword puzzles (whatever.puz).

Plus, there are various ways to solve a word or the whole puzzle. Most entertaining, for me.


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## Bretrick (Oct 28, 2021)

Devi said:


> Love crossword puzzles. I do them on my computer using the (free) Across Lite software:
> https://litsoft.com/across/alite/download/
> 
> I download puzzles via this page:
> ...


Thank you for the links


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## Devi (Oct 28, 2021)

My pleasure. Enjoy!


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## Shero (Oct 28, 2021)

Bretrick said:


> Dinky Di Aussie Guy.
> Resilience is my strong point these days.
> Can I say, In my posting I am not having a swipe at anyone. I am pointing out that there are ways out of our situations as long as we are prepared to make an effort.
> Sometimes I may come across as being la di da but I certainly am not.
> ...


Good on you resilience is a great quality to have and I always admire that in a person


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## WheatenLover (Oct 28, 2021)

My mother loved crossword puzzles - especially the one in the NYT.

I absolutely stink at them. I can't figure out why. I no longer care.


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## oldiebutgoody (Oct 28, 2021)

I do, especially the easy ones.


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## dseag2 (Oct 28, 2021)

I am addicted to Wordscapes on my iPhone.  Kind of similar to crossword puzzles.  You have to fill in the letters to create the words.


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## Devi (Oct 30, 2021)

Devi said:


> Love crossword puzzles. I do them on my computer using the (free) Across Lite software:
> https://litsoft.com/across/alite/download/
> 
> I download puzzles via this page:
> ...


I forgot to add that the downloadable puzzles are also free. Much fun ...


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## Lara (Apr 4, 2022)

Are you finding AARP has an issue with their puzzles? It's free. I guess you get what you pay for.

The issue: Once correctly completed it's suppose to stop and give you a score. But instead the user has to click on "Solve Puzzle" to complete the puzzle and get the score...even though you just finished the puzzle and all words are correct. The problem with that is that you lose points from your score because hitting the "Solve Puzzle" button is considered getting help.


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## hollydolly (Apr 4, 2022)

I'm a big crossword fan.. have been since a young adult. There's barely a day goes by when I don't complete at least one crossword puzzle. I prefer cryptic, but I'm up for any type ..it's something I've always and hopefully always will enjoy..


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## Purwell (Apr 4, 2022)

> I was doing this one day in a cafe, and someone sitting beside me said, " That's cheating"
> I looked at him and simply said, "If you do not know something, what do you do? You find out, yes? It is called learning, not cheating"
> Unfortunately he took umbrage and got uppity.
> Some people.


I have had this response from people that don't seem to want to learn.

To answer the OP; I used to be an avid crossword addict, particularly when I travelled to work by bus.


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## jujube (Apr 4, 2022)

The very first thing I do every morning is to do a crossword puzzle.  I feel that it gets the oil moving in my motor brain.


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## GoneFishin (Apr 29, 2022)

This is probably off topic but.........

I do the daily wordle https://www.nytimes.com/games/wordle/index.html


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## hollydolly (Apr 29, 2022)

I love them..rarely a day goes by when I don't do a physical crossword on a hard copy..... Not a lot nicer than sitting out in the garden in the sun with a drink and a crossword puzzle.. I prefer cryptic.. but any will do... 

I don't buy newspapers any more, so I buy a crossword puzzle book every quarter, ..I'm not keen on online cw  puzzles..


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## Judycat (Apr 29, 2022)

I used to love word games including crosswords, but now I find sudoku more relaxing.


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## Sassycakes (Apr 29, 2022)

I always loved doing crossword puzzles, especially with my Dad. They were wonderful times.


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## Remy (May 1, 2022)

I'm not very good at them but a puzzle book is always good to have around. Helps clear the mind I think.


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## hollydolly (May 1, 2022)

Judycat said:


> I used to love word games including crosswords, but now I find sudoku more relaxing.


I'm not a maths dunce, by any means, but I just can't get my head around Sudoku


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## Judycat (May 1, 2022)

hollydolly said:


> I'm not a maths dunce, by any means, but I just can't get my head around Sudoku


You're not alone. I'm just weird and enjoy finding the patterns in those little squares.


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## Seren (Aug 21, 2022)

Bretrick, I enjoy crosswords, yes. Because I started doing them when I was younger, my parents bought me a dictionary and a thesaurus in case I needed to reference. I've been grateful ever since. I love words.

hollydolly, I can't get my head around Sudoku either...


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## bowmore (Aug 21, 2022)

I have a book of 500 NY Times Sunday puzzles I am working through


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## NorthernLight (Aug 21, 2022)

I like cryptic crosswords.


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## WheatenLover (Aug 22, 2022)

I cannot complete a crossword puzzle to save my life. I like logic games, though. They are my favorite.


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## Bretrick (Aug 22, 2022)

Seren said:


> Bretrick, I enjoy crosswords, yes. Because I started doing them when I was younger, my parents bought me a dictionary and a thesaurus in case I needed to reference. I've been grateful ever since. I love words.
> 
> hollydolly, I can't get my head around Sudoku either...


I always have a crossword book with me. Coffee and crosswords go together


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## MarciKS (Aug 22, 2022)

i dabble in crossword puzzles.


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## Bretrick (Aug 22, 2022)

To all the responders here. I apologise for just now liking your posts. I have stopped receiving notifications for a whole lot of posts.
Admin says it is a problem with my server?
Doubt that but I miss out on so many responses and only come across them when going through my posts.
So, I am not ignoring you all. I simply am not being notified


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## Bretrick (Aug 22, 2022)

MarciKS said:


> i dabble in crossword puzzles.


Are you a good dabbler? Are the crosswords enjoyable or frustrating?


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## OneEyedDiva (Aug 22, 2022)

I was going to start a thread asking the same question B! And use it as a segway to ask if anyone plays Cody Cross, one of my favorite games. It's a different kind of crossword puzzle. I've done other crosswords in the past but since playing CC, I haven't gone back to them. I remember doing the in the newspaper decades ago. While playing CC I sometimes have to refer to the "cheat" because there's no way anyone can guess all the answers. And you can't go to the next level without finishing a group of puzzles. I always feel smarter when I finish puzzles on my own.   There are Here's a video about CC.




@hollydolly A couple of years ago my honorary daughter and granddaughter, who are whizzes at it, tried to teach me how to play Sudoku. It was very frustrating to think I'd done it right only to find out I didn't (and not understand why I was wrong)!


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## Bretrick (Aug 22, 2022)

OneEyedDiva said:


> I was going to start a thread asking the same question B! And use it as a segway to ask if anyone plays Cody Cross, one of my favorite games. It's a different kind of crossword puzzle. I've done other crosswords in the past but since playing CC, I haven't gone back to them. I remember doing the in the newspaper decades ago. While playing CC I sometimes have to refer to the "cheat" because there's no way anyone can guess all the answers. And you can't go to the next level without finishing a group of puzzles. I always feel smarter when I finish puzzles on my own.   There are Here's a video about CC.


I have never heard of Cody Cross. I enjoy a hardcopy myself.
For future reference, Segue, in your context is spelt Segue.
Segway is a personal transportation device.


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## OneEyedDiva (Aug 22, 2022)

Bretrick said:


> I have never heard of Cody Cross. I enjoy a hardcopy myself.
> For future reference, Segue, in your context is spelt Segue.
> Segway is a personal transportation device.


Thank you for the correction...I *knew* I spelled it wrong!  So I've heard people say "seg-way" is "seque" pronounced that way? The dictionary says the Segway is "an invented word based on seque".  If I thought I could stay upright on one of those things, I'd try it...they look like fun.


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## Bretrick (Aug 22, 2022)

OneEyedDiva said:


> Thank you for the correction...I *knew* I spelled it wrong!  So I've heard people say "seg-way" is "seque" pronounced that way? The dictionary says the Segway is "an invented word based on seque".  If I thought I could stay upright on one of those things, I'd try it...they look like fun.


Driving instructions for Segways
You only need to lean a small amount to start moving forward; *too much and the Segway will fall over*. Take it slow as you lean. 
Once you have control of that speed you can lean further forward for more speed. To slow down, stop leaning and stand upright to slow down and stop.


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## timoc (Aug 22, 2022)

I like those crossword books where the answers are at the back of the book.


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## Bretrick (Aug 22, 2022)

timoc said:


> I like those crossword books where the answers are at the back of the book.


Always good to have the answers.
Once I do the crossword puzzle, those words I do not know, I look at the answer, meaning I learn new words. But I never say I completed the crossword if there are words I do not know and had to look at the answer.


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## MarciKS (Aug 22, 2022)

Bretrick said:


> Are you a good dabbler? Are the crosswords enjoyable or frustrating?


i don't do them often. i prefer the easy ones. lol! i enjoy them.


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## Jace (Aug 23, 2022)

WheatenLover said:


> My mother loved crossword puzzles -did... out of the  hometown newspaper
> 
> I absolutely stink at them...even though I  words


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## Gary O' (Sep 16, 2022)

I did the NY Times every day of the week
I liked them because the answers were not available until the next day

Mondays were simple/easy
Done in minutes
Triumphant
Rather nice on the ego

Tuesdays were.....doable

Wednesdays...there were lookups
Thesaurus was my bible

Thurs/Fri.....put it down for a bit
Try again
and again
Put it in the bathroom
Tucked into my thesaurus
When I'd visit there, I'd look at it
until both legs fell asleep
Finally resigned to wait 'til tomorrow

Saturday
Settle in with a steaming cup of java
Two hours later; There just isn't enough coffee in the house!!

The clue is vague to the long ass poser of which runs clear across the puzzle, and the answer is so tenebrous there are no lookups
.... here on earth

I do chores
It lays there
neatly folded
by my La-Z-Boy
Waiting for me
Mocking me
Reading light beaming down on it
RELEE (confederate leader) is the only fill in

Saturday evening.......my thesaurus is nothing more than a doorstop
I resolve that I'm too flipping nescient to even have the privilege of owning a newspaper
....except for starting the morning fire

Now....*Highlights* Magazine puzzles?
Let's talk


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## Alizerine (Sep 20, 2022)

Gary O' said:


> Do you enjoy crossword puzzles?​
> Yes, yes I do.
> 
> The NY Times is my 'go to'


The NY Times got too expensive for me. Now I do the LA Times puzzle by way of the Washington Post which is free. I also do Wordle each day.


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## Ladybj (Sep 20, 2022)

Bretrick said:


> My Father was always doing the crossword in the papers and he was really good at it. He would usually be able to complete the whole crossword without referencing any dictionary, et al.
> Somehow I started doing crosswords as well and have been doing them for more than 35 years.
> My vocabulary is astronomical. If I hear or see a word I have not encountered before then I find out what it means. That is called learning.
> I regularly buy a crossword book called, "Mister Wisdoms Whopper", it has 27,
> ...


I love doing crosswords....Keeps the mind sharp.


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## Bretrick (Sep 20, 2022)

Ladybj said:


> I love doing crosswords....Keeps the mind sharp.


Whiles away a few hours on those slow days.


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## Lawrence (Sep 20, 2022)

I become frustrated trying to do crossword puzzles for I don't spell all that good. To me it's like trying to fit five letters in a seven-block row or 9ine letters in a five-block row.


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## Beezer (Sep 20, 2022)

My grandfather was actually a crossword puzzle designer.

When he passed away, they buried him 6-down and 3 across.


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## Pinky (Sep 20, 2022)

I enjoy crosswords and all types of word puzzles


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## Been There (Sep 21, 2022)

Yes, I do crossword puzzles everyday from boatloadofpuzzles.com.


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## DebraMae (Sep 21, 2022)

Love them.  I print out and do one every morning.


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## moviequeen1 (Sep 21, 2022)

I've been doing NYT daily crossword puzzle over 40 yrs, do digital mini crossword every day
They get harder as the week goes on,I usually  can get Mon&Tues


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## JustBonee (Sep 21, 2022)

Occasionally    I will do one when the mood  strikes.   I don't care for the tough ones though ..


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## amwassil (Sep 21, 2022)

I once did, many years ago.


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## Kika (Sep 21, 2022)

moviequeen1 said:


> I've been doing NYT daily crossword puzzle over 40 yrs, do digital mini crossword every day
> They get harder as the week goes on,Iusually can get Mon&Tues


Same here.  I'm working on Wednesday for several years now.  I can get about 1/3 on a good day.


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## Paco Dennis (Sep 21, 2022)

We just started playing one on Misa's smart phone. Some clues are crazy...we can mostly solve them...sometimes with a little cheating, like figuring out one letter by going through all the vowels on consonants.


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## Kika (Sep 21, 2022)

Paco Dennis said:


> figuring out one letter by going through all the vowels on consonants.


I don't think that's cheating.  It's creative, better than not completing the puzzle.
I do it all the time.


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