Cricket201909

1. Make up a list of words and defini-
   tions. You could use your spelling list for the
   week, or the list of terms your science teacher
   gave you to memorize. Use graph paper or
   make a grid on a sheet of paper by drawing
   parallel lines one-quarter to one-half inch
   apart, across and down the paper.


2. Begin with one of the longest words
   you’ve chosen. Using a pencil for easy erasure,
   place one letter in each square across the cen-
   ter of the grid. Find another word
   with a common letter and place it
   vertically, crossing the first word
   at the common letter. Continue
   through your list until all words
   have been used either horizontally
   or vertically.


3. Blacken the empty squares
   with a felt-tip pen or crayon.


4. Starting in the upper left-
   hand corner, number consecutively all the squares in the first row
   which begin a word (whether across or down). Work down the
   grid, row by row, numbering from left to right.


5. Usethesenumbersto makelistsof definitions,orclues, with
   theheadingsACROSSandDOWNto correspondto theanswers
   youhaveplacedonthegrid.
   Whenyougetmoreexperienced,youcantrymaking designs
   withyourpuzzle,usingwordsofa certainlengthtofitthe picture
   youwanttomake.Witha lotofpracticeyoumightcreate a puz-
   zlewithrotationalsymmetry,whichmostprofessionalcrossword
   puzzlesfeature,meaningthattheblack-and-whitepuzzle pattern
   appearsthesamewhenthepuzzleis turnedupsidedown. You can
   alsocheckoutonlinepuzzlemakers,whichcancreateperfectly
   symmetricalpuzzlesautomatically.
   Nexttimeyougetanassignmentthatmakesyouwant to
   groan,swallowhardandsmile.Seeif youcanturntheassignment
   intoa crosswordpuzzle!

eFiirrss CrossworrdPuzz llle

H reiissss hee uioontttot ee sttcrrossws ordd

p ett tt rtt urrW ne li h dinnn hee

Su dd yF Nse tio eWWordd. ee

rrer nnob kk uaaree,aan ccl e nnott

lililii ddbbbyA aaa dddDOO tt t y

herr bes ee eep t ficc

l y oovee ec eess?

11 8. 88 h ffib ooftheg titippp

.AAA isisst

33 A o at plala t..

20 -2 29 OOnen.

4 3 .TTooo reee ..

9

13

17

12

16

21

25

20

24

1

34

30 31

3

5

2

28 29

432

26 33 27

678
10
14

11

15

18

22

19

23

M

O

R

A

L

D

O

H

M

R E V E R I E

S E R E D O V E

F A C E N E V A

R U L E N A R D

N E I F S I D E

S P A R T A N E

T R A D I N G

M

I

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E

D

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A

D

W

The crossword craze of the

1920s increased demand for

checked patterns in cloth-

ing and for crossword-themed

bracelets, collar pins, and other

bling. This young woman looks

up “Egyptian Sun God” in the

world’s smallest crossword

puzzle dictionary, strapped to

her wrist.

WHAT WOULD

WHOA! THAT’S DIFEFRENT. UGLY THINK?

ROTATIONAL SYMMETRY! NOW

YOU’RE SPEAKING MY LANGUAGE.