ENGLISH
REFERENCE

crossword

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈkɹɔˌswɝd// UK //kɹˈɒswɜːd// cross·word Archaic Informal

n. a word game where you find answers to clues and write them into a grid of white and black squares. The words cross each other, so some letters help you find other answers.

n. a word puzzle consisting of a grid of squares and blanks into which words are written according to clues. The answers intersect horizontally and vertically, sharing letters at the points of intersection.


SIMPLE

I like to do the crossword while I drink my morning coffee.

CONTEXTUAL

The Sunday edition of the newspaper always features a particularly difficult crossword that takes hours to complete.

COMPLEX

Solving a cryptic crossword requires not only a vast vocabulary but also the ability to decode complex wordplay and lateral thinking puzzles embedded within the clues.

Origin

From cross + word. Various word puzzles referred to as "crosswords" date back to the 1860s. The modern crossword puzzle was invented in 1913 by Arthur Wynne, who coined the name word-cross – crossword first appeared a few weeks later as a typographical error or deliberate transposition.

Usage

Commonly paired with the verbs 'do', 'solve', or 'complete'.

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