The art of crossword puzzles has been around for centuries, but its popularity has only recently surged. Mr. Levin recently released his second crossword for The Times, and it's full of challenging clues that require some lateral thinking. One of the clues, “Literary character who cries,” gives a few letters to figure out the answer.
Many of its clues contain indicators that are easy to misinterpret. For instance, “Solo federal agent, an old executioner,” is a charade that places an adjective before a noun. By breaking down the clue, the answer is revealed to be “Lone Ranger.” But he is a self-described “older white guy,” and his judgments have drawn criticism from some who feel the clues are too easy for certain demographics. Afterward, he sent me a few of his favorite crossword clues, which I was able to solve by understanding the words and phrases in the clue and their context.
There are some clues that require more knowledge. For example, an old crossword clue may ask for a name of a famous painting or the title of a book. To answer these, you'll need to know something about art and literature. There are also some clues that require research. There are weird old journal papers and scanned archival documents. Just a whole world of things I can now more comfortably read in bed than before.
Today's tricky puzzle features many clues whose answers don't appear to make sense. For instance, 2D: [Play opener] would normally be ACT I or SCENE 1, but the answer is “OPENER.” The same goes for 98A: [Sitcom character from Melmac sitting next to some books,], which is ALF. The key to solving these clues is to think outside the box and read the clues carefully.
Crossword puzzles can also be educational. For instance, a recent crossword featured a clue about Greek philosophy. 9. Crossword Puzzles. GREEK PHILOSOPHY Crossword Puzzle Worksheet Activity | Philosophy, Ancient greece for kids, Ancient greece. Another clue was about a famous play, and today's crossword comes with instructions: “This puzzle's new letters spell out a character name.”
The clues can also be humorous. For instance, one clue reads “People who eschew musical theater may not know that the “'Rent' character who sings 'Light my Candle'” is MIMI.”
Some clues require more creativity. For instance, a recent crossword featured a clue about a character's name. The answer was “ChatGPT,” which is a technology used to generate character names.
Crossword puzzles can be a great way to pass the time or even learn something new. They can also help you hone your problem-solving skills and give you a mental workout. So if you're stuck on a puzzle, don't give up. Keep your eyes open for clues and take a few minutes to read the instructions carefully.
