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Construction
Themes in Crosswords
Themes are typically used to structure American crosswords. The longer entries in
a puzzle are connected by some kind of wordplay or semantic relationship. Other
entries in a puzzle are usually not affiliated with the theme, although sometimes a
small word that explains the theme may be included, often near the bottom. If a
puzzle has a title, it may provide a clue to the theme.
Themes provide a help to the solver, because they cross all areas of the puzzle and
help the solver fill in the grid. Usually there are 3, 4, or 5 theme entries, and they
are often 1015 letters long.
Because crossword grids have rotational symmetry, theme entries must be found
that have matching lengths, so they can be placed opposite each other in the grid.
Below are some simple kinds of themes. The examples are drawn from puzzles
published by constructors in the CrosSynergy syndicate in the Washington Post.
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Non-Stop by M. Ashwood-Smith
PERPETUAL MOTION
ENDLESS SUMMER
ETERNAL TRIANGLE
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page 1
Hidden words
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P T E R
R I N I
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N G E R
T E N T
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Theme entries may contain hidden words, often spanning the word breaks. The
theme entries will not otherwise be related. In these puzzles, the hidden word is
usually referred to in the title or included as an entry by itself in the puzzle.
B A S S
A B I T
T E X A
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J A M S
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B E N E
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page 2
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E P O T
Crossfire (Java)
http://beekeeperlabs.com/crossfire
page 3
S P I C
S I L E
W E L L
F L
E T A
G E T S
G L E E
O L D P
G
O
S
S
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P
D
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A N
F A
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S O F
A N
T O B
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T
L L S
B E
T O S
E
A
M
T
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S
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L
F
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A
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S R
Q U I
S
A S L
E P
N O R
E R A
A T Z
S S E
E
N
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T H
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The grid is the pattern of black and white squares that the solver fills in. You can
use graph paper or computer software to help design and fill crossword grids.
Grid features
Grids are almost always square.
Grids usually have an odd number of squares on each side. Common sizes for grids
are 15 x 15 for weekday puzzles and 21 x 21 for Sunday puzzles.
The maximum word count in a 15 x 15 themed puzzle is 78 words.
No more than about 1/6 of the squares in the grid should be black.
Every white square in the grid must appear in an Across and a Down word.
The black squares of the grid must not divide the puzzle into unconnected areas.
Grid symmetries
L
E
W
D
P
A
N
E
L
T
R
A
S
I
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A
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N
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T
S
K
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P
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A W N
M I
A N
T D S
I F E
L E
O O K
OW E
P E R
S R S
B
O
R W
A I
N E
S
O S
M E
M
R
E W
T O
K
E
N
L I N I
A S E S
H E E L
E A
R
P U T O
R A S
K
A G E S
M E N T O
A B E L L
D O T
D
A Y
R V
S U I
I N G S C
T A T S
O T S O
A
S
K
S
F
O
R
J
U
L
Y
F
O
U
R
T
A H
S
T S
R O
O U
S L
A
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A
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K
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MA F I
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I D I D I
B O N
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E R I N G
R D
E S E P A
F O X
I T T L E
D A
E S E L A
L U G
A
L D I R E
R H I N
J U D A
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The pattern of black squares must have 180-degree symmetry. That is, if you turn
the diagram upside down, it looks the same.
In addition to 180-degree symmetry, some puzzles also have 90-degree symmetry.
In addition to 180-degree symmetry, some puzzles also have mirror symmetry.
On rare occasions, a puzzle will have mirror symmetry only, without 180-degree
symmetry.
Grid Activity
The following grids are unacceptable for different reasons. Can you explain
why each grid fails to meet the typical requirements for a puzzle?
Diagram A
Diagram B
Diagram C
Diagram D
page 4
The fill is the collection of words and phrases that are the answers in the grid. The
fill should use common words rather than obscure ones. A puzzle is made hard by
clever clues, not by including obscure words. Computer software can help you find
legitimate fills.
S H I P P E D B E E F
S H E R R Y B O M B S
Fill sequence
The diagrams at the left show a typical sequence for finding a fill.
S H O C K A B L O C K
S H I L L F A C T O R
The theme entries are placed first, and black squares are built around them that
conform to standard grid requirements.
Once the theme entries are in place, look for other longer words in the diagram,
especially those that cross through more than one theme entry. These need to be
chosen early to ensure that a fill is possible.
Smaller words are filled later, region by region.
S
I
I
N
T
T
D
S
A
S H I P P E D B E E F
L
P
A
S
E
T
S H E R R Y B O M B S
S H O C K A B L O C K
F
O
D
N
E
G
S H I L L F A C T O R
A
A
E
N
B
I
S
S
T
S
P
D
A
S
B
S
I
N
T
D
A
H I P P E
L
P
O T E N T
U O
S H
C T A
H O C K A
R E F
A D E G G
S H
A
N
S
E
B
B
S
I
I
T
S
B E E
A
E S
R R Y
E G
L O C
O
N
L L F
A
B
S
S
P
D
A
S
B
M
O
O
D
S
E
B
B
S
I
M
A
M
P
H
O
B
E
E
I
R
E
I
T
S
E
A
E S
R R Y
E G
L O C
O
P E N
L L F
E B A
B O B
E W S
Avoid too many crossword-ese words that appear over and over in puzzles, such
as ESNE, IOTA, ORCA, and so on.
Avoid obscure or obsolete words. Avoid made-up words or phrases.
Avoid death, disease, and other unpleasant topics. Puzzles are sometimes used as
an escape, and should not remind solvers of their troubles.
Dont use too many abbreviations as entries.
Dont include too many proper names.
Dont have too many entries that will require fill-in-the-blank clues.
Dont strain to get every letter of the alphabet in. Letters like Z, K, Q, J, and F are
rare and fun to see in puzzles but getting them all in may lead to bad quality fill.
F
L L N
A I
B O M
N O
L
K
O D L
E
A C T
E
I
T
E W
B
R
A
E
S
A
W
S
F
L L N
A I
B O M
N O
L
K
O D L
N E
A C T
E
I
T
Fill Activity
The four corners of the puzzle shown at the left are reproduced below. Can you
find a fill for one or more of these corners?
O R
S
I
N
T
D
A
H I P P E
L A P
O T E N T
U O
S H
C T A
H O C K A
R E F
A D E G G
S H
A
N
S
S
T
17
A 21
20
S H I 24P P
L A
E W
Upper left
B
R
A
E
51
S
A
W
S
O R
10
14
52
11
12
13
16
19
22
23
F
26
L L N E W
Upper right
53
B A D E 57G
S
62
63
56
66
69
Lower left
N E 59 60 61
A 65C T O R
E
68
I
71
T
Lower right
page 5
Writing Clues
The clues in a puzzle are what the solver uses to discover the answers. You will
find that certain conventions apply to clues in puzzles.
Varieties of clues
Straight definition: Most crossword clues are simple definitions of their answers.
Alliteration or rhyme: Clues can use alliteration or rhyme to avoid monotony.
Fill-in-the-blank: Some entries can only be clued with a fill-in-the-blank phrase.
Trivia: Solvers enjoy learning new things, so an interesting fact that can clue a
common answer in a fresh way is usually welcome.
Punny or tricky: A question mark often indicates that the solver needs to view a
clue in a non-standard way to solve it.
Humorous: Solvers welcome offbeat clues to words.
Clue variety
You can see from the examples below that it is possible to write clues of different
varieties or difficulty levels for the same word.
Blessed events?
N
Z
Genesis garden
Paradise
Idyllic spot
Sandwich cookie
Nabisco treat
Hydrox alternative
Temptation location
Fall locale
First place?
Round of snacking?
Food thats been kosher
since 1998
It may get a licking after
dinner
O
O
Scratch post?
T
page 6
Flag a cab
Gift adornment
14
15
Savings plan
16
Dystopian novelist
17
19
20
21
Open-toed footwear
23
Cap attachment
25
29
31
32
36
Between, in Bayeux
HAIL
BOW
MADE UP
ARCO
IRA
ORWELL
WEIRDOES
NIECES
SNEER
SANDAL
The time between submission and response can be as little as a week or as much as
six months.
EARLAP
TOADLIKE
EWES
SYNONYM
CHAINLET
ENTRE
Clues are very often rewritten by editors, usually to adjust the difficulty level.
Anywhere from 25% to 75% of the clues may be changed.
The theme or fill of a puzzle is very rarely changed, although sometimes an editor
will ask you to rework an area of a puzzle and re-submit it.
You can build a special .txt file using any word processor, and if you use the
appropriate format in this file, you can open it in Across Lite and save it as a .puz
file to be delivered online.
Across Lite software
http://www.litsoft.com
Books
Patrick Berry. Crossword Puzzle Challenges for Dummies.
ISBN: 0-764-55622-3
Stan Kurzban and Mel Rosen. The Compleat Cruciverbalist.
ISBN: 0-442-25738-4
Answers to Activities
Grid Activity
A. Four squares do not have both Across and Down words
going through them. Unchecked letters are not allowed.
B. There are four 2-letter entries.
C. The diagram does not have 180-degree symmetry.
D. The diagram has 80 entries. The maximum word count
for this puzzle size is typically 78 entries.
Tricky Clue Activity
SANTACLAUS, SLIDERULE, ENDGAMES, SNEEZES, ERASES, RADII, MOON, ATM
page 7