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Step 1
Build your vocabulary by reading, writing and looking up words you don't know. If you're committed to complete mastery of the crossword puzzle, carry around a small pocket dictionary wherever you go.
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Step 2
Answer clues you're sure about, and save the other ones for later on in the puzzle. Some of the hardest clues unravel effortlessly once you've filled in the neighboring words.
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Step 3
Work across and down simultaneously. Once you fill in a word, read through all of the clues that branch off it. This keeps your momentum up and increases your chance of beating the puzzle.
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Step 4
Think outside of the box when coming up with answers. Although the New York Times puzzles aren't quite as tricky as cryptic crossword puzzles, you should still avoid dwelling on only one possible solution in your mind.
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Step 5
Start with the smaller weekday puzzles before tackling the monstrous Sunday puzzle. The Times does a good job of bumping up the puzzle difficulty levels over the week, which helps beginners get a feel for their structure and tricks.
