How to Get Help with Crossword Puzzles

I hate getting stuck on a clue and not being able to solve a crossword puzzle. Here are some tools to help you master even the toughest crossword puzzles.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Use a puzzle solver site like One Across (see link below). It lets you search by entering a crossword puzzle clue and either the number of letters in the answer or an answer pattern. For the letters you don't know just put a question mark. Example: p?t?er?
   There are lots of similar sites. Just search the internet for the keywords "crossword solver".

2. 
    

   Keep a crossword puzzle dictionary on hand to check for tough answers. There's even a large print crossword puzzle dictionary (Random House Webster's Large Print Crossword Puzzle Dictionary). You can find these on Amazon or any bookstore.

3. It's also good to have a movie guide as many puzzles include movie clues. One of these is Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide which has over 1600 pages.

4. 
    
   They found the answer

   Then there's always the ask-your-spouse method of crossword puzzle solving. This method works on the principle of "two heads are better than one."

5. As a final resort, you can peek at the answers. Try to just look at one line and fill that in. From there, go ahead to see if you can answer the others now that you have that one word filled in.

Resources

• One Across site for puzzle solving
• A similar site (Crossword Solver)
• Large Print Crossword Dictionary (available on Amazon)
• Movie Guide (available on Amazon)

[elkim]

on 1/1/2009 Nice article. I've never heard of One Across, thanks for the crossword puzzle help!

[klnygaard]

on 12/30/2008 this is great-thanks for info