Building Block Of Mathematics Wsj Crossword (2024)

FAQs

What is the easiest day of the WSJ crossword? ›

Unlike the Times crosswords, Mr. Shenk, who is 57 and lives in New York, said his puzzles won't get markedly harder as the week progresses, though Monday puzzles will be the easiest. The Friday puzzle, he said, will have “a little contest element.” Winners of the contest may get a crossword mug.

The Wall Street Journal Crossword Contest puzzles are just like normal crosswords, but with one big difference: somewhere in each puzzle there's a secret word or phrase hiding, and you've got to figure out where and what it is.

Clues are usually arithmetical expressions, but can also be general knowledge clues to which the answer is a number or year. There are also numerical fill-in crosswords.

The crosswords are designed to increase in difficulty throughout the week, with the easiest on Monday and the most difficult on Saturday. The larger Sunday crossword, which appears in The New York Times Magazine, is an icon in American culture; it is typically intended to be as difficult as a Thursday puzzle.

How to Play and Game Tools. The goal is to fill the white squares with letters, forming words or phrases that cross each other, by solving clues in the Across and Down columns which lead to the answers. The New York Times Crossword increases in difficulty from Monday to Saturday.

The daily puzzles are arranged in graded difficulty from Monday (easiest) through Saturday (hardest). The Sunday puzzle, which is larger—typically 21x21, vs 15x15 for the daily—is said to have a difficulty equivalent to about Thursday.

1. The New York Times Crossword. Renowned for its sophistication and wordplay, The New York Times Crossword is arguably the gold standard in the world of puzzles. Under the editorship of Will Shortz since 1993, these crosswords are known for their clever themes, challenging clues, and cultural relevance.

Over the years, these rates have increased numerous times. The Times currently pays $300 to $450 for weekday puzzles and $1,000 to $1,200 for Sundays. These are by far the best rates of any open market for puzzles, but they still don't truly reflect the time, effort and skill involved in producing high-quality work.

Practice daily so you can keep improving your solving skills. It takes a bit of time and practice to catch on to all the little quirks in crossword puzzles, so make puzzling a part of your routine. Take a few minutes in the morning or at night to sit down and work through a crossword puzzle.

Can you play the WSJ crossword on a phone? ›

On your phone, the clues will appear below the grid. Tap twice within a square in the grid to switch between across and down. You can also use the arrows on either side of the clues to scroll through clues.

Clues that end in question marks indicate a play on words in the clue or answer.

Research has shown a positive correlation between crossword puzzles and daily life functions, especially for people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Experts emphasize that larger clinical trials are needed to unravel the observed associations between crossword puzzles and how our brains function.

Fill in the blanks first

Every puzzle usually has a small handful of fill-in-the-blanks, so if you're looking to get an early confidence boost, scan the list of clues for fill-in-the-blanks and knock them out early.

Mondays have the most straightforward clues and Saturday clues are the hardest, or involve the most wordplay. Contrary to popular belief, the Sunday puzzles are midweek difficulty, not the hardest. They're just bigger.

Try your hand at our daily crossword Monday to Friday, from a roster of the nation's best constructors. The Friday crossword features a contest: a “puzzle within a puzzle” for you to solve (usually a single word or phrase such as a celebrity's name, a country, or a movie title).

1. The New York Times Crossword.