The standard cryptic grid is a blocked grid – that is, within the grid there is a pattern of black-and-white squares.
Smaller grids tend to be used for easier puzzles (I'm not sure why!). There could be different-sized grids too - the New Indian Express crossword is a smaller 13 x 13, while the Times Jumbo as large as 23 x 23. Grids used by The Hindu, Economic Times and most daily publications from UK fit that description. If you're unfamiliar with grid terminology (checking? unches? blocked grid?) read through this to start with: Link.Ī typical cryptic crossword grid is square, and 15 x 15 in size. The most visible grid property first – its appearance.
#BLACK AND WHITE MOVIE EFFECTS CROSSWORD SERIES#
Coming up is a series of posts, starting with this one, about different properties of the cryptic crossword grid, good and bad attributes, and ways in which setters do clever stuff with the grid. It struck me then that the crosswords I solve look way better than that.Īs a "wiser" solver today, I respect the grid much more.
One day I chanced upon a freeform crossword in a magazine. I vaguely figured that the quick crossword grid in the evening paper had a higher white:black ratio than the cryptic grid, but thought no more about it. In my initial years of solving cryptic crosswords, I concentrated entirely on the clues and did not even notice the grid.
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