Crossword Puzzles

It's speculated that crossword puzzles evolved from the ancient Roman word blocks - rows and columns of equal length each spelling a word. The first crossword puzzle, as we would recognize today, was published in the World newspaper in the early 1900s. Today, you would be hard pressed to find a newspaper that did not publish at least a weekly crossword puzzle. There are thousands of crossword puzzle books available for purchase, all in varying degrees of difficulty. Crossword puzzles can also be found online - and while some charge a subscriber fee you can find many for free.

There are a few different types of crossword puzzles. They can vary by the type of grid (or can even be grid-less) and the type of clues. A straight crossword contains clues with answers that are straightforward - usually the definition of the word itself - and are enjoyed by those with a love of words and vocabulary. A cryptic crossword is more like a puzzle than a test of word knowledge. The answers are not always so straightforward and can be interpreted a few different ways. The most commonly published crosswords are a combination of straight and cryptic.

Assistance for crossword puzzle clues can be found in print or online. There are many free websites that allow you to enter the clue, the number of letters in the answer as well as any letters you've already figured out. It will return to you a list of possible solutions. Beginner crossword players can improve their gaming skills using these sites to gain familiarity with how crossword puzzle clues and answers are derived.

These types of word puzzles are great memory enhancers and can even help prevent possible future memory problems. They are also a great educational tool for younger children, as a different and fun way to learn vocabulary.

Help Solving Crossword Puzzles

• One Across - Search for Crossword Puzzle Answers
  
• Crossword Puzzle Solver - American Heritage Dictionaries

Solitaire

Most one-player card games are known as "solitaire" and there are several hundred versions of the game. Most of them involve creating piles of cards with the ultimate goal of ending up with four piles by suit. Here is a list of the most popular solitaire games - all you need is a standard 52-card deck or Internet access to enjoy this game for one.

• Klondike - This is by far the most common solitaire game. It involves setting up the board with 7 piles of cards, each pile with one more card than the previous pile. The top card in each pile is face up, the others are face down. The remaining 24 cards are used in the stock pile. The object of the game is to retire all 52 cards to four piles from Ace (low) to King (high). A detailed explanation of the game can be found here.
• Pyramid - This is an equally common version of solitaire in which the board is set up with a pyramid of cards, face up (see photo to right). Cards are removed from the board by one or two cards totalling 13. The card values are King 13 down to Ace 1. The only cards that can be removed are ones that are not covered by other cards. The object is to move all the cards from the pyramid. A detailed explanation of the game can be found here.