Cryptic Puzzle

Begin Again
Cryptic Puzzle

Begin Again

By Tom Toce
BEGIN AGAIN is what I find I have to do when I fill out a grid 90% of the way and then uncover a fatal flaw. It’s pretty frustrating, but that’s puzzle construction.

Nine Five-by-Fives
Cryptic Puzzle

Nine Five-by-Fives

By Tom Toce
Many crossword grids are 15 × 15. You can break a 15 × 15 grid down into nine 5 × 5 grids. In a regular crossword, the nine grids won’t be closed off; each 5 × 5 will have entries linking to any other grid it’s adjacent to.