for and about Crossword Puzzle solvers

Here, the Muse Of Language Arts explores the wonderful world of the crossword puzzle solver.

about this feature

This feature is an inquiry into the doings, goings, and comings of crossword puzzle solvers and the sub-world they inhabit. Its primary audiences are three-fold: 1) solvers, 2) nascent and potential solvers, and 3) casual observers. A secondary audience consists of those who professionally produce and distribute puzzles—constructors, editors, and publishers—who might be curious about how the other half lives or what it has to say for itself.

meet the solver

What does Electricka mean by solver? A solver is a game player who solves crossword puzzles:

the Muse prefers to call crossword puzzle players solvers because solving a puzzle is usually a player's immediate objective—it's the mission. The Muse shuns other names fighting for recognition—names like tanglers, untanglers, resolvers, or crackers—because they focus attention on what the player is doing rather than on what he's thinking.

Crossword puzzle solving is not as much a physical activity that can be observed as it is a mental exercise, a state of mind. As he solves, a typical crossword puzzle worker tries to discover, find, or work out the answer to (or explanation for) a myriad of related or unrelated clues. Terms like tangler, untangler, and resolver sound like something out of the Old West; and terms like "puzzle cracker" sound like something out of the Old South.

If solvers work out the answer to a single puzzle clue, they are said to have solved the clue; if they work out all the answers to all of a puzzle's clues, they are said to have solved the puzzle.

More

beginner's Guide to solving crosswords

In this feature the Muse explains how to play and solve crossword puzzles and offers solvers ideas, suggestions, and some down-home advice that may help beginners solve more puzzles and solve them faster and quicker. There's also a crossword puzzle glossary.

• Visit the Muse Of Language Arts' page called Beginner's Guide To Solving Crossword Puzzles: click here.

Prominent personalities

Although crossword puzzles are played by many, only a relatively few have had a major identifiable impact on their evolution; only a few have shaped crossword puzzle design or construction, the way the game is played, or the sub-cultural community at large.

Certain kinds of personalities seem to be professionally attracted to the field or to seek notoriety as amateurs. Many have flourished and performed brilliantly in multiple roles, as constructors, editors, or publishers; all have been solvers.

• Explore the backgrounds of individuals who are or have been brilliant solvers as well as constructors, editors, and publishers. Visit the feature called For And About Constructors, Editors, And Publishers. Look for the section called Prominent Personalities: click here.

Solve a Crossword puzzle now

Electricka and her muses offer you a number of arts-related crossword puzzles to solve online at your computer. Some have been constructed by visitors to Electricka's web site, others by ETAF Staff. All are original. Electricka also offers you a collection other kinds of art-related puzzles and different kinds of games to play online.

• Electricka's arts puzzles are located at her page called Welcome To Arts Puzzles: click here
• You'll find a selection of other kinds of games to play and other diversions by visiting Electricka's page called Arts Games And Other Diversions: click here.

Happy Gaming!

the american crossword puzzle tournament

Perhaps the most prominent and interesting of all crossword puzzle tournaments in the U.S. is the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, founded in 1978. It has met every year since then, plenty if time to develop into a subculture of the world of crossword puzzles in its own right.

• Explore crossword puzzle competition at Electricka's feature called the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament: click here.

wordplay, the movie

Wordplay is the title of a movie about crossword puzzles which documents the 2005 competition of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (see above, this page). It is one of only a few movies about crosswords and the only documentary known to the Muse Of Language Arts that offers a vivid peek into the mystically intense subculture that is the world of the crossword puzzle tournament.

• Explore the world of crossword puzzle tournaments as documented in a film about the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament (see above). See a review of the movie Wordplay at the Muse Of Film's page called Movie Reviews - Wordplay: click here.

For and about Constructors, editors, and publishers

Compared with those who solve, those who construct are a relatively rare breed.

All constructors are solvers; they wouldn't have become constructors in the first place without a background in solving. Constructors are solvers by nature; they solve to keep their hand in. The y'd solve even if they couldn't construct; they just love solving puzzles.

On the other hand, not all solvers are constructors. Constructing takes a lot of talent, know-how, and motivation that most solvers don't have, need, or want. Yet, at one time or another, many solvers get the urge to see what life is like on the other side of the crossword. theyexperiment with making a puzzle or two, or they get the bug and start constructing in earnest.

Even if you're a solver or prospective solver and none of this happens to you, there's good reason to explore the subject of crossword constructors, editors, and publishers. If you keep open to the idea, you can become a much better solver by learning how to construct; you can learn a lot about solving by seeing how constructors, editors, and publishers go about their business. If you have or develop aspirations for publishing puzzles of your own creation, exploring constructing, editing, and publishing can make a better, happier, more fulfilled solver out of you.

• Become a better solver; become a constructor; take your pick. Explore the tiny, inbred, glorious world of crossword puzzle constructors, editors, and publishers at the page called For And About Crossword Puzzle Constructors, Editors, And Publishers: click here

Publish your original arts-related puzzle or quiz

Electricka hopes that everyone interested in games, from art devotees to neophytes, will create an original arts-related puzzle or quiz; she encourages them to submit their games for publication in these pages.

• To see why: click here.

To encourage visitors to publish their original arts-related puzzles and quizzes, Electricka has declared the World Of Arts Games & Gaming a ByLine feature. Electricka invites you to explore the guidelines for contributors now.

• See the guidelines for contributing puzzles and quizzes: click here.

For more information about this and other ByLine Features, visit the ByLine page at this web site:

• Click the words About ByLines in the ByLine image at the right side of the page you just came from or click here.

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