Jim Horne, Author at XWord Blog

Bar Game Updates

The XWord Info Bar Game can’t compete with the Crossword or Finder pages, but it’s surprisingly popular, with many repeat visitors. This post explains why, what’s new, how it’s used, and asks your opinion about various feature requests. It’s a game? How do I win? Well, it’s not much of a game, since there are… Continue reading Bar Game Updates

Cryptic Crosswords

Cyber.

Cryptic crosswords are the most difficult to get into, but the most fun once you do.

Jim’s final Acrostic

I took advantage of a window of opportunity to pitch three Acrostic ideas that might push that puzzle type in some new directions.

Where are my Acrostic stats?

Our Acrostic solver remembers your progress so you can come back to that puzzle later. Sometimes that data disappears. This post explains why.

Vowelless Crosswords

Vowelless crosswords are easier than you think.

Puns & Anagrams

Giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, approximately 6-8 months old, resting on a tree branch high in the forest canopy.

This is the second in my “Variety is the Spice of Puzzles” series about under-appreciated NYT Variety puzzles. The first looked at Acrostics. Puns and Anagrams, aka PandAs, are like regular crosswords except the clues rely heavily on, well, the title explains. They tend to be easier than Cryptics, but like Cryptics, they are sometimes… Continue reading Puns & Anagrams