We completed our latest XWord Info upgrade and we’ve now settled comfortably into our new home on the Azure cloud. Will you notice or care? Maybe not, but there are many advantages for us and for you. We can now upgrade the site with bug fixes or new features with zero downtime. (It used to… Continue reading Infrastructure Week
Wordlist downloads
We’ve recently had reports that our new logon authentication system on XWord Info has affected Wordlist downloads. Fortunately, the fix is easy. If you’ve recently downloaded a wordlist (particularly an OS/X version apparently) and had problems, 1) log off XWord Info, 2) log back on, 3) download the list again. You should be fine. Once… Continue reading Wordlist downloads
That extra XWord Info Log In
Did you notice that you recently had to log back into XWord info for no apparent reason? Here’s the explanation. Note, this post gets increasingly technical, so feel free to bail when you get bored. TL;DR: Just log back in when you’re asked, and everything will work fine. What happened? The short answer is, we… Continue reading That extra XWord Info Log In
Word List Updates
Jeff Chen regularly updates the XWord Info word lists. He’s just uploaded a large batch.
Link to us, get free access
If you have a crossword-related blog or website, add a permanent link to XWord Info on your home page, and we’ll give you four months of access for free. If you already have an account, we’ll extend it four months.
Analyze your own crosswords
XWord Info started as a website mostly for curious solvers. Over the years, the site has evolved and is now equally aimed at helping constructors create their best work. We have Jeff Chen’s word list, some sample Python scripts, and a Finder page that has been used more than 13 million times. (An upcoming post… Continue reading Analyze your own crosswords
We Get Mail
Jim Horne answers questions about XWord Info we get in email.
How to blog crosswords
Today’s crossword is a great topic for bloggers.
The 10,000 Days of Shortz
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 marks a major milestone for Will Shortz. It’s his 10,000th day as Crossword Editor at the New York Times. This means 10,000 daily crosswords and thousands more Variety puzzles for the magazine stamped with his name. Much has changed since Mr. Shortz answered an ad in 1993. An unnamed entity was… Continue reading The 10,000 Days of Shortz
Crosswords and Computers
Crosswords used to be constructed entirely by hand. Watch Garson Hampfield reminisce about the old days. I love this guy. Some constructors still use graph paper, but almost all published crosswords now benefit from some computer assistance. The Auto-Amazing-Theme-Generator™ has yet to be invented, but software such as Crossword Compiler for PCs or Crossfire for… Continue reading Crosswords and Computers