Editing Cryptic crossword (section)

== Grids for cryptic crosswords ==

A typical cryptic crossword grid is generally 15×15, with half-turn [[rotational symmetry]].  Unlike typical American [[crosswords]], in which every square is almost always ''checked'' (that is, each square provides a letter for both an across and a down answer), only about half of the squares in a cryptic crossword are checked.

In most daily newspaper cryptic crosswords, grid designs are restricted to a set of stock grids.  In the past this was because [[hot metal typesetting]] meant that new grids were expensive.<ref>{{cite news
|last=Tossman
|first=David
|title=Crossword 847 answers and explanations
|date=23 November 2013
|url=https://www.listener.co.nz/entertainment/cryptic-crosswords/crossword-847-answers-and-explanations/
|newspaper=[[New Zealand Listener]]
|access-date=29 April 2019
|archive-date=4 March 2016
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304050738/http://www.listener.co.nz/entertainment/cryptic-crosswords/crossword-847-answers-and-explanations/
|url-status=dead
}}</ref>

Some papers have additional grid rules. In ''[[The Times]]'', for example, all words have at least half the letters checked, and although words can have two unchecked squares in succession, they cannot be the first two or last two letters of a word.  The grid shown here breaks one ''Times'' grid rule: the 15-letter words at 9 and 24 across each have 8 letters unchecked out of 15.  ''[[The Independent]]'' allows setters to use their own grid designs.

''Variety'' (UK: 'advanced') cryptic crosswords typically use a ''barred grid'' with no black squares and a slightly smaller size; 12×12 is typical. Word boundaries are denoted by thick lines called ''bars''.  In these variety puzzles, one or more clues may require modification to fit into the grid, such as dropping or adding a letter, or being anagrammed to fit other, unmodified clues; un-clued spaces may spell out a secret message appropriate for the puzzle theme once the puzzle is fully solved.  The solver also may need to determine where answers fit into the grid.

A July 2006 "Puzzlecraft" section in [[Games Magazine|''Games'' magazine]] on cryptic crossword construction noted that for cryptic crosswords to be readily solvable, no fewer than half the letters for every word should be checked by another word for a standard cryptic crossword, while nearly every letter should be checked for a variety cryptic crossword.  In most UK advanced ('variety') cryptics, at least three-quarters of the letters in each word are checked.