r/crossword • u/Electronic_Tank_2945 • 3d ago
Beginner and want to decrease time
Hey guys, just wanted to come on here to see if there are on recommendations for a newbie like me. My time today was 27 minutes and I just am a bit disappointed. I’m 20 and literally just started getting into crosswords, so I know it’ll take some time before I start getting my times down.
Besides just doing more crosswords do yall have anything specific that you do to decrease solve time? Also how much do you think it’s just an IQ filter—I’m curious as to the consensus on that is.
12
Upvotes
9
u/shipitholla 3d ago
You’ll naturally get faster with time. A lot of fill words get used a lot (OREO, etc.) and you’ll start to spot those more quickly. Also quickly seeing possible double meanings in clues is something that develops with time.
There’s probably some natural aptitude to it too — some people’s brains just think in the right way for crosswords to be easier than it is for others. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s an IQ filter in a general sense, but having the specific type of intelligence that makes one naturally good at word games/puzzles helps a lot.