Definition: Crosswordese refers to hackneyed, obscure words or partial phrases, usually three to five letters long, used in crossword puzzles. These words are rarely, if ever, encountered in everyday conversation but often appear in crosswords because of the need for vowel-rich words in particular areas of the grid. Puzzles with too much crosswordese are frowned upon by cruciverbalists and most publications have strict limits on their frequency in any given puzzle.
Examples:
ecru, etui, erne, olio, anoa, stoa, squa, adit, erse
