From the article: Crosswordese
Crosswordese is here, we need it and it won't go away but that doesn't mean we have to like it. You've seen those repetitive little words in countless puzzles. Now it's time to bite back. Here is where you can nominate your most hated crossword entries for the title of, "The Most Reviled Crossword Puzzle Entry (TMRCPE)"
NB: Please limit entries to 3-, 4- and 5-letter words.
To view a list of crosswordese please visit the crosswordese compendium
Anyone can submit, no registration required. Nominate Yours Now!
NB: Please limit entries to 3-, 4- and 5-letter words.
To view a list of crosswordese please visit the crosswordese compendium
Anyone can submit, no registration required. Nominate Yours Now!
Not on List But Should Be
- I don't hate the ubiquitous crossword entries; they're usually used merely as construction "filler" and can help one solve the harder clues or themes. My sister and I even joke about the word "ort" (never hear that one ANYWHERE outside of the crossword world!). My nomination for the list is Esai (Morales), an actor who has probably enjoyed more name recognition from crosswords than he ever did for appearing in La Bamba!
- —Guest addieloggins
How do you decide ...
- between Eire, Eyre, or Erin (or something else?) when the clue is "Ireland?" The crossing letters will decide the final answer - Editor
- —Guest China Doll
for the compendium...
- ETO (European Theater of Operations) STLO (DDay town, or: Dept. of Manche)
- —Guest spanky48
Most Hated Crosswords
- I have several, but I think the worse are etui; eke and the two or three word answers with no clue of how many words are needed.
- —csbth
Old tyro
- latin phrase "et alia"or "et alii"is sandbagging, dirty pool
- —Guest Fred Breidenbach
crosswordese
- as long as american-style crosswords don't have "orphan" letters there will be crosswordese. where would today's crossword writer's be if peter fonda's role had been something other than ulee or oreos and oleo had different names. crosswordese is just a fact of american-style crosswords so either do puns and anagrams exclusively or quit complaining.
- —Guest jane lewis
Why "entries"?
- It's not the entries that are the problem - it's the combination of entry and clue. If ERNE is always just a "sea eagle" (which needless to say does exist), then you've got an unimaginative clue as well as a familiar answer. But even then, you need to judge the puzzle as a whole. There have to be some easy clues to get you started. If "sea eagle" is ERNE and the other clues in a puzzle are all more challenging and interesting, is there really a problem?
- —Guest Peter Biddlecombe
They should remain nameless
- I detest all those names. They can be anything and nothing!
- —Guest Call Me Bob
"Uniquely" Bad!
- When I first took up puzzling ten years ago, the clue "unique individual" was as ubiquitous as the old "sewing travel case" for "etui." The answer? That hokiest of made up words: "Oner." Luckily, this has all but vanished, under some Will Shortz or Rich Norris edict to writers perhaps, but thank goodness!
- —Guest Spanky48
most hated crossword entries
- eke (I'm so tired of this word because I have always had to eke), AES (Poor Adlai E. Stevenson - does everyone have to keep telling his family that he lost? I really liked the guy! Let him rest in peace (RIP)!
- —anneknox
Why 'dumb down' Crosswords?
- Searching for a crossword answer often involved learning something. I despise 'onit', 'hetup', all the common slang as 'nah' and 'yep.' I can think of 'aton' of examples of the dumbing-down of what once was much more interesting and enjoyable.
- —Guest Mike
crosswordese
- Combining forms! Detest them. Along with all the variations of 'amir', Bambi's aunt and words from languages spoken by very small populations.
- —Guest mary
Most hated crosswords
- Will Shortz and NY Times use too much show biz and obscure biographic entries. Theirs is a "dare ya" type of puzzle, with sometimes illogical clues.
- —Guest poktrokts
i detest the word...
- Crosswordese is a curse in the same league as spam. I hate seeing ERNE in a puzzle. It is always clued the same, "Sea eagle". Do they exist in the real world or only in crossword puzzles?
- —Guest dese-hater
