# The crossword daily double **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 31, 2005, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602 "2005-01-31T15:37:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/21 "2005-02-03T05:35:20Z")
As a former semi-professional constructor, I can tell you this: it’s almost impossible to go more than a few puzzles in a row without using certain words. ANY 3 or 4 letter word/name in which vowels alternate with consonants will be used frequently- especially if it uses some of the more common consonants. ADAM ALIT EDEN EDIT LIRA NENE UNIT ADE ADO EGO ENO IRA IRE ITO ODE ORE UMA ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/22 "2005-02-03T06:08:59Z")
**astorian** ’s right. There’s a double handful of convenient words that pop up in crosswords all the time. For years, Charlie Chaplin’s wife **Oona** was in a puzzle every week or two. **Uta** Hagen would have been long forgotten if not for crosswords. Right now, I’m fighting my way through an eight-year book of New York Times Sunday crosswords. I’m on number 69 of 400. My usual crossword rule is that I never look up any answer (it’s not sporting.) However, for the NYT Sundays I make a few exceptions. I consult a world map and a Spanish-English dictionary. While I’m struggling with this book, I consign the daily Indianapolis Star puzzle to Mrs. Nott. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/23 "2005-02-03T06:09:08Z")
How _else_ are you supposed to know what a Hawaiian goose is? ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/24 "2005-02-03T07:00:50Z")
Doing crossword puzzles fairly regularly, I find certain words appearing over and over again. That’s why the more you do, the better you get. After a while, you know just about all the common words, especially the short ones (like the very useful “eft”). And it can get kind of unchallenging. The puzzles I particularly enjoy are the ones with a lot of word play. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/25 "2005-02-03T13:10:11Z")
> [@AskNott](#): > > **astorian** ’s right. There’s a double handful of convenient words that pop up in crosswords all the time. For years, Charlie Chaplin’s wife **Oona** was in a puzzle every week or two. **Uta** Hagen would have been long forgotten if not for crosswords. > > Right now, I’m fighting my way through an eight-year book of New York Times Sunday crosswords. I’m on number 69 of 400. My usual crossword rule is that I never look up any answer (it’s not sporting.) However, for the NYT Sundays I make a few exceptions. I consult a world map and a Spanish-English dictionary. While I’m struggling with this book, I consign the daily Indianapolis Star puzzle to Mrs. Nott. I tend to be sporting, as well, but occasionally I seek help. You (and other solvers) may also get it here. [http://www.oneacross.com/cgi-bin/search\_banner.cgi?c0=The+thrill+is+gone+hitmaker&p0=%3FB%3Fing&s=+Go!+](http://www.oneacross.com/cgi-bin/search_banner.cgi?c0=The+thrill+is+gone+hitmaker&p0=%3FB%3Fing&s=+Go%21+) It’s my main “cheat” and Google is my other. I don’t consult maps for those damned New York-to-Boston (ENE) directional clues. If I can’t work them out by nailing the intersecting answers, I don’t bother. They stink. ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/26 "2005-02-03T14:59:53Z")
Of course there are common words, (where else do you find adit, tor, ern, if not in a crossword puzzle?) But even \*\*twickster’s \*\* posts seem to bear out the possibility that there are sometimes _intentionally_ duplicate words, between puzzles, on any given day. Crossword constructors are crafty and cruel folk, you really doubt they’d be up for planting little “easter eggs”? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/27 "2005-02-03T15:13:31Z")
OneAcross is a great site. [Here’s](http://dictionary.langenberg.com/) another site I hit for quick links to various wordplay sources. And **Sternvogel** – I’m not saying you’re _close_ or anything, but look over here… **throws gunnysack over Sternvogel’s head and gestures to Merl and Will** ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/28 "2005-02-03T18:26:49Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > How _else_ are you supposed to know what a Hawaiian goose is? Meet one. There was a nene running around the top of the Hawaiian volcano whose name I’m not even going to try to spell, when I visited Maui. It was very cool to see one. And I eat **oreo** s all the time. With a big enough store of crossword words, I never have to look anything up any more. Maybe we should have an SDMB crossword tournament, where we time ourselves doing the NY Times puzzle for a week. I think looking things up should be okay, since that will ruin one’s time anyway. What about it? I’ll start a thread Sunday if people are interested. ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/29 "2005-02-03T19:02:30Z")
> [@nivlac](#): > > Doing crossword puzzles fairly regularly, I find certain words appearing over and over again. That’s why the more you do, the better you get. After a while, you know just about all the common words, especially the short ones (like the very useful “eft”). And it can get kind of unchallenging. The puzzles I particularly enjoy are the ones with a lot of word play. For more of a challenge, go cryptic! [Here](http://www.biddlecombe.demon.co.uk/puzzles.html)’s a page with links to a few, and one to a general guide (“YAGCC”), and [here](http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~wgh/crosswordpuz.htm) is a set (in Java) to get started on. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/30 "2005-02-03T21:33:21Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Meet one. There was a nene running around the top of the Hawaiian volcano whose name I’m not even going to try to spell, when I visited Maui. It was very cool to see one. > > And I eat **oreo** s all the time. > > With a big enough store of crossword words, I never have to look anything up any more. > > Maybe we should have an SDMB crossword tournament, where we time ourselves doing the NY Times puzzle for a week. I think looking things up should be okay, since that will ruin one’s time anyway. What about it? I’ll start a thread Sunday if people are interested. Sunday, February 6th is Super Bowl Sunday. Maybe some dopers wouldn’t be too inclined to participate on such a momentous occasion. But deal me in. I win. You see, I get my NYT Sunday Magazine on Saturday, and will complete the puzzle on that day. Then, on Sunday, I’ll “start” at 24:00:00 am and will finish at 00:00:30am. Please send the prize as soon as possible. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/31 "2005-02-03T21:40:22Z")
On second thought send my prize to **Twickster**. The only way to get her to tell us the inside scoop about the subrosa messaging among the Constructors is to bribe her. She’ll then be putty in our hands. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/32 "2005-02-04T01:50:34Z")
I would like to register a complaint against all the evil-doers here who a) started this thread and b) those of you who put the ebola germ inside my brain to go do a crossword puzzle over at yahoo. c) Bah. Apparently, my neurons are not up to code and I am dumber than a box of 3 day old herrings sitting in the tropical sun as I cannot get more than oh…4 or five words total. And none of them are **Fnord**. What twisted fiendish fartblower develops such a Machevellian Mindfuck as Xword puzzles? It is a conspiracy to drive people to eat prociferous amounts of soul comforting chocolate when defeated by " Marlin Perkin’s croc hunter." God. I will probably be up all night trying to solve one puzzle honestly rather than cheat. You.all.suck. That is all. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/33 "2005-02-04T02:01:06Z")
You’re welcome! 😃😃😃😃😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/34 "2005-02-04T02:26:00Z")
AIGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! hint: Ho Ho Letters have: CREAMF \_ \_ \_ \_ \_ \_ AKE. Bukake does not fit. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/35 "2005-02-04T02:28:03Z")
cream filled cake. bukake. same thing. ;j You know, we really need an emoticon with a little japanese guy. Just sayin’… ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/36 "2005-02-04T02:31:04Z")
Hey, since I am a frustrated virgin at this, is there a way for me to build/construct my own crossword puzzle on-line for others to try? Being that I think I am so smert. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/37 "2005-02-04T02:42:32Z")
> [@Antiochus](#): > > Sunday, February 6th is Super Bowl Sunday. > > Maybe some dopers wouldn’t be too inclined to participate on such a momentous occasion. > > But deal me in. I win. > > You see, I get my NYT Sunday Magazine on Saturday, and will complete the puzzle on that day. Then, on Sunday, I’ll “start” at 24:00:00 am and will finish at 00:00:30am. Please send the prize as soon as possible. > 😉 I even knew that. 😉 What I meant was that we had a real tournament, not just a one puzzle one, starting with the Monday puzzle and going to next Sunday. (Smooths out who gets a certain trick faster.) I’ll start the thread on Sunday, since, being in California, I get up later than anyone else. You don’t have to do all of them to compete: I’ll sort average times by number completed. I do my Sunday times in a lot less than 30 minutes. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/38 "2005-02-04T03:29:00Z")
If i can remember and there is a linky-poo, I am up for this. So that I can bask in the pure genius that resides here and help anyone here raise their self esteem. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/39 "2005-02-04T05:23:14Z")
Last year, I read a crossword mystery novel by Nero Blanc (whose name is a crossword joke, translating to Black White.) I gathered there are some more, but I haven’t seen them. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2005, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602/40 "2005-02-04T13:16:27Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > (snippet) > > I do my Sunday times in a lot less than 30 minutes. 😃 Well, hell, the rest of us don’t stand a chance. 🙂 I think you should keep the **Nero Blanc Trophy** on your mantle. As far as I’m concerned, you’ve won it by default. Nevertheless, I’m still game. (Must be a mild case of masochism.) But we’ll need more participants than just the two of us. Coming in second in a field of two is coming in last. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-crossword-daily-double/287602.md?page=3)