How to solve the Universal Crossword Puzzle

What is the Universal Crossword puzzle?

Published by Andrews McMeel Universal, the Universal Crossword is one of the most world-renowned crossword puzzles around. It features both a daily and Sunday puzzle, and is internationally syndicated across the world. This includes the Seattle Times, The Denver Post, The National Post, and several other newspapers and their respective websites as well.

Not only that, the Universal Crossword is edited by David Steinberg, an infamous crossword constructor in the world of crosswords. Born in 1996, Steinberg became famous after he became the second youngest constructor to be published in the New York Times at the age of 14. In the years since, the constructor has only gone from strength to strength, creating and publishing over 500 puzzles. So much so, that he was eventually hired to be the editor of Universal Crossword in 2018 and has held the role since then.

What is the format and rules?

With David Steinberg at the helm since December 2018, the Universal Crossword has thrived under his leadership with the puzzle now setting the standard for all daily crosswords. The puzzle follows a strict book of rules and format to adhere to the standards they’ve set in the past.

Here's the format and rules of the Universal Crossword:

• American-style grid with symmetrical black and white squares

• A standard 15x15 grid size from Monday to Saturday, 21x21 on Sundays

• Clues match the tense, number (singular or plural), and part of speech of the answers

• Some puzzles do employ wordplay, puns, and/or misdirection.

• Themed puzzles will have clues that relate to the theme

• Some puzzles feature formats like step quotes or circles-in-the-square

How difficult is the puzzle?

Unlike the New York Times crossword, the Universal Crossword doesn’t have an increasing level of difficulty but instead offers a moderate level of difficulty. That’s as per the puzzle’s editor David Steinberg, who revealed that the 15x15 puzzle maintains a consistent level to keep bringing solvers back. That consistency and difficulty level also allows solvers to keep up their levels while still offering a level of challenge that keeps players occupied.

However, that doesn’t apply to the larger Sunday crossword as the difficulty level increases compared to the weekly puzzles. This does provide more of a mental workout for solvers but that hasn’t stopped players from coming back for more. Even then, Lloyd Morgan's crossword difficulty matrix places the Universal Crossword in the light-yellow to the yellow range, which is a moderate challenge level.

Guide to solving the puzzle

While the Universal Crossword does offer a moderate level of challenge, that can be difficult to handle, especially for novices to the crossword game. Yet because of its moderate level and standard format, the Universal Crossword tends to attract a lot of players on a daily basis. That is especially because its editor, David Steinberg, has maintained its world-renowned quality.

Here's a guide to help you tackle the Universal Crossword:

• Scan the entire clue list and then focus on the clues you know for sure.

• Look for short words (3 to 4 letters) in order to build momentum and confidence

• Pay attention to the tenses and numbers (singular or plural) in the clues as they’ll match the answers.

• Solve the theme entries first, if available, as they often provide context for the rest of the grid.

• Look for wordplay, homophones, and other misdirections via question marks and indicator words.

• Take breaks regularly to help refresh your mind

• Practice regularly to improve your problem-solving skills and crossword vocabulary.

Conclusion

Edited by David Steinberg in 2018, the Universal Crossword stands out as a beloved daily puzzle for many players across the world, as it strikes the balance between engagement and challenge. Unlike the more famous New York Times crossword, the Universal Crossword keeps a consistent difficulty level for most of the week with it increasing only on Sundays. That combined with its international syndicate means that the Universal Crossword reaches a global audience on a daily basis.

However, its popularity comes from the fact that the puzzle is a well-rounded crossword that solvers of all levels can play on a daily basis. That especially applies to those looking for a challenge that isn’t too overwhelming which is exactly what the Universal Crossword offers players.