The New York Times Beginners' Luck Easy Crosswords
The New York Times
This book features beginner-friendly puzzles curated by The New York Times, appealing to crossword enthusiasts looking to build their skills.
The New York Times Will Shortz's Favorite Puzzlemakers
Games & Activities
Will Shortz hand-picks 75 crosswords from his New York Times tenure, with commentary explaining why each one earned a place in the collection.
What It's About
This is a curated collection rather than a general book about crosswords. Will Shortz, longtime crossword editor of The New York Times, has selected 75 puzzles from the thousands he has edited and added commentary to each one. An introduction explains his reasons for the choices, so the book reads as a personal tour through the archive rather than a neutral anthology.
The commentary is the main attraction. Rather than simply presenting grids to fill in, the notes point toward the thinking behind clues, themes, and wordplay, which gives solvers a window into how the puzzles are built and edited. Because the material spans his years running the feature, you also see how the style shifted toward more wordplay and a looser, contemporary voice.
Reading it feels like sitting beside an expert who is happy to explain the good parts. Solvers who already enjoy the Times puzzle will get the most out of it, since the experience works best when you have struggled with a few grids and want to know how the setter got there.
Read this if you…
- enjoy solving the Times crossword and want to know how the puzzles are made
- are curious about the editorial choices behind a long-running puzzle feature
- want a collection of clever wordplay to dip into rather than a course
Skip it if you…
- want a step-by-step guide to solving or constructing crosswords
- are new to crosswords and need a gradual learning curve
Key Ideas
- 1
Puzzles chosen by a single editor
The selection reflects one long-serving editor's judgment about what makes a puzzle worth remembering. Shortz explains in his introduction why these grids stand out among the many he has handled. That makes the book a portrait of editorial taste as much as a set of puzzles, and it gives the collection a point of view that a random sample would not have.
- 2
Commentary reveals construction thinking
Each puzzle comes with notes meant to illuminate the background and craft behind it. For a solver, this shows what the grid was trying to do, why a clever answer works, and how a theme was developed. Reading the notes after finishing a puzzle often changes how you see the clue you got stuck on, which is where much of the book's value lies.
- 3
Wordplay and a newer tone
The book documents a move toward more punning, misdirection, and a lighter, more contemporary attitude in the crossword. Seeing puzzles from the same editor across a long period lets you notice how the feature adapted to changing solvers. The shift is subtle, and the commentary helps point it out rather than leaving you to guess.
- 4
A sampler, not a practice book
Each puzzle stands alone, so the book works as something to dip into rather than a course with graded lessons. You will not come away with a systematic method for solving or constructing. Instead you get a varied set of examples to test yourself against and to appreciate, which suits readers who want enjoyment and insight more than technique.
Limitations
Because the selection reflects one editor's taste, it is not a representative survey of the Times crossword's history or of the wider constructing community. The commentary is brief, so readers hoping for deep technical instruction may find it thin. Some puzzles lean on references and wordplay conventions of their era, and without a solving habit, some entries may feel opaque. I have limited detailed knowledge of this specific volume, so treat the details here with some caution.
Questions Readers Ask
- Who is this book best suited for?
- It suits people who already solve crosswords regularly, especially the New York Times puzzle, and who enjoy learning the story behind the grids. Casual solvers can still enjoy the commentary, but they may find some puzzles hard without prior experience. It is less a teaching tool than a reward for readers who have already built the habit.
- How does it compare to a crossword instruction book?
- A crossword instruction book teaches techniques step by step, while this one offers finished puzzles with editorial commentary. If you want to improve your solving strategy, an instruction book fits better. If you want to see how a respected editor thinks about individual puzzles, this collection is the more interesting choice.
- Published
- 2015
- ISBN
- 9781250032553
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Category
- Games & Activities
Book details and cover from Google Books.
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