Hi all 👋
I’m looking for some help locating large packs/collections of crossword puzzles for use with the Shortyz/Forkyz Android app (.puz, .json etc) pretty please (sob story below if you’re interested). I promise I’m not trying to be lazy (though it’s possible, as my mum would say, that I’m having a boy’s look), but I’ve looked around on archive.org, all my usual pirate sources, Forkyz list of sources, and ofc Google, and come up I feel surprisingly empty. I’ve found a couple of packs of the NYT crosswords, which will work, but I’m hoping I can find some to ease her in to because she’s used to doing the ones in our local news rag which don’t quite match up to the NYT.
Anyway, thank you in advance to everyone 💙
<sob-story> Dad’s in palliative care and my step-mum is getting a bit bored with her Sudoku puzzles, which of course I’ve had no trouble providing lol. </sob-story>
Firstly, sorry about your dad. Are you looking for American style quick crosswords or British style cryptic crosswords?
Also, if your step mom likes Sudoku, has she tried variant Sudoku? If you search “Cracking the Cryptic” in the play/app store, you will find some fun puzzle games for Sudoku lovers who want more challenge.
British crosswords are MORE cryptic than American ones? I can’t consistently solve the LA Times or NYT crossword after Wednesday; I probably wouldn’t be able to do any British puzzles.
British cryptics feel impenetrable when you first learn about them, but I think in some ways they are actually easier than American style once you learn how they work. Each clue has two parts: the actual definition, and a wordplay or more cryptic explanation of the answer (like an anagram or a pun). The wordplay can be challenging to wrap your head around, but they have the advantage that the clues are self-confirming. Meaning as soon as you get it, you’ll know it’s correct because the answer will work for both the wordplay and for the definition. This is unlike American crosswords where you only know if you’re correct because the crossing entries all match up, which usually means you have to go back and change your answers as you go.
Sorry for posting and then passing right out 🤦♂️ Definitely American-style, but I could see her getting into cryptics as she got better at it. There was a progression from easy through to the hardest sudoku I’d given her. Thanks for the reply 🥰
Sorry about your dad. Not what you asked for, but if she likes Sukoku your step-mum might like nonograms (“Japanese crossword”). Different strategies than Sukoku but it feels like I’m using the same part of my brain and you make a picture in the end. Lots of free ones of varying difficulties here: https://www.nonograms.org/
This is a fascinating concept, thanks! Just based on looking at it I get the feeling it wouldn’t be as quick/easy to pick up and put down as Sudoku or typical crosswords. Would you agree?
There are different sizes - the smaller ones are not hard to do in a sitting. For the larger ones, I find myself working on one area at a time, then putting it down and working on another area later. It’s not too bad - almost like a jigsaw puzzle.
Nice, thanks!
I get access to the NYT puzzles app through my library card, which has a very long backlog and lots of packs, so that may be an avenue worth pursuing.
Thanks 👍 That’s not available in AU AFAIK (I didn’t mention that limitation so that the post could be useful to everyone, but it’s true in my case). I have seen doshea/nyt_crosswords which is probably what I’ll start with despite expecting it to be a bit too advanced off-the-bat.