noun
crossword
KROS-wurd
noun
1
A word puzzle in which answers are filled into a grid of squares based on numbered clues, reading across and down.
"She does the crossword in the newspaper every morning."
"He got stuck on the last clue of the crossword."
How to Use Crossword
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA classic grid puzzle where you fill in words based on clues, crossing horizontally and vertically.
Common pairings
solve a crossword
crossword puzzle
crossword clue
Word Forms
crosswords plural
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She does the _____ in the newspaper every morning.
Etymology
Formed from "cross" plus "word." The modern crossword puzzle was invented in 1913 by Arthur Wynne; the name "crossword" appeared shortly after, possibly as a shortened form of his original term "word-cross."