If you’re using an online crossword puzzle maker or puzzle-making software, you may be restricted to a certain range of available sizes. If you’re making your puzzle by hand, it’s totally up to you. [1] X Research source [2] X Research source
In a US style crossword, there should be no “hanging words,” or words that do not connect to other words. Every letter should correspond to both an Across word and a Down word, and be totally interconnected. [4] X Research source In a UK style crossword, hanging words are permitted. If the answer to a clue is a phrase rather than a single word, there should be no spaces between the words. You don’t need to worry about capitalizing proper nouns in your answers, as crosswords are usually filled out in all caps. The answers should not include punctuation either. Many crossword puzzle creators automatically lay the words out for you. All you do is specify puzzle size and input the list of words and clues. [5] X Research source [6] X Research source
If you’re using a crossword puzzle creator, it will handle the numbering for you automatically. [7] X Research source [8] X Research source
If you are making a crossword as an educational tool, or just don’t want to make things too complicated, you can use quick clues exclusively, but if you want to make a more challenging puzzle, you will probably want to avoid them, or use them sparingly. [9] X Research source
Crossword creators often indicate this type of clue by beginning with “maybe” or “perhaps,” or by ending the clue with a question mark.
Purely cryptic clues are, essentially, puns. Thus “Hair style with a comb in it” = BEEHIVE, as “comb” can refer to a hair comb or a honeycomb. Reversals require solving a cryptic clue and then reversing the solution. For example, “Go no further putting the crockery up” = STOP. This is solved by translating “crockery” to “pots,” and then inverting “pots” to get “stop. ” Note that the solution is also hinted at by the phrase, “go no further. ” Palindromes are often indicated by phrases like “either way” or “up and down. ” They involve finding an anagram that works as a solution to a cryptic clue. An example would be “Advance in either direction” = PUT UP, because “to put up” can be another way of saying “to advance,” and is also a palindrome (a word that is spelled the same forwards and backwards. )
