{"id":65,"date":"2022-07-29T20:53:46","date_gmt":"2022-07-29T20:53:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/0b4f7aafbb9687586.temporary.link\/?page_id=65"},"modified":"2025-08-01T22:14:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-01T22:14:14","slug":"competition-tips","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/crosswordcompetition.com\/?page_id=65","title":{"rendered":"Competition Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Competition Tips & FAQs<\/h1>\n\n\n\nWANT TO IMPROVE YOUR CROSSWORD SKILLS?<\/span>\n\n\n\n

Check out this New York Times<\/a><\/em> tutorial on how to solve crossword puzzles.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHOW TO DETERMINE YOUR LEVEL OF COMPETITION<\/span>\n\n\n\n

IF YOU ARE ACQUAINTED WITH THE NEW YORK TIMES RANGE OF DIFFICULTY, THESE ARE OUR PUZZLE LEVELS AS GRADED BY OUR PUZZLE CONSTRUCTOR, ADAM G. PERL:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

MONDAY\/TUESDAY New York Times<\/em> puzzles are equivalent to our EASIER level.
WEDNESDAY New York Times<\/em> puzzles are equivalent to our TRICKIER level.
THURSDAY New York Times<\/em> puzzles are equivalent to our TOUGHEST level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Note: All puzzles designed for this competition are themed puzzles. Friday and Saturday New York Times puzzles are always themeless, but our themed Toughest puzzle is equivalent to the NYT THURSDAY <\/em>level.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

YOU CAN ALSO PRACTICE ON PUZZLES FROM OUR 2022 COMPETITION<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Print, and play the puzzles to see where you fit. Click one of the buttons below. Each downloadable pdf file contains two pages: 1) a puzzle grid with clues, and 2) the solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n
EASIER<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
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TRICKIER<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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TOUGHEST<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\nHOW TO PLAY AS A VIRTUAL\/OFF-SITE INDIVIDUAL<\/span>\n\n\n\n

1) Register as an individual. If you do not get a confirmation email, please contact Gary Weissbrot at CrosswordCompetition@hotmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) When registering, you will a) enter your information, b) enter donation amount, and, c) securely enter your credit card information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3) At approximately 2:00 pm, you will receive a PDF with all three puzzles: Easier, Trickier, and Toughest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4) Decide which puzzle you are all going to solve, and start the timer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5) Do not stop your timer until you have decided that the puzzle is finished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6) If desired, move on to another puzzle and repeat #3 & #4.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\nHOW TO PLAY AS A VIRTUAL\/OFF-SITE TEAM<\/span>\n\n\n\n

If you are unable to physically get together with your teammates:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) Register as a team. The confirmation and all subsequent emails will go to all team members. (If anyone does not get a confirmation email, please contact Gary Weissbrot at CrosswordCompetition@hotmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) When registering, you will a) enter your team information, b) enter donation amount, and, c) securely enter your credit card information<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

3) Coordinate a Zoom meeting with your teammates for October 18th. (If a team of only two players, cellphones on speaker would also work.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4) At approximately 2:00 pm, every player will receive a PDF with all three puzzles: Easier, Trickier, and Toughest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5) When all team players have the puzzles and pencils in front of them, decide which puzzle you are all going to solve, and start the timer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6) Do not stop your timer until you have all decided that the puzzle is finished. If you\u2019re on a team, be sure ALL team members stop and start together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

7) If desired, move on to another puzzle and repeat #4 & #5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\nFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS<\/span>\n\n\n\n

Help! I registered but never received an email confirmation. STOP <\/strong>WHATEVER YOU ARE DOING<\/em>. Email us immediately <\/em>at CrosswordCompetition@hotmail.com<\/a> and we\u2019ll fix it tout suite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m playing virtually. Can I, or my team, take a short break between puzzles?<\/strong> Of course. Short break, long break, take a week. The puzzles are for your enjoyment. If you\u2019re on a team, be sure ALL team members stop and start together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can I have food, beverages, or alcohol with me during the competition?<\/strong> Absolutely, they are even recommended!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If playing at home, how will I know how well we did? <\/strong>The puzzle solutions, the “In-Person” winners, and the names and finishing times of all Perfect Puzzlers, will be posted on the \u201cWinners\u201d page on our website after the event. CrosswordCompetition.com\/winner<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is my entry fee tax-deductible?<\/strong> Since there is something of value given in exchange for your entry donation, we\u2019re afraid not. Acting as a sponsor, donor, or underwriter is, however, tax deductible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Will I get the opportunity to solve the other skill-level puzzles just for fun? <\/strong>Certainement!! As explained above, virtual players will receive all 3 puzzles<\/strong><\/span> to solve for fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can I donate to Tompkins Learning Partners or help cover the entry fee for players lacking sufficient funds? <\/strong>There is a box on the registration page for sponsoring or underwriting. The easiest way would be to simply increase your entry \u201cDonation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How can I find out more about Tompkins Learning Partners? <\/strong>So glad you asked. You can go to their website www.TLPartners.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Competition Tips & FAQs WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR CROSSWORD SKILLS? Check out this New York Times tutorial on how to solve crossword puzzles. HOW TO DETERMINE YOUR LEVEL OF COMPETITION IF YOU ARE ACQUAINTED WITH THE NEW YORK TIMES RANGE OF DIFFICULTY, THESE ARE OUR PUZZLE LEVELS AS GRADED BY OUR PUZZLE CONSTRUCTOR, ADAM G. …<\/p>\n

Competition Tips<\/span> Read More »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-65","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nCompetition Tips - The Annual Finger Lakes Crossword Competition<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/crosswordcompetition.com\/?page_id=65\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Competition Tips - The Annual Finger Lakes Crossword Competition\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Competition Tips & FAQs WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR CROSSWORD SKILLS? 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