- What the heck is a “contest crossword” anyway?
- Why literature-themed crosswords?
- Why crosswords constructed by women?
- When are new puzzles published?
- How does the contest part work?
- Can I use Google when solving the grid and the meta?
- Can I ask other people for hints?
- How is the winner chosen?
- What are the prizes?
- Why haven’t I received my prize yet?
- What if I have another question?
What the heck is a “contest crossword” anyway?
A “contest crossword,” sometimes called a “meta crossword,” is a crossword with a twist: after the crossword grid is solved, there’s a second puzzle – a “meta” – for solvers to tackle. The answer to that meta is hinted at by a prompt accompanying the crossword. If this is all clear as mud, it may make more sense if you looked at some examples. The Wall Street Journal runs a contest crossword every Friday, and you can find answer explanations and discussions over on Crossword Fiend – check out some of their recent write-ups for examples of what a contest crossword can look like.
Why literature-themed crosswords?
Because I don’t know anything about video games. Ok, ok, fine. Literature seemed like a deep enough well that I wouldn’t run out of content, but at the same time it’s specific enough to help counter some of the choice paralysis that comes with meta construction. If you’re trying to construct a crossword and the list of themes available to you is “anything in the world,” it’s difficult to narrow things down and thus difficult to publish regularly on a deadline. If the list of themes is “literature and reading,” this is substantially less paralyzing. And yet even within this theme, there’s so much variety!
Why crosswords constructed by women?
If you are a longtime solver of contest crosswords, you will perhaps have noticed that this space is dominated by men. Crossword construction in general is a pretty male-dominated field, but the gender gap gets even wider when you enter the contest crossword niche. ACL is not going to solve this gender gap, but at the very least there will no longer be a month that goes by where solvers can’t find a contest crossword written by a woman.
When are new puzzles published?
ACL publishes a new contest crossword on the first of every month starting January 1, 2025.
How does the contest part work?
Specific instructions will be provided which each puzzle, but generally speaking you should submit your contest answer by sending an email to damefoxwords@gmail.com with the answer in the subject line. Contest submissions are due one week after the puzzle is posted (i.e., by 11:59pm Eastern Time on the fifth of every month) and the contest answer and winner will be posted the morning of the seventh (I need a day to get organized). Please only submit one answer to each contest.
Can I use Google when solving the grid and the meta?
Yes, please do. The puzzles on ACL are all literature or reading themed, so unless you’ve read everything in the world, there’s a decent chance you’ll come across topics unfamiliar to you, both in the grid and in the meta, and you are encouraged to use Google (or Bing, or what have you) to fill in any knowledge gaps.
Can I ask other people for hints?
Yes. While use of Google (see above) is generally understood to be necessary when solving some metas, use of other people is not as widely accepted. There are some solvers and constructors with strong feelings about whether you as an individual have “really” solved the meta if you needed a hint or if you group-solved with friends. My take on it is this: I am not the meta-solving police. Solving these puzzles is supposed to be fun. If metas are only fun for you if you solve them 100% on your own, more power to you. But if being stuck on a puzzle for hours or days really ruins the fun, and a nudge in the right direction might make things more enjoyable again, by all means ask a friend for a hint. I don’t think it lessens your accomplishment in solving the puzzle if you asked for help. If you’d rather just group-solve with friends from the get-go, that’s fine too. You can all submit an answer. My only rule is that you cannot ask the constructor for a hint, but you can ask anyone else. Solving crosswords is often a solitary pursuit, and I’m not going to discourage habits that bring a little more socializing to the experience.
How is the winner chosen?
After each contest closes, a winner will be selected at random from the list of everyone who submitted a correct answer to the contest. The winner will be notified by email.
What are the prizes?
In keeping with the theme, the randomly selected winner of each monthly contest will receive a book with the title page embossed with FROM THE LIBRARY OF ARIADNE. It will be a different book each month. Yes, it will be related to the meta solution or to the grid somehow. No, you may not request a specific book. PLEASE NOTE: I currently cannot mail books internationally. If you live outside the US and/or do not have a US address where a book can be mailed, you will receive a thematically apt postcard embossed with FROM THE LIBRARY OF ARIADNE instead.
Why haven’t I received my prize yet?
To reduce the number of trips I have to make to the post office, prizes are mailed out every 3-6 months. If you happen to win your prize the month after a bunch of prizes were just mailed out, you may have to wait a bit to receive yours. I promise I have not forgotten about it. You will receive an email when your prize has been mailed so that you know to be on the lookout for it.
What if I have another question?
Submit it here! I will either respond to your email or add an answer to this FAQ page. Or both!
Ex libris Ariadne
Ariadne's Crossword Library 