Editor’s note: An earlier version of this newsletter erroneously said the Giant Crossword is in today’s print edition. In fact, it appears tomorrow in the Saturday edition.
Good morning. It’s that time of year again: The Globe comes out with its giant crossword. More on the magic behind the puzzle below, along with a TikTok sale and weight-loss drug deal. But first:
Today’s headlines
- Carney says a U.S.-Canada trade deal is unlikely to happen in the near future
- CAF espionage case is linked to an allegation that a Postmedia journalist has ties to Russia
- Putin signals no compromise to end the war in Ukraine at his annual press conference
Play our brain-twisting assortment of word, logic and number puzzles online or download it to play at home.Artit_Wongpradu/iStockPhoto / Getty Images
Games
Oh, what fun!
Hi, I’m Jess Shulman, an avid crossword solver, constructor and editor. I’m currently consulting as The Globe’s puzzle editor and I’m thrilled to be here on this exciting occasion for the annual year-end Giant Crossword!
The Globe and Mail’s annual giant holiday crossword, constructed by Fraser Simpson for more than 20 years, is on newsstands and doorsteps Saturday, or you can print it at home (some assembly required).
Simpson’s puzzles are familiar to Globe readers, especially fans of his popular Saturday cryptic – the type of crossword where each clue is a puzzle of its own. The giant crossword isn’t a cryptic, although its block-style grid gives it a similar look.
The super-sized holiday crossword concept traces its roots to a long-standing newspaper tradition in Britain, where block-style grids are common. In Canada, Simpson began constructing The Globe’s giant crossword in 2003 with the annual holiday edition, later adding a Canada Day version around 2017.
This year’s holiday puzzle is a 69x69 grid filling a two-page spread, with a whopping 628 clues and entries, promising hours of head-scratching enjoyment.
But constructing even a standard-sized 15x15 crossword is no easy feat. This is definitely not a one-click, AI-generated exercise.
A crossword constructor starts by building a blank grid, placing black squares in a usually symmetrical pattern that allows for a variety of entry lengths. Then they go through the grid slot by slot, choosing real, familiar words that fit nicely together and that lend themselves to a range of clues. They try to limit “crosswordese” – grid-friendly but rarely spoken words like OLIO or ETUI. But sometimes such a word can be the best option to enable lively, fresh entries elsewhere.
Illustration by David Parkins
Once the grid is built, the constructor still needs to write a clue for every single entry. To do all that for such a huge grid (twice a year, no less!) is nothing short of astounding.
Your solving time will vary, of course. Some people like to block off a couple of hours and race through the puzzle with a stopwatch. Others will dip in and out over the weekend, tackling a corner over breakfast or a few clues before bed – this is my approach. Others will leave the puzzle out and turn it into a group effort that lasts through the holidays.
However you choose to solve it is the correct method.
New solvers need not be intimidated. Fraser says he deliberately varies his clue types and difficulty levels and tries to place lots of helpful letters at the grid’s intersection points, allowing solvers of all ages and skill levels to contribute. If you’re new, watch for common clue types such as:
- Straight definitions: “Colouring sticks (7)” (CRAYONS)
- Fill-in-the-blanks: “By ___ and bounds (5)” (LEAPS)
- Cultural references: “Bus driver on The Simpsons (4)” (OTTO)
- Clues ending in question marks (my favourite) indicating something punny or sneaky is afoot: “People who barely do things? (7)” (NUDISTS)
Once you know what to look for, even the trickiest clues will start to seem approachable.
Also, my hot take: It’s not cheating if you Google a clue. (Gasp!) That’s right, I said it. There’s no such thing as cheating here. Sometimes you just need one correct entry to give you a toehold in a tricky section, and looking up an answer might teach you something that forever improves your solving skills. This is your crossword. Do what makes you happy.
So, I wish you all good luck with the Giant Crossword, whether it’s your first or you’ve tackled each one since 2003. I, for one, am up for the challenge, and I know you are, too. Happy solving!
The Shot
‘I had absolutely nothing to do with it.’
Timothy Rees speaks to the media outside the Superior Court of Justice in Toronto on Thursday, after the crown withdrew murder charges against him.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
Thirty-five years after Timothy Rees was convicted of killing 10-year-old Darla Thurrott, the Crown withdrew that charge against the now-62-year-old, bringing to an end the decades-long battle to clear his name.
The Wrap
What else we’re following
At home: MP Michael Ma addresses his move from Conservatives to Liberals.
Abroad: The U.S. will host new Gaza talks in a bid to push the Israel-Hamas ceasefire to the next stage.
Buy: TikTok signs a deal to sell most of its U.S. unit with three major investors to avoid a U.S. government ban.
Sell: Eli Lilly & Co. cuts the price of popular diabetes and weight-loss drugs in Canada.
Naughty: Santa and elves are suspected in a Robin Hood-inspired Montreal grocery theft.
Nice: Winnipeg made this 10-foot Santa a beloved institution – and banded together to save him.