How to solve the LA Times Crossword Puzzle

What is the LA Times Crossword puzzle?

Unlike the New York Times or even the Atlantic’s crossword puzzles, while the LA Times Crossword puzzle isn’t as well-known as the others, it is just as popular. That is thanks to the fact that it is widely syndicated across various publications in North America; both online and in print. However, its main source is the LA Times’ website as a part of its games section with it attracting thousands of daily visitors.

Edited by Patti Varol since March 2022, the LA Times Crossword has maintained its popularity with the puzzle now known for its clever clues, various pop culture references, and more. That has continued under Varol, who took over from legendary constructor Rich Norris. Norris, now retired, was the former editor of the LA Times Crossword from 1999 until he retired.

What is the format and rules?

With its increasing difficulty levels across the week combined with a creative editor at the helm, the LA Times Crossword has thrived over the last few years. While it’s not as renowned and well-known comparatively to the New York Times, the puzzle has kept up with the pace of the Times. So much so, that even in 2024, the LA Times Crossword continues to attract a wide range of players; from novices to the more experienced heads looking for a new challenge.

Here are the rules and format of the LA Times Crossword:

• It features a standard 15x15 grid from Monday to Saturday with a larger 21x21 grid on Sunday.

• Monday to Thursday features a themed puzzle, Friday and Saturday have more challenging puzzles while Sunday has the largest puzzle at a moderate difficulty level.

• New puzzles are published every day at midnight Eastern Time.

• The crossword follows the American style with interlocking words and a symmetrical grid.

• Answers and clues are often related to pop culture, world news, and more.

• The puzzle maintains a balance between modern references and the classic crossword vocabulary.

• Clues range from straightforward to ones packed with wordplay to misdirect solvers.

How difficult is the puzzle?

Much like most crosswords available on the internet, the LA Times Crossword also has an increasing level of difficulty over the week. That follows the trend of the New York Times, the Atlantic, and several other publications. However, the LA Times Crossword is at an easier level as compared to the NYT Crossword but even then, the basic format is similar.

Monday’s puzzle is the easiest with Saturday’s being the hardest of the week while Sunday’s puzzle is the largest (21x21 grid size) but is set at a moderate level. Monday to Thursday’s puzzle also features themes but isn’t as difficult as compared to Friday’s themed puzzle, which is the hardest of the themed puzzles even if the Saturday puzzle is the most difficult of the week. Furthermore, much like other crosswords, the difficulty level lies in the clues as they can range from straightforward ones earlier in the week to cryptic and filled with wordplay clues towards the end.

Guide to solving the puzzle

As the LA Times Crossword has a progressive difficulty level, it can be tough to handle, especially for novices in the crossword game. Yet because of its level, trendy clues, and availability, the LA Times Crossword attracts a lot of players on a daily basis. That is especially because its editor, Patti Varol, has kept up the standard that former editor Rich Norris maintained until he retired.

Here are a few tips for solving the LA Times Crossword:

• Scan the clue list and answer the clues you’re most confident of to help build momentum.

• Solve the fill-in-the-blank clues early as they’re usually straightforward and help fill in the grid faster

• Pay close attention to the tense and number (singular or plural) in the clue as it will match the answer

• Learn crosswordese to help make spotting recurring used words in crosswords easier

• Use intersecting words to figure out clues and don’t be afraid to use an educated guess to help your cause.

• Use online resources like Sportskeeda’s Only Word Games, dictionaries, and more to help out.

• Practice regularly as it helps improve one’s problem-solving skills and vocabulary.

Conclusion

The LA Times Crossword has become a beloved daily crossword for many with it even now a staple in North American households. That is thanks to the fact that it is syndicated across several publications which has only helped amplify its reach. However, the puzzle’s popularity is down to the fact that it gives a crossword solver an engaging and challenging crossword daily.

That combined with its progressive difficulty level, entertaining clues and it’s accessibility across both print and online resources has made it one of the world’s most popular puzzles. So much so, that it consistently ranks in the same breath as the Atlantic, New York Times, and a few others for daily players. Furthermore, under the editorship of Patti Varol, the LA Times Crossword has maintained its lofty constructor standards while continuing to evolve to be able to compete at the highest level.