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The Answers blog is moving to a new home and today is moving day. We’ve had a lot of fun here on Yahoo! 360°, and we’re going to miss the feeling of connection we had with the members of 360°. But we’ve always dreamed of a home for the blog that was more a part of the Yahoo! Answers community. So the boxes are packed and we’re leaving the 360° neighborhood for a home of our own.
Our new address is: www.yanswersblog.com.
The new blog has a fresh look and provides Answers-specific features (like asking a question on Answers directly from the blog). It will be easier for you to stay connected with the Answers blog community because we’ll be part of MyBlogLog. Through MyBlogLog you’ll be able to keep track of our blog posts, connect with other Yahoo! Answers blog readers, and see recent readers.
Be a part of the Yahoo! Answers blog community. Visit us on MyBlogLog and click “Join Community.” Then just sign up using your current Yahoo! ID.
Thanks for reading the Answers blog and for all your ongoing support. We hope you’ll join us at our new home – yanswersblog.com.
The Yahoo! Answers Blog Team
For instance, opting to stay inside one rainy and chilly weekend, my daughter burrowed into a cozy blanket and settled in to watch one of her favorite movies -- “Dear Frankie.” Reminded of how much she liked the music, she later purchased and downloaded the movie soundtrack.
After listening to it all the way through, she was disappointed to find that the song the character Lizzie sings in the film wasn’t included. Not knowing anything about the missing tune, but determined to locate another version for her playlist, she jumped back onto the computer to somehow find out the title of it.
I heard her tapping away on the keyboard for about a minute and then she exclaimed in disbelief, “I can’t believe it! It’s here on Answers.” Ahem. Well, of course! Apparently, someone else in the Answers community had also asked this seemingly obscure question and my daughter found it by typing “Dear Frankie song” in the Answers search box. She was thrilled to find the answer she needed so quickly and easily and I was happy to personally witness the usefulness of Yahoo! Answers.
What answers have you been surprised and delighted to discover?
Mitzi
Hey Guys,
It's a familiar scene. Boy meets girl. Boy wants to talk to girl, but boy can't because boy's heart is beating about a thousand times per minute. So, boy runs home to play Nintendo instead. Why does the heart race in these situations? A community member named Atoli wanted to find out.
I think most of us know the feeling Atoli is describing. Your heart speeds up, your chest constricts, and your mouth dries out all at once. According to several medical sites I visited, this is due to the sympathetic nervous system. Also known as the "fight or flight" response, the sympathetic nervous system "mediates the body's response to activity, stress, danger, or environmental challenge."
Sounds about right, but I have a follow up question for you guys. Is it possible to control your sympathetic nervous system or are men and women around the world doomed to experience faster heart rates whenever they're about to ask somebody for a date? Please do some research and post your answer below.
Thanks for reading,
Hey Guys,
It's a familiar scene. Boy meets girl. Boy wants to talk to girl, but boy can't because boy's heart is beating about a thousand times per minute. So, boy runs home to play Nintendo instead. Why does the heart race in these situations? A community member named Atoli wanted to find out.
I think most of us know the feeling Atoli is describing. Your heart speeds up, your chest constricts, and your mouth dries out all at once. According to several medical sites I visited, this is due to the sympathetic nervous system. Also known as the "fight or flight" response, the sympathetic nervous system "mediates the body's response to activity, stress, danger, or environmental challenge."
Sounds about right, but I have a follow up question for you guys. Is it possible to control your sympathetic nervous system or are men and women around the world doomed to experience faster heart rates whenever they're about to ask somebody for a date. Please do some research and post your answer below.
Thanks for reading,
Hey Guys,
It's a familiar scene. Boy meets girl. Boy wants to talk to girl, but boy can't because boy's heart is beating about a thousand times per minute. So, boy runs home to play Nintendo instead. Why does the heart race in these situations? A community member named Atoli wanted to find out.
I think most of us know the feeling Atoli is describing. Your heart speeds up, your chest constricts, and your mouth dries out all at once. According to several medical sites I visited, this is due to the sympathetic nervous system. Also known as the "fight or flight" response, the sympathetic nervous system "mediates the body's response to activity, stress, danger, or environmental challenge."
Sounds about right, but I have a follow up question for you guys. Is it possible to control your sympathetic nervous system or are men and women around the world doomed to experience faster heart rates whenever they're about to ask somebody for a date? Please do some research and post your answer below.
Thanks for reading,
The questions and answers featured on the “Best of Answers” at the top of the Answers homepage are favorites of the Answers staff and are examples of why we think the site is so great. But what makes an answer a standout?
My quest to identify the characteristics of a great answer started after watching a re-airing of the “Planet Earth” series. I was inspired to learn more and started to surf Answers in the Science & Mathematics category. I saw a question posted by Doogie asking about the history of coral reefs and current conservation practices. Val provided the following answer:
Coral reef evolution was first described by Charles Darwin. At first, a volcanic mountain erupts at a hot spot somewhere in the interior of a plate or at a plate margin. When it reaches the surface, coral animals colonize the area around it, forming a fringing reef. Later, the volcanic island begins to subside, that is, sink due to its weight. A lagoon forms between the island and the ever-growing coral. That is called a barrier reef. Finally, the volcanic island sinks completely, leaving only a central lagoon with the ring of coral around it, an atoll. The atolls found northwest of Hawaii were once part of the Hawaiian Islands, and have become atolls through a combination of subsidence and the northwestward movement of the Pacific plate…(read more).
What makes this answer great? Val provided an historical point that gave Doogie a place to start further research. She followed up with an informative account of how and where coral reefs are created. She also gave the location of a reef in case Doogie wanted to find pictures to help visualize the process. The answer was well-written, descriptive, and helpful, and it gave me a clear understanding of how coral reefs are made.
Continuing on with my perusal of the Zoology section, I saw Wiggy’s answer to a question about issues arising from the limited diets of pandas and koalas:
The Giant Panda is a very selective eater. Not only does it rely heavily on bamboo for food (not entirely, they will eat carrion and other food when available) it also seeks out the shoots rather than the tougher older parts of the plant. However, it's not the rarity of bamboo that threatens the panda; it's the difficulty they experience when the bamboo in their area dies back. Bamboo flowers and dies back on a cycle and each species of bamboo follows its own cycle. A panda is in trouble when this happens but some would survive by finding other bamboo species in neighbouring valleys. The problem is that pandas now have a very restricted range and may only have a small number of bamboo species available so if these die back starvation is a real risk.
Wiggy linked to a great news article that noted the history of this strict diet’s effect on pandas and what current environmental changes were doing to their dietary selections. Linking to a news article or other reliable source not only offers support for your answer but also gives readers a chance to follow up on the topic.
Finally, I saw Robert’s question regarding crocodiles in city sewers. This was a frequently argued topic among my friends, but next time the debate comes around I will have Ophilliaz’s answer to back me up:
Crocodiles and alligators thrive in tropical and sub-tropical climes, they need warmth. They are large animals and need enough food to both expend the energy to get more food and to just survive. The sewers of most major cities aren't quite warm enough and only offer small rodents for the most part. The urban myth stems from people flushing unwanted pets down the toilet. Because most septic systems aren't equipped to deal with large masses such animals would die and, if large enough, clog the system even if they are only very small babies...(read more).
While anyone could have posted a simple answer saying that crocodiles don’t live in this type of environment, Ophilliaz went above and beyond by first expressing her belief that this was an urban legend, and then pointing out several flawed arguments and providing backup information. By offering reasoning to her argument, she swayed the asker and several readers.
Each of these answers shows what makes Answers so great—connecting people around the world to share knowledge. So the next time you are about to tackle another question, think about what made these answers stand out above the crowd. Be clear, check your grammar and spelling, offer reasoning to support your points, and when possible, add a source to help askers do more research on their own.
The Yahoo! Answers Team
The questions and answers featured on the “Best of Answers” at the top of the Answers homepage are favorites of the Answers staff and are examples of why we think the site is so great. But what makes an answer a standout?
My quest to identify the characteristics of a great answer started after watching a re-airing of the “Planet Earth” series. I was inspired to learn more and started to surf Answers in the Science & Mathematics category. I saw a question posted by Doogie asking about the history of coral reefs and current conservation practices. Val provided the following answer:
Coral reef evolution was first described by Charles Darwin. At first, a volcanic mountain erupts at a hot spot somewhere in the interior of a plate or at a plate margin. When it reaches the surface, coral animals colonize the area around it, forming a fringing reef. Later, the volcanic island begins to subside, that is, sink due to its weight. A lagoon forms between the island and the ever-growing coral. That is called a barrier reef. Finally, the volcanic island sinks completely, leaving only a central lagoon with the ring of coral around it, an atoll. The atolls found northwest of Hawaii were once part of the Hawaiian Islands, and have become atolls through a combination of subsidence and the northwestward movement of the Pacific plate…(read more).
What makes this answer great? Val provided an historical point that gave Doogie a place to start further research. She followed up with an informative account of how and where coral reefs are created. She also gave the location of a reef in case Doogie wanted to find pictures to help visualize the process. The answer was well-written, descriptive, and helpful, and it gave me a clear understanding of how coral reefs are made.
Continuing on with my perusal of the Zoology section, I saw Wiggy’s answer to a question about issues arising from the limited diets of pandas and koalas:
The Giant Panda is a very selective eater. Not only does it rely heavily on bamboo for food (not entirely, they will eat carrion and other food when available) it also seeks out the shoots rather than the tougher older parts of the plant. However, it's not the rarity of bamboo that threatens the panda; it's the difficulty they experience when the bamboo in their area dies back. Bamboo flowers and dies back on a cycle and each species of bamboo follows its own cycle. A panda is in trouble when this happens but some would survive by finding other bamboo species in neighbouring valleys. The problem is that pandas now have a very restricted range and may only have a small number of bamboo species available so if these die back starvation is a real risk.
Wiggy linked to a great news article that noted the history of this strict diet’s effect on pandas and what current environmental changes were doing to their dietary selections. Linking to a news article or other reliable source not only offers support for your answer but also gives readers a chance to follow up on the topic.
Finally, I saw Robert’s question regarding crocodiles in city sewers. This was a frequently argued topic among my friends, but next time the debate comes around I will have Ophilliaz’s answer to back me up:
Crocodiles and alligators thrive in tropical and sub-tropical climes, they need warmth. They are large animals and need enough food to both expend the energy to get more food and to just survive. The sewers of most major cities aren't quite warm enough and only offer small rodents for the most part. The urban myth stems from people flushing unwanted pets down the toilet. Because most septic systems aren't equipped to deal with large masses such animals would die and, if large enough, clog the system even if they are only very small babies...(read more).
While anyone could have posted a simple answer saying that crocodiles don’t live in this type of environment, Ophilliaz went above and beyond by first expressing her belief that this was an urban legend, and then pointing out several flawed arguments and providing backup information. By offering reasoning to her argument, she swayed the asker and several readers.
Each of these answers shows what makes Answers so great—connecting people around the world to share knowledge. So the next time you are about to tackle another question, think about what made these answers stand out above the crowd. Be clear, check your grammar and spelling, offer reasoning to support your points, and when possible, add a source to help askers do more research on their own.
The Yahoo! Answers Team
Hey Guys,
Like everyone else in the Answers community, I answer interesting (and bizarre) questions every week. But, truth be told, I sometimes prefer the asking to the answering. Last week, I did both.
Who is winning the battle for your eardrums? I asked which MP3 player, after Apple's iPod, is most popular with listeners. A few responders suggested second place belongs to the Microsoft Zune, but folks who included sources wrote that SanDisk is actually the runner up. Goes to show that a good link goes a long way toward accuracy.
That settles that, but what about that old legend that dogs can actually smell cancer? I asked the question not believing the rumor could be true. Joke's on me, because some dogs do have the ability. According to K9 Magazine, "cancer cells are known to produce chemical compounds which are different from those made by normal healthy cells, and it is believed that some of these are likely to have distinctive odours." (Note the fancy British spelling.)
My favorite question from last week was one I answered. Why do folks hold up their lighters at concerts? From what I can tell, the trend started at Woodstock. "Singer-songwriter Melanie was about to perform in the rain. The show's announcer got on the public address system and asked the crowd to light candles to keep the rain away (or something to that effect). They passed out candles, folks lit them, and the trend was born." Of course, nowadays, most people just hold up their cell phones.
What about you? Do you prefer to answer or ask? Asking is a way to start a great discussion. Answering provides, well, answers. Given a choice, what would you rather do?
Thanks for reading,
Hey Guys,
Like everyone else in the Answers community, I answer interesting (and bizarre) questions every week. But, truth be told, I sometimes prefer the asking to the answering. Last week, I did both.
Who is winning the battle for your eardrums? I asked which MP3 player, after Apple's iPod, is most popular with listeners. A few responders suggested second place belongs to the Microsoft Zune, but folks who included sources wrote that SanDisk is actually the runner up. Goes to show that a good link goes a long way toward accuracy.
That settles that, but what about that old legend that dogs can actually smell cancer? I asked the question not believing the rumor could be true. Joke's on me, because some dogs do have the ability. According to K9 Magazine, "cancer cells are known to produce chemical compounds which are different from those made by normal healthy cells, and it is believed that some of these are likely to have distinctive odours." (Note the fancy British spelling.)
My favorite question from last week was one I answered. Why do folks hold up their lighters at concerts? From what I can tell, the trend started at Woodstock. "Singer-songwriter Melanie was about to perform in the rain. The show's announcer got on the public address system and asked the crowd to light candles to keep the rain away (or something to that effect). They passed out candles, folks lit them, and the trend was born." Of course, nowadays, most people just hold up their cell phones.
What about you? Do you prefer to answer or ask? Asking is a way to start a great discussion. Answering provides, well, answers. Given a choice, what would you rather do?
Thanks for reading,
Hey Guys,
A question: When you write an answer for the community, how much detail do you give?
I ask because a few weeks ago I answered a question about whether it's possible to have B+ blood type when both parents are type O. The answer I gave was basically correct, but a community member named Calimecita suggested it may have been overly simplified.
I looked into the Calimecita's concerns and found that, well, she has a point. My brief answer referred only to phenotypes, but didn't go into depth about genotypes. My goal when answering questions is to keep it simple and to also remember that I'm not an expert in most of this stuff. I'm just a guy with an Internet connection and lots of time on his hands.
So, what are your thoughts on what makes up a "good answer"? As for me, I like shorter answers with lots of links. That way, I get the basics and can investigate more detail if I need to.
What about you? Do you want the entire story or just a summary? Leave a comment below and describe your perfect answer.
Thanks for reading,
p.s. -- Do you think anyone should be able to answer any question or should people only tackle subjects that they're experts in?
Hey Guys,
A question: When you write an answer for the community, how much detail do you give?
I ask because a few weeks ago I answered a question about whether it's possible to have B+ blood type when both parents are type O. The answer I gave was basically correct, but a community member named Calimecita suggested it may have been overly simplified.
I looked into the Calimecita's concerns and found that, well, she has a point. My brief answer referred only to phenotypes, but didn't go into depth about genotypes. My goal when answering questions is to keep it simple and to also remember that I'm not an expert in most of this stuff. I'm just a guy with an Internet connection and lots of time on his hands.
So, what are your thoughts on what makes up a "good answer"? As for me, I like shorter answers with lots of links. That way, I get the basics and can investigate more detail if I need to.
What about you? Do you want the entire story or just a summary? Leave a comment below and describe your perfect answer.
Thanks for reading,
p.s. -- Do you think anyone should be able to answer any question or should people only tackle subjects that they're experts in?
Photo by mj*laflaca
Like many of his American Idol contemporaries, Clay Aiken is making the leap from the small screen to the stage in “Monty Python’s Spamalot.” Aiken follows Idol contestants who have appeared in stage musicals including Diana DeGarmo, Tamyra Gray, Constantine Maroulis, and Fantasia Barrino to name a few. And while I’m talking musicals, let’s not forget to include Jennifer Hudson, who won an Oscar for her role in the film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical “Dreamgirls.”
Is this a good thing? Well, I admit that like many other people, if a TV actor I love is doing a stage production, I’ll try to see it. I’ve been to more than one ex-Idol production and if, like me, you’re a big enough Idol fan, you may be able to overlook some of their shortcomings as performers (because, let’s remember, musicals are singing and acting) and enjoy the show. But if your Idol knowledge is limited to water cooler chat, you may quickly become keenly aware of their limitations and forego any future theater productions with Idol alumni.
Aiken will step into the role of Sir Robin, originally played by David Hyde Pierce on Broadway. It might be a test of Aiken’s talents, but surely theater critics can’t be as brutally honest as Simon.
Is your favorite Idol onstage? Which former Idol contender do you think would be great on Broadway?
Jasmin
Return to Yahoo Answers!
Photo by mj*laflaca
Like many of his American Idol contemporaries, Clay Aiken is making the leap from the small screen to the stage in “Monty Python’s Spamalot.” Aiken follows Idol contestants who have appeared in stage musicals including Diana DeGarmo, Tamyra Gray, Constantine Maroulis, and Fantasia Barrino to name a few. And while I’m talking musicals, let’s not forget to include Jennifer Hudson, who won an Oscar for her role in the film adaptation of the 1981 Broadway musical “Dreamgirls.”
Is this a good thing? Well, I admit that like many other people, if a TV actor I love is doing a stage production, I’ll try to see it. I’ve been to more than one ex-Idol production and if, like me, you’re a big enough Idol fan, you may be able to overlook some of their shortcomings as performers (because, let’s remember, musicals are singing and acting) and enjoy the show. But if your Idol knowledge is limited to water cooler chat, you may quickly become keenly aware of their limitations and forego any future theater productions with Idol alumnae.
Aiken will step into the role of Sir Robin, originally played by David Hyde Pierce on Broadway. It might be a test Aiken’s talents, but surely theater critics can’t be as brutally honest as Simon.
Is your favorite Idol onstage? Which former Idol contender do you think would be great on Broadway?
Jasmin
Return to Yahoo Answers!
Hey Guys,
What keeps you coming back to Yahoo! Answers? For me, it's the chance to learn something new. The other day I stumbled upon a question that I'd been wondering about for years -- what determines whether a college is NCAA Division I, Division II, or Division III?
I'd always assumed the answer had to do with enrollment, but apparently there are many other factors that go into the equation. After a lot of fruitless searching and clicking, I found a PDF from the official NCAA site that explained it all. Short answer -- it's a mixture of the number of sports the school sponsors, how many spectators attend games, how many scholarships the school offers, "scheduling requirements," and various other considerations.
Now that I finally know why some schools get to play in college football's biggest bowl games while others aren't eligible, I can move on to other equally important mysteries like learning who invented the crossword, what determines blood type, and why Snoop Dogg doesn't go by his real name. I feel smarter already.
Thanks for reading,
p.s. -- I use Yahoo! Answers to learn stuff (and because it's my job). Do you use it as a means to discover facts, communicate with friends, or get subjective opinions? Please leave a note and let me know.
Hey Guys,
What keeps you coming back to Yahoo! Answers? For me, it's the chance to learn something new. The other day I stumbled upon a question that I'd been wondering about for years -- what determines whether a college is NCAA Division I, Division II, or Division III?
I'd always assumed the answer had to do with enrollment, but apparently there are many other factors that go into the equation. After a lot of fruitless searching and clicking, I found a PDF from the official NCAA site that explained it all. Short answer -- it's a mixture of the number of sports the school sponsors, how many spectators attend games, how many scholarships the school offers, "scheduling requirements," and various other considerations.
Now that I finally know why some schools get to play in college football's biggest bowl games while others aren't eligible, I can move on to other equally important mysteries like learning who invented the crossword, what determines blood type, and why Snoop Dogg doesn't go by his real name. I feel smarter already.
Thanks for reading,
p.s. -- I use Yahoo! Answers to learn stuff (and because it's my job). Do you use it as a means to discover facts, communicate with friends, or get subjective opinions? Please leave a note and let me know.
Photo by Eli Hodapp
As much as I love my job with Yahoo! Answers, I looked forward to taking a break from all things work-related during the recent holidays. But during that time, I found myself back among the Yahoo! Answers community – only this time as the beneficiary of some great information and advice. I spent a few weeks at my sister’s home, and Answers helped us at least three times while I was there.
The first need to consult Answers came while watching “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” (all 168 humorless minutes of it). Just before the last bit of my interest waned, a moment in the film caught my attention. It was talk of the green flash seen at sunset. It prompted childhood memories of spending days on my sea-loving grandfather’s boat. He often regaled us with tales of the green flash and would wake us before dawn in an unsuccessful attempt to show us the spectacle as the sun rose. As my sister and I reminisced about those frustrating early mornings, we questioned the veracity of the tale, but a quick search on Answers shed light on the phenomenon. Unfortunately, it didn’t make the movie any more watchable.
My second foray into Answers came while blowing bubbles with my 18-month-old niece. She quickly grew bored with my abilities and wanted to try her own hand at it. Anxious to win her favor, I handed her the wand and bottle of solution, which she promptly upended and emptied onto her patent leather Mary Janes. Fortunately, Answerers provided some great suggestions for making your own bubble solution. Many suggested the use of glycerin (which we didn’t have), but blueyez recommended substituting light Karo syrup, which worked beautifully.
Finally, New Year’s Eve saw the entire family enjoying a huge platter of shrimp cocktail. At one point, my aunt plopped an entire shrimp into her mouth -- tail and all. I admit that I was a little repulsed and made no attempt to hide it. I mean, devouring shrimp tails seems about as appetizing as gnawing on a plate of fingernails. Surely they aren’t meant to be eaten, are they? She insisted that they are perfectly suitable for ingestion, tasty, and nutritious to boot. The jury is still out on that one, but Marion makes a great point when she asserts that it’s “a personal choice…just do what you like and be polite.” Bon appétit, Auntie JoAnne!
Thanks to all of you for helping me get through the holidays! Whether at work or at play, I guess Answers truly has become part of my daily life.
How did you use Answers to help you through the holidays?
Richard S.
Hey Guys,
Coming back from vacation is never easy. Fortunately, I found a lot of good questions to help ease the pain. Here are some highlights from my first week back...
One very romantic gentlemen is seeking information on how to get married at the Hazzard County courthouse from "The Dukes of Hazzard." He asked the community for help in tracking down the building. As a long time fan of Bo and Luke Duke, I was happy to oblige. From what I can tell, the courthouse is either in one three small Georgia towns or on a back-lot in Hollywood. Good luck, lover boy!
The Battle of Bunker Hill was one of the most important fights in the Revolutionary War. So, how did the it get its name? I did a bit of research and found that the hill was named after the Bunker family who owned the land. Interestingly, historians believe the battle was actually waged on a nearby hill known as Breed's Hill. For whatever reason, the name "Bunker Hill" just stuck.
It's impossible to look at anything plastic without seeing the recycling logo. A curious community member asked for help in figuring out the symbol's actual meaning. I tracked down an interview with the logo's creator, a man named Gary Anderson. In the interview, Anderson explains that the three arrows "symbolize continuity within a finite entity." If you think about it, that's what recycling is all about.
Thanks for reading,
Hey Guys,
Coming back from vacation is never easy. Fortunately, I found a lot of good questions to help ease the pain. Here are some highlights from my first week back...
One very romantic gentlemen is seeking information on how to get married at the Hazzard County courthouse from "The Dukes of Hazzard." He asked the community for help in tracking down the building. As a long time fan of Bo and Luke Duke, I was happy to oblige. From what I can tell, the courthouse is either in one three small Georgia towns or on a back-lot in Hollywood. Good luck, lover boy!
The Battle of Bunker Hill was one of the most important fights in the Revolutionary War. So, how did the it get its name? I did a bit of research and found that the hill was named after the Bunker family who owned the land. Interestingly, historians believe the battle was actually waged on a nearby hill known as Breed's Hill. For whatever reason, the name "Bunker Hill" just stuck.
It's impossible to look at anything plastic without seeing the recycling logo. A curious community member asked for help in figuring out the symbol's actual meaning. I tracked down an interview with the logo's creator, a man named Gary Anderson. In the interview, Anderson explains that the three arrows "symbolize continuity within a finite entity." If you think about it, that's what recycling is all about.
Thanks for reading,
Every day, we are amazed by the community that has formed in the past two years. Friendships have developed, ordinary people have become known and respected for their knowledge and generosity, and lives have been changed. We will continue to build, evolve, and improve Answers and its community in the coming year, and we hope you will join us in the process. Thanks for your passion, participation, and knowledge.
To commemorate the birthday, the Yamster posted this question: How has Yahoo! Answers impacted your life? Thanks to everyone who took the time to share a story—we loved reading about how Answers has affected each of you. Check out the inspiring response we selected as the Best Answer.
Cheers,
Yahoo! Answers Team
Photo by Listen Missy!
You see them everywhere: on the bus, waiting for a plane, in a restaurant. Some of them work in pencil, some dare to use ink, but what they have in common is a love of words – or at least a love of words used in crossword puzzles. If you (like me) are a member of this hopeless band, you have your own methods and tricks. Some folks fill things in as they come to them; I like to work all the across clues, then the downs, and then go back. Puzzlemaster Will Shortz – editor of the New York Times puzzle – asked puzzlers for their tips (as if he needs them). The usual ideas applied – look for a theme, work on sections rather than the whole thing at once. But as far as Shortz was concerned, Best Answerer endpov was able to fill in most of the blanks. Will added his own tips, too:
- Start with what you know for sure and build from there. Short answers are usually easier to get than longer ones, because the English language doesn't have many three- and four-letter words, and the same ones tend to appear often in crosswords. This is especially so for words with lots of vowels, like ALE, ARIA, and OLEO
- Remember that a clue and its answer will always be in the same part of speech and generally can be used interchangeably in a sentence with the same meaning.
- If you get stuck, don't be afraid to guess. But also don't be afraid to erase an answer that isn't working out from the crossings.
- If you really get stuck, put the puzzle aside and come back later. It's amazing how often this trick works. Thinking of one new answer the next time around may be enough to get you off and running again.
- Finally, to answer a question I'm asked all the time: No, it's not "cheating" to use a reference book or the Internet to get an answer you don't know. It's your puzzle. Solve it any way you like!
Dave S.