Expertise in cryptic crossword performance: An exploratory survey
Kathryn J. Friedlander, Philip A. Fine · 2009
This paper investigates the link between practice and level of expertise in cryptic crossword solvers. A survey was conducted of 241 expert solvers, which established that, even among crossword experts, the range and frequency of cryptics solved and the time spent upon this varied greatly. The link between practice and level of expertise was therefore not straightforward, but seemed to be connected to the primary focus of the solver—whether they aimed to “speed-solve” or solve “advanced cryptics” of exceptional difficulty. A brief review of motivational drivers for solvers of cryptics is also included.