Random House Crossword Answer Book (Paperback)

If you've used crossword dictionaries before, you know that all too often the answer you're looking for just isn't there. The reason why: Most crossword dictionaries have tons of words that never appear in real crosswords, and leave out tons of words that appear in crosswords all the time. The "old" way of compiling crossword dictionaries -- from unabridged dictionaries and atlases -- doesn't work for today's crosswords.

The New York Times Crossword Answer Book, compiled by Dan Stark and myself, is truly different. It is based on a massive computer analysis of thousands of crosswords, from the New York Times and elsewhere, supplemented by a libraryful of popular-culture references. The result is a book that contains an unprecedented 83% of all answers in American crosswords -- far more than any crossword reference book ever published before. You will find not only the usual "dictionary" words, but also slang, celebrity names from all fields, multi-word phrases, abbreviations, even Roman numerals! Canadian puzzlers will be glad to know that there is comprehensive coverage of Canadian/British spellings, such as CENTRE and IDOLISE.

To use the book, all you need are two letters of the answer you're looking for. For example, if you need a seven-letter word whose second letter is U and sixth is A, you can quickly locate a list of words that fit, including: BURGLAR, DUNAWAY, PUT AWAY and YUCATAN. The context of the clue will tell you which answer is the correct one.

The outstanding response to the hardcover edition enabled us to get the endorsement of the New York Times for this revised softcover version. Will Shortz, crossword editor of the Times, keeps a copy of the book right over his desk. He calls The New York Times Crossword Answer Book "The most comprehensive source of contemporary crossword answers." Book of the Month Club has selected both the hardcover and this new edition for their members.

If you're looking for the one book that will help you the most in completing crosswords, either for yourself or your favorite puzzle fan, The New York Times Crossword Answer Book is the one you want. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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