PUZZLE LINKS: JPZ Download | Online Solver
Titling coded crosswords is a challenge. The plan for this one was to hint at some grid entries. We’ll see how it plays.
If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of a coded crossword, here’s the rundown:
Each answer in a kaidoku, or coded crossword, is a common, lowercase English word. The numbers 1 through 26 each stand for a different letter of the alphabet, and instances of a given number stand for the same letter throughout the entire grid.
Last time I posted one of these some people asked “how do you even get started on these?” so here are some pointers:
- Look for unusual letter patterns. Are there any words with double letters? How about a long word with only a handful of distinct letters? Spotting one or two of these can really get you going.
- Look for the Q. There has to be at least one, and there probably aren’t many. When there’s a Q it has to be followed by a U (no “qat” nonsense here) and that U is in turn followed by a vowel.
- Look for vowels (especially E). Letter frequency is your friend here. There are probably a lot of E’s in the puzzle, so which ones can that be? The advantage of solving digitally is that trial-and-error is a valid strategy here.
What I think is so rewarding about these puzzles is they look absolutely impossible at first but once you get on a roll it feels great. Give it a go and don’t give up right away! It’s worth it.
Enjoy the solve, and as always, if you plan to solve on Twitch, let us know about it!