Did you know?
The first crossword was printed in a New York newspaper on 21 December 1913. Its maker, Arthur Wynne, called it a 'word-cross'. Later, the name was flipped to 'cross-word'!
A person who loves making or solving crosswords is called a cruciverbalist (kroo-sih-VUR-buh-list). Try saying that three times fast!
Volleyball was invented in the USA in 1895 by William G. Morgan. He first named it 'mintonette', because he got the idea from badminton.
Try this: Mini Sports Crossword
Draw the grid as you solve! 1 Across (4 letters): a sport from Japan where players throw each other onto a soft mat. 2 Down (4 letters): hit a small ball into a hole with a club; its 2nd letter is the last letter of 1 Across. 3 Across (7 letters): a sport with thin, bendy swords; it starts with the last letter of 2 Down.
Show answer
JUDO, GOLF, FENCING
Go further: Make Your Own Crossword
Puzzle makers start with the answers, not the clues! Pick five sports words, like CRICKET, TENNIS and KABADDI. On squared paper, write the longest word across. Find another word that shares one of its letters, and write it down through that letter. Keep linking words. Number the first square of each word and write a clue for it. Then swap puzzles with a friend!