Your solving will be smoother and easier if you are able to concentrate on one area of the puzzle at a time, with each new answer you write connected to answers you've already filled in. It's much easier to think of the answer once you have one or more extra hints from the letters in those crossing words. The clues to look at next are the ones that cross any of the answers that you've already filled in. So review the clue list carefully until you find one that you're rather sure of, and fill that one in first. Of course, people's vocabulary and knowledge differ anyway. This may be the very first clue in the puzzle (1 Across), but crossword authors and editors don't automatically make the first clue the easiest one. The first answer you should write in a crossword should ideally be one whose clue you are sure of. Once you have correctly identified the theme, the remaining theme answers should be much easier for you to puzzle out. When you have filled in the first long answer, take another look at the title you should be able to make a guess now as to what the theme is. The title is there to give you a hint about the theme of the puzzle-the subject matter or the common element among the longest answers. You should always look at the puzzle title before doing anything else. How to Play Stan Newman's Sunday Crossword

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