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Crossword terms question
Question for any of you crossword geeks:
Rex Parker writes a blog about the NY Times (don't click if seeing today's answers would ruin your day)
http://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/
Talking about today's puzzle, he says:
"Does Not look like a (mere) 74-worder. Fill seems overwhelmingly short (mostly 4s and 5s). But there are four cheater squares (NW/SE and N/S), and then a couple of long answers paralleling theme answers in the NE and SW, so I guess that explains how the grid can look and feel 76/78 but really be 74. That distinction may seem minor, but it's not. 78s are easy to construct/fill, 76s a bit tougher, 74s tougher still. You'll rarely see themed puzzles at 72, and almost never lower."
What counts as a "word?" There are 69 across clues, 63 down clues...35 black squares...I can't figure out what he means by "74-worder."
Help!
Rex Parker writes a blog about the NY Times (don't click if seeing today's answers would ruin your day)
http://rexwordpuzzle.blogspot.com/
Talking about today's puzzle, he says:
"Does Not look like a (mere) 74-worder. Fill seems overwhelmingly short (mostly 4s and 5s). But there are four cheater squares (NW/SE and N/S), and then a couple of long answers paralleling theme answers in the NE and SW, so I guess that explains how the grid can look and feel 76/78 but really be 74. That distinction may seem minor, but it's not. 78s are easy to construct/fill, 76s a bit tougher, 74s tougher still. You'll rarely see themed puzzles at 72, and almost never lower."
What counts as a "word?" There are 69 across clues, 63 down clues...35 black squares...I can't figure out what he means by "74-worder."
Help!