Home/Guides/Reference Reference Tables to keep beside the grid: abbreviations sorted by meaning, recurring short answers, and the conventions that explain them. AllBeginnersTechniqueCrypticReference 3 guides ReferenceCrossword abbreviations, sorted by what they stand forMore than 120 crossword abbreviations grouped by family: compass points, Roman numerals, elements, ranks, sport, music, dates, places and Latin shorthand.6 min ReferenceCommon answer patterns for four-letter slotsETUI, OLEO, AREA, ERIE and the rest of the four-letter family: why grids need them, and how to read a short slot as a shape rather than as a clue.5 min ReferenceWhy crosswords are the best exercise for your brainThe case for the daily crossword in eight parts, with the research described as researchers describe it: associations that suggest a benefit, not a cure.6 min