Crossword Scoring

Owned by Steve Dobe
Jul 17, 2016

Scores for crosswords are calculated using the following rules:

  • Your score is recalculated and displayed each time (and only when) the Check button is pressed.
  • Only answers that are completely filled in are scored. If an answer is 5 letters long and you have only filled in 4 of the letters for that answer, you will not gain or lose points for that answer.
  • Each letter within an answer is worth 1 point in an Easy crossword, 2 points in a Medium crossword and 3 points in a Hard crossword. For example, if the answer was POOL, then you would score 4 points for getting it correct in an Easy crossword, but you would lose 8 points for getting it wrong in a Medium crossword.
  • Once you correctly complete and score points for an answer, you can never score nor lose points for that answer again (for that crossword), even if you were to restart the crossword.
  • If a letter is shared between two clues, as in the first letter in 1 Across and 1 Down in example 1 below, then that first letter would be worth 2 points - One point for 1 Across and another point for 1 Down.
  • If you were to fill in an answer of 8 letters and only get one of the letters incorrect due to a misspelling, you would lose 8 points for an Easy crossword.

Example 1

 

For this crossword, pressing the Check button shows 2 correct answers (SESAME and SHIFT) and 1 incorrect answer (SAYING). This gives you a score of:

  • 5 for an Easy Crossword (+6 points for SESAME, +5 points for SHIFT and -6 points for SAYING)
  • 10 (5 x 2) for a Medium Crossword
  • 15 (5 x 3) for a Hard Crossword

Note:  will appear after the 1 Across clue and after the 1 Down clue and  will appear after the 2 Down clue. These are visual aids to assist you to understand how the scores have been calculated.

 

Changing SAYING to SEWING and re-checking loses a further 6 points (as SEWING is also incorrect). This updates your score to:

  • -1 (5 - 6) for an Easy Crossword
  • -2 (10 - 12) for a Medium Crossword
  • -3 (15 - 18) for a Hard Crossword

Note:   will appear after the 2 Down clue because you have now checked twice and got that clue wrong twice.

 

Changing SEWING to SMSING and re-checking gains 6 points (as SMSING is the correct Answer). This updates your score to:

  • 5 (-1 + 6) for an Easy Crossword
  • 10 (-2 + 12) for a Medium Crossword
  • 15 (-3 + 18) for a Hard Crossword

Note:    will appear after the 2 Down clue because you have now got that clue wrong twice and then corrected and checked it. Again, this is just a visual aid to assist you to understand how the scores have been calculated.

Example 2

 

 

For an Easy crossword, checking gives you a score of 19.

 

 

For an Easy crossword, re-checking updates your score to 13 (19 - 6).

Note that you would lose 6 points (for an Easy crossword). By getting the one letter incorrect, you have inadvertently added 2 incorrect answers, both with 3 letters each.

 

 

For an Easy crossword, re-checking updates your score to 19 (13 + 6), as 2 correct answers were added, both with 3 letters each.

Example 3

 

For a Medium crossword, checking gives you a score of 34.
2 x (5 + 4 + 4 + 4)
= 2 x 17
= 34

In this example, the clue to 26 Down is 'Propels a ball along the ground'. ROLLS is also an acceptable answer and points are awarded for either BOWLS or ROLLS.

There will occasionally be situations where more than one answer would be acceptable but we have only thought of one of those answers. If you believe your answer should also be accepted but it has not been accepted, please let us know.