Not to toot our own horn, but the Express Mini Crossword turns one next month. Started as an experiment for hobbyists, our daily game fusing pop culture and wordplay seems to be creating a subculture of its own, spurring mini-playing groups, classroom activities and a demand for pure crossword events. The free archives may have a hand in this, but we like to think it’s also because of a growing desire for original, interactive learning over humdrum algorithmic habits.
Before we up the ante for year two, a look at what our Mini Crossword means to some of its most dedicated players: ‘It jump-starts my brain’ My day kicks off with solving puzzles, playing mini games, and, of course, diving into Wikipedia. It’s the time when the IE Mini gets updated for the day (5.30am) that keeps me waiting until the sun actually rises; otherwise, it would’ve been my first pitstop.
Solving has become a ritual now, and I’ve even joined a small community where we ‘subtly’ brag about how quickly we conquer the day’s edition. This morning routine jump-starts my brain for the challenges ahead, even if I end up ‘sleep-working’ through the day. — Anirudh Arora, 22, Software Engineer Advertisement ‘All my friends were doing it with me’ Students at Ashoka University enjoy a crossword together in class.
I came across the IE mini by pure chance—I was bored in class, and wanted to do something that’d still look like I was focused and typing. So I looked up ‘mini crossword�.
