crossword enigma

noun

A puzzle in the form of a poem with successive lines hinting at the individual letters of a word.

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Meanings

nouncrossword enigma (plural crossword enigmas)

plural crossword enigmas

  1. datedA puzzle in the form of a poem with successive lines hinting at the individual letters of a word.

Origin

From crossword + enigma. The term predates the modern crossword puzzle and takes its name from an older meaning of crossword, referring to the words from which the letters of an acrostic are to be taken.

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Cite this entry
APA

crossword enigma. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossword%20enigma

MLA

“crossword enigma.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossword%20enigma. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “crossword enigma,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/crossword%20enigma.

Source: crossword enigma on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.