Games & Sport
EasyBoard Game Basics Crossword
Category: Games & SportDifficulty: Hard12 × 15
Sunday, September 20
Leaderboard Ad Unit
Enter one letter per square. Answers run Across or Down. Omit spaces and accents; any special spelling convention is stated in the clue. This is a freeform themed grid, so some letters are not crossed.
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About This Theme
A board game works because players share a set of rules about choices, resources and endings. This crossword explores those rules without depending on a particular branded game. Some clues refer to chess or backgammon, while others describe mechanics used across many games. Pay attention to whether the answer names a component, an action or a condition. The most familiar-looking word may have a more specific meaning at the table.
Clues
Across
- 2Select an item from a shared set before passing or leaving the rest (5)
- 4Collection of playing cards used together (4)
- 5Small object representing a player or resource in a game (5)
- 7Chess situation in which having to move worsens a player's position (8)
- 8Chess draw when the player to move has no legal move and is not in check (9)
- 9Final phase of a game, especially chess (7)
- 11Small dots on a standard die (4)
Down
- 1Board game played with checkers, dice and bearing off (10)
- 2Singular of dice (3)
- 3Chess position where a checked king cannot escape by any legal move (9)
- 6Mechanic in which players bid for something (7)
- 10Chess opening offering material for a hoped-for advantage (6)
Answers and Explanations
After Your Solve
DECK, TOKEN and DIE are components. AUCTION and DRAFT describe ways choices or resources can be allocated. CHECKMATE and STALEMATE are both chess endings, but the condition of the king changes the result. That distinction is the most important piece of rules vocabulary in this grid. ZUGZWANG describes a difficult position rather than a separate game. Thinking in those categories can help you learn a new game's rules: first identify what you handle, then what you may do, then how the game ends.
- 2 acrossDRAFT
Drafting is a selection mechanic.
- 4 acrossDECK
A deck supplies the cards for play.
- 5 acrossTOKEN
A token is a component with an assigned meaning.
- 7 acrossZUGZWANG
The obligation to move is the source of the difficulty.
- 8 acrossSTALEMATE
Being outside check distinguishes stalemate from checkmate.
- 9 acrossENDGAME
The endgame follows the earlier phases.
- 11 acrossPIPS
Pips mark the face values.
- 1 downBACKGAMMON
Bearing off removes checkers from the board under its rules.
- 2 downDIE
The clue asks for one object.
- 3 downCHECKMATE
Checkmate ends the game with a win for the attacking side.
- 6 downAUCTION
An auction allocates an item through bidding.
- 10 downGAMBIT
A gambit trades immediate material for another aim.
Further Reading
- Theme referencehandbook.fide.com
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