Contributor ⭐⭐

The Two Minute Crossword points.......

Forum|Forum|4 months ago
March 29, 2026
4 replies
985 views

Has anyone else questioned how points are awarded in this little crossword? I finish it, correctly, no typos, in 9 to 10 seconds. Sometimes 7 seconds. I still end up with 20,000 to 30,000 points less than the high for the day. It's not a big deal. I'm not a math genius by any means. Just curious if anyone else has noticed.

Contributor ⭐⭐

Yep, I've noticed that too. But, since it doesn't matter how much time it takes you to finish the puzzle, you still end up getting 150 points added to your rewards, so I just scratch my head and go on.

kk16012313Author

Contributor ⭐⭐

Thanks! It's nice to know someone else has noticed. I don't have to attribute it to my 'non-math' brain. 😁

Community Manager

@kk16012313, For the 2-Minute Crossword, it’s really about speed + pattern recognition, and time isn’t the only thing impacting your score.

Most high scores come from:

Jumping to the easiest clues first (short/common words)
Working across and down together to reveal letters quickly
Trusting your first instinct and not overthinking
Playing regularly, so you start recognizing repeat clue patterns

On top of that, scoring also seems to factor in:

Keeping momentum (no pauses between answers)
Avoiding edits or backtracking — even small corrections can cost points
A smooth, continuous solve from start to finish

A lot of top scores are likely near “perfect runs,” where everything is entered almost instantly without hesitation.

That said, finishing in 7–10 seconds is already incredibly fast — you’re absolutely in the top tier 👍

kk16012313Author

Contributor ⭐⭐

Thanks for the added info, Sandy!