topic Re: The Two Minute Crossword points....... in Games Talk

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

kk16012313 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:43:17 GMT

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.

Re: The Two Minute Crossword points.......

lj9807492 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 18:04:41 GMT

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.

Re: The Two Minute Crossword points.......

kk16012313 — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:04:02 GMT

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

Re: The Two Minute Crossword points.......

sandy — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 15:33:34 GMT

@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 👍

Re: The Two Minute Crossword points.......

kk16012313 — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 17:54:17 GMT

Thanks for the added info, Sandy!