Clue by Clue

C1 Advanced · Open Cloze · Cambridge Ready original exercise

For questions 1–8, read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one word in each gap. There is an example at the beginning.

The crossword puzzle (0) ___ its first appearance in a newspaper in 1913, and within little more (1) ___ a decade it had become a craze. Today, huge numbers of people start the day by filling in the grid, and many would not dream (2) ___ missing it. Many solvers in Britain favour the cryptic crossword, in (3) ___ each clue contains both a definition and a piece of wordplay. To newcomers, such clues can seem baffling, but (4) ___ is a logic to them, and once the conventions have been learnt, solving them becomes largely a matter (5) ___ spotting the trick. Crosswords are often said to keep the mind sharp in old age, though the evidence for this is (6) ___ from conclusive. What is beyond doubt is the satisfaction they bring. Few experiences compare (7) ___ the moment when a clue that has resisted you for an hour suddenly falls into place. Most enthusiasts prefer to solve (8) ___ their own, in silence. Yet completing a puzzle with a friend over breakfast, arguing about every answer, has pleasures of its own.

Clue by Clue

Available as a free printable PDF worksheet with an optional answer key.

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