Multidimensional Crosswords?

Aaron asks: "I write the crossword for the student newspaper at my university (McGill, in Montreal). For the last issue of the year I like to go all-out and do something special. Usually I just make a super-big one, but I had a brainstorm - a crossword is essentially a 2-dimensional matrix where set intersections are judged as valid if they test positive as real words out of a dictionary. Of course, the decision to limit the matrix to 2 dimensions is just pragmatic so if you wanted you could make crosswords of 3 or more dimensions (though a 4-dimension crossword might have to be done in pencil first). Any ideas on how to actually do this?" This would be interesting on a computer, but would be fairly hard to do in print. If you were of a mind to make a 3D crossword puzzle on paper, how would you do it?

Comments

2 dimensional matrix?

[5E-0W2]

Depending on which interpretation of dimensional you use, a matrix is either always 2 dimensional, or varying the dimension(s) isn't what you want. A tensor is the mathematical object that includes scalars, vectors, matrices, and beyond.

I would probably use Isometric Grid Paper

[jefeweiss]

Here's one resource, Constructing Isometric Grid Paper, A Computer Aid, but you can buy it at places that sell engineering drawing type supplies. Or at least you used to be able to. I would start at the bottom in the middle and darken in the edges to show which blocks are to be filled in. One problem with this is that you are kind of limited in complexity. If it's too complicated it will be tough to tell what is going on. Even if its pretty simple there are still going to be points at which clues overlap, and that is going to make it hard to understand. I like the idea that someone else had of using hex paper, I think that would be easier to do.

Re:Don't

[sweede]

you do know that someone has to pay for the paper to be printed and if its a long run (> 5,000) with more than 4 pages, then it will cost a LOT of money to be printed.

I doubt that the school charges a fee for the paper so they must get funds from yes, evil advertising.

Fake 3-D?

[ptaff]

You could draw a cube and see three of its face; would "feel" 3-D to most people, but without the limitations of paper. I gimped a little sketch that explains the idea.

SImple -- just print a link

[jtheory]

This would be interesting on a computer, but would be fairly hard to do in print.

That was my thought too, and there are lots of examples of 3d crosswords online (try Google; for example this). If you have the wherewithal to code it yourself, or if you find a plugin you can use -- I'd say make your puzzle available online, then in the newspaper just put an intriguing screenshot and a link (tinyurl?) that readers can visit to try solving it.

Think outside the box, eh?

something like this

[quiddity]

Wayne White's 3d word art