You've been there. It’s Sunday morning. You have a steaming cup of coffee in one hand and a crisp newsprint section in the other, and you're ready to tackle the grid. But then, it happens. You try to separate the puzzle from the rest of the section, and instead of a clean rip, the paper bunches up. It jaggedly slices through 1-Across. Suddenly, your attempt to tear crossword has turned into a mangled mess of grey pulp and ink.
It feels like a small failure, but honestly, it’s a design problem that’s haunted the newspaper industry for over a century.
People think of crosswords as intellectual battles. They are. But they’re also physical ones. The tactile experience of newsprint is half the draw, yet the physical constraints of wood-pulp paper make that "perfect tear" almost impossible without a steady hand or a sharp letter opener. It's a weirdly specific kind of heartbreak.
Why the Attempt to Tear Crossword Usually Fails
Most people don't realize that newsprint is directional. It has a "grain," just like wood. When paper is manufactured in massive rollers at mills like those run by International Paper or Resolute Forest Products, the fibers align in the direction the paper moves through the machine. This is called the "machine direction."
If you try to tear your crossword against the grain, you're fighting the very molecular structure of the sheet. It’s going to jag. It’s going to veer off into the sports section. You’ll end up with a diagonal rip that deletes the clues for the entire bottom-right quadrant.
Then there’s the issue of the "perforation." Or, more accurately, the lack of it.
Back in the day, some specialty puzzle magazines actually spent the extra money to perforate pages. This allowed for a clean attempt to tear crossword every single time. But for daily broadsheets like The New York Times or The Guardian, perforation is a logistical nightmare. High-speed offset presses run at incredible velocities—sometimes over 2,000 feet per minute. Adding a perforation blade to that process increases the risk of the paper web snapping, which can shut down a multi-million dollar press for hours.
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So, they don't do it. They leave you to fend for yourself with your shaky hands and blunt fingernails.
The Physicality of the Grid
Will Shortz, the legendary crossword editor for The New York Times, has often spoken about the "solve" as an experience. It isn't just about the words. It’s the ritual. For decades, the attempt to tear crossword from the paper was the starting gun. If you messed it up, the vibe was off.
I remember reading an old thread on a forum for Cruciverbalists—that's the fancy name for crossword lovers—where a solver claimed they had a "ritualistic" way of folding the paper four times before even attempting a tear. They’d lick the crease. They’d use a metal ruler. It sounds obsessive, but when you’re spending two hours on a Saturday Stumper, you want the canvas to be pristine.
But let’s talk about the paper itself. Modern newsprint is thinner than it used to be. Economic pressures on the print industry have led to a decrease in "basis weight." Basically, the paper is flimsier. This makes the attempt to tear crossword even riskier. Thinner paper has less structural integrity, meaning once a tear starts going the wrong way, there is almost no stopping it.
The Rise of the Digital Substitute
Because of this physical frustration, a lot of people moved to tablets. It’s easier, right? You just tap. No paper cuts. No ink on your cuticles.
But something was lost.
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Digital grids don't have the "give" of paper. You can't scribble a "maybe" answer in the margin with a 2B pencil. You can't feel the history of the medium. Even the best iPad apps can't replicate the feeling of a successful, clean rip—that rare moment where the attempt to tear crossword actually works, and you’re left with a perfect square of intellectual challenge.
Real Techniques for a Clean Break
If you’re a die-hard print solver, you need a strategy. You can't just wing it.
First, check the fold. Most newspapers are folded "with the grain" on the vertical axis. This means if the crossword is on the side of a page, tearing vertically is usually safer than tearing horizontally.
- The Ruler Trick: This is the gold standard. Don't use your hands. Lay a heavy metal ruler along the inner gutter of the newspaper. Hold it down with significant pressure. Pull the paper up and across the edge of the ruler.
- The Crease and Lick: It sounds gross, but moisture weakens the cellulose fibers. If you fold the paper back and forth several times and run a damp finger along the crease, the attempt to tear crossword becomes significantly more predictable.
- The Scissors Shortcut: Honestly? Just keep a pair of shears in the kitchen drawer. It’s not "cheating." It’s preservation.
Why We Keep Trying
Why do we care so much about a piece of disposable paper?
Psychologically, the attempt to tear crossword represents the transition from the "noise" of the world (the news, the politics, the tragedies on the front page) to the "order" of the puzzle. By physically removing the grid from the paper, you are isolating yourself in a world where every problem has a logical solution.
It’s a tiny bit of control in an uncontrollable world.
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I spoke with a veteran librarian once who told me that the most "vandalized" items in the periodical section weren't the political magazines—they were the newspapers with the crosswords torn out. People couldn't help themselves. Even in a public library, the urge to take the puzzle home was too strong. They’d try to be sneaky, but a botched attempt to tear crossword always left behind a jagged trail of evidence.
Expert Insight: The Paper Chemist's View
I looked into some old research from the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI). They’ve done extensive studies on "tear resistance." It’s measured in millinewtons. Newsprint typically has a very low tear resistance compared to, say, a shipping envelope or a heavy cardstock.
What’s fascinating is that temperature and humidity play a role. If your house is very dry, the paper becomes brittle. The fibers snap rather than slide. This is why your attempt to tear crossword might work perfectly in the humid summer but fail miserably in the dry heat of January.
If you're struggling, maybe move your solving station away from the radiator.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Solve
Stop treating the newspaper like a piece of junk. If you want a clean solve, you have to treat the paper with a bit of respect.
- Identify the Grain: Give a tiny tug at the edge of the paper. If it resists and feels "stiff," you're pulling against the grain. If it gives easily, you're on the right track.
- Create a Hard Crease: Use the back of your fingernail to "bone" the edge. The sharper the crease, the more likely the fibers are to break in a straight line.
- The "Slow-Fast" Method: Start the tear slowly to ensure it follows the line. Once you have about an inch of progress, increase your speed. Momentum helps maintain the straightness of the tear.
- Use a Support Surface: Never try to tear a crossword in mid-air or on your lap. Use a flat, hard table.
If you mess it up, don't panic. Clear tape is a solver's best friend. I've seen puzzles that looked like Frankenstein’s monster, held together by Scotch tape and prayers, yet every single clue was filled in.
The attempt to tear crossword is the first test of the day. Sometimes you pass, sometimes the paper wins. But the real victory is in the solving, not the tearing. Grab your pen—or pencil, if you're feeling humble—and get to work. The grid is waiting, jagged edges and all.