How are puzzle difficulty ratings determined?

Every published puzzle carries a difficulty label — Easy, Medium, Hard, or Expert — backed by a score from 1.0 to 5.0.

The score starts from structural signals in the grid:

• Grid size — bigger grids generally take longer.
• Block density — how open or closed the grid is.
• Word lengths — the balance of long and short entries.

Once enough people have solved a puzzle, the rating is refined by real solve times, so a grid that looks easy but plays tricky (or the reverse) settles toward how it actually solves. That's why a brand-new puzzle's rating can shift a little as more solvers finish it.