The Million Word Crossword Dictionary Paperback – May 10, 2011

This book, The Million Word Crossword Dictionary (2nd Edition), was recommended by a friend. My husband and I do crosswords almost every day. Formerly, we had been using just a regular dictionary, and then of course, we didn't know what we were missing. So, upon recommendation, I purchased this book for Christmas. And what a revelation! This is the greatest crossword dictionary going! For us, it has everything we need and then some. Not just word definitions, but crossword information on countries, states, books, films - you name it and it's there.Another great feature is that information for a particular word or answer you are looking for is organized by the number of letters in the answer you are seeking. For instance, if you are looking for a 5-letter answer just look for the answer information after the number 5, which is in bold print and easy to spot.Another example is that when we were looking for the name of "Frasier"'s dog - the sitcom on past television, we looked up Frasier, the tv sitcom and there was a listing of all the information about the show - including their dog's name!We will never be without this Million Word Crossword Dictionary now or in the future. It is a pretty thick volume and the paper cover is pretty flimsy for a book this size. We put a library-type plastic film covering put over the front, binding and back cover (all one piece) and it is now sturdier. I hope,in future editions, the cover will be sturdier. But regarding the information contained in this dictionary, you won't be disappointed. It's great! In fact, every time we find a unique answer, I find myself saying "This book is absolutely amazing"!

Hubby likes that it is up to date with cultural entries. It replaced an older edition. He uses it every day.

I have been using this book as pretty much my sole crossword dictionary for years now. I purchased the first edition and nearly wore it out when the second edition came out. I could not wait to purchase that one too. It is now showing quite a bit of wear. I looked at a number of crossword dictionaries before purchasing the first edition and could not find any that were as comprehensive. This dictionary will literally be the only one that you need.That being said, I wish that Stan would publish editions more often. In our rapidly changing world, crossword dictionaries become dated quite rapidly. I have had to consult the internet on occasions to complete the NY Times Crossword. Maybe, Stan could set up an addendum website for words between editions. However, if a new book came out tomorrow, I would buy it.Another aspect of the book that bothers me is that the cover has not been very durable on either of the editions that I purchased. In fact, the cover on the second edition was much flimsier than the first edition. For both editions, I ended up taping the covers back on after they tore off--several times. For a book this big, the cover and its bindings could be better. Then again, I guess that is the way that the publisher keeps the price down, and the book price makes it very affordable.So, why don't I just purchase a new book when one becomes worn? Call me sentimental. After using the book enough for a cover to get worn, they become like old friends and become hard to put in the recycle bin. If you buy this book, you might be adding another old friend to your library too.

This is my third copy of the book. I wore the first two out.

My husband is hard to "surprise", well this book did it. His mouth hit the floor

I love this dictionary because it gives me so many options. I get to think my way through the choices until I find the right one. And since I work my puzzles in pencil (yeah, I'm not a crossword genius, at least not yet), if I choose the wrong word, I can change it.It's definitely worth the investment.

This was way bigger than I thought it would be - 2 and one half inches thick! Difficult to lift and so many words - it makes it difficult to use. Not what I expected - was hoping for smaller one like I had 40 years ago.

This exhaustive work is 1336 pages of wonderful help for crossword puzzle addicts. No single book has everything puzzle freaks need and this one,as big as it is, still doesn't have the whole works. It does have an awful lot though. It's just one weapon I use in my fight to complete the daily crossword puzzle.