2023 has come and gone, and with it, various dictionaries have released their word of the year lists. But the question remains, do these words pass the ultimate test – are they familiar enough for crossword solvers to confidently enter them into a puzzle?

Oxford’s choice of ‘rizz’ (charisma of a kind) and runners-up ‘situationship’, ‘Swiftie’, and ‘prompt’ have yet to make an appearance in a crossword. However, ‘Swiftie’ and ‘prompt’ may soon debut, while the others might be used if a setter is feeling a bit mischievous.

On the other hand, Merriam-Webster’s winner, ‘authentic’, has been a staple in puzzles for years. Newer words like ‘Egot’ (the amassing of an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony) have also made their way into clues, with some setters even using Elon Musk’s replacement name for Twitter as a fresh way of clueing X.

It’s interesting to note that some words, like ‘rizz’, are confined to subcultures, while others, like ‘Egot’, have gained traction in mainstream media. The debate continues as to whether these words truly stand the test of time and usage, especially in the world of crossword puzzles.