This is a normal crossword… except that every clue/answer pair has a little bit of an issue. Some of the problems are constructor mistakes that show up in normal crosswords (an answer was mentioned in another clue, an unclued foreign language answer). Others have probably never been seen before (word backwards in the grid, accidental use of a cryptic clue).

You can group the answers by error into eight groups. One category, the grammar/tense issues, is a little loose. The sizes of the groups should hopefully make clear that those errors should be considered as one group.

The groups are:

• 7 Answers are replaced by homophones
• 8 Answers are in Spanish, unclued
• 9 Answers are entered backwards in the grid
• 10 Clues have factual errors
• 11 Answers are the wrong tense or plural/singular, etc.
• 12 Answers are mentioned in their own clues
• 13 Answers are mentioned in other clues
• 14 Clues are cryptic clues

Looking at each error type by itself, the answers cross in exactly one square. Those letters, taken in order, spell ATROCITY.

Homophones

Spanish

Backwards

Factual Errors

Bad Plural/Tense

Answer In Clue

Answer In Another Clue

Cryptic Clue