Description

the imaginary line separating the teams at the beginning of a play
a six-point score made by carrying or passing the ball into the end zone of the opposing side, or by recovering it there following a fumble or blocked kick
a chance for a team to advance the ball, ending when the ball carrier is tackled or the ball becomes out of play. A team must advance at least ten yards in a series of four downs in order to keep possession
a field for football, marked with regularly spaced parallel lines
one of a series of marks made along parallel lines that delineate the middle of the field, used to spot the ball after a play ends outside these lines
a goal scored by a placekick, scoring three points
a change in the offensive play called by the quarterback at the line of scrimmage
an exchange made by handing the ball to a teammate
a rapid advance by a defensive player or players, especially toward the quarterback
a football
a player positioned behind the center who directs a team's offensive play
an offensive player, typically a halfback, who specializes in carrying the ball
an offensive player who is positioned at a distance from the end and is used primarily as a pass receiver
a defensive player normally positioned behind the line of scrimmage, but in front of the safeties
a defensive back who normally is positioned well behind the line of scrimmage
a player normally positioned on the line of scrimmage
a defensive back positioned to the outside of the linebackers
an offensive end who lines up close to the tackle
an act of tackling a quarterback behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a pass
a protective mask covering the nose and mouth or nose and eyes
an act of seizing and stopping a player in possession of the ball by knocking them to the ground
the rectangular area at each end of the field into which the ball must be carried or passed and caught to score a touchdown
a ball one downs deliberately behind one's own goal line or that is kicked through one's end zone. It is taken to the 25-yard line to resume play
a forward pass to a player protected by a screen of blockers
an offensive player in the backfield
an offensive back usually positioned behind the quarterback and to the side of the fullback
a quick backward movement of the ball from the ground that begins a play
a very long, typically unsuccessful pass made in a desperate attempt to score late in the game
a player who punts
either of the two upright posts of a goal
an official who watches a game or match closely to ensure that the rules are adhered to and to arbitrate on matters arising from the play
the time at which half of a game or contest is completed, especially when marked by an intermission
the National Football League championship game, played annually between the champions of the National and the American Football Conferences
National Football League
a person or thing that is supposed to bring good luck or that is used to symbolize a particular event or organization
tackle or fend off (a person) by extending an arm rigidly
a form of team game played in North America with an oval ball on a field marked as a gridiron
a disadvantage or handicap imposed on a player or team, typically for infringement of rules
an intentionally short kick-off that travels forward only slightly further than the legally required distance of 10 yards, and which the kicking team attempts to recover
a play in which one or more defensive backs charge the quarterback of the opposing team
a kick made after the ball is first placed on the ground
either of the two lines bounding the longer sides of a football field
the manner in which a defender or a defensive team cover a player, an area, or a play
a timing device that is used to indicate how many seconds remain for the offensive team to start a play before being penalized for delaying the game
the players in a team who defend the goal
a squad that is used for kick-offs, punts, and other special plays
the attacking team or players
a defensive lineman positioned opposite the offensive center
an official who watches a game or match closely to ensure that the rules are adhered to and to arbitrate on matters arising from the play
(of a lineman) withdraw from and cross behind the line of scrimmage to block opposing players and clear the way for a runner
a move in which a quarterback pretends to hand the ball to a running back but instead makes a pass
a pass thrown either sideways or back
blow a whistle, especially as a signal
make a sham move to mislead an opponent
a brief break in play
an instructor or trainer in sport
a person taking part in a sport or game
a person who has a strong interest in or admiration for a particular person or thing
each of four equal periods into which a game is divided
an act of catching a pass made by an opposing player
to jump over a player while running with the ball
(of a quarterback) run with the ball behind the line of scrimmage, avoiding tackles

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a crossword?

Crossword puzzles have been published in newspapers and other publications since 1873. They consist of a grid of squares where the player aims to write words both horizontally and vertically.

Next to the crossword will be a series of questions or clues, which relate to the various rows or lines of boxes in the crossword. The player reads the question or clue, and tries to find a word that answers the question in the same amount of letters as there are boxes in the related crossword row or line.

Some of the words will share letters, so will need to match up with each other. The words can vary in length and complexity, as can the clues.

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Crosswords can use any word you like, big or small, so there are literally countless combinations that you can create for templates. It is easy to customise the template to the age or learning level of your students.

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Are crosswords good for students?

Crosswords are a great exercise for students' problem solving and cognitive abilities. Not only do they need to solve a clue and think of the correct answer, but they also have to consider all of the other words in the crossword to make sure the words fit together.

Crosswords are great for building and using vocabulary.

If this is your first time using a crossword with your students, you could create a crossword FAQ template for them to give them the basic instructions.

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