Where does “crosswording” come from?

crosswording (English) comes from English crossword, from English cross, from French croix, from German Kreuz, from Spanish Cruz, from Portuguese cruz, from Italian croce, from Latin crux — to caw, crow.

crosswording (English): The hobby of solving crossword puzzles

Definitions

  1. The hobby of solving crossword puzzles

Ancestry of “crosswording”, step by step

crosswording traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English crossword

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcrosswordA word puzzle in which interlocking words are...
2EnglishcrossA geometrical figure consisting of two straight...
3Frenchcroixcross; a representation of a cross; the cross as...
4GermanKreuzcross; clubs; sharp
5SpanishCruzcross
6Portuguesecruzcross
7Italiancrocecross
8Latincruxwooden frame on which criminals were crucified,...
9Proto-Italic*kruks
10Proto-Indo-Europeansḱer-to caw, crow

via English ing

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishingA meadow, especially a low meadow near a river;...
2Middle Englishing
3Old Englishingmeadow, water meadow, ing
4Old Norseengmeadow
5Proto-GermanicangijōA low lying meadow in a valley or near a river
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂énkoscurve, bend
7Proto-Indo-European-osCreates action nouns or result nouns from verbs;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḱer-