The Challenge
A large media publisher in the UK needed to localize approximately 22,000 crossword clues and answers into French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Crossword clues often rely on wordplay, cultural references, double meanings, abbreviations, and market-specific knowledge, so each translated clue and answer needed to preserve the intended meaning and gameplay experience rather than simply reproduce the source words.
The existing translation provider was completing 300–400 clue-and-answer pairs per week. At that pace, the project risked falling six to eight months behind schedule. Production needed to increase without compromising quality. At the same time, the client wanted to avoid AI-generated translations because of concerns that automated systems would translate the content too literally and fail to capture the creative, cultural, and semantic relationship between each clue and its answer.
The Solution
TransPerfect Games began by completing a localization sample that demonstrated the required level of quality and showed that the project could be delivered at a significantly faster pace. The localization team then sourced linguists for each of the four target markets. Selection focused on language proficiency, cultural knowledge, creative problem-solving, and the ability to understand how crossword clues function within the local gaming experience.
Rather than translating each entry word for word, the linguists evaluated the relationship between the clue and answer and recreated that relationship appropriately for the target language. This human-led approach helped preserve meaning, solvability, tone, and cultural relevance across the four languages.
The localization structure also enabled work to progress efficiently while maintaining consistent quality standards. With the right market specialists in place, TransPerfect Games increased weekly production to approximately 1,800–2,000 localized clue-and-answer pairs.
The Results
By combining scalable production with culturally informed human localization, TransPerfect Games helped bring the project back on schedule. The increased delivery rate kept the digital magazine on track to meet its customer deadline while avoiding a projected delay of six to eight months. At the same time, experienced, market-specific linguists ensured that increased speed never came at the expense of clue quality or the player experience.
Ready to Launch Your Next Game?
Complete the form to get started. Unlock a free PNG of your personalized character!
Not ready to start a project?
Let us know how else we can help!
