ChatGPT flubs a simple crossword, shaping outsiders' skepticism about AI
iruletheworldmo · x · 2026-10-20
A commuter overheard middle-aged women dismissing ChatGPT after one asked it to generate a small crossword and it failed. Testing it himself, he found every down clue was a copy of an across clue, with nonsense answers like CET, ASE and TTN — and the model even admitted its own puzzle wasn't a proper crossword.
His takeaway: most people's first touchpoint with AI is a public failure, while the genuinely impressive capabilities stay invisible outside tech — which is why giving AI away for free has led the public to underestimate it.
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