Your first round
- Select a puzzle and difficulty. On Easy, inspect the four underlined letters before choosing a clue.
- Choose an Across or Down clue. The active row or column is highlighted, and its clue appears above the board.
- Type the answer. The cursor advances along that answer and skips locked letters. You can also paste letters into the editable part of the active answer.
- Check a crossing clue before committing to an uncertain word. Use a reveal only when you want the selected letter supplied.
- Complete all sixteen squares to record your time, then choose Next puzzle.
Worked example
Use both clues at a crossing
Suppose an Across clue is 'A waterbird with a long neck'. SWAN is a candidate. If the crossing Down clue is 'A direction opposite east', its answer WEST supplies a W at one crossing. Keep the candidate only when the shared position agrees; the clue and the letter position must both fit.
Build your strategy
- Match the clue's tense and number: a past-tense clue suggests a past-tense answer, and a plural clue usually needs a plural answer.
- Work from familiar answers toward uncertain ones. A pair of crossing letters can eliminate several plausible four-letter words.
- Use the arrow keys for nearby squares and clue buttons to jump directly to an answer.
- Check reviews only filled letters on Easy and Medium. Hard waits until the whole grid is filled.
Common mistakes
- Typing down a column while Across is selected.
- Treating a plausible synonym as correct without checking its crossings.
- Trying to edit an underlined given or revealed letter.
- Restarting when you mean to continue: Restart clears your current letters, hints and timer.
Try this next
Complete one puzzle on Easy, then choose a different puzzle on Medium. Try to explain how at least one crossing letter helped you solve a clue before using Check.
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