8 of the 28 answers are one or two letters long. 4 clues are pictures, and 2 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 4 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 1 wants just the first letter of a single word; 3 clues are fill-ins, and 1 of them needs only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Flexible”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to “Saying sorry”, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “Flexible”. Solve one of those two and every edge clue starts with a known letter.
Hints and answers, clue by clue
AClues look the way they do in the game. Tap Hint for a nudge or Answer to see the letters. The fully solved grid is below the hints.
Top row
These sit along the top edge and every answer runs down.
FLEXIBLE
1Flexible
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Shape: A _ _ P _ _ B _ _. Its sixth letter is shared with “No longer”.
ADAPTABLE
CAR ENGINE PART
2Car engine part
Top row 2/7 · 6 letters · down
Shape: P _ _ T _ _. Check the fourth letter against the picture clue in the left column.
PISTON
OFFICE RESEARCH SERVICES
3Office research services
Top row 3/7 · 3 letters · down
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Office research services”.
ORS
DREGS
4Dregs
Top row 4/7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: L _ _ _. “Claims strongly” crosses it at the third square.
LEES
5Picture clue
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
One word for the picture, starting with O.
O
MEETING
6Meeting
Top row 6/7 · 9 letters · down
Begins with G. Its sixth letter is shared with “No longer”.
GATHERING
"___ QUEEN!"
7"___ QUEEN!"
Top row 7/7 · 3 letters · down
The missing word in “___ QUEEN!” starts with Y.
YAS
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
SAYING SORRY
8Saying sorry
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Starts with A; pattern A _ _ L _ _ Y. The picture clue in the top row crosses it at the fifth square.
APOLOGY
AWFUL
9Awful
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
Shape: D _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Office research services”.
DIRE
CLAIMS STRONGLY
10Claims strongly
Left column 3/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits A _ _ E _ _ S. The fifth square is also part of “Cyborg helper”.
ASSERTS
ca--ain
11Picture clue
Left column 4/9 · 2 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “ca--ain” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with P.
PT
KIDDIE
12Kiddie
Left column 5/9 · 3 letters · across
T _ _. Check the third letter against “Kind or sort”.
TOT
NO LONGER
13No longer
Left column 6/9 · 7 letters · across
Begins with A. The fifth square is also part of “Cyborg helper”.
ANYMORE
14Picture clue
Left column 7/9 · 1 letter · across
What is shown in the image? Shape: B.
B
NOT TRUTHS
15Not truths
Left column 8/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with L. Solving “Kind or sort” first gives you its third letter.
LIES
-onomy
16Picture clue
Left column 9/9 · 2 letters · across
The image carries “-onomy”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with E.
EC
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
DOUBLE A
17Double a
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Fits A _. Solving “___ QUEEN!” first gives you its second letter.
AA
CYBORG HELPER
18Cyborg helper
Row 3, col 6 · 5 letters · down
Shape: R _ _ O _. Solving “No longer” first gives you its fourth letter.
ROBOT
STATE OF HEALTH
19State of health
Row 5, col 4 · 3 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “State of health”.
SOH
KIND OR SORT
20Kind or sort
Row 5, col 4 · 4 letters · down
T _ _ _. The third square is also part of “LE ___ PRINCE”.
TYPE
STIFF HAIRS
21Stiff hairs
Row 5, col 8 · 5 letters · down
Shape: S _ _ A _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Not available”.
SETAE
___IDE
22___IDE
Row 6, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “___IDE” and enter only the missing part, starting with B.
BES
CHAOTIC STATE
23Chaotic state
Row 6, col 5 · 4 letters · down
Shape: M _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Not truths”.
MESS
"LE ___ PRINCE"
24"LE ___ PRINCE"
Row 8, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Complete the phrase “LE ___ PRINCE”. Shape: P _ _ I _.
PETIT
IN CHARGE
25In charge
Row 8, col 3 · 2 letters · down
Initials: the first letter of each word in “In charge”.
IC
NOT AVAILABLE
26Not available
Row 9, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Not available”.
NA
ANTONYM
27Antonym
Row 9, col 6 · 1 letter · down
Antonym starts with the answer.
A
WISE ONE
28Wise one
Row 10, col 4 · 4 letters · across
S _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Meeting”.
SAGE
Crossword Challenge Level 444 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.