Expect plenty of tiny answers, 9 of them only one or two letters. 3 clues are pictures, and 3 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 2 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 2 want just the first letter of a single word; 4 clues are fill-ins, and 2 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Leaving”.
Here is the shortcut for Puzzle 1278: read the first letters of the top-row answers and you get the answer to “Fine points”. Read the first letters down the left edge and you get the answer to “Leaving”. One of those two words unlocks the first letter of 15 others.
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.
LEAVING
1Leaving
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
D _ _ A _ _ U _ _. Solving “___ SQUARE” first gives you its sixth letter.
DEPARTURE
SPACE-WALK ACRONYM
2Space-walk acronym
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Shape: E _ _. The third square is also part of “Entry ticket”.
EVA
EXAM TAKEN
3Exam taken
Top row 3/7 · 4 letters · down
Begins with T. Solving “Entry ticket” first gives you its third letter.
TEST
_RGUMENT
4_RGUMENT
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
Rebuild the word in “_RGUMENT” and enter only the missing part, starting with A.
A
h--iscus
5Picture clue
Top row 5/7 · 2 letters · down
Say what the picture shows. “h--iscus” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with I.
IB
NOT TELLING TRUTH
6Not telling truth
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
L _ _ N _. “Use your brain” crosses it at the fourth square.
LYING
PLAY HIDE-AND-_
7PLAY HIDE-AND-_
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Say “PLAY HIDE-AND-_” out loud and the blank fills itself: S _ _ _.
SEEK
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
FINE POINTS
8Fine points
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Shape: D _ _ A _ _ S. The fifth square is also part of the picture clue in the top row.
DETAILS
el---n
9Picture clue
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
Picture word minus “eln” gives the answer. First letter: E.
EVE
ENTRY TICKET
10Entry ticket
Left column 3/9 · 4 letters · across
P _ _ _. Solving “Exam taken” first gives you its third letter.
PASS
BEFORE B
11Before b
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
Step one letter back from B in the alphabet.
A
sca-
12Picture clue
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “sca-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with R.
RF
___ SQUARE
13___ SQUARE
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Say “___ SQUARE” out loud and the blank fills itself: T _ _ E _.
TIMES
SINGLE ENTITY
14Single entity
Left column 7/9 · 4 letters · across
Starts with U; pattern U _ _ _. Solving “Coal site” first gives you its third letter.
UNIT
JOGGED
15Jogged
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Begins with R. Solving “Coal site” first gives you its third letter.
RAN
PERIODIC TABLE ENTRY
16Periodic table entry
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
Starts with E; pattern E _ _ M _ _ T. “Xenon symbol” crosses it at the fifth square.
ELEMENT
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
"SEE YOU LATER!"
17"see you later!"
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fits B _ _. Solving “PLAY HIDE-AND-_” first gives you its third letter.
BYE
MATTRESS COVER
18Mattress cover
Row 3, col 5 · 5 letters · down
Fits S _ _ E _. Solving “___ SQUARE” first gives you its fourth letter.
SHEET
INTERNAL EMPLOYEE
19Internal employee
Row 4, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Internal employee”.
IE
AGA___T
20AGA___T
Row 4, col 6 · 3 letters · down
Fill the gap in “AGA___T”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with I.
INS
USE YOUR BRAIN
21Use your brain
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Shape: T _ _ N _. Check the fourth letter against “Not telling truth”.
THINK
BIG TEST
22Big test
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
F _ _ A _. The fourth square is also part of “Jogged”.
FINAL
ENGLAND, BRIEFLY
23England, briefly
Row 6, col 4 · 3 letters · across
E _ _. “Not telling truth” crosses it at the third square.
ENG
COAL SITE
24Coal site
Row 6, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Fits M _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Jogged”.
MINE
IT MIGHT CONTAIN AN EMOJI
25It might contain an emoji
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Starts with T; pattern T _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Roman 19”.
TEXT
TOLL
26Toll
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Just the opening letter of Toll.
T
COUSINS, E.G.
27Cousins, e.g.
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
Starts with K; pattern K _ _. “Periodic table entry” crosses it at the third square.
KIN
KINETIC ENERGY
28Kinetic energy
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
KE
XENON SYMBOL
29Xenon symbol
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · down
Fits X _. “Periodic table entry” crosses it at the second square.
XE
ROMAN 19
30Roman 19
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Starts with X; pattern X _ _. Check the third letter against “It might contain an emoji”.
XIX
MERCURY
31Mercury
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Write the first letter of Mercury, nothing more.
M
Crossword Challenge Level 1278 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.