Short answers dominate here: 9 of 30 fit in one or two squares. 5 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; 2 want just the first letter of a single word; 1 clue is a fill-in, and 1 of it needs only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Trial lawyer”.
Here is the shortcut for Puzzle 1243: read the first letters of the top-row answers and you get the answer to the picture clue in the left column. Read the first letters down the left edge and you get the answer to “Trial lawyer”. 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.
TRIAL LAWYER
1Trial lawyer
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
L _ _ I _ _ T _ _. Check the sixth letter against “Fight scenes”.
LITIGATOR
NOT ODD
2Not odd
Top row 2/7 · 4 letters · down
Fits E _ _ _. Solving “Text editor” first gives you its third letter.
EVEN
CHOOSE YOURSELF
3Choose yourself
Top row 3/7 · 2 letters · down
Abbreviate “Choose yourself” to its initials.
CY
_RAY
4_RAY
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
Rebuild the word in “_RAY” and enter only the missing part, starting with T.
T
f--- cheese
5Picture clue
Top row 5/7 · 3 letters · down
Picture word minus “f cheese” gives the answer. First letter: E.
ETA
6Picture clue
Top row 6/7 · 6 letters · down
One word for the picture, starting with R. Check the fourth letter against “Big deal”.
RIBBON
REQUIR-ING HELP
7Requir-ing help
Top row 7/7 · 5 letters · down
Shape: N _ _ D _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Big deal”.
NEEDY
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
8Picture clue
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
What is shown in the image? Shape: L _ _ T _ _ N. Its fifth letter is shared with the picture clue in the top row.
LECTERN
9Wall clinger
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
Both the picture and the text “WALL CLINGER” point to the same word. It begins with I.
IVY
TEXT EDITOR
10Text editor
Left column 3/9 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
TE
w-
11Picture clue
Left column 4/9 · 4 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “w-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with I.
INDY
GAS
12Gas
Left column 5/9 · 1 letter · across
Only one square: take the initial of Gas.
G
FIGHT SCENES
13Fight scenes
Left column 6/9 · 6 letters · across
Shape: A _ _ I _ _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Writer's credit”.
ACTION
ITSY-BITSY
14Itsy-bitsy
Left column 7/9 · 5 letters · across
Fits T _ _ N _. The fourth square is also part of “Writer's credit”.
TEENY
ONCE DAILY
15Once daily
Left column 8/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Once daily”.
OD
SPORTS OFFICIAL, FOR SHORT
16Sports official, for short
Left column 9/9 · 3 letters · across
Begins with R. “After e” crosses it at the third square.
REF
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
CONNECT
17Connect
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Shape: T _ _. Check the third letter against “Requir-ing help”.
TIE
WRITER'S CREDIT
18Writer's credit
Row 3, col 5 · 6 letters · down
Shape: B _ _ I _ _. Check the fourth letter against “Fight scenes”.
BYLINE
DEARIE
19Dearie
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · across
B _ _ _. Check the third letter against the picture clue in the top row.
BABE
CALENDAR DAY
20Calendar day
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Starts with D; pattern D _ _ _. Solving “Fight scenes” first gives you its third letter.
DATE
BIG DEAL
21Big deal
Row 5, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Big deal” to its initials.
BD
FAITHFUL
22Faithful
Row 5, col 6 · 5 letters · down
Fits L _ _ A _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Simple”.
LOYAL
FUSIBLE METAL
23Fusible metal
Row 6, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Shape: A _ _ O _. The fourth square is also part of the picture clue in the top row.
ALLOY
HAND OVER
24Hand over
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · down
Shape: C _ _ _. Solving “Once daily” first gives you its third letter.
CEDE
YES VOTE
25Yes vote
Row 7, col 8 · 3 letters · down
Fits A _ _. Solving “This puzzle is really, really hard," e.g.” first gives you its third letter.
AYE
ASSORT
26Assort
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Just the opening letter of Assort.
A
LATIN FOR 'YES'
27Latin for 'yes'
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
S _. The second square is also part of “This puzzle is really, really hard," e.g.”.
SI
SIMPLE
28Simple
Row 9, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Begins with E. Check the third letter against “Latin for 'yes'”.
EASY
AFTER E
29After e
Row 9, col 4 · 1 letter · down
Step one letter forward from E in the alphabet.
F
"THIS PUZZLE IS REALLY, REALLY HARD," E.G.
30"this puzzle is really, really hard," e.g.
Row 10, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fits L _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Yes vote”.
LIE
Crossword Challenge Level 1243 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.