Short answers dominate here: 12 of 32 fit in one or two squares. 4 clues are pictures, and 2 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; 1 wants just the first letter of a single word; 6 clues are fill-ins, and 5 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Coatroom”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to “Eat up”, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “Coatroom”. 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.
COATROOM
1Coatroom
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Shape: C _ _ A _ _ O _ _. The sixth square is also part of “CHAI_”.
CLOAKROOM
BIT
2Bit
Top row 2/7 · 5 letters · down
Shape: O _ _ C _. “Pain sensation” crosses it at the fourth square.
OUNCE
NEGATIVE GRADE
3Negative grade
Top row 3/7 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
NG
AFTER R
4After r
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
Step one letter forward from R in the alphabet.
S
"WHAT'S THE ___ IN TRYING?"
5"WHAT'S THE ___ IN TRYING?"
Top row 5/7 · 3 letters · down
Complete the phrase “WHAT'S THE ___ IN TRYING?”. Shape: U _ _.
USE
6Picture clue
Top row 6/7 · 6 letters · down
What is shown in the image? Shape: M _ _ F _ _. Solving “Iron symbol” first gives you its fourth letter.
MUFFIN
INPUT KEY
7Input key
Top row 7/7 · 5 letters · down
E _ _ E _. “Iron symbol” crosses it at the fourth square.
ENTER
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
EAT UP
8Eat up
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Begins with C. Check the fifth letter against “WHAT'S THE ___ IN TRYING?”.
CONSUME
PULL WITH EFFORT
9Pull with effort
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
Fits L _ _. “Negative grade” crosses it at the third square.
LUG
OPPOSITE OF OFF
10Opposite of off
Left column 3/9 · 2 letters · across
Fits O _. The second square is also part of “Bit”.
ON
PAIN SENSATION
11Pain sensation
Left column 4/9 · 4 letters · across
A _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “_EART”.
ACHE
li-
12Picture clue
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
The image carries “li-”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with K.
KE
CHAI_
13CHAI_
Left column 6/9 · 1 letter · across
Only the hidden letters of “CHAI_” go in the grid. First one: R.
R
COME ABOUT
14Come about
Left column 7/9 · 5 letters · across
O _ _ U _. Solving “Balloon gas” first gives you its fourth letter.
OCCUR
b--t
15Picture clue
Left column 8/9 · 2 letters · across
Picture word minus “bt” gives the answer. First letter: O.
OO
DAD'S PARTNER
16Dad's partner
Left column 9/9 · 3 letters · across
Begins with M. Check the third letter against “Memory”.
MOM
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
DAYLIGHT SOURCE
17Daylight source
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
S _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Input key”.
SUN
BALLOON GAS
18Balloon gas
Row 3, col 5 · 6 letters · down
Starts with H; pattern H _ _ I _ _. “Leo or libra” crosses it at the fourth square.
HELIUM
BULK
19Bulk
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Starts with H; pattern H _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with the picture clue in the top row.
HEFT
_EART
20_EART
Row 4, col 4 · 1 letter · down
Only the hidden letters of “_EART” go in the grid. First one: H.
H
IRON SYMBOL
21Iron symbol
Row 5, col 6 · 2 letters · across
F _. Check the second letter against “Input key”.
FE
CONSENT
22Consent
Row 5, col 6 · 5 letters · down
Starts with A; pattern A _ _ E _. Check the fourth letter against “Chaotic state”.
AGREE
DEN
23Den
Row 6, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Fits L _ _ _. Check the third letter against the picture clue in the top row.
LAIR
MU__LE
24MU__LE
Row 6, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Fill the gap in “MU__LE”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with S.
SC
LEO OR LIBRA
25Leo or libra
Row 7, col 3 · 4 letters · across
Begins with S. Check the third letter against “Consent”.
SIGN
___KIE
26___KIE
Row 7, col 3 · 3 letters · down
Fill the gap in “___KIE”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with C.
COO
QUIZ
27Quiz
Row 7, col 8 · 3 letters · down
A _ _. “Moose” crosses it at the third square.
ASK
_BIDE
28_BIDE
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Only the hidden letters of “_BIDE” go in the grid. First one: A.
A
SRI LANKA
29Sri lanka
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Sri lanka”.
SL
CHAOTIC STATE
30Chaotic state
Row 9, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Starts with M; pattern M _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Sri lanka”.
MESS
MEMORY
31Memory
Row 9, col 4 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Memory.
M
32Moose
Row 10, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Both the picture and the text “MOOSE” point to the same word. It begins with E.
ELK
Crossword Challenge Level 1261 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.