Crossword Maxi
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Puzzle Theme: Escape room disasters
This Crossword Maxi puzzle was curated by Chris.
Across
- 1. Color of the room after a failed escape
- 5. One who ensures the room's puzzles are intact
- 9. Skating move that might unlock a lock
- 10. Partner to Leopold in crime-solving
- 12. Push away an incorrect escape route
- 13. Move swiftly to solve the last puzzle
- 14. Vehicles that escapees may use post-room
- 15. Accessory often worn with a suit
- 16. Question asked when the door won't open
- 18. Collection of puzzles prepared for participants
- 19. A slightly different escape room challenge
- 20. Convertible's opposite, harder to escape
- 23. Exclamation when finding a hidden key
- 25. What you must do to identify the next clue
- 26. What the room's host may do if you talk too much
- 27. Room size that overwhelms with clues
- 29. Lure participants into a seemingly easy puzzle
- 30. Promises you’ll escape, but only if successful
- 33. Instrument that might be a clue in the room
- 34. Breakfast items concealing hidden codes
- 35. Precipitation that might be simulated in a room
- 36. What you break to escape, or a water mammal
Down
- 2. Quick beat to solve by rhythm
- 3. Tool needed if puzzles require breaking out
- 4. Those convinced they’ll escape, but might falter
- 5. Peaceful leader who’d solve rooms calmly
- 6. Charity could be a theme for a giving puzzle
- 7. Sturdy build required to push through tough puzzles
- 8. Investigate thoroughly to find hidden clues
- 11. Top performance in solving the room
- 12. Compete against time to make your escape
- 16. What you do to record clues on paper
- 17. Noisy pets that disrupt your concentration
- 20. Temporary lodging, or a themed puzzle location
- 21. Overcome a challenging puzzle to move forward
- 22. Important objects that might unlock sound-based puzzles
- 23. Beyond the initial set of challenges
- 24. Apparel brand that might sponsor a themed room
- 28. Ocean's rise and fall might unlock a clue
- 31. Era of puzzles, perhaps Victorian-themed
- 32. Airport security that could be an escape room setting
About Crossword Maxi
A 13x13 crossword with 30+ clues. The full-sized daily puzzle for people who actually like crosswords -- longer answers, trickier cluing, and a timer to keep things honest.
The Maxi is the big one. A 13x13 grid packed with over 30 clues, including nine-letter answers that stretch across the board and short fills that link everything together. Clues range from straight definitions to genuine misdirection. If you finish the Mini and Midi and still want more, this is where you end up. New puzzle every day on DailyPlay, same grid for everyone.
Crossword Maxi on DailyPlay is completely free to play with no ads, no pop-ups, and no interruptions.
How to Play
Goal
Fill every white cell in the 13x13 grid so that each across and down answer matches its clue. The puzzle is complete when every word is correct.
Rules
- Tap or click a cell to select it, then type your letter. The cursor advances automatically.
- Tap a selected cell again (or press the arrow keys) to toggle between across and down.
- Black cells separate the words and cannot be filled.
- Clue numbers appear in the top-left corner of the starting cell for each answer.
- Answers range from three letters to nine or more. Every letter is shared between an across and a down word.
Strategy
- Scan for gimmes. Every grid has a handful of clues you can answer cold. Fill those first -- the crossing letters open up everything around them.
- Anchor on the long answers. Nine-letter words span most of the grid. Cracking one gives you a wall of crossing letters and can unlock an entire section.
- Work in clusters. Focus on one corner or section at a time rather than jumping all over the grid. Tight areas with a lot of short intersecting words often solve themselves once you get two or three in place.
- Re-read stubborn clues. Come back to a clue after filling in some crossing letters. Seeing _A_E instead of five blanks changes how you read the clue entirely.
Tips
- Short fills are underrated. Three-letter answers are usually common words (ERA, ORE, ATE). Fill them in fast and use those letters to attack the longer answers nearby.
- Think about word endings. English crossword answers often end in -ED, -ER, -ING, or -LY. If a clue points to a past tense or a comparison, try penciling the ending in first.
- Use hints strategically. If you're stuck, a single revealed letter in a long answer is more valuable than one in a three-letter word. Spend hints where they unlock the most crossings.
- Check the clock, but don't panic. The Maxi is meant to take a while. Steady solving beats frantic guessing. Your time improves naturally as you get used to the clue style.
How It Works
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A new puzzle every day at midnight
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Everyone plays the same puzzle each day
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