Crossword Maxi
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Puzzle Theme: Hollywood behind the scenes
This Crossword Maxi puzzle was curated by Chris.
Across
- 1. Set location for storing props or tools
- 6. Place for discarding unused film reels
- 7. Camera part for focusing the best shot
- 8. How cinema legends are often remembered
- 10. Quickly devour craft services' treats
- 12. Particle charged with electricity, like a star's energy
- 15. Release of emotions from the actors on set
- 16. Make final changes to a script or film
- 17. Cary, famous actor of classic Hollywood
- 19. Belonging to the director, as in "___ called it"
- 20. Protagonist saving the day on screen
- 21. Luxurious fabric for glamorous gowns
- 24. Competition between actors for a role
- 27. Eva, Argentine actress with a political legacy
- 28. What dreams do in a star's ascent to fame
- 29. Prima donna on set, demanding attention
- 31. What a director's self-esteem might inflate
- 32. Abundant takes or scripts piled up on set
- 34. Sparkling costumes for a dazzling performance
- 35. Group of actors or crew traveling together
- 36. Frenzied, like a director on opening night
- 37. Organize scenes or shots into categories
Down
- 2. Sound effect for a snake or villain's entrance
- 3. Visionary's goal for a blockbuster story
- 4. Substance needed for camera lens lubrication
- 5. Describes a budget larger than a blockbuster's
- 6. Tire that matches an actor's receding hairline
- 7. Vivien, star of "Gone with the Wind"
- 9. Cut unnecessary scenes to refine the film
- 11. Web of connections in the entertainment biz
- 13. Mineral sought after in period drama plots
- 14. How an audiobook or film script is delivered
- 16. What actors need before their big scene
- 18. Dark film genre, often with crime and mystery
- 22. Journal kept by directors for scene continuity
- 23. What actors do on wood to test sound levels
- 25. Improvise lines when the script is forgotten
- 26. King of the jungle, or a movie studio mascot
- 27. Actor's home away from home on set
- 30. Decorative containers on a film set
- 33. Exchange heated dialogue in a tense scene
- 34. Mood when a film flops at the box office
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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