How to solve a crossword
A crossword is a word puzzle on a grid of white and black squares. Every clue has a number and, in brackets, the length of the answer. Write each answer into the white squares, Across or Down, from the numbered square. Where two words cross they share a letter, so every answer helps with the words crossing it.
The rules of a crossword
- Read a clue from the Across or Down list. Its number tells you which square the answer starts in.
- The number in brackets is the length of the answer in letters, so (5) means a five-letter word.
- Write the answer into the white squares: Across from left to right, Down from top to bottom.
- Where an Across word and a Down word cross, they share one letter, so both answers must agree on it.
- Black squares separate the words and stay empty.
- The puzzle is finished when every white square holds a letter.
A clue is a definition, so look for a word that means the same thing and has exactly the right number of letters.
How to solve a crossword: practical tips
A crossword is solved with general knowledge and with the crossings, not with a fixed method. These three habits help most.
Start with the clues you know
Skim the list first and fill in what you are sure of: short answers, plain facts, words you have seen a hundred times. Every sure answer puts letters on the grid that help the clues beside it. In Vellara, tap a clue in the list to jump straight to its squares.
Let the crossings and the length do the work
A letter count of five plus two letters you already have rules out a great deal. Test a guess against every crossing before you trust it. If a crossing does not fit, the word you wrote is more likely wrong than the clue. At the two lowest levels in Vellara every letter sits in two words, so every answer has help from a crossing.
Check and hint when you are stuck
Leave a hard clue and come back later: it often looks easier with more letters around it. When you are properly stuck, use the Check button, which crosses out the letters that are wrong. The hint button reveals one letter.
Playing Crossword in Vellara
The crossword in Vellara feels like the one in a puzzle booklet. Tap a clue to jump to its squares. Check crosses out whatever is wrong, a bit like turning to the answers at the back. There are five levels, from a small 9×9 grid up to 13×21.
- The clues sit below the grid, each with its letter count in brackets.
- The help screen explains every button: smaller, larger, fit to screen, type, check, hint (reveal a letter) and clear.
- A counter shows how many squares you have filled in. A clock runs along, but there is no time pressure: take as long as you like.
- The first two levels have every letter in two words. Higher up there are fewer crossings, and at five stars a twenty-letter word runs through the middle.
Questions about crosswords
How do you start a crossword?
Start with the clues you are sure about, usually short ones or plain facts. Their letters then help the words that cross them.
What does the number in brackets mean?
It is the number of letters in the answer. (5) means a five-letter word.
Which level should I start with in Vellara?
Start with A gentle start, a 9×9 grid where every letter sits in two words. The grids grow and give you fewer crossings as you climb the five levels.
What can I do when I am stuck on a crossword in Vellara?
Use Check to cross out wrong letters, or the hint button to reveal one letter. You can also tap another clue and come back later.
Is Crossword in Vellara free?
Yes. Vellara is free to download, needs no account and works offline.
Play Crossword free in Vellara
Vellara is calm, free and works offline. It sends no notifications and puts no time pressure on you.
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