Quick Crossword (Metro)

About Quick Crossword (Metro)

Metro is the free daily newspaper handed out on trains and buses across the UK, and its puzzle pages have moved online at metro.co.uk/puzzles. The Quick Crossword is the straightforward one of its two crosswords: each clue is a plain definition with the length of the answer, so you need vocabulary and general knowledge rather than cryptic wordplay.

A day's puzzle is a 13 by 13 grid with the across clues on one side and the down clues on the other. Clues range from simple synonyms ("Roughly fortnightly", "Disrobes") to light general knowledge ("Beatles' drummer", "Country bordering Yemen"). You type into the grid, by keyboard or with the on-screen letters, and a timer runs as you go.

When you get stuck, Hint reveals help on the current answer and Check marks the letters you have entered against the solution. There is no sign-up needed to play, though the page carries adverts, and Metro offers a separate Puzzles+ subscription with extra weekend puzzles and prize competitions.

It suits commuters and anyone who wants a classic British quick crossword with a short coffee-break length. Players who want more of a challenge can move on to Metro's Cryptic Crossword on the same site.

How to play Quick Crossword (Metro)

1. Open the Quick Crossword on metro.co.uk and accept or adjust the cookie settings.
2. Pick a square or a clue in the Across or Down list; the matching cells light up in the grid.
3. Type the answer, using your keyboard or the on-screen letters; the number in brackets is how many letters it has.
4. Use the crossing letters from finished answers to work out harder clues.
5. Press Hint for help with an answer or Check to see which of your letters are wrong.
6. Fill every square to finish the grid; the timer shows how long it took.

Tips

• Start with the general knowledge clues, such as names and places, which give you crossing letters fast.
• A clue with two numbers, like (6,3), is a two-word answer.
• Use Check sparingly if you want an honest time; it is quicker to fix one wrong letter early than to untangle a corner later.

Questions