The Independent's Concise Crossword

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The Independent's daily quick crossword, 13 by 13, with plain clues.

Play The Independent's Concise Crossword

on puzzles.independent.co.uk

The Independent Concise Crossword title with a filled crossword grid

The Independent's Concise Crossword is the paper's daily non-cryptic puzzle, playable free online. Each grid is 13 by 13 with straight definition clues, and a timer and top 10 leaderboard let you compare your solve with other players.

About The Independent's Concise Crossword

The Concise is The Independent's everyday crossword for people who want a quick puzzle without cryptic wordplay. The clues are short definitions, so the challenge is in vocabulary and crossing letters rather than decoding.

On the paper's puzzles site the crossword plays in the browser. Every grid is 13 by 13, and a timer runs while you solve. Finish quickly and you may appear on the top 10 leaderboard for the day. If you get stuck you can reveal a single answer or the whole puzzle, and each grid can be printed for pen and paper.

Earlier crosswords stay in an archive, so a missed day can be caught up. The same site carries The Independent's Cryptic Crossword for players who want wordplay.

It suits solvers who like a British style grid, with its blocks of black squares and unchecked letters, but prefer plain clues.

How to play The Independent's Concise Crossword

Open the Concise Crossword on The Independent's puzzles site.
Click a square or a clue to choose an answer.
Type your answer; the cursor moves along the word.
Use crossing letters to work out harder clues.
Reveal a word if you are stuck, or finish the grid to see your time.

Screenshots

Concise Crossword grid with the answers KITSCH and ULTRAMARINE

Tips

Fill in plurals and common endings such as -ED and -ING early; they give crossing letters.
Work around the corners of the grid, where answers cross most.
Avoid reveals if you want a place on the leaderboard.
Print the grid if you prefer to solve on paper.