Cross Figures · Clue guide
How the clues work
Each clue gives one answer, one digit per square. A clue that names another answer (such as 14 Down) needs that answer first, so start with the clues that stand on their own. A calculator is allowed throughout. Each type is labelled with the first level it appears at. Once a type appears, it can turn up at every harder level too.
Show the clues you'll meet at:
Plain sums
| Type of clue | What it means | Example | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add or subtract | Work out the sum. | 347 + 586933 | Beginner |
| Multiply | Multiply the two numbers together. | 37 × 38314171 | Beginner |
| Squared or cubed | Multiplied by itself (squared) or by itself twice (cubed, from Intermediate). | 24 squared24 × 24 = 576 | Beginner |
| Square or cube root | The number that, squared (or cubed, at Advanced), gives this one. | Square root of 57624 × 24 = 576, so 24 | Beginner |
None of these at this level.
Using other answers
Solve the answers a clue names first, then use them.
| Type of clue | What it means | Example | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add or subtract a number | Change another answer by a fixed amount. | Add 37 to 14 Across14 Across = 120: 120 + 37 = 157 | Beginner |
| Double, treble, multiply | Multiply another answer by a small number. | Treble 6 Down6 Down = 215: 215 × 3 = 645 | Beginner |
| Half, third or quarter | Divide another answer equally. | One-quarter of 9 Across9 Across = 848: 848 ÷ 4 = 212 | Beginner |
| Two-thirds and similar | Divide, then multiply by the top number. | Two-thirds of 9 Across9 Across = 459: 459 ÷ 3 × 2 = 306 | Advanced |
| Two answers together | Add, subtract, multiply or divide two answers. | Subtract 5 Down from 1 Across5 Down = 213, 1 Across = 845: 845 – 213 = 632 | Intermediate |
| Total of three | Add three answers together. | Total of 1 Across, 5 Down and 9 Across1 Across = 120, 5 Down = 35, 9 Across = 64: 219 | Intermediate |
| Average | Add, then divide by how many (three answers at Advanced). | Average of 2 Down and 7 Across2 Down = 120, 7 Across = 64: (120 + 64) ÷ 2 = 92 | Intermediate |
| Square of an answer | Multiply another answer by itself (the cube of an answer at Advanced). | Square of 12 Down12 Down = 31: 31 × 31 = 961 | Intermediate |
| Square plus an answer | Square the first answer, then add the second. | Square of 12 Down, plus 3 Across12 Down = 31, 3 Across = 12: 31 × 31 + 12 = 973 | Advanced |
| Remainder | What is left over after dividing as many whole times as possible. | Remainder when 1 Down is divided by 371 Down = 400: 400 = 10 × 37 + 30, so 30 | Advanced |
None of these at this level.
Two steps
Do the steps in the order the clue gives them.
| Type of clue | What it means | Example | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiply, then add | Multiply first, then add. | Multiply 9 Across by 4, then add 259 Across = 120: 120 × 4 = 480, then 480 + 25 = 505 | Intermediate |
| Add, then multiply | Add the two answers first, then multiply. | Add 9 Across to 14 Down, then multiply by 39 Across = 120, 14 Down = 35: 155 × 3 = 465 | Intermediate |
| Subtract, then halve | Find the difference, then halve it. | Subtract 5 Down from 1 Across, then halve the result5 Down = 213, 1 Across = 845: 632 ÷ 2 = 316 | Advanced |
None of these at this level.
Next in the sequence
Find the rule that links the numbers, then use it to find the next one.
| Type of clue | What it means | Example | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equal gaps | The same amount is added (or taken away) each time. | Next in the sequence: 12, 19, 26, 33+7 each time: 33 + 7 = 40 | Beginner |
| Doubling or halving | Each number is double (or half) the one before. | Next in the sequence: 6, 12, 24, 48× 2 each time: 48 × 2 = 96 | Beginner |
| Growing gaps | The gaps grow by the same amount each time. | Next in the sequence: 10, 13, 18, 25, 34gaps 3, 5, 7, 9, then 11: 34 + 11 = 45 | Intermediate |
| Alternating gaps | Two different steps take turns. | Next in the sequence: 50, 62, 57, 69, 64+12, –5, +12, –5, then +12: 64 + 12 = 76 | Advanced |
| Total of the two before | Each number is the two before it added together. | Next in the sequence: 4, 7, 11, 18, 2918 + 29 = 47 | Advanced |
| Multiply, then add | Each number is the one before multiplied, then added to. | Next in the sequence: 3, 7, 15, 31× 2, then + 1 each time: 31 × 2 + 1 = 63 | Advanced |
None of these at this level.
Working with digits
These clues use the digits of a number. 4725 has the digits 4, 7, 2 and 5.
| Type of clue | What it means | Example | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digit total | Add up the digits. | Digit total of 6 Down6 Down = 4725: 4 + 7 + 2 + 5 = 18 | Beginner |
| Two digit totals | Add the digit totals of both answers. | Digit total of 6 Down, plus digit total of 9 Across6 Down = 4725, 9 Across = 31: 18 + 4 = 22 | Intermediate |
| Digit total, multiplied | Find the digit total, then multiply it by the other answer. | Digit total of 6 Down, multiplied by 9 Across6 Down = 4725, 9 Across = 31: 18 × 31 = 558 | Advanced |
| Product of the digits | Multiply the digits together. | Product of the digits of 6 Down6 Down = 4725: 4 × 7 × 2 × 5 = 280 | Intermediate |
| Product, minus digit total | Multiply the digits, then take away their total. | Product of the digits of 6 Down, minus its digit total6 Down = 4725: 280 – 18 = 262 | Advanced |
| Reversed | Write the digits in the opposite order. | 6 Down reversed6 Down = 4725: 5274 | Beginner |
| Reversed, minus itself | Reverse the number, then take away the original. | 6 Down reversed, minus 6 Down6 Down = 4725: 5274 – 4725 = 549 | Advanced |
| Average with its reverse | Add the number to its reverse, then halve. | Average of 9 Across and its reverse9 Across = 583: (583 + 385) ÷ 2 = 484 | Advanced |
| Digits in order | Rearrange the digits from smallest to largest (or largest to smallest). | Digits of 6 Down in ascending order6 Down = 4725: 2457 | Intermediate |
| First or last digits | Take the first (or last) two or three digits, as a number. | First two digits of 6 Down6 Down = 4725: 47 | Beginner |
| Centre three digits | The middle three digits of a five-digit number. | Centre three digits of 16 Across16 Across = 47251: 725 | Intermediate |
| Joining two answers | The first two digits of one answer, then the last two of another. | First two digits of 6 Down, followed by the last two digits of 3 Down6 Down = 4725, 3 Down = 1863: 4763 | Advanced |
| First two digits squared | Take the first two digits as a number, and square it. | Square the first two digits of 6 Down6 Down = 4725: 47 × 47 = 2209 | Intermediate |
| Squares of both halves | Square the first two digits and the last two digits, then add. | Square of the first two digits of 14 Down, plus the square of its last two digits14 Down = 1234: 12 × 12 + 34 × 34 = 1300 | Advanced |
None of these at this level.
Theme clues
Everyday facts from the puzzle's theme. Some add an extra step.
| Type of clue | What it means | Example | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theme fact | Work it out from what you know about the theme. | Hours in a week7 × 24 = 168 | Beginner |
| Theme fact plus a step | Work out the fact, then do the step. | Hours in a week, multiplied by 3168 × 3 = 504 | Intermediate |
None of these at this level.
Number-fact clues
These describe the number instead of giving a sum. Fill in the answers that cross it first: only one number will then fit.
| Type of clue | What it means | Example | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palindrome | Reads the same forwards and backwards. | Palindromee.g. 5225 | Beginner |
| Consecutive digits, in order | Digits that follow on, counting up. | Consecutive digits in numerical ordere.g. 3456 | Beginner |
| Consecutive digits, mixed | The same kind of digits, mixed up. | Consecutive digits, not in numerical ordere.g. 5364 (3, 4, 5, 6 mixed up) | Intermediate |
| Digits in descending order | Each digit is smaller than the one before. | Digits in descending ordere.g. 9742 | Beginner |
| Descending, each one less | Counting down one at a time. | Digits in descending order, each one less than the laste.g. 8765 | Intermediate |
| A square or cube number | A whole number squared (or cubed, at Advanced). | A square numbere.g. 729 (27 × 27) | Intermediate |
| All different odd digits | Only 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9, none used twice. | All different odd digitse.g. 37519 | Intermediate |
| Same digit total | Its digits add up to the same as another answer's. | Digit total equals that of 12 Down12 Down = 345: e.g. 714 (both digit totals are 12) | Intermediate |
| First two make the last two | The first two digits multiplied give the last two. | Last two digits equal the product of the first twoe.g. 7214 (7 × 2 = 14) | Advanced |
None of these at this level.
UK facts used in the puzzles
Cross Figures is a UK edition. Theme clues assume a few everyday British facts, listed here for solvers elsewhere. Money is always decimal, and all measurements are metric.
Money
- 100 pence (p) make £1.
- Coins: 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p, 50p, £1 and £2.
- Notes: £5, £10, £20 and £50.
- The standard rate of VAT is 20%.
Measurement
- 1 kilometre = 1000 metres; 1 metre = 100 centimetres = 1000 millimetres.
- 1 kilogram = 1000 grams.
- 1 litre = 1000 millilitres.
Time and calendar
- Times use the 24-hour clock where it matters (for example, 18:30).
- 365 days in a year, 366 in a leap year (29 February).
- Dates are written day first: 5/11 is 5 November.
Games
- A standard pack has 52 cards: 4 suits of 13.
- A chessboard has 64 squares; each player starts with 16 pieces.
- Opposite faces of a die add up to 7.
- Darts: a game usually starts from 501; the top score with three darts is 180 (three treble 20s); the bullseye scores 50 and the outer bull 25.
Sport
- Football: 11 players a side; a match lasts 90 minutes.
- Rugby union: 15 players a side; rugby league: 13.
- Cricket: 11 players a side; an over is 6 balls.
- Snooker: the maximum break is 147.
- Golf: a full round is 18 holes.
Enjoy getting lost in the numbers.