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Adult crossword puzzle (free printable)

A harder crossword for grown-ups: general knowledge clues with a little wordplay, and no letter counts or word bank to lean on.

Adult Crossword

11 × 16 grid · 7 across, 5 down

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Adult Crossword

NameDate

123456789101112

Across

  1. 2 Longing for the past
  2. 4 Fourteen-line poem
  3. 7 Maze from Greek myth
  4. 9 Highest point
  5. 10 Lasting a very short time
  6. 11 Picture made from small tiles
  7. 12 Idealistic to an impractical degree

Down

  1. 1 Costly spice from a crocus
  2. 3 Treeless, frozen plain
  3. 5 Riddle-asking creature of Thebes
  4. 6 Chain of islands
  5. 8 Woodwind that tunes the orchestra

Adult Crossword — Answer key

1S2NOS3TALGIAUF4SONNETFDR5SR6AOP7LABYRINTHCI8OHNB9ZENITHXOP10EPHEMERALL11MOSAICG12QUIXOTIC

Across

  1. 2 Longing for the past NOSTALGIA
  2. 4 Fourteen-line poem SONNET
  3. 7 Maze from Greek myth LABYRINTH
  4. 9 Highest point ZENITH
  5. 10 Lasting a very short time EPHEMERAL
  6. 11 Picture made from small tiles MOSAIC
  7. 12 Idealistic to an impractical degree QUIXOTIC

Down

  1. 1 Costly spice from a crocus SAFFRON
  2. 3 Treeless, frozen plain TUNDRA
  3. 5 Riddle-asking creature of Thebes SPHINX
  4. 6 Chain of islands ARCHIPELAGO
  5. 8 Woodwind that tunes the orchestra OBOE

About this adult crossword

This free adult crossword has 12 answers — 7 across and 5 down — in a 11 × 16 grid. Every clue was written for this puzzle. It prints on one page with the answer key on the next, and you can also solve it online: type into the squares and press Check answers to see any wrong letters.

Want a quicker activity with the same words? Try the adult word scramble.

Answers

EPHEMERAL, LABYRINTH, QUIXOTIC, MOSAIC, SONNET, ARCHIPELAGO, SAFFRON, OBOE, ZENITH, SPHINX, NOSTALGIA, TUNDRA

Ways to use it

  • Coffee break puzzle for the office
  • Activity for a book club or senior center
  • Print a stack for a long flight

Puzzle facts

Answers12 (longest: ARCHIPELAGO, 11 letters)
Grid11 × 16 squares, 7 across and 5 down
Recommended forAdults
HelpsNo letter counts
Answer keyYes — on page 2 when printed
FormatsPrint, PDF (via your browser's print dialog), PNG, play online

How to print or save as PDF

  1. Click Print / PDF above the puzzle.
  2. Choose your printer, or choose "Save as PDF" as the destination to keep a file.
  3. Print at 100% scale on letter or A4 paper. Page 1 is the puzzle, page 2 is the answer key.

FAQ

Is this adult crossword free to print?

Yes. The puzzle and its answer key are free to print, save as PDF or download as PNG for home, classroom or party use. No sign-up is needed.

What age is this adult crossword for?

Adults. It has 12 answers in a 11 × 16 grid, without letter counts for an extra challenge.

Where is the answer key?

Click Answer key above the puzzle to see it on screen. When you print, the answer key comes out on its own page after the puzzle.

Can I change the words or clues?

Yes. Click Customize to open this exact crossword in the free crossword maker, where you can edit the clues, add or remove words, add a word bank and print your own version.

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