2022 in Review Pack Answers
Every clue and answer from the 2022 in Review bonus pack, in game order.
2022 in Review — Complete Answer List
This page covers the 2022 in Review bonus pack from Daily Themed Crossword — 291 clues with every answer listed. Packs sit outside the daily calendar: they stay in the app permanently and are built around a single subject rather than a single date, so you can work through one at your own pace instead of racing a midnight reset.
At 291 clues this pack is larger than the average pack, which runs to about 290. The longest answer is METAVERSE at 9 letters. Note the clue flags as you read: 13 clues here end in "Abbr.", so those answers are shortened forms, and 8 carry a "wds." marker, meaning the answer is several words run together without spaces.
Clues appear below in the order the game gives them, so you can scroll to roughly where you are stuck rather than hunting the whole list. The pack index holds all 202 sets, and if your puzzle is dated rather than themed it will be in the daily archive or the mini archive instead.
2022 in Review — Clues 1 to 120
| # | Clue | Answer | Letters | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Singer whose biggest hit was Gangnam Style | Show answer | 3 | |
| #2 | Samsung Galaxy Z ___ 4 highly anticipated new Android device that was released in 2022 | Show answer | 4 | |
| #3 | Joseph ___ big name in ice cream | Show answer | 3 | |
| #4 | Presidential Medal of ___ the highest civilian award in the USA | Show answer | 7 | |
| #5 | Flights expected landing hour Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #6 | Rain unit | Show answer | 4 | |
| #7 | ___ to the West Wind poem by P.B. Shelley | Show answer | 3 | |
| #8 | Knock it ___! (Stop it!) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #9 | Nothing ___ 1 mobile device with a transparent glass body that was released in 2022 | Show answer | 5 | |
| #10 | Removes the skin from oranges say | Show answer | 5 | |
| #11 | Chimney deposit | Show answer | 4 | |
| #12 | ___ Deck handheld console released by Valve in 2022 | Show answer | 5 | |
| #13 | Lone Rangers companion | Show answer | 5 | |
| #14 | Made a sound like a dove | Show answer | 5 | |
| #15 | Plays a part | Show answer | 4 | |
| #16 | Cigarette residue | Show answer | 3 | |
| #17 | Awards given out to Broadway performers perhaps | Show answer | 5 | |
| #18 | Letters on some explosives Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #19 | Fully grown person | Show answer | 5 | |
| #20 | Friend or ___? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #21 | Mother Teresa for one | Show answer | 3 | |
| #22 | Yes at the altar 2 wds. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #23 | One barred from bars | Show answer | 5 | |
| #24 | Yoga practitioners requirement | Show answer | 3 | |
| #25 | Game ___ and match (tennis umpires cry) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #26 | Performing ___ (singing dancing etc.) | Show answer | 4 | |
| #27 | Bad ___ 2021 hit by British singer Ed Sheeran that was a chart-topping hit in 2022 | Show answer | 6 | |
| #28 | James Bonds prep school (anagram of tone) | Show answer | 4 | |
| #29 | Break in friendly relations | Show answer | 4 | |
| #30 | Doctor of rap | Show answer | 3 | |
| #31 | Football Hall-of-Famer ___ Dawson | Show answer | 3 | |
| #32 | Sam Smith and Kim Petras 2022 song that became a Billboard No.1 hit | Show answer | 6 | |
| #33 | Reddish-brown hair color | Show answer | 6 | |
| #34 | ___ Paul who played Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad | Show answer | 5 | |
| #35 | ___ many cooks spoil the... | Show answer | 3 | |
| #36 | Music genre like jazz EDM and rock Abbr. | Show answer | 5 | |
| #37 | We Dont Talk About ___ song from Disneys Encanto that spent more time at No. 1 on the charts than any other Disney song | Show answer | 5 | |
| #38 | Candy or granola follower | Show answer | 3 | |
| #39 | NBA legend ___ Bryant | Show answer | 4 | |
| #40 | Break My ___ Beyonces 2022 song that became her first No. 1 hit since 2008s Single Ladies | Show answer | 4 | |
| #41 | Pose a question to someone | Show answer | 3 | |
| #42 | One day ___ time 2 wds. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #43 | ___ Weasley best friend of Harry Potter | Show answer | 3 | |
| #44 | Yoko ___ | Show answer | 3 | |
| #45 | Tit ___ tat | Show answer | 3 | |
| #46 | Cats coat | Show answer | 3 | |
| #47 | The whole amount | Show answer | 5 | |
| #48 | AI ___ 2022 technology where people use machine learning to digitally create images from written prompts | Show answer | 3 | |
| #49 | Gmail or Yahoo e.g. | Show answer | 5 | |
| #50 | Novelist Rita ___ Brown | Show answer | 3 | |
| #51 | Genre that spawned a fashion style | Show answer | 3 | |
| #52 | Animal doctor for short | Show answer | 3 | |
| #53 | Virtual reality world based on blockchain technology that was endorsed by Mark Zuckerberg in 2022 | Show answer | 9 | |
| #54 | Inform verbally | Show answer | 4 | |
| #55 | Continent to visit if you want to see the Taj Mahal | Show answer | 4 | |
| #56 | Nocturnal winged mammal | Show answer | 3 | |
| #57 | Spoiled ___ (Ill-behaved child) | Show answer | 4 | |
| #58 | Leave as is to a writer (anagram of test) | Show answer | 4 | |
| #59 | Tragic Shakespearean king | Show answer | 4 | |
| #60 | If all ___ fails... | Show answer | 4 | |
| #61 | Actress Stone of La La Land | Show answer | 4 | |
| #62 | Put in stitches | Show answer | 3 | |
| #63 | Caspian e.g. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #64 | Times New Roman and Arial for two | Show answer | 5 | |
| #65 | Big ___ (London landmark) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #66 | Pull away a wrongly parked car | Show answer | 3 | |
| #67 | Electricity water and heating in an apartment building e.g. | Show answer | 9 | |
| #68 | ___-Wan Kenobi | Show answer | 3 | |
| #69 | Non-Fungible ___ a blockchain technology that boomed in 2022 | Show answer | 5 | |
| #70 | Unmarried womans title | Show answer | 4 | |
| #71 | Wanna make ___? (place a wager) 2 wds. | Show answer | 4 | |
| #72 | Phone feature that lets you take a selfie for short | Show answer | 3 | |
| #73 | Suffix attached to bit doge alt to mean different kinds of cryptocurrencies that boomed in 2022 | Show answer | 4 | |
| #74 | Steak cutter | Show answer | 5 | |
| #75 | Animation frame | Show answer | 3 | |
| #76 | Similar in nature | Show answer | 4 | |
| #77 | Jot something down | Show answer | 4 | |
| #78 | Nibble between meals | Show answer | 5 | |
| #79 | Cigarette butt | Show answer | 4 | |
| #80 | Frozen waffles brand | Show answer | 4 | |
| #81 | Sullen or grumpy expression (anagram of duro) | Show answer | 4 | |
| #82 | Mans best friend? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #83 | Actor Poitier who was known for his roles in To Sir With Love | Show answer | 6 | |
| #84 | Prefix with space or nautical | Show answer | 4 | |
| #85 | Bob ___ actor and comedian known for his role as Danny Tanner in Full House | Show answer | 5 | |
| #86 | Like a bug in a rug | Show answer | 4 | |
| #87 | Adobe file format Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #88 | Barely manage to live | Show answer | 3 | |
| #89 | Mamma ___! | Show answer | 3 | |
| #90 | Domesticated companion | Show answer | 3 | |
| #91 | Mike and ___ (fruity candy) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #92 | Gloss target on the face | Show answer | 3 | |
| #93 | James Bond creator ___ Fleming | Show answer | 3 | |
| #94 | Little trouble maker | Show answer | 3 | |
| #95 | Mournful poem | Show answer | 5 | |
| #96 | Actor Coltrane who was known for his role as the groundskeeper Hagrid in Harry Potter | Show answer | 6 | |
| #97 | Pantry or fridge invasions | Show answer | 5 | |
| #98 | NBA Hall of Famer ___ Russell who was the leader of a Boston Celtics team that won 11 titles from 1957-1969 | Show answer | 4 | |
| #99 | Authentic or in good faith 2 wds. | Show answer | 8 | |
| #100 | Muhammad ___ legendary boxer | Show answer | 3 | |
| #101 | New York Yankees organization Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #102 | Modern boxing-like combat sport Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #103 | Sci-fi franchise starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as members of a secret government organization Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #104 | Yes informally | Show answer | 3 | |
| #105 | Keep an ___ on that! (Pay attention to) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #106 | Actress Gardner of Mogambo who was born on December 24th 1922 | Show answer | 3 | |
| #107 | Eminems genre | Show answer | 3 | |
| #108 | Change the color of hair say | Show answer | 3 | |
| #109 | Deposit as an egg | Show answer | 3 | |
| #110 | James Joyces classic novel which was released on February 2nd 1922 | Show answer | 7 | |
| #111 | To consume something | Show answer | 3 | |
| #112 | Right this minute! Abbr. | Show answer | 4 | |
| #113 | Electric car company that Elon Musk heads | Show answer | 5 | |
| #114 | Use a keyboard | Show answer | 4 | |
| #115 | Chris ___ of Guardians of the Galaxy | Show answer | 5 | |
| #116 | Tylenol alternative | Show answer | 5 | |
| #117 | Students writing assignment | Show answer | 5 | |
| #118 | Who Wants to ___ Millionaire? 2 wds. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #119 | Give stars to a movie say | Show answer | 4 | |
| #120 | Donkeys cry | Show answer | 4 |
2022 in Review — Clues 121 to 240
| # | Clue | Answer | Letters | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #121 | Overseas | Show answer | 6 | |
| #122 | Copied someone like a monkey | Show answer | 4 | |
| #123 | Grown-up | Show answer | 6 | |
| #124 | Muscat native | Show answer | 5 | |
| #125 | Howard ___ archaeologist who discovered Tutankhamuns tomb in Egypt on November 4th 1922 | Show answer | 6 | |
| #126 | Badly behaved man (rhymes with sad) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #127 | Hockey legend Bobby | Show answer | 3 | |
| #128 | Family groups in traditional societies | Show answer | 6 | |
| #129 | Make up for sins | Show answer | 5 | |
| #130 | Highly capable | Show answer | 5 | |
| #131 | San Francisco ___ Area | Show answer | 3 | |
| #132 | Pull out of the ground as a plant or tree | Show answer | 6 | |
| #133 | Medicine that was first used to treat diabetes on January 11th 1922 | Show answer | 7 | |
| #134 | ___ hundred the difference between 1922 and 2022 | Show answer | 3 | |
| #135 | Pie ___ mode 2 wds. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #136 | Australian animal with a pouch for short | Show answer | 3 | |
| #137 | Twilight author Stephenie ___ | Show answer | 5 | |
| #138 | Ridiculous or absurd | Show answer | 5 | |
| #139 | Salted part of a margarita glass | Show answer | 3 | |
| #140 | Wall-E or R2-D2 for instance | Show answer | 5 | |
| #141 | The Land of Promise as per the Bible | Show answer | 6 | |
| #142 | Boxing legend Muhammad | Show answer | 3 | |
| #143 | ___ and cheese (pasta dish) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #144 | Single ___ whiskey | Show answer | 4 | |
| #145 | Attention-seeker say | Show answer | 5 | |
| #146 | NBA player Rajon ___ | Show answer | 5 | |
| #147 | Dadaist sculptor Jean ___ (anagram of par) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #148 | Solo song for a soprano | Show answer | 4 | |
| #149 | ___ Lasso tv series starring Jason Sudeikis which won the Emmy Award for Best Comedy Series in 2022 | Show answer | 3 | |
| #150 | Protagonist of 1999 film The Matrix | Show answer | 3 | |
| #151 | ___ Lanka Asian island country | Show answer | 3 | |
| #152 | ___ Rodrigo Drivers License singer who won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2022 | Show answer | 6 | |
| #153 | Sloth protagonist in the Ice Age franchise | Show answer | 3 | |
| #154 | Dissenting votes | Show answer | 4 | |
| #155 | ___ de Janeiro Brazil | Show answer | 3 | |
| #156 | ___ Maria (hymn) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #157 | Regular monetary compensation for a job | Show answer | 6 | |
| #158 | Ancient Greek instrument used by bards | Show answer | 4 | |
| #159 | ___ Week Tonight With John Oliver HBO news show which won the Emmy Award for Best Variety Show in 2022 | Show answer | 4 | |
| #160 | Sam ___ actor who played Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park | Show answer | 5 | |
| #161 | Spherical body | Show answer | 3 | |
| #162 | Irish folk singer | Show answer | 4 | |
| #163 | Spoken rather than written | Show answer | 4 | |
| #164 | Opposite of Northern | Show answer | 8 | |
| #165 | Fair-to-middling Hyph. | Show answer | 4 | |
| #166 | Getting __ years (aging) 2 wds. | Show answer | 4 | |
| #167 | Opposite of pro | Show answer | 3 | |
| #168 | Whats up ___? (Bugs Bunny question) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #169 | Capital of Ireland which is famous for St. Patricks Cathedral | Show answer | 6 | |
| #170 | Commercials during the Super Bowl for short | Show answer | 3 | |
| #171 | Unit to measure large areas of land | Show answer | 4 | |
| #172 | 2021 Emilia Jones film which won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2022 | Show answer | 4 | |
| #173 | Like some scientists? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #174 | ___ Ness monster | Show answer | 4 | |
| #175 | Piece of thin wire that is a paper fastener | Show answer | 6 | |
| #176 | Dont ___ me (Dont bug me) | Show answer | 6 | |
| #177 | Place to sleep at night | Show answer | 3 | |
| #178 | Disney World theme park which is the site of Spaceship Earth | Show answer | 5 | |
| #179 | Squid ___ Korean drama series for which Lee Jung-Jae won an Emmy Award in 2022 | Show answer | 4 | |
| #180 | The Phantom of the ___ | Show answer | 5 | |
| #181 | Exclamation thats much like Aha! | Show answer | 3 | |
| #182 | Distance units on a football field | Show answer | 5 | |
| #183 | Extreme fear and apprehension | Show answer | 5 | |
| #184 | The ___ Trilogy stage play which won Tony Awards for Best Play Best Actor and Best Director in 2022 | Show answer | 6 | |
| #185 | Make a selection with for | Show answer | 3 | |
| #186 | Bread covered with fungal growth? | Show answer | 5 | |
| #187 | Cattle cry | Show answer | 3 | |
| #188 | Long period of unconsciousness | Show answer | 4 | |
| #189 | Chit ___ (small talk) | Show answer | 4 | |
| #190 | Covertly add to an email Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #191 | Swampy areas | Show answer | 4 | |
| #192 | ___ Modric Croatian soccer player who won the Golden Ball award in the 2018 FIFA World Cup | Show answer | 4 | |
| #193 | Small or tiny | Show answer | 3 | |
| #194 | Stayed in a lodge say | Show answer | 5 | |
| #195 | Long fish that can be electric or spiny | Show answer | 3 | |
| #196 | Writers fluid | Show answer | 3 | |
| #197 | Bearded antelope from Africa | Show answer | 3 | |
| #198 | Light-footed or nimble say | Show answer | 5 | |
| #199 | Be unwell | Show answer | 3 | |
| #200 | Apples color | Show answer | 3 | |
| #201 | Country which won the 2018 FIFA World Cup by defeating Croatia 4-2 in the final | Show answer | 6 | |
| #202 | Brazilian soccer legend who won the FIFA World Cup in 1958 1962 and 1970 | Show answer | 4 | |
| #203 | Slurpee alternative for frozen drinks | Show answer | 4 | |
| #204 | I ___ it! (was confident about) | Show answer | 4 | |
| #205 | Hop ___ and jump | Show answer | 4 | |
| #206 | Joint between the thigh and shin | Show answer | 4 | |
| #207 | Remove ticks and other parasites from a pet | Show answer | 6 | |
| #208 | Buckingham Palace city | Show answer | 6 | |
| #209 | Lionel ___ Argentine soccer player who won the Golden Ball award in the 2014 FIFA World Cup | Show answer | 5 | |
| #210 | The Altar constellation with a palindromic name | Show answer | 3 | |
| #211 | High-IQ society | Show answer | 5 | |
| #212 | Color of honey (deep yellow) | Show answer | 5 | |
| #213 | Te ___ Spanish I love you | Show answer | 3 | |
| #214 | Harry ___ English soccer player who won the Golden Boot for most goals scored in the 2018 World Cup | Show answer | 4 | |
| #215 | Pressing need? | Show answer | 4 | |
| #216 | ___Tok (video sharing app) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #217 | Spill the beans | Show answer | 4 | |
| #218 | Entourage agent Gold | Show answer | 3 | |
| #219 | ___ Just Not That Into You (2009 drama) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #220 | Expression for I finally get it now | Show answer | 3 | |
| #221 | Six-pack muscles for short | Show answer | 3 | |
| #222 | Came in first | Show answer | 3 | |
| #223 | Its ___! A 2022 viral trend originating from a young boy talking earnestly about his love for maize | Show answer | 4 | |
| #224 | ___ Arbor Michigan | Show answer | 3 | |
| #225 | Outputs of brainstorming | Show answer | 5 | |
| #226 | A Nightmare on ___ Street | Show answer | 3 | |
| #227 | Title for Paul McCartney or Elton John | Show answer | 3 | |
| #228 | Not my mistake on some articles | Show answer | 3 | |
| #229 | Game created by Josh Wardle that went viral in 2022 and was purchased by NYT | Show answer | 6 | |
| #230 | Black ___ spider | Show answer | 5 | |
| #231 | Genetic attribute | Show answer | 5 | |
| #232 | Spanish name for a bullfighter (anagram of rooter) | Show answer | 6 | |
| #233 | Single entry in a list | Show answer | 4 | |
| #234 | Running Up That ___ 1985 song by Kate Bush that went viral in 2022 because of a scene in Stranger Things | Show answer | 4 | |
| #235 | Greek mythologys king of the underworld | Show answer | 5 | |
| #236 | Well hello there 2 wds. | Show answer | 4 | |
| #237 | George ___ protagonist of Ursula K. Le Guins The Lathe of Heaven | Show answer | 3 | |
| #238 | Inc. in London | Show answer | 3 | |
| #239 | Decided what to call a baby? | Show answer | 5 | |
| #240 | Homers neighbor on The Simpsons | Show answer | 3 |
2022 in Review — Clues 241 to 291
| # | Clue | Answer | Letters | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #241 | 911 respondent Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #242 | Pokemon ___ Arceus 2022 adventure game that follows a child sent to the distant past of Pokemon | Show answer | 7 | |
| #243 | Actress Taylor-Joy of The Queens Gambit | Show answer | 4 | |
| #244 | Put two and two together | Show answer | 3 | |
| #245 | Chemical suffix with chlor | Show answer | 3 | |
| #246 | Wood used in whiskey barrels | Show answer | 3 | |
| #247 | ___ Things Bright and Beautiful | Show answer | 3 | |
| #248 | Jamaican dance music | Show answer | 3 | |
| #249 | Tax form organization Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #250 | ___ Ring From Softwares 2022 fantasy action game that follows an exiles journey to repair a broken kingdom | Show answer | 5 | |
| #251 | Grasped with ones hand | Show answer | 4 | |
| #252 | Frozen raindrops? | Show answer | 4 | |
| #253 | Start a paragraph in a Word document perhaps | Show answer | 6 | |
| #254 | Against the law | Show answer | 7 | |
| #255 | 2022 adventure game that follows a cat who is lost in a post-apocalyptic world | Show answer | 5 | |
| #256 | Vegetables that make you cry | Show answer | 6 | |
| #257 | Bye in Spanish | Show answer | 5 | |
| #258 | ___ the knot (get married) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #259 | Ed ___ n Eddy Cartoon Network series | Show answer | 3 | |
| #260 | ___ there be light | Show answer | 3 | |
| #261 | Touch the ground as a plane | Show answer | 4 | |
| #262 | Small beer barrel | Show answer | 3 | |
| #263 | Animal whose heart was successfully transplanted into a human in 2022 | Show answer | 3 | |
| #264 | Anderson Cooper 360 channel Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #265 | Take a look at | Show answer | 3 | |
| #266 | Home to Machu Picchu | Show answer | 4 | |
| #267 | Actress Ryan of When Harry Met Sally | Show answer | 3 | |
| #268 | Hawaii garland | Show answer | 3 | |
| #269 | Offering to the poor | Show answer | 4 | |
| #270 | Venomous Egyptian cobra | Show answer | 3 | |
| #271 | Breathing organ | Show answer | 4 | |
| #272 | Thomas ___ composer of Alfred | Show answer | 4 | |
| #273 | Lacking principles | Show answer | 6 | |
| #274 | Sunken ship like the Endurance which was found near Antarctica in 2022 107 years after sinking | Show answer | 5 | |
| #275 | To give acceptance to | Show answer | 5 | |
| #276 | Bostons Liberty Tree e.g. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #277 | ___ Olympics athletic event held in Beijing in 2022 where Norway won the most gold medals | Show answer | 6 | |
| #278 | Agreement as one made between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard in 2022 | Show answer | 4 | |
| #279 | Hang down limply | Show answer | 5 | |
| #280 | Book of maps? | Show answer | 5 | |
| #281 | Director Kazan of Gentlemans Agreement | Show answer | 4 | |
| #282 | Columns partner on a spreadsheet | Show answer | 3 | |
| #283 | Young man in Scotland | Show answer | 3 | |
| #284 | Nocturnal hunting bird | Show answer | 3 | |
| #285 | Beach state in India | Show answer | 3 | |
| #286 | An inflated sense of self | Show answer | 3 | |
| #287 | Before in old poems | Show answer | 3 | |
| #288 | Let It Go singer ___ Menzel | Show answer | 5 | |
| #289 | Indonesian vacation island | Show answer | 4 | |
| #290 | Agency with a most wanted list Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #291 | One ___ Over the Cuckoos Nest 1975 film starring Jack Nicholson | Show answer | 4 |
2022 in Review — Questions
What are the answers to the 2022 in Review pack?
How big is this pack?
Why do some answers run words together?
Where are the other packs?
Other Themed Packs
3 Tips for the 2022 in Review Pack
Everything here shares one subject
A themed pack narrows the field far more than a daily board does: all 291 clues in 2022 in Review pull from the same subject. Read the pack name as a hint before you read the clue — it rules out most of the answers a general crossword would allow.
Answer length is the tiebreaker
Answers here run from 3 to 9 letters, the longest being METAVERSE. Themed clues often have two plausible solutions, so match the length to the slot before you commit.
Packs never change
Unlike the dated boards, a pack is fixed — the same clues in the same order for every player, which is what makes a written answer list reliable. Browse the full pack index for the rest, or the dated archive if you are chasing today's board instead.
Verified Answers, Not Guesses
How we verify the 2022 in Review pack
All 291 clues in this pack are read from the pack data itself, with answers length-checked and clue text kept verbatim. Packs are fixed content, so this page is checked once against the game and then stays correct rather than drifting.
Reviewed by Nadia Okonkwo, Crossword and Clue Editor at Puzzle Solved. The full checking routine is in the methodology, and the standards every page is held to are in the editorial policy.
Last checked — Sep 9, 2026Daily Themed Crossword by the numbers
How to Solve a Daily Themed Crossword
How the daily and mini grids are built, and the order that solves them.
Read the theme before the clues
Daily Themed Crossword builds every puzzle around one idea, and the long entries almost always belong to it. Knowing the theme turns those from cold clues into a guessing game with a very short list.
Fill the short crossings first
Three and four letter answers use the most predictable vocabulary in the whole grid. Each one you place hands letters to the long clues for free, which is a better use of the first minute than staring at the hardest entry.
Abbreviations are signposted
A clue ending in "Abbr." or containing its own abbreviation is telling you the answer is short and clipped. The same goes for "Hyph." and "2 wds." — the clue format is half the answer.