Shopaholic Pack Pack Answers
Every clue and answer from the Shopaholic Pack bonus pack, in game order.
Shopaholic Pack — Complete Answer List
This page covers the Shopaholic Pack bonus pack from Daily Themed Crossword — 298 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 298 clues this pack is larger than the average pack, which runs to about 290. The longest answer is OLLIVANDERS at 11 letters. Note the clue flags as you read: 22 clues here end in "Abbr.", so those answers are shortened forms, and 5 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.
Shopaholic Pack — Clues 1 to 120
| # | Clue | Answer | Letters | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | ___ Miserables (Victor Hugo novel) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #2 | ___ Monday major online shopping event held on the Monday after Thanksgiving | Show answer | 5 | |
| #3 | Science Guy Bill | Show answer | 3 | |
| #4 | Naruto genre | Show answer | 5 | |
| #5 | Often-torn knee part Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #6 | ___ Billion Day shopping event held by the Indian e-commerce company Flipkart | Show answer | 3 | |
| #7 | Dinner garb for babies | Show answer | 4 | |
| #8 | Get to a sale fast say | Show answer | 4 | |
| #9 | Limas land | Show answer | 4 | |
| #10 | ___ Day annual deal event that was first held on Amazons 20th anniversary in 2015 | Show answer | 5 | |
| #11 | I ___ the day I met you... (regret) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #12 | Crescent moon shape | Show answer | 3 | |
| #13 | Damage a surface | Show answer | 3 | |
| #14 | Insufficient in quantity | Show answer | 6 | |
| #15 | General on a Chinese takeout menu | Show answer | 3 | |
| #16 | ___ thanks! (sarcastic retort) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #17 | Do ___ others... | Show answer | 4 | |
| #18 | Sister with a rosary? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #19 | Janelle ___ who sang Dirty Computer | Show answer | 5 | |
| #20 | Opposite of WSW Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #21 | Prompt during a play | Show answer | 3 | |
| #22 | Number on a store tag | Show answer | 5 | |
| #23 | Prefix with logical or political | Show answer | 3 | |
| #24 | Defense group with its own alphabet Abbr. | Show answer | 4 | |
| #25 | Roadside accommodations | Show answer | 4 | |
| #26 | Aisle at the supermarket where one can purchase flour icing and sugar | Show answer | 6 | |
| #27 | Kelloggs Cracklin ___ Bran (cereal aisle find) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #28 | Inc. cousin Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #29 | Aisle at the supermarket where one can purchase chicken or ham | Show answer | 4 | |
| #30 | Janitors apparatus | Show answer | 3 | |
| #31 | Chowder mollusk | Show answer | 4 | |
| #32 | Four out of five stars e.g. | Show answer | 6 | |
| #33 | Aisle at the supermarket where one can purchase fruits and vegetables | Show answer | 7 | |
| #34 | Big-bottomed fruit | Show answer | 4 | |
| #35 | ___ Brother hit by Avicii | Show answer | 3 | |
| #36 | Future flower | Show answer | 4 | |
| #37 | Bring forth a genie in a way | Show answer | 3 | |
| #38 | Medical researchers aim | Show answer | 4 | |
| #39 | Final stop at a supermarket where one pays for all their purchased groceries | Show answer | 8 | |
| #40 | Firework that failed | Show answer | 3 | |
| #41 | Curl up with a comic book | Show answer | 4 | |
| #42 | Lewis Hamiltons title | Show answer | 3 | |
| #43 | Card in a fortune tellers pocket perhaps | Show answer | 5 | |
| #44 | Item at the entrance of a supermarket to push around and fill up with groceries | Show answer | 4 | |
| #45 | Droop as skin | Show answer | 3 | |
| #46 | Genre for brooding artists | Show answer | 3 | |
| #47 | Fiona in Shrek e.g. | Show answer | 4 | |
| #48 | Aisle at the supermarket where one can purchase milk cheese and yogurt | Show answer | 5 | |
| #49 | Words before a wedding kiss 2 wds. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #50 | You may purchase one from a magazine stand | Show answer | 5 | |
| #51 | Tiny skin opening | Show answer | 4 | |
| #52 | Actor Sy of Lupin | Show answer | 4 | |
| #53 | Bubble wrap-bursting sound | Show answer | 3 | |
| #54 | Bodybuilders chest muscle briefly | Show answer | 3 | |
| #55 | Tiger in the cereal aisle? | Show answer | 4 | |
| #56 | ___ in the Corner Shop 1980 song by The Jam about a factory employee and a shop employee | Show answer | 3 | |
| #57 | 12-inch units | Show answer | 4 | |
| #58 | ___ Beso Paul Anka song with a rhyming title | Show answer | 3 | |
| #59 | Metaphorical mess? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #60 | ___ X (late 60s - 80s cohort) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #61 | New prefix | Show answer | 3 | |
| #62 | 7 ___ 2019 song by Ariana Grande that mentions buying expensive jewelry for her friends | Show answer | 5 | |
| #63 | Travel like a bunny? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #64 | Line at a fashion design school? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #65 | When You Wish ___ A Star | Show answer | 4 | |
| #66 | Measuring stick in math class | Show answer | 5 | |
| #67 | Civil rights icon ___ Parks | Show answer | 4 | |
| #68 | German Alas! | Show answer | 3 | |
| #69 | ___ Shop 2012 song by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis that is about buying cheap clothes to save money | Show answer | 6 | |
| #70 | Largest moon of Saturn | Show answer | 5 | |
| #71 | Suits accessory | Show answer | 3 | |
| #72 | More kind say | Show answer | 5 | |
| #73 | ___ of the Supermarket 2009 Bruce Springsteen song that is an ode to a supermarket employee | Show answer | 5 | |
| #74 | AirPods site | Show answer | 3 | |
| #75 | Its shed by a dying flower | Show answer | 5 | |
| #76 | Do this quickly! Abbr. | Show answer | 4 | |
| #77 | Miners find | Show answer | 3 | |
| #78 | Picnic-ending weather | Show answer | 4 | |
| #79 | Buddy at a fraternity lovingly | Show answer | 3 | |
| #80 | Alphas follower? | Show answer | 4 | |
| #81 | Carly ___ Jepsen who sang Good Time | Show answer | 3 | |
| #82 | Sun Devils school Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #83 | Opposite of near | Show answer | 3 | |
| #84 | Web pages help center Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #85 | ___ Fifth Avenue chain of luxury department stores whose shoe department has its own zip code in New York City | Show answer | 4 | |
| #86 | Peruvian from the past | Show answer | 4 | |
| #87 | College dorm directors Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #88 | Chain of department stores that was once headquartered in Chicagos Willis Tower | Show answer | 5 | |
| #89 | Took charge of a group say | Show answer | 3 | |
| #90 | Prince Valiants son | Show answer | 3 | |
| #91 | Warning on a yard sale tag 2 wds. | Show answer | 4 | |
| #92 | Bite between meals? | Show answer | 5 | |
| #93 | Wheezing malady that requires an inhaler | Show answer | 6 | |
| #94 | Place for gladiators face-off | Show answer | 5 | |
| #95 | Boy in a kilt perhaps | Show answer | 3 | |
| #96 | Game with a cue and an eight-ball | Show answer | 4 | |
| #97 | Cut him ___ slack! | Show answer | 4 | |
| #98 | Largest U.S. department store chain that has stores in 49 U.S. states | Show answer | 5 | |
| #99 | Gives consent to | Show answer | 3 | |
| #100 | ___-out clause (clause in certain contracts) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #101 | Request to a bartender | Show answer | 4 | |
| #102 | Sleeveless summer top informally | Show answer | 4 | |
| #103 | Kittens favorite ball? | Show answer | 4 | |
| #104 | Home ___ 1990 film starring Macaulay Culkin that features his character in a shopping sequence | Show answer | 5 | |
| #105 | Sinus specialist Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #106 | Far from an amateur informally | Show answer | 3 | |
| #107 | Not happenin | Show answer | 4 | |
| #108 | Max to Goofy | Show answer | 3 | |
| #109 | Pie ___ mode 2 wds. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #110 | Bowl in a bathroom | Show answer | 5 | |
| #111 | Flying mammal that sleeps upside down | Show answer | 3 | |
| #112 | Actor Centineo of Swiped | Show answer | 4 | |
| #113 | Pretty ___ 1990 film starring Julia Roberts that features an iconic shopping montage | Show answer | 5 | |
| #114 | Say just kidding! with ones eyes | Show answer | 4 | |
| #115 | Bad hair day cover | Show answer | 3 | |
| #116 | Flying military branch of the U.K. Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #117 | React to happy or sad news perhaps | Show answer | 3 | |
| #118 | Caterers coffee dispenser | Show answer | 3 | |
| #119 | Eager beavers project? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #120 | Adobes file format Abbr. | Show answer | 3 |
Shopaholic Pack — Clues 121 to 240
| # | Clue | Answer | Letters | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #121 | Susceptible with to | Show answer | 5 | |
| #122 | Bother greatly | Show answer | 3 | |
| #123 | One of thousands living in a hill? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #124 | Long-term investment option Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #125 | Well thats obvious! | Show answer | 3 | |
| #126 | Bollywoods land | Show answer | 5 | |
| #127 | Stargazers view | Show answer | 3 | |
| #128 | A in ETA for short | Show answer | 3 | |
| #129 | Iconic part of a Guy Fawkes costume | Show answer | 4 | |
| #130 | Emcees prop for short | Show answer | 3 | |
| #131 | Breakfast at ___ 1961 film starring Audrey Hepburn that features her character window shopping in the opening scene | Show answer | 8 | |
| #132 | ___ Rica (San Joses country) | Show answer | 5 | |
| #133 | Gemstone owned by a Libra perhaps | Show answer | 4 | |
| #134 | San ___ Californian city with a zoo | Show answer | 5 | |
| #135 | Crazy Stupid ___ 2011 film starring Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling that features a shopping sequence | Show answer | 4 | |
| #136 | Financial aid to start a business | Show answer | 4 | |
| #137 | Sailors call for help | Show answer | 3 | |
| #138 | Trait that may be boosted by compliments | Show answer | 3 | |
| #139 | Clambake leftovers | Show answer | 5 | |
| #140 | Aloe vera output | Show answer | 3 | |
| #141 | Actress Mendes of Girl in Progress | Show answer | 3 | |
| #142 | Partner of borrow and steal | Show answer | 3 | |
| #143 | Gentle bonk on the head | Show answer | 3 | |
| #144 | Blank ___ 1994 film starring Brian Bonsall that features his character spending 1 million dollars in a shopping spree | Show answer | 5 | |
| #145 | ___ was saying... 2 wds. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #146 | Pasta often partnered with cheese for short | Show answer | 3 | |
| #147 | Super angry | Show answer | 3 | |
| #148 | Candles place on a birthday cake | Show answer | 3 | |
| #149 | ___ market marketplace where one can buy meat fish and other perishable items | Show answer | 3 | |
| #150 | Sandal bottom | Show answer | 4 | |
| #151 | Soccer spectators cheer | Show answer | 3 | |
| #152 | Bloom in a romantic bouquet | Show answer | 4 | |
| #153 | Raise at a casino perhaps | Show answer | 3 | |
| #154 | Hoppy serving at happy hour | Show answer | 3 | |
| #155 | One crying in a crib perhaps | Show answer | 4 | |
| #156 | Hello Kittys hair accessory | Show answer | 3 | |
| #157 | Not tell as a secret | Show answer | 4 | |
| #158 | Capital that was once home to Vikings | Show answer | 4 | |
| #159 | Car ___ sale market in the U.K. where people bring items to sell in the backs of their cars | Show answer | 4 | |
| #160 | Pumas competitor thats also named after an animal | Show answer | 6 | |
| #161 | THINK tech company Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #162 | Teddy Roosevelts Rushmore neighbor fondly | Show answer | 3 | |
| #163 | Marketplace in the Middle East and South Asia that is filled with multiple small stalls | Show answer | 6 | |
| #164 | Preach sister! | Show answer | 4 | |
| #165 | Cinderellas Godmother for one | Show answer | 5 | |
| #166 | Where to see sea anemones | Show answer | 4 | |
| #167 | ___ market street market where one can purchase pre-owned merchandise | Show answer | 4 | |
| #168 | ___ market marketplace where one can directly buy produce from local growers | Show answer | 7 | |
| #169 | End of an Ivy League URL perhaps | Show answer | 3 | |
| #170 | Legally blackball | Show answer | 3 | |
| #171 | Spelling insect | Show answer | 3 | |
| #172 | Retreat as tides | Show answer | 3 | |
| #173 | Hollywoods nightmarish street | Show answer | 3 | |
| #174 | Canal to the Red Sea | Show answer | 4 | |
| #175 | Innovations seed? | Show answer | 4 | |
| #176 | Old whats-___-name | Show answer | 3 | |
| #177 | Rosemary or thyme e.g. | Show answer | 4 | |
| #178 | Send an emoji say | Show answer | 4 | |
| #179 | Green growth on damp rocks | Show answer | 4 | |
| #180 | Im the same way! 2 wds. | Show answer | 5 | |
| #181 | Warning from a jungle king? | Show answer | 4 | |
| #182 | Homer Simpson vis-a-vis Moes Tavern e.g. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #183 | Magic ___ magic shop run by Rupert Giles in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Show answer | 3 | |
| #184 | ___ away at (eroded) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #185 | Many Moroccans and Omanis | Show answer | 5 | |
| #186 | Live ___ (Taco Bells slogan) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #187 | Message from a pigeon? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #188 | Wile E. Coyotes brand of choice | Show answer | 4 | |
| #189 | Its fully covered by a full-sleeved shirt | Show answer | 3 | |
| #190 | GoPro product for short | Show answer | 3 | |
| #191 | Do the floss or the running man | Show answer | 5 | |
| #192 | Als Toy ___ toy store owned by Al McWhiggin in the film Toy Story 2 | Show answer | 4 | |
| #193 | Painters cliched headwear | Show answer | 5 | |
| #194 | Nation-sweeping obsession say | Show answer | 5 | |
| #195 | Tool for woodwork | Show answer | 3 | |
| #196 | By means of in an itinerary | Show answer | 3 | |
| #197 | The ___ Book Company bookstore owned by William Thacker in the film Notting Hill | Show answer | 6 | |
| #198 | Youre on your ___ pal | Show answer | 3 | |
| #199 | Ride with a sunroof perhaps | Show answer | 3 | |
| #200 | Suitcase-checking organization Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #201 | Washington-based wholesale retail chain | Show answer | 6 | |
| #202 | Sing-song syllable before la-la | Show answer | 3 | |
| #203 | Off-road racers ride Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #204 | Device filled with bills Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #205 | Virtual hahaha Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #206 | Frank ___ White Ferrari singer | Show answer | 5 | |
| #207 | Fans may put them on pedestals? | Show answer | 5 | |
| #208 | Itty amount | Show answer | 4 | |
| #209 | Elon Musks company | Show answer | 5 | |
| #210 | ___-E-Mart convenience store run by Apu in the animated TV series The Simpsons | Show answer | 4 | |
| #211 | X on a Valentines Day card | Show answer | 4 | |
| #212 | Parent celebrated in June | Show answer | 3 | |
| #213 | Author Dahl who wrote Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | Show answer | 5 | |
| #214 | Alias letters | Show answer | 3 | |
| #215 | Attacked mosquito-style | Show answer | 3 | |
| #216 | Not yet scheduled letters | Show answer | 3 | |
| #217 | Peas in a pod number? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #218 | Wand shop run by the eponymous wizard in the Harry Potter series | Show answer | 11 | |
| #219 | ___ Vegas city with the Bellagio Fountain | Show answer | 3 | |
| #220 | Eggs added to sushi | Show answer | 3 | |
| #221 | ___ Guthrie folk musician | Show answer | 4 | |
| #222 | Etsy purchase perhaps | Show answer | 3 | |
| #223 | ___ out an income | Show answer | 3 | |
| #224 | ___ to cart (e-commerce feature) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #225 | NFLs Manning | Show answer | 3 | |
| #226 | Actor Beatty of Friendly Fire | Show answer | 3 | |
| #227 | Dessert in a chart? | Show answer | 3 | |
| #228 | Sort or kind | Show answer | 3 | |
| #229 | What melting popsicles do | Show answer | 4 | |
| #230 | Hmm that doesnt seem right | Show answer | 3 | |
| #231 | VIP carpet color | Show answer | 3 | |
| #232 | Shop till you ___ idiom that describes spending a lot of time shopping | Show answer | 4 | |
| #233 | I just took a ___ test turns out... (Lizzos Truth Hurts lyrics) Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #234 | Cops suspect slangily | Show answer | 4 | |
| #235 | Shopping ___ phrase to describe buying a lot of things at once often impulsively | Show answer | 5 | |
| #236 | Genesis grandson | Show answer | 4 | |
| #237 | ___-stop shop (time-efficient shop) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #238 | Johnny ___ who portrayed Captain Jack Sparrow | Show answer | 4 | |
| #239 | ___ shopping phrase that describes walking through a store without intending to buy anything | Show answer | 6 | |
| #240 | Performed a cappella say | Show answer | 4 |
Shopaholic Pack — Clues 241 to 298
| # | Clue | Answer | Letters | Copy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #241 | King Arthurs Excalibur e.g. | Show answer | 5 | |
| #242 | Reaction to seeing Mount Everest perhaps | Show answer | 3 | |
| #243 | Cost an arm and a ___ idiom that describes expensive things | Show answer | 3 | |
| #244 | Fanny pack place | Show answer | 3 | |
| #245 | Shape of chocolate on Easter often | Show answer | 3 | |
| #246 | Hibernation station | Show answer | 3 | |
| #247 | Flattering verse | Show answer | 3 | |
| #248 | Suffix with cray or pay | Show answer | 3 | |
| #249 | Stores sign during the day | Show answer | 4 | |
| #250 | Fuzzy-skinned fruit | Show answer | 4 | |
| #251 | Boxing victory announcement Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #252 | Defrost as frozen meat | Show answer | 4 | |
| #253 | Charlotte Brontes Jane ___ | Show answer | 4 | |
| #254 | Shop ___ retail job that involves arranging and restocking shelves | Show answer | 5 | |
| #255 | Poets preposition | Show answer | 3 | |
| #256 | Menace in Men in Black | Show answer | 5 | |
| #257 | No clue in chats Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #258 | ___ May Clampett The Beverly Hillbillies character | Show answer | 4 | |
| #259 | Slangy You can do better | Show answer | 3 | |
| #260 | Nutmegs spice | Show answer | 4 | |
| #261 | ___ associate retail job that involves assisting customers with buying | Show answer | 5 | |
| #262 | Sound made when ones running out of patience perhaps | Show answer | 3 | |
| #263 | Prevent as a major disaster (anagram of trave) | Show answer | 5 | |
| #264 | Raised as cattle | Show answer | 4 | |
| #265 | Connect once more as Bluetooth earphones to a phone | Show answer | 6 | |
| #266 | Actress Gardner of The Killers | Show answer | 3 | |
| #267 | Nutrient in rice or bread for short | Show answer | 4 | |
| #268 | Retail job that involves scanning items and billing customers | Show answer | 7 | |
| #269 | Swiss skiing spot | Show answer | 3 | |
| #270 | They may peep out of sandals | Show answer | 4 | |
| #271 | Fudge as facts | Show answer | 3 | |
| #272 | Caps ___ (Shifts neighbor) | Show answer | 4 | |
| #273 | Cool in the past | Show answer | 3 | |
| #274 | Sound heard in a sauna perhaps | Show answer | 3 | |
| #275 | Excellent service on a tennis court | Show answer | 3 | |
| #276 | Brits bathroom | Show answer | 3 | |
| #277 | ___ Starr & Frost oldest jewelry firm in America that was founded in 1810 | Show answer | 5 | |
| #278 | Three-ingredient deli sandwich Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #279 | John who sang Goodbye Yellow Brick Road | Show answer | 5 | |
| #280 | Slow garden creature used to describe mail? | Show answer | 5 | |
| #281 | Aussie bear that is actually a marsupial | Show answer | 5 | |
| #282 | ___ Brothers oldest apparel brand in America that was founded in 1818 | Show answer | 6 | |
| #283 | Yellow part of an egg | Show answer | 4 | |
| #284 | One of the oldest gardening companies that was founded in 1818 | Show answer | 6 | |
| #285 | ___ Rihanna Fenty (Diamonds singer) | Show answer | 5 | |
| #286 | The ___ Arthur Baking Company one of the oldest flour and baking companies that was founded in 1790 | Show answer | 4 | |
| #287 | Ship speed unit | Show answer | 4 | |
| #288 | Spectacles-wearing Disney dwarf | Show answer | 3 | |
| #289 | Neckwear that may have colorful feathers | Show answer | 3 | |
| #290 | Q&A session on Reddit Abbr. | Show answer | 3 | |
| #291 | Jet ___ (globetrotters woe) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #292 | Defeated an opponent say | Show answer | 3 | |
| #293 | Head-rotating bird | Show answer | 3 | |
| #294 | Geishas sash | Show answer | 3 | |
| #295 | ___ Bromwell oldest houseware company in America that was founded in 1819 | Show answer | 5 | |
| #296 | Love in Spanish | Show answer | 4 | |
| #297 | ___ Mahal (Indian landmark) | Show answer | 3 | |
| #298 | Just a ___ (wee bit) | Show answer | 3 |
Shopaholic Pack — Questions
What are the answers to the Shopaholic Pack 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 Shopaholic Pack Pack
Everything here shares one subject
A themed pack narrows the field far more than a daily board does: all 298 clues in Shopaholic Pack 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 11 letters, the longest being OLLIVANDERS. 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 Shopaholic Pack pack
All 298 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 8, 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.