Ross Churchley
Official Pokémon Legends art of Mount Coronet, overlaid into a crossword grid

Legends

Recently I’ve been spending my spare time doing two things: solving cryptic crosswords and playing Pokémon Legends: Arceus. The next logical step, then, is to try my hand at compiling my own cryptic crossword themed after the game!

If you haven’t tried one before, a cryptic crossword is a crossword puzzle in which each clue is itself a word puzzle. A cryptic clue is usually misleading if taken at face value, but conceals a definition and a secondary indication (usually wordplay) of the correct answer. For example:

A gym leader in Cinnabar was inflamed (5)

The answer is RAGED, meaning “was inflamed”.

At first reading, it seems like this clue refers to the fiery Cinnabar Island Gym Leader Blaine from Pokémon Red and Blue, but the hidden real definition is only the last two words, “was inflamed”.

The remainder of the clue is wordplay that hints at the answer: “Cinnabar” means RED and “gym leader” can be interpreted as “the first letter of gym”, so “A gym leader in Cinnabar” reduces to “A G in RED” — hence, RAGED.

Cryptic clues can be even more complicated and include anagrams, homophones, obscure abbreviations, and all sorts of other devices. Or they can be as simple as a bad pun.

Feet passed down through generations? (7)

The answer is LEGENDS, which are “passed down through generations”. What do feet have to do with anything? Well, they’re LEG ENDS, of course…

You’ll need to be a Pokémon fan to appreciate all of the surface readings in this puzzle, but don’t worry if you aren’t — none of the clues require any specific knowledge of Pokémon to solve. Once you’re done, you can scroll to the bottom to check the solutions and see how you did. Enjoy!

7 across. Angry Bibarel destroys one-pound weight. 7 letters.
8 across. Received draught intended for negative condition. 7 letters.
10 across. Jolly well suited ultimately to go after flora and fauna. 4-7 letters.
12 across. Type disadvantage primarily follows lineage. 4 letters.
14 across. Dominant peak of area. 5 letters.
16 across. Stony resolve. 4 letters.
17 across. Cuts tumblestone to catch child? 7 letters.
18 across. Memory loss means a name is confused. 7 letters.
20 across. Cautious of battle decision. 4 letters.
22 across. Spookiest artifact conceals origin. 5 letters.
23 across. Sword repeats point about Pokémon starter. 4 letters.
27 across. Lustrous Globe. 7 letters and 4 letters.
30 across. Version-exclusive starter takes note from speech. 7 letters.
31 across. Phione evolution rumour: tip is more fraudulent. 7 letters.
1 down. A dragon without a leader makes historic country. 6 letters.
2 down. Another trick for gathering information? 5 letters.
3 down. Family heads to calm lightning-affected nobles. 4 letters.
4 down. Beasts short of coasts where the sun rises. 4 letters.
5 down. Greater part of beautiful tradition. 5 letters.
6 down. One who posts mission in southeast river. 6 letters.
7 down. Sharply divided about old-fashioned graphics. 5 letters, 3 letters and 5 letters.
9 down. Person from the future tries rare level item crafted without electricity. 4 letters and 7 letters.
11 down. Current maps inaccurate. 4 letters.
13 down. Distraction from the last month expressing dismay. 5 letters.
14 down. Everyone entering STAB moves helps. 5 letters.
15 down. Random rifts drop odd characters to accept. 5 letters.
16 down. Birds glide vacantly around — look up! 5 letters.
19 down. Information vaguely written up. 4 letters.
21 down. Concerning loop leading to self-inflicted damage. 6 letters.
24 down. Friend cap lacks intensity. 6 letters.
25 down. Sacred words from the end of legendary shield-bearer. 5 letters.
26 down. No getting up after taking half of Metal Claw. 5 letters.
28 down. Metallic noise and lossless glint? Variant! 4 letters.
29 down. Run from training under little officer. 4 letters.