Crossee — the daily Indian crossword

The daily 9×9 Indian crossword, using current-use words drawn from the numerous languages of India. Free, no sign up required.

Why this exists

I play the NYT Mini and Midi most mornings. They are good puzzles. But the clues assume an American childhood: a sitcom that ran before I was born, a baseball team, a brand of cereal in an aisle I have never walked down. You cannot solve what you have never heard of, and looking it up is not solving. My partner had the same complaint in the same week, which is usually the sign that a thing is worth building.

So: the same shape of puzzle, built out of India. Dhoni behind the stumps. The jingle you can still sing. The film line everyone quotes. The dish people argue about the correct way to make. Nothing obscure, nothing that needs a search. If you grew up in India, or grew up around it, you already know it.

It is a 9×9. It is meant to be easy. One cup of coffee, start to finish, and then on with your morning.

Across

  1. 1. Son of the gold-laden Disco King, or an affectionate address for the guest who arrives on 14th September this year
  2. 6. Register formally as a participant or member
  3. 8. The "nation" behind the 2000 party hit "Nachange Saari Raat"
  4. 9. Old-____
  5. 10. Volunteer for a difficult task (with 'up')
  6. 12. Coarse-ground wheat that can make sweet sheera or crisp dosa
  7. 15. Actor Chiranjeevi is called one
  8. 19. Shreyas, brand ambassador for Mumbai Falcons Racing
  9. 20. Your uncle in Dubai or cousin in New Jersey - either qualifies as one, in short
  10. 21. Harvey of Gotham, or a new driver's rite of passage
  11. 22. (Hindi) Nanny

Down

  1. 1. The adjective one of Mumbai's civic undertaking spells, but its users might not always agree
  2. 2. Prefix wrongly attached to "social" to describe someone who's just shy
  3. 3. Salman, Hrithik and Shahid, in Barjatya movies
  4. 4. What many a face wash claims to "deep-cleanse"
  5. 5. Government's head's up before a storm
  6. 7. Poll contestants who might rue the "zamanat zapt" rule
  7. 11. Pataliputra, today
  8. 13. The V in YMMV
  9. 14. An elaborate song for solo voice
  10. 15. (slang) Mediocre
  11. 16. Taher Shah's adjectives for one include sensational, fabulous and "spectrum"
  12. 17. Prefix for X, Y, Z, Alpha
  13. 18. The products of human creativity

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