Hidden diagonal word grid
European countries: the hidden diagonal
Eight countries in Europe, one to a row, each from one clue. Fill them in and the shaded diagonal spells one more country.
- Size
- 11 by 8
- Level
- Easy
- Clues
- 8
- By
- Ribbia
- Published
- October 3, 2026
Hidden diagonal / 11 by 8
1 across: Its capital is Minsk (7 letters)
Diagonal: a country in Europe········
Across
Click a square; click again to switch between across and down. Type to fill, arrows move, Tab or Enter jumps to the next clue, Backspace clears. All crosswords
Rules
- 1.Fill every white square with a letter so that each run of squares, across and down, spells the answer to its clue.
- 2.Each answer starts at a numbered square. 1 Across and 1 Down share their first letter, so every letter you place helps two clues.
- 3.Answers are common English words or familiar phrases, written without spaces or punctuation.
- 4.A clue ending in a question mark is playing with words. A blank, written as ___, asks for the missing word.
- 5.Minis are 5 by 5 and take a minute or two. Themed puzzles are larger, and their longest answers share a hidden link.
- 6.The puzzle is solved when every square holds the right letter. Checks and reveals help when you are stuck, and the readout counts them.
How to play
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Click or tap a square | Select it; click again to switch between across and down |
| Letters | Fill the square and move along the word |
| Arrow keys | Move; the first press across the word turns the cursor |
| Tab or Enter | Jump to the next clue with an empty square (Shift goes back) |
| Space | Switch between across and down |
| Backspace | Clear the square, or step back and clear |
| Check and Reveal | Check a letter, word or the whole grid; reveal a letter or word |
Strategy
- Start with the short answers and the fill in the blank clues: they are usually the quickest wins.
- Read the clue's grammar. A plural clue wants a plural answer, and a past tense clue a past tense one.
- When a long answer will not come, fill its crossings first. Three or four letters often give it away.
- A question mark means wordplay: think of puns, double meanings and phrases taken literally.
- In a themed puzzle, solve one long answer, then look for the link. It makes the others much easier.
- Common endings such as S, ED, ER and ING are safe guesses at the end of a word when the clue agrees.
Questions
- How does the daily mini work?
- Every UTC day one mini is the daily mini, the same for everyone. Open it from the crosswords page, solve it, and your daily streak grows by one.
- Do checks and reveals count against me?
- They are counted and shown in your result, and only a solve without reveals can set your best time. There is no other penalty, so use them when you want.
- Can I play on a phone?
- Yes. On a phone the active clue sits in a bar above a compact keyboard, so the system keyboard never covers the grid. Tap the clue to switch direction.
- Who writes the crosswords?
- Every grid and clue is original, written for Ribbia, with everyday words and fair clues. No obscure fill, no abbreviations you have to memorise.
- How do challenge links work?
- After you solve, copy the challenge link. It opens the same puzzle with your time shown as the time to beat.
Sources
- [1]United Nations. Member States.
- [2]United Nations Statistics Division. Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49).
- [3]US Department of State. Independent States in the World.
- [4]United Nations Statistics Division. Demographic Yearbook 2023, Table 3: population, rate of change, surface area and density.
- [5]United Nations Statistics Division. Statistical Yearbook: population, density and surface area.
Note on the data. Every row is a country on Ribbia's shared list of 197, filed under Europe by the United Nations M49 regions (a country that spans two continents is filed whole under one). Capitals are from the US Department of State list of independent states; the largest and the most populous country of the continent are worked out from the United Nations area and population figures. All were checked on 3 October 2026. The rows and the hidden word are chosen by code.
Last checked October 3, 2026