A different practice route each day

Clue Clinic · October 2, 2026

Today's set is organized by how each clue works, with the largest round focused on meaning warm-up. Reveal any answer immediately or use its tailored cue first.

1 meaning warm-up · 1 short forms · 1 knowledge clues

Meaning warm-up

Direct definitions and familiar senses to establish the day's solving rhythm.

1 clue
01
Crossword clue · 5 letters

First country to use paper money, way back in the 7th century

Meaning cue

Think of the East Asian country associated with Tang-dynasty money, not the country where modern banknotes were later printed.

Show the answer and explanation →

Short forms

Abbreviations, informal usage, and compact entries whose form is part of the solve.

1 clue
02
Crossword clue · 3 letters

Backdrop for Jay Gatsby's military service in "The Great Gatsby," for short

Form cue

Place Gatsby's army service before his postwar Long Island life, then abbreviate that conflict.

Open the answer and decode the shorthand →

Knowledge clues

Names, titles, places, and facts where one precise detail confirms the fill.

1 clue
03
Crossword clue · 5 letters

European capital with layers of Thracian, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman history

Identity cue

Look for the Bulgarian capital once called Serdica by the Romans.

Open the answer and verify the reference →