A Missing Links puzzle is a crossword with a difference: each clue consists of three words only. The answer is a fourth word – the missing link – they have in common.
This missing link forms a new term when placed before or after each of the three clue words. The new term could be one word, hyphenated or two words. For example, in the puzzle below, the answer to 2 Down is ACT, as it forms the new terms ‘balancing ACT’, ‘counterACT’ and ‘play-ACT’ with the clue words.
Getting started
To start solving a Missing Links, first check the puzzle for the number of letters in an answer.
The best clues to solve first are those that give you the first letter of other answers. For example, solving 1 Across will give you the first letter of 1 Down, 2 Down, 3 Down and 4 Down.
TRAFFIC is the answer to 1 Across, as it forms the new terms ‘through TRAFFIC’, ‘TRAFFIC lights’ and ‘TRAFFIC jam’ with the three clue words. Knowing that you’re looking for a six-letter answer beginning with ‘T’ for 1 Down really helps narrow down the possibilities (answer = TRAVEL).
Tips
Some common themes to have in mind for missing links are:
• colours, eg RED wine, RED carpet, RED line
• animals, eg LIONheart, sea LION, LIONfish
• places, eg FARMyard, wind FARM, health FARM
• objects, eg front DOOR, next DOOR, DOORbell
• parts of the body, eg KIDNEY failure, KIDNEY stone, KIDNEY bean.
Many missing link words are nouns, often forming compound nouns when combined with the clue words, eg fire-EATER, beefEATER, antEATER.