English is a living language, but some words from centuries past still haunt its fringes, rarely spoken, yet somehow unforgotten. This crossword challenges your knowledge of archaisms: words once common in literature, law, and everyday speech that have since faded into obscurity. Can you retrieve them from the dusty shelves of linguistic history?
Grid
Fill in the grid: pick a square, read the clue and type your answer.
Clues
Across
- 3. Perhaps; maybe (archaic variant)
- 5. Formerly; once upon a time
- 6. Perhaps; by chance (archaic)
- 8. Short and to the point
- 10. To push a button on keypad
- 11. All members of a group
- 12. From this time forward (archaic)
- 15. Certainly; of course (archaic)
- 17. Archaic form of 'pray thee', please
- 18. Used sarcastically to disagree
- 19. word indicating later time
- 20. For this reason, therefore
Down
- 1. Fitting very closely
- 2. Little in size, opposite of big
- 4. Perhaps; by chance (archaic adverb)
- 5. Why; for what reason (archaic)
- 7. The recent past; former years
- 9. Perhaps; possibly (archaic form)
- 13. Benefit or advantage (archaic noun)
- 14. Used sarcastically when upset
- 16. Question word for place
Answers
Show the answers
Across
- 3. Perhaps; maybe (archaic variant) → mayhap
- 5. Formerly; once upon a time → whilom
- 6. Perhaps; by chance (archaic) → haply
- 8. Short and to the point → brief
- 10. To push a button on keypad → press
- 11. All members of a group → every
- 12. From this time forward (archaic) → henceforth
- 15. Certainly; of course (archaic) → certes
- 17. Archaic form of 'pray thee', please → prithee
- 18. Used sarcastically to disagree → right
- 19. word indicating later time → after
- 20. For this reason, therefore → hence
Down
- 1. Fitting very closely → tight
- 2. Little in size, opposite of big → small
- 4. Perhaps; by chance (archaic adverb) → peradventure
- 5. Why; for what reason (archaic) → wherefore
- 7. The recent past; former years → yesteryear
- 9. Perhaps; possibly (archaic form) → perchance
- 13. Benefit or advantage (archaic noun) → behoof
- 14. Used sarcastically when upset → great
- 16. Question word for place → where
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