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Coded Crosswords

A State by Any Other Name

Patriotic question marks

If you like coded crosswords, you're sure to love the twist in this one!

To solve this puzzle, you must be familiar with the two-letter postal abbreviations for each of the United States. For example, MI = Michigan, HA = Hawaii and so on. Find the complete list here


State of Confusion!

Read each clue, and look for the two-letter abbreviations for one or more states hidden in the sentence. Write the corresponding state into the crossword. Sounds easy, right?  See complete instructions below.

Printable Coded Crossword & Solution

Coded crossword puzzle diagram for "State of Confusion!

Example: Look at the clue in 1 across:  Wait while I log into my account. 

There are five possible states hidden in this clue: WA = Washington, HI = Hawaii, IL = Illinois, IN = Indiana, CO = Colorado.

To choose the right answer, check the crossword diagram. The correct answer has ten letters. The only 10-letter state listed above is WASHINGTON. Write that into the puzzle, and you're on your way!


I’ve made it a bit more tricky by sometimes putting more than one state abbreviation in each clue.

In these cases, you’ll need to count the letters in the crossword to help you select the right answer. Sometimes there will be two possible state answers, both with the right amount of letters. In these cases, you’ll have to solve other clues until the one answer becomes clear.


Map of the US

Hint: No state appears in the coded crossword more than once. I used 40 states in all, with sincere apologies to the remaining ten. Now, clear your state of mind and have fun!

Across

Santa unsure about coming down the chimney

1.   Wait while I log in to my account.

3.   Santa came down through the chimney.

6.   Sara goes to a vocal coach.

8.   Hank asks a lot of questions!

10.  Would you rather eat here or there?

11.  Some of my favorite foods are okra and avocados.

13.  We hope to go to the lake soon.

14.  I became ill after eating the muffins I made.

16.  I’d like a drink of cold milk.

19.  Let’s measure the wall.

23.  I’ve been in a daze all day!

26.  Let’s enjoy a walk on the beach.

28.  No alcohol is allowed at this party.

31.  Better late than never!

33.  Michelle chose a red gumdrop.

34.  The gallon of spilled lemonade flowed over the floor.

pitcher of lemonade

35.  We will miss you at the enormous picnic.

37.  Little Timmy is proud of himself.

38.  Swing your partner, round and round!

39.  It’s your lucky day!

Down

2.   Why is my car so noisy?

4.   Can you hide the cake in time?

5.   The total cost is one dollar.

6.   Mike has a bad cold.

7.   Please flip on the light switch.

9.   The report confirms the facts.

12.  While the cat’s away, the mice will play!

15.  The unmarked trail led to the chestnut trees.

17.  More robins in the nest hatched today.

18.  Guess my weight, within a tiny margin of error.

blue flip-flops

20.  Has anyone seen my flip-flops?

21.  The warmth from the fireplace was soothing.

22.  It’s okay to use the crystal flower vase.

24.  Johnny dialed 911 after his accident.

25.  The icy downhill path was treacherous!

27.  Kevin’s convertible is the envy of the neighborhood!

29.  Tom thinks he should quit work.

30.  Will you be home in time for dinner?

32.  This taffy is very chewy!

36.  Boohoo! I cannot go outside now.

Digging Deeper

Can you name one state name in which THREE two-letter abbreviations appear? Find the answer under the ORANGE button below!

If you like coded crosswords, I also recommend...

 ...some Anagram and Cryptic Crosswords, like these:

Hollywood cameraman

Anagram Celebrity Crossword - Super-fun puzzler! Do you know whose name can be anagrammed into "I RENT BELLS?"  Solve this and 21 others to successfully complete this crossword.


Cryptic Crossword Puzzles The answer for each cryptic clue is an anagram for one of the words in the clue.

Acronym Crossword Puzzle This interesting acronym crossword uses terms from government, medicine, technology, sports and more. Simply supply the missing word in each acronym. 

FLORIDA contains the abbreviations FL (Florida), OR (Oregon), and ID (Idaho). There may be additional answers as well.

If you enjoy our coded crosswords , you may also want to try some of our many challenging word search puzzles!


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