The starter Pokémon of every region, for the crossword

Every Pokémon adventure starts with a choice between three: a Grass starter, a Fire starter and a Water starter. They’re the Pokémon almost everyone remembers, and that’s a good thing, because they turn up often in the crossword.

Why starters are a gift

Starter lines always have three stages: the basic form, a middle evolution and a final form. So a clue saying “it is the 2nd evolution and the final form of its line”, of Grass, Fire or Water type, already gives you a strong candidate in every region. Add the region and the length of the word, and often there’s only one answer.

Kanto and Johto

In Kanto you start with Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle, who become Ivysaur, Charmeleon and Wartortle, and finally Venusaur (Grass and Poison), Charizard (Fire and Flying) and Blastoise (Water). Watch the dual type: a “Fire and Flying type from Kanto” clue is almost a signature.

Johto has Chikorita, Cyndaquil and Totodile, then Bayleef, Quilava and Croconaw, and finally Meganium, Typhlosion and Feraligatr, all with a single type. Feraligatr is also one of the trickiest names to spell: it ends in “-gatr”.

Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova: the Fire and Fighting trio

This fact is worth its weight in gold in the crossword. For three regions in a row the Fire starter ends up with the Fire and Fighting dual type: Blaziken in Hoenn, Infernape in Sinnoh, Emboar in Unova. If the clue says “Fire and Fighting type”, the region tells you which of the three.

• Hoenn: Treecko, Torchic and Mudkip; then Grovyle, Combusken and Marshtomp; finally Sceptile (Grass), Blaziken (Fire and Fighting) and Swampert (Water and Ground).
• Sinnoh: Turtwig, Chimchar and Piplup; then Grotle, Monferno and Prinplup; finally Torterra (Grass and Ground), Infernape (Fire and Fighting) and Empoleon (Water and Steel).
• Unova: Snivy, Tepig and Oshawott; then Servine, Pignite and Dewott; finally Serperior (Grass), Emboar (Fire and Fighting) and Samurott (Water).

Kalos and Alola: the most varied dual types

From Kalos onwards the final forms get more imaginative second types, and that’s where the clue becomes precise.

• Kalos: Chespin, Fennekin and Froakie; then Quilladin, Braixen and Frogadier; finally Chesnaught (Grass and Fighting), Delphox (Fire and Psychic) and Greninja (Water and Dark).
• Alola: Rowlet, Litten and Popplio; then Dartrix, Torracat and Brionne; finally Decidueye (Grass and Ghost), Incineroar (Fire and Dark) and Primarina (Water and Fairy).

No other starter has combinations like Grass and Ghost or Water and Fairy: if you read them in a clue, think of Alola straight away.

Galar

In Galar it’s back to single types: Grookey, Scorbunny and Sobble become Thwackey, Raboot and Drizzile, and finally Rillaboom (Grass), Cinderace (Fire) and Inteleon (Water). Here the region is the only way to tell them apart from the starters of Johto and Unova, which also have a single type.

Names that look alike

Within the same line names often share their beginning: Charmander and Charmeleon, Servine and Serperior. That helps when you already have a few crossing letters, but it’s also a trap, because starters from different lines and regions look alike too: Grotle is from Sinnoh and Grovyle from Hoenn, Torchic is from Hoenn and Torracat from Alola. Before writing, check that the region in the clue is the right one.

How to use it in the grid

When you find a clue with a Grass, Fire or Water type and the sentence about the stage, do this:

1. look at the region and recall that region’s three starters;
2. pick the stage: basic, middle or final form;
3. check the dual type, if there is one, and count the squares.

With a little practice, starters become the words you start from to unlock the rest of the grid. Put yourself to the test with today’s crossword, and if you want to go over the regions there’s the guide from Kanto to Paldea.