A jumping-off place is a point of departure for a journey or an undertaking. In this crossword, the solutions SPRINGBOARD (11 letters), EDGE (4 letters) and DEEPEND (7 letters) all refer to a jumping-off place. A SPRINGBOARD is a board used to propel oneself into the air, usually in a swimming pool. An EDGE is a line where two surfaces meet, such as the EDGE of a cliff. A deep end is the deeper part of a swimming pool. All of these terms can be used to describe a jumping-off place.