Crossword Challenge Puzzle 53 Clues and Answers
Puzzle 53 of Crossword Challenge gives you 30 clues on a 8×10 board. Each one is listed below with a hint first and the answer second.
8 of the 30 answers are one or two letters long. 5 clues are pictures, and 2 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 2 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 2 want just the first letter of a single word; 2 clues are fill-ins, and 1 of them needs only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Title holding”.
The edges of this grid check each other. The top-row answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Cop”, read left to right, and the left-column answers begin with the letters of the answer to “Title holding”, read top to bottom.
Hints and answers, clue by clue
Clues look the way they do in the game. Tap Hint for a nudge or Answer to see the letters. The fully solved grid is below the hints.
Top row
These sit along the top edge and every answer runs down.
TITLE HOLDING
1Title holding
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Starts with O; pattern O _ _ E _ _ H _ _. Solving “Start” first gives you its sixth letter.
OWNERSHIP
ANIMAL LIFE
2Animal life
Top row 2/7 · 5 letters · down
F _ _ N _. Check the fourth letter against the picture clue in the left column.
FAUNA
3Ficus fruit
Top row 3/7 · 3 letters · down
Use the text “FICUS FRUIT” if the picture is unclear. First letter F.
FIG
THAT ONE
4That one
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Begins with I. Solving “Hold on” first gives you its second letter.
IT
CARBON
5Carbon
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
Only one square: take the initial of Carbon.
C
NOT DIFFICULT
6Not difficult
Top row 6/7 · 4 letters · down
Begins with E. Solving “Paris soccer team” first gives you its third letter.
EASY
7Floor covering
Top row 7/7 · 3 letters · down
Picture plus words: “FLOOR COVERING”. The answer opens with R.
RUG
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
COP
8Cop
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Shape: O _ _ I _ _ R. Check the fifth letter against “Carbon”.
OFFICER
HOLD ON
9Hold on
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
Shape: W _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Ficus fruit”.
WAIT
S___GLE
10S___GLE
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “S___GLE” and enter only the missing part, starting with N.
NUG
b--ch
11B--ch
Left column 4/9 · 2 letters · across
Picture word minus “bch” gives the answer. First letter: E.
EN
TRAFFIC TRACKER
12Traffic tracker
Left column 5/9 · 5 letters · across
Starts with R; pattern R _ _ A _. “Hospital unit” crosses it at the fourth square.
RADAR
START
13Start
Left column 6/9 · 1 letter · across
Start starts with the answer.
S
14Phone receiver
Left column 7/9 · 7 letters · across
Use the text “PHONE RECEIVER” if the picture is unclear. First letter H.
HANDSET
conv-
15Network systems
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “conv-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with I.
ICT
PART-TIME
16Part-time
Left column 9/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Part-time”.
PT
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
GOLD SYMBOL
17Gold symbol
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Shape: A _. Check the second letter against “Floor covering”.
AU
SET SAYINGS
18Set sayings
Row 3, col 6 · 7 letters · down
Fits P _ _ A _ _ S. The fifth square is also part of “Phone receiver”.
PHRASES
PARIS SOCCER TEAM
19Paris soccer team
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
P _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Floor covering”.
PSG
HOSPITAL UNIT
20Hospital unit
Row 4, col 5 · 4 letters · down
Begins with W. Its third letter is shared with “Clear away”.
WARD
QUESTION WORD
21Question word
Row 5, col 4 · 3 letters · across
Begins with W. The third square is also part of “Not difficult”.
WHY
CAR DOOR DING
22Car door ding
Row 5, col 4 · 4 letters · down
D _ _ _. “Phone receiver” crosses it at the third square.
DENT
CITY TRAIN
23City train
Row 5, col 8 · 5 letters · down
Begins with M. Its fourth letter is shared with “Express toll route”.
METRO
AFTER L
24After l
Row 6, col 7 · 1 letter · across
The alphabet letter right after L.
M
GROUPS OF ITEMS
25Groups of items
Row 6, col 7 · 4 letters · down
S _ _ _. Solving “Express toll route” first gives you its third letter.
SETS
CLEAR AWAY
26Clear away
Row 7, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Starts with E; pattern E _ _ S _. The fourth square is also part of “Groups of items”.
ERASE
STAGE PLAY
27Stage play
Row 7, col 3 · 3 letters · down
A _ _. The third square is also part of “Part-time”.
ACT
EXPRESS TOLL ROUTE
28Express toll route
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Abbreviate “Express toll route” to its initials.
ETR
SELF PRONOUN
29Self pronoun
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
One letter only. It is the standard short form for “Self pronoun”.
I
"THAT __ __ COOL!"
30"THAT __ __ COOL!"
Row 10, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Complete the phrase “THAT __ __ COOL!”. Shape: I _ _ _.
ISSO
Crossword Challenge Level 53 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 53 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 53 with us. Puzzle 54 is next, with 29 clues on a 8×10 board.