Crossword Challenge Puzzle 158 Clues and Answers
This page covers all 29 clues of Crossword Challenge Puzzle 158, an 8×10 grid that mixes picture clues with short word clues.
Short answers dominate here: 10 of 29 fit in one or two squares. 4 clues are pictures, and 3 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 4 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 2 want just the first letter of a single word; 1 clue is a fill-in, and 1 of it needs only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to the picture clue in the top row.
Here is the shortcut for Puzzle 158: read the first letters of the top-row answers and you get the answer to “Positive outlook”. Read the first letters down the left edge and you get the answer to the picture clue in the top row. One of those two words unlocks the first letter of 15 others.
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.
11
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
What is shown in the image? Shape: H _ _ R _ _ A _ _. The sixth square is also part of “Bard's guitar”.
HOURGLASS
NOT IN
2Not in
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Shape: O _ _. “Unit task force” crosses it at the third square.
OUT
PRESENT
3Present
Top row 3/7 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Present.
P
w-
44
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
The image carries “w-”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with E.
EB
TALKING ANIMAL TALE
5Talking animal tale
Top row 5/7 · 5 letters · down
Begins with F. Its fourth letter is shared with “Spot of land”.
FABLE
DESIRE
6Desire
Top row 6/7 · 4 letters · down
Fits U _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Be gone fast”.
URGE
OUT OF NORM
7Out of norm
Top row 7/7 · 9 letters · down
Starts with L; pattern L _ _ T _ _ E _ _. “__LY” crosses it at the sixth square.
LEFTFIELD
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
POSITIVE OUTLOOK
8Positive outlook
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
H _ _ E _ _ L. The fifth square is also part of “Talking animal tale”.
HOPEFUL
OVER UNDER
9Over under
Left column 2/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Over under”.
OU
UNIT TASK FORCE
10Unit task force
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Abbreviate “Unit task force” to its initials.
UTF
AFTER Q
11After q
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
Step one letter forward from Q in the alphabet.
R
ELEGANCE
12Elegance
Left column 5/9 · 5 letters · across
Starts with G; pattern G _ _ C _. Solving “Offering vistas” first gives you its fourth letter.
GRACE
BARD'S GUITAR
13Bard's guitar
Left column 6/9 · 4 letters · across
Shape: L _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Currency decree”.
LUTE
g-
1414
Left column 7/9 · 2 letters · across
Picture word minus “g” gives the answer. First letter: A.
AS
UNMOVED
15Unmoved
Left column 8/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits S _ _ I _ _ L. “Orange county” crosses it at the fifth square.
STOICAL
ALIGN
16Align
Left column 9/9 · 4 letters · across
Fits S _ _ _. Solving “Not off” first gives you its third letter.
SYNC
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
NAKED
17Naked
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · across
B _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Desire”.
BARE
CURRENCY DECREE
18Currency decree
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Starts with F; pattern F _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Elegance”.
FIAT
BE GONE FAST
19Be gone fast
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Be gone fast”.
BGF
OFFERING VISTAS
20Offering vistas
Row 4, col 5 · 6 letters · down
Shape: S _ _ N _ _. The fourth square is also part of “Nah”.
SCENIC
SPOT OF LAND
21Spot of land
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
I _ _ E _. Check the fourth letter against “Desire”.
ISLET
OXIDIZED
22Oxidized
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
R _ _ T _. Check the fourth letter against “Unmoved”.
RUSTY
FOREVER
23Forever
Row 6, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Forever starts with the answer.
F
PEARLY GEM
24Pearly gem
Row 6, col 7 · 4 letters · down
Starts with O; pattern O _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Unmoved”.
OPAL
__LY
25__LY
Row 7, col 6 · 2 letters · across
“__LY” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with O.
OI
ORANGE COUNTY
26Orange county
Row 7, col 6 · 2 letters · down
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Orange county”.
OC
NAH
27Nah
Row 8, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Starts with N; pattern N _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Pearly gem”.
NOPE
NOT OFF
28Not off
Row 8, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Starts with O; pattern O _. Check the second letter against “Align”.
ON
chi-
2929
Row 10, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “chi-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with L.
LD
Crossword Challenge Level 158 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 158 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 158 with us. Puzzle 159 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.