Crossword Challenge Puzzle 458 Clues and Answers
This page covers all 29 clues of Crossword Challenge Puzzle 458, 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. 6 clues are pictures, and 3 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 3 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 2 want just the first letter of a single word. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Negative outlook”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to the picture clue in the left column, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “Negative outlook”. Solve one of those two and every edge clue starts with a known letter.
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.
NEGATIVE OUTLOOK
1Negative outlook
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
P _ _ S _ _ I _ _. Check the sixth letter against “Demeanor”.
PESSIMISM
2Picture clue
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Look at the picture and fit it to E _ _. Solving the picture clue in the left column first gives you its third letter.
ELK
TOP OF ALPHABET
3Top of alphabet
Top row 3/7 · 1 letter · down
One letter only. It is the standard short form for “Top of alphabet”.
A
COMMON ERA
4Common era
Top row 4/7 · 2 letters · down
Take one letter from each word of the clue, in order.
CE
FEMALE ORGAN
5Female organ
Top row 5/7 · 5 letters · down
Starts with O; pattern O _ _ R _. “Bolt feature” crosses it at the fourth square.
OVARY
GIVE UP
6Give up
Top row 6/7 · 4 letters · down
Begins with C. Check the third letter against “Fuss”.
CEDE
INFOR-MATION
7Infor-mation
Top row 7/7 · 9 letters · down
Shape: K _ _ W _ _ D _ _. Check the sixth letter against “Junior engineer”.
KNOWLEDGE
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
8Picture clue
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
One word for the picture, starting with P. Check the fifth letter against “Female organ”.
PEACOCK
whe-
9Picture clue
Left column 2/9 · 2 letters · across
Picture word minus “whe” gives the answer. First letter: E.
EL
10Picture clue
Left column 3/9 · 3 letters · across
Describe the picture in one word that fits S _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Island”.
SKI
SHELF
11Shelf
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
Shelf starts with the answer.
S
DECOR-ATIVE INSERT
12Decor-ative insert
Left column 5/9 · 5 letters · across
I _ _ A _. “Dog” crosses it at the fourth square.
INLAY
DEMEANOR
13Demeanor
Left column 6/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with M. Solving “Island” first gives you its third letter.
MIEN
mus-
14Picture clue
Left column 7/9 · 2 letters · across
Work out the object in the picture, then drop the part already written on it (“mus-”). What is left starts with I.
IC
LIVELY PARTY
15Lively party
Left column 8/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits S _ _ N _ _ G. Solving “Public display” first gives you its fifth letter.
SHINDIG
ONLY
16Only
Left column 9/9 · 4 letters · across
Shape: M _ _ _. Solving “Infrared light” first gives you its third letter.
MERE
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
NOT ODD
17Not odd
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Fits E _ _ _. “Give up” crosses it at the third square.
EVEN
ISLAND
18Island
Row 3, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Begins with I. Solving “Decor-ative insert” first gives you its third letter.
ISLE
FUSS
19Fuss
Row 4, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fits A _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Infor-mation”.
ADO
DOG
20Dog
Row 4, col 5 · 6 letters · down
C _ _ I _ _. Check the fourth letter against “Apple music player”.
CANINE
BOLT FEATURE
21Bolt feature
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Starts with S; pattern S _ _ E _. Solving “Give up” first gives you its fourth letter.
SCREW
UNIQUE POSITION
22Unique position
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
Fits N _ _ H _. Check the fourth letter against “Lively party”.
NICHE
LABOR
23Labor
Row 6, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Write the first letter of Labor, nothing more.
L
ENROLL IN
24Enroll in
Row 6, col 7 · 4 letters · down
Starts with J; pattern J _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Lively party”.
JOIN
JUNIOR ENGINEER
25Junior engineer
Row 7, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Junior engineer” to its initials.
JE
PUBLIC DISPLAY
26Public display
Row 7, col 6 · 2 letters · down
Abbreviate “Public display” to its initials.
PD
APPLE MUSIC PLAYER
27Apple music player
Row 8, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Fits I _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Enroll in”.
IPOD
INFRARED LIGHT
28Infrared light
Row 8, col 4 · 2 letters · down
Shape: I _. Its second letter is shared with “Only”.
IR
dro-
29ENGI__
Row 10, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Picture word minus “dro” gives the answer. First letter: N.
NE
Crossword Challenge Level 458 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 458 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 458 with us. Puzzle 459 is next, with 31 clues on a 8×10 board.