Crossword Challenge Puzzle 617 Clues and Answers
This page covers all 31 clues of Crossword Challenge Puzzle 617, an 8×10 grid that mixes picture clues with short word clues.
Short answers dominate here: 9 of 31 fit in one or two squares. 4 clues are pictures, and 4 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; 3 want just the first letter of a single word; 2 clues are fill-ins, and 2 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Behind the scenes”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to “Nanny duty”, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “Behind the scenes”. 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.
BEHIND THE SCENES
1Behind the scenes
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
B _ _ K _ _ A _ _. Check the sixth letter against “Exams”.
BACKSTAGE
EARLIER
2Earlier
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Shape: A _ _. Solving “Black rock” first gives you its third letter.
AGO
SMILE
3Smile
Top row 3/7 · 4 letters · down
Starts with B; pattern B _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Black rock”.
BEAM
AFTER X
4After x
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
Step one letter forward from X in the alphabet.
Y
-nger
5Picture clue
Top row 5/7 · 2 letters · down
Picture word minus “nger” gives the answer. First letter: S.
SI
PERFECT STANDARD
6Perfect standard
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
I _ _ A _. Check the fourth letter against “Ethical matter”.
IDEAL
HIGH
7High
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: T _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “D__IVER”.
TALL
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
NANNY DUTY
8Nanny duty
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
B _ _ Y _ _ T. The fifth square is also part of the picture clue in the top row.
BABYSIT
gar-
9Picture clue
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
Say what the picture shows. “gar-” is printed on it, and the dashes are the letters you type. Starts with A.
AGE
BLACK ROCK
10Black rock
Left column 3/9 · 4 letters · across
Shape: C _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Smile”.
COAL
KEEP
11Keep
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
Just the opening letter of Keep.
K
cla-
12Picture clue
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
The image carries “cla-”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with S.
SS
EXAMS
13Exams
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Starts with T; pattern T _ _ T _. The fourth square is also part of “Missing”.
TESTS
sh-
14Picture clue
Left column 7/9 · 3 letters · across
The image carries “sh-”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with A.
AVE
DNA CARRIER
15Dna carrier
Left column 8/9 · 4 letters · across
Starts with G; pattern G _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Posted”.
GENE
WENT IN
16Went in
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
Shape: E _ _ E _ _ D. Check the fifth letter against “Reverse”.
ENTERED
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
I DON'T ANSWER
17I don't answer
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 3 squares.
IDA
MISSING
18Missing
Row 3, col 5 · 4 letters · down
L _ _ _. “Sun” crosses it at the third square.
LOST
D__IVER
19D__IVER
Row 4, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Fill the gap in “D__IVER”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with E.
EL
THORNY FLOWER
20Thorny flower
Row 4, col 6 · 4 letters · down
R _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Exams”.
ROSE
ETHICAL MATTER
21Ethical matter
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Starts with M; pattern M _ _ A _. Check the fourth letter against “Perfect standard”.
MORAL
5+2
225+2
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
Begins with S. Solving “Dna carrier” first gives you its fourth letter.
SEVEN
SUN
23Sun
Row 6, col 4 · 3 letters · across
Fits S _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Perfect standard”.
SOL
POSTED
24Posted
Row 6, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Begins with S. “Dna carrier” crosses it at the third square.
SENT
PRE-OWNED
25Pre-owned
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Shape: U _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Under effect”.
USED
UNIFORM
26Uniform
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Only one square: take the initial of Uniform.
U
REGRET DEEPLY
27Regret deeply
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
Fits R _ _. Solving “Went in” first gives you its third letter.
RUE
ECHO RECON SYSTEM
28Echo recon system
Row 8, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 3 squares.
ERS
DEGR__
29DEGR__
Row 8, col 5 · 2 letters · down
Rebuild the word in “DEGR__” and enter only the missing part, starting with E.
EE
UNDER EFFECT
30Under effect
Row 9, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Abbreviate “Under effect” to its initials.
UE
REVERSE
31Reverse
Row 9, col 6 · 1 letter · down
Write the first letter of Reverse, nothing more.
R
Crossword Challenge Level 617 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 617 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 617 with us. Puzzle 618 is next, with 32 clues on a 8×10 board.