Crossword Challenge Puzzle 853 Clues and Answers
This page covers all 31 clues of Crossword Challenge Puzzle 853, 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. 3 clues are pictures, and 2 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 1 clue wants only the initials of the clue words; 4 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 “Certainty”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to “Legal requests”, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “Certainty”. 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.
CERTAINTY
1Certainty
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Fits A _ _ U _ _ N _ _. Solving “Tacked on” first gives you its sixth letter.
ASSURANCE
BOWLING TARGET
2Bowling target
Top row 2/7 · 3 letters · down
Shape: P _ _. Check the third letter against “White flakes”.
PIN
ABBR. FOR PROCESS
3Abbr. for process
Top row 3/7 · 4 letters · down
P _ _ _. “White flakes” crosses it at the third square.
PROC
END
4End
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of End.
E
y-
5__PLE
Top row 5/7 · 2 letters · down
Picture word minus “y” gives the answer. First letter: A.
AM
TOUCHES DOWN
6Touches down
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
Fits L _ _ D _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Deck items”.
LANDS
FAMILY BOYS
7Family boys
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
Shape: S _ _ _. Solving “Double n” first gives you its third letter.
SONS
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
LEGAL REQUESTS
8Legal requests
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
A _ _ E _ _ S. Its fifth letter is shared with the picture clue in the top row.
APPEALS
KNIGHTED MAN
9Knighted man
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
Fits S _ _. Solving “Abbr. for process” first gives you its third letter.
SIR
WHITE FLAKES
10White flakes
Left column 3/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with S. Its third letter is shared with “Abbr. for process”.
SNOW
ULTRA
11Ultra
Left column 4/9 · 1 letter · across
Just the opening letter of Ultra.
U
-ver
12Picture clue
Left column 5/9 · 2 letters · across
Work out the object in the picture, then drop the part already written on it (“-ver”). What is left starts with R.
RI
TACKED ON
13Tacked on
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Fits A _ _ E _. Solving “H2o” first gives you its fourth letter.
ADDED
NOT FAR
14Not far
Left column 7/9 · 4 letters · across
Fits N _ _ _. “Calendar day” crosses it at the third square.
NEAR
15Picture clue
Left column 8/9 · 3 letters · across
What is shown in the image? Shape: C _ _. The third square is also part of “Calendar day”.
CAT
FUNDA-MENTAL PART
16Funda-mental part
Left column 9/9 · 7 letters · across
Fits E _ _ M _ _ T. The fifth square is also part of “NO__”.
ELEMENT
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
MAILING ADDRESS ONLY
17Mailing address only
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 3 squares.
MAO
H2O
18H2o
Row 3, col 5 · 5 letters · down
Shape: W _ _ E _. The fourth square is also part of “Tacked on”.
WATER
DOUBLE N
19Double n
Row 4, col 6 · 2 letters · across
N _. The second square is also part of “Family boys”.
NN
CLEAR (OF)
20Clear (of)
Row 4, col 6 · 3 letters · down
Begins with R. Solving “Tacked on” first gives you its third letter.
RID
DECK ITEMS
21Deck items
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Begins with C. Solving “Touches down” first gives you its fourth letter.
CARDS
ULTIMATE GOAL
22Ultimate goal
Row 5, col 3 · 5 letters · down
Shape: I _ _ A _. The fourth square is also part of the picture clue in the left column.
IDEAL
SCALE NOTES
23Scale notes
Row 6, col 4 · 3 letters · across
T _ _. Solving “Touches down” first gives you its third letter.
TIS
CALENDAR DAY
24Calendar day
Row 6, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Starts with D; pattern D _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with the picture clue in the left column.
DATE
AFTER THIS
25After this
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Shape: N _ _ _. Solving “Number after five” first gives you its third letter.
NEXT
NATURE
26Nature
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Only one square: take the initial of Nature.
N
TRASH CAN
27Trash can
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
B _ _. Solving “Funda-mental part” first gives you its third letter.
BIN
TO OCCUR
28To occur
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Begins with B. The second square is also part of “After this”.
BE
NO__
29NO__
Row 8, col 6 · 2 letters · down
Only the hidden letters of “NO__” go in the grid. First one: S.
SE
NUMBER AFTER FIVE
30Number after five
Row 9, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Starts with S; pattern S _ _. The third square is also part of “After this”.
SIX
MILLION
31Million
Row 9, col 5 · 1 letter · down
Only one square: take the initial of Million.
M
Crossword Challenge Level 853 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 853 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 853 with us. Puzzle 854 is next, with 30 clues on a 8×10 board.