Crossword Challenge Puzzle 985 Clues and Answers
Stuck somewhere in Crossword Challenge Puzzle 985? All 30 clues on this 8×10 grid are solved below, one card per clue.
Expect plenty of tiny answers, 9 of them only one or two letters. 3 clues are pictures, and 2 of those ask you to fill the gaps in a word printed on the image; 5 clues want only the initials of the clue words; 4 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 “Created”.
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 “Created”. 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.
CREATED
1Created
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Fits G _ _ E _ _ T _ _. Its sixth letter is shared with “Good thing”.
GENERATED
SCARCE
2Scarce
Top row 2/7 · 4 letters · down
Fits R _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Nuclear reactor”.
RARE
b--il
3Picture clue
Top row 3/7 · 2 letters · down
Work out the object in the picture, then drop the part already written on it (“b--il”). What is left starts with A.
AS
NEW YEAR'S EVE
4New year's eve
Top row 4/7 · 3 letters · down
Abbreviate “New year's eve” to its initials.
NYE
OAK
5Oak
Top row 5/7 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Oak.
O
NOT TIGHT
6Not tight
Top row 6/7 · 5 letters · down
Begins with L. “BREAKF___” crosses it at the fourth square.
LOOSE
SISTER OF PARENT
7Sister of parent
Top row 7/7 · 4 letters · down
A _ _ _. The third square is also part of “Study of markets”.
AUNT
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 G. Its fifth letter is shared with “Oak”.
GRANOLA
SIMPLE
9Simple
Left column 2/9 · 4 letters · across
Begins with E. The third square is also part of the picture clue in the top row.
EASY
NUCLEAR REACTOR
10Nuclear reactor
Left column 3/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Nuclear reactor”.
NR
wh-
11Picture clue
Left column 4/9 · 3 letters · across
Picture word minus “wh” gives the answer. First letter: E.
EEL
RADICAL
12Radical
Left column 5/9 · 1 letter · across
Radical starts with the answer.
R
GOOD THING
13Good thing
Left column 6/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with A. Its fourth letter is shared with “Rent”.
ASSET
WHOLLY
14Wholly
Left column 7/9 · 7 letters · across
Begins with T. “Medieval fortress” crosses it at the fifth square.
TOTALLY
EDUCATION DEPT.
15Education dept.
Left column 8/9 · 2 letters · across
Initials: the first letter of each word in “Education dept.”.
ED
VALLEY
16Valley
Left column 9/9 · 4 letters · across
D _ _ _. “Like” crosses it at the third square.
DALE
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
OUT UNIT
17Out unit
Row 3, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
OU
MEDIEVAL FORTRESS
18Medieval fortress
Row 3, col 6 · 6 letters · down
Begins with C. Check the fourth letter against “Good thing”.
CASTLE
STUDY OF MARKETS
19Study of markets
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Shape: E _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Not tight”.
ECON
"___ WE FORGET"
20"___ WE FORGET"
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Say “___ WE FORGET” out loud and the blank fills itself: L _ _ _.
LEST
BREAKF___
21BREAKF___
Row 5, col 5 · 3 letters · across
Fill the gap in “BREAKF___”, but leave out the letters already shown. Starts with A.
AST
RENT
22Rent
Row 5, col 5 · 5 letters · down
L _ _ S _. Its fourth letter is shared with “Bird feeder fill”.
LEASE
MOREOVER
23Moreover
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · across
Shape: E _ _ _. “Medieval fortress” crosses it at the third square.
ELSE
COKE OR 7UP
24Coke or 7up
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · down
Shape: S _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Education dept.”.
SODA
JEKYLL'S BAD SIDE
25Jekyll's bad side
Row 6, col 8 · 4 letters · down
Starts with H; pattern H _ _ _. Check the third letter against “Bird feeder fill”.
HYDE
HEADSET
26Headset
Row 7, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Just the opening letter of Headset.
H
SUPPORT FOR WALKING
27Support for walking
Row 7, col 7 · 3 letters · down
Starts with L; pattern L _ _. Check the third letter against “Good enough”.
LEG
BIRD FEEDER FILL
28Bird feeder fill
Row 9, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Starts with S; pattern S _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Support for walking”.
SEED
LIKE
29Like
Row 9, col 4 · 1 letter · down
Just the opening letter of Like.
L
GOOD ENOUGH
30Good enough
Row 10, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
GE
Crossword Challenge Level 985 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
Next puzzles
Crossword Challenge Puzzle 9868×10 · 31 clues · 3 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, and 4 clues are fill-in-the-blanks.See hints and answersCrossword Challenge Puzzle 9878×10 · 30 clues · 4 picturesLongest answer runs 9 letters, and 4 clues are fill-in-the-blanks.See hints and answers
Puzzle 985 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 985 with us. Puzzle 986 is next, with 31 clues on a 8×10 board.