Crossword Challenge Puzzle 987 Clues and Answers
Puzzle 987 of Crossword Challenge gives you 30 clues on a 8×10 board. Each one is listed below with a hint first and the answer second.
9 of the 30 answers are one or two letters long. 4 clues are pictures, and 3 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; 3 want just the first letter of a single word; 4 clues are fill-ins, and 3 of them need only the missing letters. The longest answer runs 9 letters and belongs to “Not publicly”.
Start at the edges. The first letters of the 7 answers hanging from the top row spell the answer to “Pose or stance”, and the first letters of the 9 answers along the left edge spell the answer to “Not publicly”. 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.
NOT PUBLICLY
1Not publicly
Top row 1/7 · 9 letters · down
Begins with P. The sixth square is also part of “Desire to drink”.
PRIVATELY
"___ THE NEXT"
2"___ THE NEXT"
Top row 2/7 · 4 letters · down
The missing word in “___ THE NEXT” starts with O.
ONTO
-rdine
3Picture clue
Top row 3/7 · 2 letters · down
The image carries “-rdine”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with S.
SA
TANKER
4Tanker
Top row 4/7 · 1 letter · down
Only one square: take the initial of Tanker.
T
UN-IDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT
5Un-identified flying object
Top row 5/7 · 3 letters · down
Shape: U _ _. The third square is also part of “Wishful feeling”.
UFO
WRITTEN ACCOUNT
6Written account
Top row 6/7 · 6 letters · down
R _ _ O _ _. Its fourth letter is shared with “BOTT__”.
REPORT
FOE
7Foe
Top row 7/7 · 5 letters · down
Begins with E. Check the fourth letter against “BOTT__”.
ENEMY
Left column
These sit down the left edge and every answer runs across.
POSE OR STANCE
8Pose or stance
Left column 1/9 · 7 letters · across
Begins with P. “Un-identified flying object” crosses it at the fifth square.
POSTURE
BIOLOGICAL CHAIN
9Biological chain
Left column 2/9 · 3 letters · across
R _ _. The third square is also part of the picture clue in the top row.
RNA
h-
10Picture clue
Left column 3/9 · 2 letters · across
The image carries “h-”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with I.
IT
MAKE A CHOICE
11Make a choice
Left column 4/9 · 4 letters · across
V _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Not that”.
VOTE
GRADE OPTION
12Grade option
Left column 5/9 · 1 letter · across
A single letter or symbol answers “Grade option”.
A
DESIRE TO DRINK
13Desire to drink
Left column 6/9 · 6 letters · across
Starts with T; pattern T _ _ R _ _. “Listener” crosses it at the fourth square.
THIRST
ARTIST'S STAND
14Artist's stand
Left column 7/9 · 5 letters · across
Begins with E. Solving “Listener” first gives you its fourth letter.
EASEL
TWO L'S
15Two l's
Left column 8/9 · 2 letters · across
Begins with L. Solving “Angel's headwear” first gives you its second letter.
LL
MA___NAISE
16MA___NAISE
Left column 9/9 · 3 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “MA___NAISE” and enter only the missing part, starting with Y.
YON
Inside the grid
Split squares hold two clues: the top half runs across, the bottom half runs down.
DE___SE
17DE___SE
Row 3, col 5 · 3 letters · across
“DE___SE” is a word with a gap. Type just the gap, which begins with F.
FEN
LISTENER
18Listener
Row 3, col 5 · 6 letters · down
Begins with H. Solving “Desire to drink” first gives you its fourth letter.
HEARER
WISHFUL FEELING
19Wishful feeling
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Starts with H; pattern H _ _ _. “Written account” crosses it at the third square.
HOPE
NOT THAT
20Not that
Row 4, col 4 · 4 letters · down
Starts with T; pattern T _ _ _. Its third letter is shared with “Desire to drink”.
THIS
BOTT__
21BOTT__
Row 5, col 6 · 2 letters · across
Rebuild the word in “BOTT__” and enter only the missing part, starting with O.
OM
SPOT OF LAND
22Spot of land
Row 5, col 6 · 5 letters · down
Starts with I; pattern I _ _ E _. The fourth square is also part of “Use a book”.
ISLET
FURRY
23Furry
Row 6, col 3 · 5 letters · across
Begins with H. The fourth square is also part of “Written account”.
HAIRY
ANGEL'S HEADWEAR
24Angel's headwear
Row 6, col 3 · 4 letters · down
Fits H _ _ _. “Two l's” crosses it at the third square.
HALO
25Sum up
Row 7, col 8 · 3 letters · down
Both the picture and the text “SUM UP” point to the same word. It begins with A.
ADD
ACT
26Act
Row 8, col 7 · 1 letter · across
Only one square: take the initial of Act.
A
AMINO ACID
27Amino acid
Row 8, col 7 · 2 letters · down
Shorten the clue to its first letters: 2 squares.
AA
USE A BOOK
28Use a book
Row 9, col 4 · 4 letters · across
Shape: R _ _ _. “Amino acid” crosses it at the third square.
READ
NIGHT
29Night
Row 9, col 4 · 1 letter · down
Night starts with the answer.
N
ci---el
30Jot
Row 10, col 5 · 3 letters · across
The image carries “ci---el”. Name the picture and keep only the letters hidden behind the dashes, beginning with T.
TAD
Crossword Challenge Level 987 Solved Grid
Hide the letters to check your own board against the empty grid.
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Puzzle 987 solved
Thanks for working through Puzzle 987 with us. Puzzle 988 is next, with 29 clues on a 8×10 board.